Most common 2011 GMC Terrain problems
Share of the 386 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Terrain complaints by model year
Best Terrain years: 2021, 2016, 2017. Years to avoid: 2024. Compare all years →
2011 GMC Terrain recalls (4)
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.
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.
Electrical system › Ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016.
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.
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.
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac srx, Chevrolet equinox and GMC terrain vehicles. The driver and /or front passenger safety belt buckle anchor May fracture and separate near the seat attachment in a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Dealers will modify the passenger and/or the driver safety belt buckles as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before January 18, 2011.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2011 GMC Terrain:
Windshield Wiper Transmission Failure
On November 2, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ18-002) to assess the scope of Recall 16V-582.General Motors (GM) initiated Safety Recall 16V-582 on August 3, 2016 to address windshield wiper failure in the Model Year (MY) 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain.
Momentary Increased Steering Effort
On June 1, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-009 to investigate instances of a momentary increase in steering effort after the vehicle is driven in a straight line for a period of time due to an issue with the steering gear in model year (MY) 2010 through 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs.If the electric power steering system fails to operate as intended, the driver will…
Front Wiper Transmission Inoperative
On December 13, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) upgraded RQ18-002 to an Engineering Analysis (EA19-005) to further assess the MY2010-2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain windshield wiper failures. Due to a prior recall, 16V-582, addressing this issue in the MY2013 subject vehicles, MY2013 was not included in the analysis.
What 2011 GMC Terrain owners say
Engine & cooling all 199 →
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while idled, there was smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact turned off the vehicle and the smoke dissipated. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who stated that the the timing chain had come to the head without much heat. The timing chain needed to be repaired. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The contact had not contacted the manufacturer. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the stability track control warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked and hesitated. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road and the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle 2-3 times before being able to proceed driving. The contact stated that while stopped at the next traffic light, the vehicle stalled again. The vehicle was restarted however, while driving the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who stated that the spark plug and coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 76 →
The 2.4l ecotec motor has had so many complaints not only for gmc terrain but also the Chevy equinox. The motor just stops and lose everything while driving! I was in traffic and it stop almost causing an accountant God I wasn't hurt! Now I have this car with a blown motor because it's a no tolerance motor. We spend so much money on these vehicles and spend so much to keep them safe for driving on the road and yet when it comes to the company cutting corners to save money they don't get faulted for putting faulty equipment in these vehicles. I have a 2011 terrain and I bought it in 2019 for 9000 and drove it a month before the motor blew it has less then 100000 miles on it and for me to get a new motor it's another 5000. …
Ok so my 2011 GMC terrain just went over 150,000 miles I bought this vehicle used from a dealership not knowing that there was a big lawsuit or that GMC continuted making this make and model knowing that it had a oil usage problem. So mmm mmm with that being said let's start with my vehicle uses oil, my vehicle idles high low and always rough at times, my service stabilitrak flashes, my motor sounds like a HEMI kock knock knock instead of a 2.4, doesn't matter where I'm at or where I'm going I let off of the gas and my car dies.... Let me clarify on that last one me and my 9 year old daughter we're headed home today let off the gas to go around a curve and a hill and you guesswd it my 2011 GMC TERRAIN died I lost all control and all power had no power steering and no brakes... …
Fuel & propulsion system all 48 →
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence, where an independent mechanic diagnosed that the high-pressure fuel pump and camshaft sensor needed to be replaced. The mechanic replaced the camshaft sensor; however, the high-pressure fuel pump was not replaced, and the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
My car wouldn't start, later found out it was due to timing chain issue which ended up blowing up my engine. I live 40 minutes from work and am consistently driving on the interstate for at least an hour a day. GM said there's nothing they can do even though there's been class action lawsuits for the engine. My car has also had oil consumption problems. I bought my car in March of 2022. The engine blew up by November 2022. I barely got my car back in September 2023. After the engine replacement, still wouldn't turn on, over heated immediately when I did get it back. After paying $7440 for the engine replacement I had to fork over snother $650 to replace the fuel pump control module, and an engine control unit. My car overheated AGAIN just 2 weeks ago!!!!
2011 GMC Terrain engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 GMC Terrain a good car?
Based on 386 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Terrain rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Terrain at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 GMC Terrain?
The engine & cooling — 199 complaints, 52% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (76) and fuel & propulsion system (48).
How many recalls does the 2011 GMC Terrain have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2011 GMC Terrain, the most recent from March 8, 2022 (headlights). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Terrain?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021, 2016 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024. See the full GMC Terrain years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 GMC Terrain problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 28% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.