2023 GMC Terrain: engine and transmission complaints
VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
75%
27 of 36 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
75% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2023 GMC Terrain are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 95% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 2 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 71%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE08/05/2026
adaptive cruise disengaging alert on dash- no cars or weather conditions to induce this. loss of power and bucking on highway( near accident caused) catostostrophic sudden loss of power engine/transmission failure while mechanic driving resulting in car towed back to dealer. loss of power multiple times causing near ac…
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated and failed to properly accelerate. The service transmission and service fuel management system messages were displayed, and the check engine warning light was flashing with several other un…
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM06/02/2026
I have had 2 different instances where my vehicle stops in the middle of a busy intersection or traffic and have no warning what so ever. Vehicle just shuts off and I am not able to turn back on to move out of the way. First time I got it repaired it was related to the fuel pump and now I am waiting to hear back from m…
Three of 27 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (2)
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with ventilated front passenger seats. The Occupant Classification…
CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE LATCH ANCHOR
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have exc…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2023 GMC Terrain
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
2 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
