Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 GMC Terrain owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that after the vehicle was taken to a local car wash, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence; however, the next day, the vehicle hesitated while starting. The message "Stabilizer - Power to Engine Reduced" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine possibly needed to be replaced because the engine failed to turn over. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine was blown. The contact was informed that the engine and the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost and remained with the local dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …
The contact's wife owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while his wife was driving 40 MPH, the vehicle started to stall, and shuddered inadvertently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact met his wife at the scene and noticed that oil was leaking from underneath the front end of the vehicle onto the ground. The contact refilled the engine oil and his wife was able to drive the vehicle to their residence; however, oil continued to leak while she was driving. The contact refilled the engine oil and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear main seal was fractured and had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls associated with the failure; however, the manufacturer offered to cover 13-percent of the repair cost. …
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the contact was informed that the engine oil levels were low, and oil was added to the engine by the mechanic. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed the failure persisted. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact stated that the oil level was low, and the engine was not consuming oil. The contact also noticed oil leaking from the bottom of the engine compartment. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that after his wife had parked the vehicle, the oil light appeared on the instrument panel. Upon exiting the vehicle, she discovered that oil had leaked onto the ground from underneath the vehicle. The contact was called to the scene and placed oil into the vehicle; however, the oil leaked out after restarting the vehicle. The contact then called a friend who was a mechanic and he discovered that the PCV valve had frozen which caused the rear main seal to fracture. The contact also discovered that oil spilled all over the bottom of the engine. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and referred him to NHTSA. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road, and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an abnormal oil consumption after the engine replacement. The contact stated that there was no evidence of an oil leak. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine, especially during colder mornings. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the solenoids had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle at the residence and determined that the timing belt was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the "Low Oil Pressure - Shut Engine Off" message was displayed. The contact was able to pull into his driveway and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear main seal had failed, and the failure was related to GM Technical Service Bulletin: 14882. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not included in the Technical Service Bulletin. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact discovered that there was an oil leak. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence and the contact self-diagnosed the vehicle and was able to confirm that there was an oil leak, and the oil leak was coming from the rear main seal. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and merging into traffic, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the timing chain had fractured, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle lost electrical and motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was still awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 48,850.
Engine complaints in other Terrain years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2017 GMC Terrain?
NHTSA has 81 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2017 GMC Terrain, 60% of the model year's 135 complaints. The component named most often is engine › oil/lubrication › seals/gaskets (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 GMC Terrain engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2017 GMC Terrain, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 GMC Terrain engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.