2018 GMC TERRAIN — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
305
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
149
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2018 GMC TERRAIN
The 2018 GMC TERRAIN has received a total of 305 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP. 149 technical service bulletins have been issued by General Motors, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Service Brakes (60 complaints), Engine (48 complaints), and Power Train (39 complaints).
Recalls for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN, potentially affecting up to 497,036 vehicles.
Recall 20V668000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
| 194,105 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
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...
View full details →Recall 18V576000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
| 210,628 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
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...
View full details →Recall 18V358000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
| 895 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
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,...
View full details →Recall 18V340000 — AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
| 88,503 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: If the SDM becomes inoperative, it will not detect a crash or command the necessary air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
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.
View full details →Recall 17V516000 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
| 2,905 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: If the front right intermediate drive shaft assembly separates while driving, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. If the assembly separates while parked on a grade, without the park brake engaged, the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a vehicle roll-away.
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...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN
305 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle while transitioning to 4WD. The contact continued driving and the driving sound became more frequent while shifting into 4WD. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the driveshaft had detached and was hanging down from the suspension. An independent mechanic was contacted, and the contact was informed about NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V516000 (Power Train); which the mechanic associated to the failure. The contact called two local dealers and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Turbo boost went out in my vehicle and 3 others with the same engine, different makes/models. Vehicles were serviced at Grayling Car Care 4430 M-72, Grayling, MI 49738 (989) 348-3200. Significant power loss, sluggish acceleration, poor fuel economy, and often strange noises (whining, grinding), accompanied by blue smoke from burning oil and a lit check engine light, with the severe risk of catastrophic engine damage from broken parts entering the engine if driven, requiring prompt replacement. It's generally unsafe to drive with a bad turbo, as metal fragments can destroy the engine.
Vacuum pump failure resulting in crankshaft sensor to completely sheer off.
The infotainment system will just randomly start going haywire and when it happens, you cannot use the touchscreen. It will try to randomly delete app icons such as the camera, it will try to delete connected phones, it will try to delete radio favorites and it will move app icons all around. These are just a few examples of things that happen.
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal became extremely difficult to depress, with the message "Brake Assist" displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway and the parking brake was activated, and the vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift into gear, and the vehicle was dragged onto a flatbed truck and towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 132,386.
Safety Rating for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN
The 2018 GMC TERRAIN received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN
General Motors, LLC has issued 149 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
PIT5578E — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This preliminary information advises technicians the heater hose clamps are one time use only.
18-NA-210 — STRUCTURE:BODY
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to correct a customer concern of a High Pitch Whine Noise Coming from Front Instrument Panel (IP) Speakers.
PIT6181 — WHEELS
This preliminary information discusses driver assist functions that may be disabled due to incorrect tire size.
18-NA-361 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to flush the cooler lines to validate if there is excessive debris in the fuel system caused by a failed part.
PIT5992A — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This preliminary information discusses a condition that may arise from the drivers window switch sending an errant message causing the vehicle to enter manual fob learn mode.
24-NA-054 — EQUIPMENT
This service bulletin provides information on No Heated Seats or Heated Steering Wheel During Remote Start.
PIP5651G — POWER TRAIN
This Preliminary information communicates the possibility of the charge air cooler pipe connection becoming disconnected from the throttle body causing a reduced power issue and one or more of the following trouble codes P0172, P0299, P0101, P0506, P1101.
PIT5608E — STRUCTURE
This preliminary information explains a potential issue engineering is investigating into water intrusion into the door pass through connector and effecting door functions.
19NA181 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to locate and repair the engine wiring harness.
PIT5823 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This preliminary information discusses the possibility and repair of water entering a connector and causing fuel system electrical or battery drain concerns .
Showing 10 of 149 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the GMC TERRAIN
- 2013 GMC TERRAIN — 483 complaints
- 2014 GMC TERRAIN — 385 complaints
- 2015 GMC TERRAIN — 375 complaints
- 2016 GMC TERRAIN — 174 complaints
- 2017 GMC TERRAIN — 176 complaints
- 2018 GMC TERRAIN (current)
- 2019 GMC TERRAIN — 269 complaints
- 2020 GMC TERRAIN — 250 complaints
- 2021 GMC TERRAIN — 46 complaints
- 2022 GMC TERRAIN — 51 complaints
- 2023 GMC TERRAIN — 37 complaints
Other GMC Models
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- GMC ACADIA — 7,420 total complaints
- GMC YUKON — 6,108 total complaints
- GMC SIERRA — 4,896 total complaints
- GMC JIMMY — 3,778 total complaints
- GMC ENVOY — 3,269 total complaints
- GMC YUKON XL — 2,820 total complaints
- GMC SUBURBAN — 2,323 total complaints