10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
58,504 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2011 GMC Terrain:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #7

Apr 242015

Terrain

  • miles
I bough 2011 GMC Terrain 4 cylinder.. about 3 months later the car start to stall on me making weird noises and losing oil..took to a dealership near where I live the service guy asked me if it stalls on you will have to stall on me took it for a test drive didnt stall.. I put my foot down and said to him to scan the car at the point he gave me a car to come home and I left my Terrain their to see what the problem was they found out that the sensors failed and some other stuff.. after the car being their for 4 days I go pick it up and it was better... only lasted for 6 months started again to break down and leaking oil I would change the oil every 3 months but in between I had to put oil that I would have to go to the store or gastation when I was putting gas... I am a very busy hard working person so my time is limited and I have 2 kids if not I would go to the dealership every other day to complaint... also with not a lot of time in my hands here goes another year and the problem really never got properly fixed and the car is making crazy noises leaking oil all over and stalling again..we could get killed in the middle of the car not functioning properly... I almost got into a car accident cause I was driving and car just stopped... this is unfair especially after reading hundreds of complaints when I just type on my computer 2011 GMC stalling problems tons of people are complaint the same way with the same problems I am having... oil leaking stalling on highways just horrible I also had the car towed about 2 months ago just stopped cam sensor need to changed again.for the last 3 weeks the car is again stilling but thankfully I put in park and it starts up again... this problem should get resolved... tons of people having this same issues GMC should be embarrassed of this situation and fix it or at least try... the people at the dealership at the service desk themselves are tired of hearing people screaming at them about all this issues..

- Pobbox , NM, USA

problem #6

Mar 042015

Terrain

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the terminal cable ends and battery needed to be replaced due to corrosion. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure was 80,000.

- Shallowater , TX, USA

problem #5

Jun 042013

Terrain 4-cyl

  • 26,021 miles
When parking after driving, the key will not be released. You may have to turn the key on and off several times until it releases. There is also a problem with starting the car where you turn the key and the car will not start. On occasion (not every time) you need to turn the key on and off several times until it starts. This is an ongoing problem- still happening. Two different dealers have not been able to duplicate even though it happens multiple times daily.

- Chesapeake, VA, USA

problem #4

Dec 112013

Terrain 6-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
Our vehicle has experienced the rough idle and hard/stalled shifting since we bought it in 2011. It has been reviewed by the dealership and we were told a recent recall would fix the issue. It did not and these issues have continued. Recently, this issue happened again, followed by the check engine light turning on, followed by (a few hours later) the engine going into "reduced engine mode" and the entire vehicle shaking uncontrollably with thumping noises coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was stopped and restarted and within a few miles, this same issue happened again, which was very difficult to handle and very unsafe for travel in the city. We had to get a tow to the dealership and the service department at the dealership we bought this from says the throttle positions sensor is defective and needs replaced as well as there is a misfire in the injectors due to carbon buildup in the fuel line. None of these repairs are covered under the power train warranty, and this vehicle only has 50,000 miles on it currently. Upon research of these part, symptoms of this part going out are stalled shifting or hard shifting, as well as rough idling. Please research this case as I feel this is a more universal problem that has yet to be addressed properly.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #3

Aug 202011

Terrain

  • 8,000 miles
My truck experienced it's first problem in August of 2011. I had only had my truck for six months. The truck was entering onto the expressway and as I was pressing the gas the truck begin to stall. The reduced engine light came on and the truck decelerates and cut off. We were blessed that we were able to get to right shoulder of the road. We waited about ten minutes, the truck finally started and the engine light remained on. I contacted the dealer and took the truck in as soon as I could get an appointment. Was told the truck was fixed and since I have been in five times for the same problem. The fact that the truck decelerates while driving on the expressway is enough that I don't want to drive the truck. I have been using other peoples cars and trucks because I don't want to put mine on the expressway out of own. It is a death trap waiting to happen and anyone driving a Terrain should be made aware of the problem. The service department did everything possible and had to contact manufacturer about the problem and they could not narrow down the problem. They have replaced so many parts at this point I have lost track of things that have been replaced. This truck is not safe and the problem is not been resolved. The car still idles and shakes and no one plans to find out why as long as the engine light is not on. No one wants to take responsibility for this issue and it is really disappointing that the manufacturer would rather not deal with this problem and wait for a fatality to occur before looking into. You would think they would learn from Toyota and take customers lives seriously. Would they put there families in this truck ? I just want them to take the truck back because I don't want to use my life as an example for a defective truck.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #2

Feb 182011

Terrain 4-cyl

  • 3,000 miles
The 4 phone system developed static either bluetooth connection or using the onstar phone system. Over several months I changed phones at least 4 times. The static gets progessively worse as speed of the vehicle increase. At 70 miles per hour when a call is made from the vehicle the person on the other end can barely make out wha the person in the vehicle is saying. The vehicle has been in two separate dealerships. Vcim and microphone have been replaced twice. GM customer service tells me that it is a technology issue and they are not responsible for it. GM did work on it right up to the 36,000mile bumper to bumper. It was then their "field engineer" declared the system operated fine and there was no problem. Since then GM refuses to work on it. Their "engineer" made 1 phone call from the car for less than 4 minutes but put 86 miles on it and left it out of gas. Sitting still the system is static free. Moving it is almost useless. This is the safety aspect that bothers me is we purchased vehicle ($31,000) for bluetooth handsfree and onstar both of which are nearly useless at speed and GM refuses to do anything about it. This has been ongoing for 1.5 years. I have spent countelss hundreds of dollars on different phones and my time trying to get this issue fixed. GM customer service is useless at any speed. If they advertise "handsfree and bluetooth" it should work. Safety wise this is an issue because my wife has to resort to holding her phone while driving if she wants to be heard. I am afraid there is a more serious issue that will disable the onstar in an emergency. The public has been sold "technology" by all of the automakers. They tout it on tv but when it comes to it they won't fix it when it breaks.

- Dickson, TN, USA

problem #1

Jul 102011

Terrain

  • 4,100 miles
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 40 mph the vehicle stalled. The contact had to drive the vehicle to a safe place, turn it off and restart it. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer stated if the vehicle stalled again she should bring the vehicle back. The contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The failure mileage was 4,100. Updated 09/14/11 updated 2/23/12

- Ladson, SC, USA