Your vehicle report
2020 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
- 197
- Received Nov 2019 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal35 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking13 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Rearview backup camera fails or goes black10 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V339000General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
- 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.
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: May 2023
- Rearview backup camera fails or goes blackFirst signal: Jan 2025
- Fuel pump fails and engine stallsFirst signal: Sep 2026 · Recent surge
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 7 crashes, 2 fires, 5 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
- Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal
- Automatic emergency braking applies without reason
- Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
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 |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 29 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2025 | 63 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 42 |
| Total | 197 |
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 | 35 | 18% | 29.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 5.9% |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 13 | 6.6% | 4× | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 10 | 5.1% | 2.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jan 2025 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.9% |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 8 | 4.1% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 7 | 3.5% | 3.9× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2026 · Recent surge Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 3.6% |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 7 | 3.5% | 2× | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 6 | 3.0% | 9.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Dec 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.6% |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 5 | 2.5% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 4 | 2.0% | 4.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Dec 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.9% |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 2.0% | 0.9× | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 3 | 1.5% | 0.9× | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 3 | 1.5% | – |
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 #23V339000May 11, 2023668,187 vehicles affected
child seat: vehicle latch anchor
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232403240.
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.
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 2020 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