2013 Gmc Terrain: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 368 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
368
Complaints
3
Recalls
14
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
25
Injuries
83.7
Severity index
Severity index 83.7 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 145 2013 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2013 Gmc Terrain ranks 54 of 145 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 63% of its model-year peers. See the full 2013 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 197 | 53.5% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 50 | 13.6% |
| POWER TRAIN | 44 | 12.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 28 | 7.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 23 | 6.2% |
| AIR BAGS | 22 | 6.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 21 | 5.7% |
| STEERING | 14 | 3.8% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 197 of 368 complaints (53.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 34 |
| 2017 | 35 |
| 2018 | 39 |
| 2019 | 68 |
| 2020 | 38 |
| 2021 | 37 |
| 2022 | 33 |
| 2023 | 26 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 2 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16V582000 | 04/08/2016 | 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 i |
| 16V502000 | 05/07/2016 | 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. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-20 |
| 22V137000 | 08/03/2022 | 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the req |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.