Reliable Auto DB

2016 GMC Terrain reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 152 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Terrain over 11 years — 5 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Terrain years here — under the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Headlights and Labels.

2012 GMC Terrain
Photo by IFCAR, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

152

Per year

5

Recalls

2

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (46 of 152), then Visibility and wipers (46) and Powertrain (11). Those filings include 9 that report a crash and 8 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Terrain has 297 complaints, 9 per year, and the 2017 has 133 complaints, 6 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 GMC Terrain. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall exterior lighting, headlights 2022-03-08 · NHTSA campaign 22V137000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
Recall Labels 2016-06-21 · NHTSA campaign 16V449000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.

Complaints by component (152 total)

Engine
46
Visibility and wipers
46
Powertrain
11
Exterior lighting
10
Air bags
9
Electrical system
9
Steering
6
Service brakes
5
Speed control
4
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Seat belts
3
Structure
3
Visibility
3
Wheels
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
Seats
2
Forward collision avoidance
1
Lane departure
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Parking brake
1
Suspension
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

9

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

8

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

320163201792018162019172020222021232022172023142024162025122026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The timing chain snapped and caused the engine to seize on our 2016 GMC Terrain 2.4L SLC-1 SUV/Truck. Since this has occurred multiple times on the 2.4L engines in this model from 2012 - 2016, we believe that there…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-14
  • "For an undetermined amount of time- many months for certain, I have been unable to get the key removed from the ignition when the car is shut off and placed in the locked position. I am forced to start and shut off the…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-09
  • "My cousin thought I had a trailing arm bushing was bad on the driver's side. The subframe holding the trailing arm rusted out completely. He was able to put his thumb through it with little pressure when trying to see…"
    Structure · filed 2026-07-23
  • "My 2016 GMC Terrain 2.4L Ecotec first stalled while idling at a red light in Raleigh, NC. I restarted it and it sounded different, so I drove it home. The next morning it would not start. The failure occurred at…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-06-05
  • "Windshield wiper mechanism broke while driving in heavy heavy rain near [XXX] . Extremely dangerous situation and almost resulted in a crash but I was able to make my way off of the interstate safely. Huge inconvenience…"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-05-17

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 GMC Terrain SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 GMC Terrain SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Terrain all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 23 18 MPG $3600
Terrain all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800
Terrain front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500
Terrain front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500
Terrain front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 24 20 MPG $3250

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2012–2017
Body styles SUV
Oil dexos1 5W-30 (4-cylinder per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/55R18, 235/55R19, 235/60R17 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 3,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 22V137000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.". The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740. When NHTSA lists multiple GM nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2015 GMC Terrain Next year 2017 GMC Terrain See every GMC Terrain model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 GMC Terrain reliable?

Owners have filed 152 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Terrain over 11 years — 5 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Terrain years here — under the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Headlights and Labels.

What are common problems with a 2016 GMC Terrain?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (46 of 152), then Visibility and wipers (46) and Powertrain (11). Those filings include 9 that report a crash and 8 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 GMC Terrain more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Terrain has 297 complaints, 9 per year, and the 2017 has 133 complaints, 6 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 GMC Terrain been recalled?

The 2016 GMC Terrain has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 GMC Terrain?

Owners have filed 152 complaints about the 2016 GMC Terrain with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 GMC Terrain get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 GMC Terrain is 22.6 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a GMC Terrain use?

US Terrain manuals specify dexos-approved oil for your four-cylinder engine.

What does NHTSA recall 22V-137 cover on the GMC Terrain?

NHTSA safety recall 22V137000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles.

What generation is the 2013 GMC Terrain?

1st generation (2012-2017).