YearToAvoid

2011 GMC Terrain Visibility & Wipers Problems

The 2011 GMC Terrain logged 35 Visibility & Wipers complaints, 9% of its 386 total complaints for the year. The dominant pattern is wiper transmission/motor failure around a median 94,000 miles, often during rain. No related recall is listed for this issue.

Visibility & Wipers complaints
35
9% of 386
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
94,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

  • Windshield wipers suddenly stop working mid-drive, frequently during heavy rain, cutting off visibility at highway speed.
  • Dealers diagnose a broken or failed wiper transmission or wiper motor as the repeated cause.
  • Some owners report wiper blades wearing out or bouncing abnormally within about two years, requiring repeated blade replacement.
  • A driver-side wiper arm was reported to skip off the edge of the windshield while wipers were in use.
  • Separate from the wiper mechanism, some owners describe dark tint at the top of the windshield or on the rearview mirror obstructing night visibility.

When 2011 GMC Terrain visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 25, 2011, latest Nov 22, 2023.

2011 GMC Terrain visibility & wipers complaints: complaints filed per month3Jan 2011Dec 2012Jun 2016Jun 2018Nov 2018Jun 2020Mar 2022Mar 2023
35 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2011 to Nov 2023; peak Jun 2019 (3).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2011 GMC Terrain

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Terrain model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201045 (16%)
  2. 201135 (9%)
  3. 201280 (22%)
  4. 201353 (15%)
  5. 201489 (30%)
  6. 2015120 (40%)
  7. 201648 (32%)
  8. 20174 (3%)
  9. 20185 (2%)
  10. 20193 (2%)
  11. 20204 (2%)
  12. 20211 (3%)
  13. 20221 (2%)
  14. 20231 (3%)
  15. 20240 (0%)
  16. 20251 (8%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are wiper problems on the 2011 GMC Terrain?
NHTSA lists 35 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2011 Terrain, about 9% of the 386 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2011 GMC Terrain wiper issue?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this Visibility & Wipers problem area on the 2011 Terrain.
At what mileage do wiper failures typically happen on the 2011 Terrain?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 94,000 miles.
Did the wiper failures cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA records show 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries tied to the Visibility & Wipers complaints on the 2011 Terrain.
How does the 2011 Terrain compare to other model years for this issue?
The 2011 Terrain's 9% complaint share is lower than 2012 (22%), 2014 (30%), and 2015 (40%), suggesting this issue was less prevalent in 2011 relative to those later years.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.