2012 GMC Terrain Complaint Log

GMC Consumer Relations Subject: Structural Undercarriage Safety Defect – 2012 GMC Terrain SLE Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2012 GMC Terrain SLE VIN: [XXX] Mileage at Purchase: 148,305 Date of Purchase: [XXX] Location: Rochester, New York I am filing a complaint regarding a severe undercarriage safety defect in my 2012 GMC Terrain SLE. The rear undercarriage of this vehicle shows heavy structural corrosion on suspension brackets and mounts. The condition produces clanging noises during normal driving, and an independent licensed mechanic has refused to work on the vehicle because the suspension integrity is unsafe. When I returned the vehicle to the dealer, I observed additional brackets being attached under the rear subframe area, suggesting reinforcement of compromised structural points. This confirms that the corrosion directly affects suspension geometry, alignment, and stability. This corrosion is not cosmetic. It is advanced structural deterioration affecting the mounting points for trailing arms and lateral links. These components are critical to safe turning, stability, and control. The corrosion compromises the ability of the suspension to keep the wheels aligned, creating serious risks of loss of control or wheel separation. What makes this more alarming is that the vehicle passed a New York State safety inspection on 07/13/2025, yet within days a mechanic refused to perform unrelated service because of the undercarriage condition. This raises questions not only about inspection validity, but also about the underlying durability and corrosion. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Liftgate automatically closing and failure to remain open causing a safety hazard for anyone standing at the liftgate.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage, the front driver's side air bag unexpectedly deployed without an impact to the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 148,116.

1. The engine suddenly lost power while driving during evening rush hour and the vehicle would no longer accelerate. 2. Because the vehicle could not maintain speed, I was unable to keep up with traffic, creating a serious safety hazard that could have resulted in a major accident. 3. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center for diagnosis. 4. During the incident, the “Engine Power Reduced” warning indicator illuminated just before the loss of power occurred. 5. As the vehicle slowed and came to a complete stop at an intersection, it remained unresponsive. When the traffic light turned green, the vehicle would not accelerate at all.

Car burns oil bad . Got an oil change and it only took 12 days to go dry with no oil

I think the manifold on GMC Terrain need to be on a recall because mine already cracked.

It appears the timing chain is bad. The vehicle only has 84000 miles and currently the engine turns off and you just coast to a stop in the middle of driving.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but a diagnostic test was not performed. The contact was informed that the engine control module and the camshaft actuator solenoid were replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 191,843.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse out of a parking space, upon putting shifting into reverse, the rearview camera screen turned off. The contact stated that the display screen went blank, and due to the failure, the vehicle bumped another vehicle that was also reversing. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that it was a minor impact and that there was no cosmetic damage to either vehicle. The Police was not called. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the center console display was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

Took vehicle into dealer for a recall on October 17, 2023 with the recall being [Primary]: RECALL : C/S: N192268181 -TAILPIPE EMISSIONS - EXHAUST COMPONENTS: C/S: N192268181 -TAILPIPE EMISSIONS - EXHAUST COMPONENTS. The dealership did an excellent job on the work providing a video to show work being done. Now this month of April, I received another check engine light stating the P0013 code stands for “Exhaust “B” Camshaft Position Actuator Circuit/Open (Bank 1).” There is not a recall from the manufacturer but according to dealership they've received a bulletin in regards to this issue. According to the dealership it will cost in excess of $500 to repair. Absolutely not true. There are a thousand videos on what causes this and even how to repair it from the same mechanics that work within these dealerships. This issue is a safety issue because if not repaired it causes damage to your engine. This code lets you know that you will start experiencing loss of power, trouble starting your vehicle, the stalling/picking up speed all at the same time. Some of these issues have been caused from the issue of the oil consumption problem associated with the Terrain's.

hello i'm writing this letter to inform you about my 2012 Terrian i have had nothing but problems with the motor and now the muffler system i have had all recalls done on this and GM is well aware of this problem i have a dealer ship to replace the timing in this motor and still uses oil and still have all the problems after the recalls have been fixed now they want me to pay over $3,000 to have new catalytic converters fixed on it now after paying $2800 for a new timing seems to me GM likes to fix the cheap stuff on these cars and make customers pay for the expensive parts must people can't afford this and junk the vehicle i will not i'm going to fight for what is right the dealer ship even told me when i took it back in to see what the code was for that GM is well aware of it and not worth putting the money into the car this is not right for customers to spend this kind of money GM needs to handle this.

My vehicle is 2012 GMC Terrain. Oil changes on my vehicle we kept up and i had no major issues with this vehicle. I had an oil change done about a month before i went to start my car and all the lights came on and my car would rumble and wouldn't stay started and was longer drivable. After towing it a service shop they stated the following: The timing chains are damaged, skipped teeth, metal debris found in oil and screen of intake and exhaust camshaft solenoids due to many oil leaks coming form engine and serious internal issues w/engine we recommend replacing the engine. Est cost, 11,061. I had no reason to think my car was in any trouble, as it was driving fine with no problems. I received no such recall letter or phone call and no mention from the dealership i bought the car from back in 2018 that this was an issue or that it was "taken care of" if I had i wouldn't have paid over $20,000. into my car. Reading several complaints online about this exact issue is all new to me. Knowing i could have been driving a vehicle and it could have started a fire in my engine is crazy to think. Because I may have been driving a car with a serious recall on it. I am at a loss right now, financially i am screwed.

hello i'm writing you today in concern of my 2012 chevy terrian i have had all the recalls done on this car and still have problems with the motor this car has a new timing chain in it and still uses oil the recall for the o2 sensors i have had fixed now the light is back on and now the complete system is bad from my understanding this is a well known problem with these cars when you spend that kind of money on a vehicle you wouldn't think there would be the same problem that was just fixed i'm writing you now my engine light is on again and it's the o2 sensor that i had just replaced under the recall i don't feel i should have to pay to have this known problem fixed now.

I have a 2012 GMC Terrain!! I am the 2nd owner of this vehicle purchased in 2014-2015 there is an engine oil consumption issue with this vehicle that I have to add 2 quarts of oil every week!!! I have not been notified of any recalls or any information from GM in regards to the issue!!! Took it to dealer to have it checked and got told it’ll cost me over 5000 for the repairs!!! Is GM or will GM take care of this issue

I have excessive oil consumption. I noticed the issue after getting my 3000-mile oil change. The technician said I only had 1 quart of oil, which I thought was extremely low. Every 2000 miles, my oil dipstick reports abnormally low oil levels. I am concerned that when I go on an extended road trip, I will have engine issues that will leave me and my family stranded on the side of the road. The GM technician started tracking my oil consumption. He said he was doing that to prove to GM that they owe me a new engine. I didn't understand what he meant until I saw a lawsuit my vehicle was part of.

Will like car facts

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway, and the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer nor an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

My 4 cyl. AWD GMC Terrain has had excessive oil use which caused premature failure of the timing chain, loss of power/compression, blown engine, damage to exhaust manifold, cellinoids, and melted the catalytic converter. Its was a road safety, poor emissions due to failed catalytic converter. Headlights are too bright for oncoming traffic at night. Another road & safety hazard. Auto warranty is refusing to cover parts listed above caused by the timing chain and excessive oil consumption problems.

The engine blew. This was already the 2nd engine in the car. Oil consumption. Metal in the oil. No signs. Needs new engine

I was driving while it was raining. The wipers stopped working. The driverside wiper jumped partially off the windshield. I had my mechanic inspect it. The fuses, relay, and wiper motor are operational. The bushing on the wiper transmission failed. I found the following recall. Special Coverage Adjustment N192266181 Wiper Transmission Arm Linkage Failure – USA Only Release Date: July 2022. However, my VIN does not have this as an applicable recall.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 114,000.

Wiper motor went out on me no warning

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost all motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart, but failure persisted. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who was able to diagnose the failure, but the contact was unable to recall the specifics. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

My lift gate has been failing since i bought it used from a local dealership. It's closed down on my mom's leg when she was situating luggage that she'd put in. It has tried closing on myself as well each time i opened it(4×) & when I tried to stop it by pushing up on it, it only forces itself down not up. This is very dangerous & had an old recall from GM motors due to the struts in the lift gate was faulty & made by stabilize whom had numerous lawsuits from other manufacturers due to injuries & deaths. The dealership refuses to fix it for free even though they knew the issue with it cause it was brought to their attention by their detail guy whom had it close on him as well. This a is major issue that needs addressed asap. And not at the expense of the owners but the manufacturers & dealerships that knowingly sell these autos that can be dangerous.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH in rain weather, the front windshield wipers stopped functioning. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to deactivate and activate the windshield wipers however, the wiper blades failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the windshield wiper motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 152,000.

Drive side frame is rotted out which has allowed rear driver side control arm for the wheel to freely move. The passenger side is completely fine. Contacted gm and was told it has to be taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. It’s easy to see the issue I have pictures that can be provided. This car should not be rotted out frame was perfect 8 years ago with no rust and has been washed twice a week during winter to remove salt with undercarriage car wash.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while performing a routine check on the vehicle, the contact became aware that oil level was low, and the dip stick was dry. The contact added 2 quarts of oil however, the following day the oil level was still low. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 88,000.

Windshield wipers quit working. I can hear something, but blades don't move. I see the 2014-15 have a recall.

The timing chain is failing on my 2012 GMC Terrain. It’s dangerous to drive and it started without warning (to me). It’s my understanding that this is a common problem with this year and model GMC vehicle as many owners are complaining about the same issue. Will GMC be notified so they can remedy this situation? Many thanks.

Ball joint for wiper assembly just "pops off" while in use causing wipers to stop working. I have taken vehicle apart, fixed the issue ( reconnecting the ball joint) and issue happens again. I understand the vehicle is from 2012, but uses same part 2010-2017, which is currently a recall on 2013-2015 models. First occurrence of this issue was July 02, 2019. I brought to GMC dealer, they said they were out of the part. Since then I've not had the issue until today March 14, 2023 where I almost hit another car, due to it popping off and stopped working while in motion.

I was driving in the dark at 5 am with my 2 year old son in the down pour rain and my wipers stopped working but the motor was still running

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that she was adding a quart of oil every two weeks. The vehicle was taken to the Nissan dealer where the vehicle was purchased. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while at a complete stop, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact lifted the hood and noticed oil residue. Additionally, the contact added oil since the oil level was low. The contact stated that vehicle stalled twice while driving to a nearby gas station. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rear master cylinder had failed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer. The contact stated that vehicle was not drivable. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil while starting the vehicle. The local Chevrolet dealer, Barlow Chevrolet (6057 Route 130 South, Delran, NJ 08075), was contacted and advised the contact to tow the vehicle to their location. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Issues with the passenger side seatbelt not pulling to lock. It's jammed off and on. Doesn't work.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle started hesitating and then stalled. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic added 2-quarts of engine oil to the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that later that evening her son notified her of an oil leak nearby the rear of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the rear main seal to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

As I was driving on December 24, 2022, (the temperature outside was 7 degrees).I heard my vehicle making a funny sound. I pulled over to a safe location then my truck cut off by itself. I got out of my truck and noticed that oil was on the back of the rear tire wall and on the ground. I had to get it towed to a repair shop. They told me a couple days later that the PCV valve was gone and that caused the rear main seal to go bad. Several days later, I happen to see a recall on YouTube about the PCV valve that GMC had issued back in March 2015, but I never received a letter through the mail. To get this fixed it’s gonna cause me a lot of money. Unless GMC is willing to pay for it.

Driving in heavy rain south on the I-5 at 545p. In peak traffic and wipers suddenly just stopped while going 60mph in the carpool lane. As we past the exit for I-405 There was no shoulder to pull off of on my left. I had to cross over 5 lanes until I could safely get off the freeway. Then drive another 5 miles on side streets getting out an manually moving the wipers every few blocks so i could see. I'm female and over 50 yrs old. There was not a place I felt safe to just pull over at night. I stopped at a friend's. I can hear the motor moving but the wipers are not. I do not recall ever seeing the recall on the ball bearings and nor the wiper linkage but found one. However I'm have 72k miles and have owned it for 10 yrs.6 months. So it may not be covered, which I believe is not fair. I almost died and could have caused other deaths just trying to safely maneuver off the freeway, which I felt was safer than sitting on the side of a very dangerous section of the freeway. I know people with cars over 40 yr old that were left outside with over 200k miles and the wipers have never just died. I am the original owner and my car has been garaged for over 95% of the time when not in use. I will call the dealership in the morning but trying to get ahead of this since articles are saying there are no parts. Scared and frustrated.

The rear tailgate on a 2012 GMC Terrain has auto lift and close. The tailgate opens, but wont stay open then closes hitting you in the head. The heavy tailgate comes down hitting you in the head, and it takes a lot to hold the gate up. I called the dealer who said it could be the power lift. He said there was a previous recall to fix the same issue, but that part is not holding. I spoke with the dealer and found issued on line. No warning lamps or messages appeared.

I still have more to add to my other complaint. The fire started with alternator apparently there were crossed wires took alternator back to Orielys where I got it warrented out fixed the expanded wiring and replaced a hose and other things damaged by the little fire. Then after that things kept getting worse. Then it was spark plugs that were rusted that I replaced eventually I complained back to the dealership I got the car from and they agreed to help repair it after a posting by me on fb that I wasent a happy customer basically and that I literally had a sitting duck. Turns out the timing chain needed to be replaced and other little things. I've replaced O2 sensors camshaft sensors gaskets in catalytic converter had it inspected thinking it was a clogged exhaust the excessive oil usage was insane I would be going through 5quarts twice a month! I'm just tryna have a DECENT WORKING VEHICLE for my kids and I. I literally can't keep a job because I DONT HAVE RELIABLE transportation....I've put sooooo much money into this vehicle and now I might have a blown gasket!!! And that's because I haven't even been driving the vehicle. I got the car on Jan 7th 2021 with 129,043 miles on it as of today it has a total of 164,627 miles on it meaning in between the two years that I've owned the vehicle I have only put a total of 35,584 miles on it.....for it to have this many problems for so little mileage is INSANE!!! my kids were in the car with me today when the car started smoking like crazy from under hood and exhaust I pulled over turned the car off and took my baby off car seat in all and got away from vehicle thinking it was on fire again. I popped the hood and notice it was coming from under manifold.....meaning its probly a blown gasket after I just replaced the camshaft sensor AGAIN......it's ridiculous all the stuff thats going wrong with this vehicle with so little mileage that's been put on it.

My oil in my truck is depleting rapidly. It do not last 3months or 3k miles. Sometimes I'm barely 1800 miles in and I'm low on oil

The check emissions light for the engine light came up on the dashboard. Without prior warning or other signs the vehicle lost engine power in the middle of the road. The entire electrical power and engine stopped working and the brakes jammed. This causes the vehicle to become unstoppable in the middle of the road causing a safety hazard to the vehicle, driver, passengers and fellow vehicles on the road. The only way to stop the vehicle is somehow use the gears to shift to parking position, turn the engine again on and try to remove the vehicle from the middle of the road.

very serious failure ... traveling at night, in a rainstorm, doing 70mph on a highway and the wiper regulator connecting the wiper arms to the wiper motor fails ... no warning what so ever ... no intermittent operation or noises, nothing ... looking into this problem I see that GM has issued a safety recall for 2014 and up versions of this vehicle but not my specific model year ... what are the chances that the hardware used in my particular vehicle model year are any different than those listed in (22V-165) this safety recall.

When I stop at the light my car shake and rocks, then the car goes into limp mode. Where the stabilitrack comes on and the engine goes into reduced mode. And I can't go over 30mps. When this happened on the freeway is the most dangerous and scary feeling ever. I've got So many new parts and put over 3,000 into the car and it still has this issue. I've been do several different mechanics and nobody can figure out what's wrong. Gm needs to look into this, it's so many forums going on for this issue.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V137000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V137000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated the vehicle consumed 4-quarts of engine oil per every 3,000 miles driven. The vehicle was not taken for an oil consumption test. The contact stated that there were no visible oil leaks found. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated after driving approximately 25 MPH and then stopping, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the engine power reduced warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with an unstated failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.

Vehicle stalling like the hundreds of other complaints I’ve seen that almost caused an accident when vehicle suddenly stops. Dealership only offered to do diagnostic at my cost with no guarantee they will find the problem. Nothing is registered on the vehicle computer and no check engine light.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V137000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

I was driving on the highway and it was raining hard so I had my windshield wipers on and they just stopped working and I almost got in accident because I couldn't see.

Gmc in Springdale, AR Refused to fix catalytic convertor after selling me a defective vehicle. They said it had expired and I never received the letter letting me know there was an issue with the vehicle.