Your vehicle report
2018 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
- 226
- Received Dec 2017 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal26 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines13 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Automatic emergency braking applies without reason11 complaints · 4.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #20V668000General 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.
- Recall #18V576000General 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedalFirst signal: Jun 2021
- Fuel tank or line leaks gasolineFirst signal: Oct 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 14 crashes, 1 fire, 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 19 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 24 |
| 2019 | 28 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 17 |
| 2022 | 27 |
| 2023 | 28 |
| 2024 | 36 |
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 28 |
| Total | 226 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 26 | 12% | 21.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2021 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 2.4% |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 13 | 5.8% | 11.3× | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 11 | 4.9% | 3.8× | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 9 | 4.0% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 8 | 3.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 3.5% | 1.7× | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 7 | 3.1% | 2.8× | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 2.6% | 4.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.2% |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 6 | 2.6% | 3× | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 2.2% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 5 | 2.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 2.2% | – | NHTSA recall #18V340000 |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 5 | 2.2% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 5 | 2.2% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 5 | 2.2% | – | NHTSA recall #18V576000 |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 2.2% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 1.8% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 3 | 1.3% | – | NHTSA recall #18V340000 |
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 #20V668000October 29, 2020194,105 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
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.
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 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.
NHTSA recall #18V576000August 30, 2018210,628 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper
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.
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 GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
NHTSA recall #18V358000May 31, 2018895 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
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.
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, 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.
NHTSA recall #18V340000May 24, 201888,503 vehicles affected
air bags: air bag/restraint control module
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #17V516000August 22, 20172,905 vehicles affected
power train: driveline: driveshaft
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.
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 for this recall is 17329.
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 2018 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