Your vehicle report
2010 GMC Terrain
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 290
- Received Feb 2010 to Jun 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail20 complaints · 6.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Timing chain fails and destroys engine20 complaints · 6.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Glass shatters or cracks without impact11 complaints · 3.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V137000General 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."
- Recall #14V447000General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 10 crashes, 0 fires, 12 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Heater blows cold air, defroster fails
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 32 |
| 2015 | 29 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 30 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 3 |
| Total | 290 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 20 | 6.9% | – | |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 20 | 6.9% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 11 | 3.8% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 11 | 3.8% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 10 | 3.5% | – | |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 8 | 2.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 2.8% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 8 | 2.8% | – | NHTSA recall #09V489000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 2.4% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 7 | 2.4% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 7 | 2.4% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 7 | 2.4% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #22V137000March 8, 2022740,581 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
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.
NHTSA recall #14V447000July 23, 2014414,333 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: power adjust
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
NHTSA recall #09V489000December 23, 200959,031 vehicles affected
visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
General motors is recalling certain model year 2010 Chevrolet equinox and Gmc Terrain vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 103, "windshield defrosting and defogging systems and with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 101, controls and displays". The software in the center instrument panel Can cause the heating, air conditioning, defrost, and radio controls, as well as the panel illumination to become inoperative.
Driving without a functioning defrost system Can decrease your visibility under certain driving conditions and could result in a crash without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the computer module in the center instrument panel free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during january 2010. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Gmc at 1-866-996-9463 or at www.gmownercenter.com.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2010 GMC Terrain.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN