Reliable Auto DB

2018 GMC Terrain reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 GMC Terrain has 220 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 22 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 Terrain years on this site. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Automatic transmission, Caliper, and Fuel pump.

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

220

Per year

22

Recalls

5

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (68 of 220), then Engine (53) and Powertrain (41). Those filings include 14 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Terrain has 133 complaints, 6 per year, and the 2019 has 185 complaints, 17 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

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 2018 GMC Terrain. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (5)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2020-10-29 · NHTSA campaign 20V668000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, disc, caliper 2018-08-30 · NHTSA campaign 18V576000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
Recall Fuel pump 2018-05-31 · NHTSA campaign 18V358000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
Recall air bags, air bag control module 2018-05-24 · NHTSA campaign 18V340000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 GMC Terrain vehicles. The sensing diagnostic module (SDM) that senses a crash and deploys the necessary air bags may not power down correctly when the vehicle is shut off, causing it to be inoperative when the vehicle is restarted.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM with updated software, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18179.
Recall Driveshaft 2017-08-22 · NHTSA campaign 17V516000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right front intermediate drive shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17329.

Complaints by component (220 total)

Service brakes
68
Engine
53
Powertrain
41
Electrical system
35
Air bags
14
Hydraulic brakes
13
Fuel and propulsion system
12
Forward collision avoidance
8
Speed control
8
Electronic stability control (ESC)
7
Steering
6
Visibility and wipers
4
Seat belts
3
Seats
3
Structure
3
Diesel fuel system
2
Lane departure
2
Suspension
2
Wheels
2
Air brakes
1
Back-over prevention
1
Carry handle, shell, and base
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Tether and lower anchor
1
Tires
1
Visibility
1
Show 21 more Show less
Crash-flagged

14

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

7

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22017242018282019112020172021272022282023362024252025222026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was firm and the "Service Brake Assist" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact used excessive force…"
    Hydraulic brakes · filed 2026-09-14
  • "I purchased an Evenflo Shyft Intuiti Travel System with a Revolve180 LiteMax NXT infant car seat. The car seat was manufactured on 03/27/2025, model TS100212542. I was notified by Amazon that the car seat was recalled…"
    carry handle, shell, and base, tether and lower anchor · filed 2026-08-28
  • "Approximately 3 miles from my residence my car display flashed "Reduced Engine Power" and slowed down. When I reached a stop sign and tried to stop, my brakes were stiff and I was unable to stop. I went through the stop…"
    Unknown or other, Service brakes, Engine · filed 2026-08-24
  • "The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while her son was driving 45 MPH, the brake pedal was firm while depressed. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, excessive force was…"
    Hydraulic brakes · filed 2026-08-21
  • "While driving my 2018 GMC Terrain, the vehicle suddenly displayed an “Engine Power Reduced” warning and the brakes became extremely hard to press. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of normal power-brake assist while…"
    Service brakes, Engine · filed 2026-08-10

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 GMC Terrain SUV AWD Early Release 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars 4 stars
2018 GMC Terrain SUV AWD Later Release 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2018 GMC Terrain SUV FWD Early Release 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars 4 stars
2018 GMC Terrain SUV FWD Later Release 5 stars 5 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 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 28 38 32 MPG $2950
Terrain all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 21 26 23 MPG $3450
Terrain all-wheel drive 1.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 24 28 26 MPG $2500
Terrain front-wheel drive 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 39 32 MPG $2950
Terrain front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 22 28 24 MPG $3300
Terrain front-wheel drive 1.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 26 30 28 MPG $2300

Specs and fitment

2nd generation, 2018–present
Body styles SUV
Oil dexos1 5W-30 or 0W-20 (engine per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/50R19, 225/65R17 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 3,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 23V869000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, Blazer EV, Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The door strikers may fracture, resulting in the door opening unexpectedly. A door opening while the vehicle is being driven can increasing the risk of injury or a crash. Remedy: Dealers will replace all four door strikers and attaching bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232429911. When NHTSA lists multiple GM nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2017 GMC Terrain Next year 2019 GMC Terrain See every GMC Terrain model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 GMC Terrain reliable?

The 2018 GMC Terrain has 220 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 22 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 Terrain years on this site. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Automatic transmission, Caliper, and Fuel pump.

What are common problems with a 2018 GMC Terrain?

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (68 of 220), then Engine (53) and Powertrain (41). Those filings include 14 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 GMC Terrain more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Terrain has 133 complaints, 6 per year, and the 2019 has 185 complaints, 17 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 GMC Terrain been recalled?

The 2018 GMC Terrain has 5 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 2018 GMC Terrain?

Owners have filed 220 complaints about the 2018 GMC Terrain with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 GMC Terrain get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 GMC Terrain is 27.5 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).