Window & Wiper complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2025 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 2% | 7,000 miles |
| 2022 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 2% | 12,000 miles |
| 2019 | 3 | 2% | 58,000 miles |
| 2018 | 5 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2017 | 4 | 3% | 63,000 miles |
| 2016 | 48 | 31% | 58,000 miles |
| 2015 | 120 | 40% | 70,000 miles |
| 2014 | 89 | 30% | 78,000 miles |
| 2013 | 53 | 15% | 60,000 miles |
| 2012 | 80 | 22% | 90,000 miles |
| 2011 | 35 | 9% | 94,000 miles |
| 2010 | 45 | 16% | 97,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that rain water had leaked from the sunroof drainage into the vehicle causing the floor carpets to become saturated with water and mold had developed inside the vehicle. The contact also discovered a pool of water inside the spare tire well. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the sunroof motor and sunroof liner, unclogged the sunroof drainage assembly and replaced the carpets. The contact indicated that later the failure had reoccurred although the sunroof drainage assembly was consistently unclogged each time the vehicle was in for service. The contact had also experienced respiratory illness due to the mold present inside the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 12,300.
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting into reverse(R); the rear-view camera screen was not functioning as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The message "Service Rear Camera System" was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,500.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the panoramic glass sunroof shattered, causing shards of glass to enter the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the panoramic sunroof was in the closed position when the failure occurred. During the failure, the front passenger sustained lacerations to the back, leg, and shoulder. The eleven-month-old child seated in the rear passenger's side seat sustained lacerations to both legs. The rear middle seat occupant sustained a laceration to the rear head area, while the rear driver's side occupant sustained lacerations to both arms. No injuries required medical treatment. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.
I got into my car to head to the store today. Upon closing drivers door I heard a muffled sounding pop. As I looked around I noticed back windshield looked "weird". Got out and walked around the back to see it completely shattered. It just exploded and every inch has a crack or chip, even all asking the edges of the glass. I lifted the tail gate to see if a rock was thrown by chance and a chunk fell into the car. No rock was found. It simply shattered. The temp today was low 60's on May 3rd, 2026 here in Ohio.
The headliner fabric detached somehow from the panoramic track causing the fabric to hang down obstructing the rear and back window view causing a safety hazard. The automatic forward collision alert will come on for no reason since this has happened. The problem has not been reported to insurance or the manufacturer yet but GM is my next call. This is a safety hazard due to the obstruction of visibility to safely make turns or change lanes. This happened August 5th while driving with the windows up. It just dropped down still attached to the front of the track and the rear.
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. While driving at night and attempting to back into the driveway, the back up camera was too bright and was difficult to see. The contact stated that the side view mirrors did not help due to the tinted windows. The vehicle was taken to schepel Buick GMC [phone], located at 3209 Lincoln hwy, merrillville, in 46410) where the technician confirmed that it was a safety issue, but stated that there was no remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that nothing could be done. The contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 300.
On5/3/2022 we were driving on I65 around Shepherdsville KY. It was pouring down rain and our windshield wipers stopped working and stuck in the up position. We had a semi on each side of us. This made it even more difficult to see due to the rain coming off of their tires and spraying onto our window. We had to slow down to a dangerous low speed on the interstate due to the difficulty seeing. We made it to the shoulder after almost being hit by a semi We had to sit there until the rain stopped. This was extremely dangerous in itself being that it was on an interstate with high speed limits. We had no choice but to stop in the town of Shephardsville and get a hotel room. We are still trying to make our way back home at this time to IN. This has not been expected by anyone at this time. There were no warnings of any kind.
Wiper blades transmission plastic parts keep popping or breaking this is the THIRD time this has happened at a cost of $350. Why would you use plastic parts for this knowing that it will break easily? Who can afford to keep replacing this? 12
Related recalls (2)
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wiper module, and repair or replace it as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 21, 2022.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017.
NHTSA investigations
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Terrain years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2015 (120), 2014 (89), 2012 (80), 2013 (53) and 2016 (48) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 40% of all complaints for the 2015.
Is there a recall for GMC Terrain window & wiper problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 22V-165 (motor, Mar 17, 2022); 16V-582 (motor, Aug 4, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Terrain window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles; 18% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the windshield wiper/washer › motor (9 mentions), followed by the windshield wiper/washer (8).
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.