Problems · NHTSA complaints

2024 GMC Terrain problems

Owners filed 55 complaints about the 2024 GMC Terrain with NHTSA between May 2024 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is power train (23).

Complaints
55
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train23
  2. Engine11
  3. Fuel/propulsion system10
  4. Electrical system8
  5. Forward collision avoidance3
  6. Vehicle speed control3
  7. Steering2
  8. Service brakes2
  9. Air bags2
  10. Fuel system, gasoline1
  11. Back over prevention1
  12. Firerelated1
  13. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  14. Lane departure1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
202410
202517
202628

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

23 reports
“The contact owned 2024 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while stopped, the gear shifter independently shifted from drive(D) to park(P). The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle several times and the vehicle operated normally. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be flushed because debris were found inside the transmission. The transmission was flushed and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 11,050.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026Power trainODI 11772662

Engine

11 reports
“Accelerator lag from any speed or stop. The care will take several seconds to hunt for the correct gear before shifting to accelerate. Or it will delay acceleration for several seconds while your pressing the accelerator. No SES indicator active. Mechanics can’t find issues. Other owners on forum a report the same sluggish behavior. These 1.5 turbo cars seem to need a software fix that they are not receiving. It’s like the drive by wire doesn’t register. Affects any gm vehicle with the 1.5 turbo and 9 spd auto.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2026Power train, EngineODI 11744960

Fuel/propulsion system

10 reports
“Since purchase, this vehicle has consistently had an issue with the fuel system. When I call GMC they state only use no ethanol fuel. I wouldn’t have bought this car if that was the case. The dealership never said that when I was buying it. We replaced the entire engine for $11,000 because of a torn radiator hose, overheating and cracked a gasket. Now, the car is refusing to drive, giving engine power reduced”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2026Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11744779

Electrical system

8 reports
“I am reporting a recurring backup camera malfunction in my 2024 GMC Terrain AT4. Since purchasing the vehicle, I have experienced repeated instances in which the rearview camera display goes completely black when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. This prevents me from seeing the camera image while backing up. The malfunction presents a safety concern because the rearview camera is an important aid in identifying pedestrians, children, objects, and other vehicles behind the vehicle. When the display goes black, I lose that visual assistance, increasing the risk of backing into a person or object, particularly in parking lots, driveways, and other areas where pedestrians may be present. I have taken the vehicle to authorized dealerships for multiple service visits and repair attempts. Despite these efforts, the same backup camera failure continues to occur. Although different components may have been inspected, repaired, or replaced during these visits, the recurring problem remains the same: the backup camera display goes black when the vehicle is in reverse. The underlying cause has not been adequately resolved. The vehicle has been presented to authorized…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2026Electrical system, Back over preventionODI 11768559

Forward collision avoidance

3 reports
“I was driving about 55 mph with adaptive cruise control set to maintain a three-car-length following distance. It was raining, and when the vehicle in front of me slowed down, my vehicle did not detect it or slow down as expected. Instead, it continued accelerating, and I had to brake to avoid rear-ending the vehicle ahead.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2026Forward collision avoidanceODI 11750466

Vehicle speed control

3 reports
“Unintended acceleration in forward and reverse: the vehicle experiences unintended acceleration both in forward and reverse. While driving in heavy traffic, the vehicle continues to maintain throttle position for approximately two seconds after releasing the throttle, creating a dangerous situation where the vehicle continues to accelerate towards other cars. This defect requires emergency braking to prevent a collision. In reverse , the vehicle also holds throttle position after the accelerator is released. This results in the vehicle unintentionally accelerating in reverse at a rapid pace. This requires the driver to depress the brake moderately to control the reverse speed. During this event the driver is fighting against the motor with the brake pedal until the vehicle decided to stop accelerating on its own.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 20, 2025Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11662023
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.