2020 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls & Reliability
296 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2020 GMC Terrain, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 49/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 101,700 miles.
Below average
Where 2020 sits among all Terrain years
What owners report
“SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS HARD TO STOP. Took to authorized service dealer and all parts were replaced. After driving it for a little while, SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST BACK ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BACK ON AND VEHILCE IS HARD TO STOP.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Terrain
“Driving down the road and an engine power reduced light came on and then the driver was not able to apply the breaks to stop the car. Almost ran into a car at a 4 way stop before getting the car to stop.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Terrain
“Instrument panel and infotainment system panel completely blacked out while driving vehicle”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Terrain
“The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the fuel pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Terrain
“Interior lights stays on at night while driving and when parked. Tried turning it off but it won’t turn off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Terrain
“2020 GMC Terrain Engine stopped working. Put in new engine. After one week new engine blown. We were 2000 miles away on vacation. I need a free rental I was with no car for a month and after only one week again for 3 weeks. Compensation request: Lost wages Hospital visit Extra hotel nights Gas Food…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Terrain
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 48 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 46,046 miles. Half of those reports fall between 12,300 and 88,000 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 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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
Technical service bulletins
843 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2020 GMC Terrain. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2020 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 2020 GMC Terrain reliable?
The 2020 GMC Terrain drew 296 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 49/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2020 GMC Terrain problems?
The top reported problems for the 2020 GMC Terrain are brakes & stability (67 complaints), engine (58), and other (38).
At what mileage do 2020 GMC Terrain problems show up?
Owners most often report 2020 GMC Terrain problems around 46,046 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 12,300 and 88,000 miles.
Does the 2020 GMC Terrain have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2020 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.