2016 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls & Reliability
183 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 GMC Terrain, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 34/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Visibility & wipers leads the reports, typically around 58,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2016 sits among all Terrain years
What owners report
“Windshield wipers stopped working. I can hear the motor working but the arms dod not move.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Terrain
“I have to put oil in my car every 2 weeks. There are no leaks. The engine is burning oil.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Terrain
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 74 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 51,900 miles. Half of those reports fall between 36,000 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
Fix: 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…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V165000.
Technical service bulletins
1,229 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2016 GMC Terrain. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 Terrain TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 GMC Terrain reliable?
The 2016 GMC Terrain drew 183 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 34/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2016 GMC Terrain problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 GMC Terrain are visibility & wipers (49 complaints), engine (46), and electrical (19).
At what mileage do 2016 GMC Terrain problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 GMC Terrain problems around 51,900 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 36,000 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 2016 GMC Terrain have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 GMC Terrain. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.