2016 GMC Terrain Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2016 GMC Terrain has a complaint index of 40, ranking 10th worst out of 16 model years, and carries a Good verdict. It logged 152 complaints, 2 recalls, and no fires, with engine and visibility/wiper issues as the top concern areas.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 40/100
- #10 of 16 Terrain years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 152
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 9
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 9
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 20 city / 28 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 9 / 0
Top 2016 GMC Terrain problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine48 (32%)
- Visibility & Wipers48 (32%)
- Electrical System18 (12%)
- Other13 (9%)
- Transmission & Powertrain11 (7%)
- Airbags9 (6%)
- Brakes8 (5%)
- Steering6 (4%)
- Structure & Body6 (4%)
- Fuel System3 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Airbags failed to deploy in multiple crash reports, including a T-bone at 40 mph and a head-on collision, despite significant vehicle damage.
- Owners describe brakes not responding when pressed, in one case during hard braking downhill and in another at a stop light, leading to collisions.
- Headlight glare or poor illumination was blamed for reduced visibility, contributing to a collision and an animal strike at highway speeds.
- The transmission was reported to shift into neutral on its own and refuse to accelerate, with the dealer unable to reproduce the fault.
- The digital dashboard clock was reported to lose time repeatedly even after resets, unrelated to the OnStar subscription.
2016 GMC Terrain recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V137000Mar 8, 2022Electrical System740,581 vehicles
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 requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
- NHTSA 16V449000Jun 21, 2016Other17 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.
2016 GMC Terrain fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,800
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2016 compared with other Terrain years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 GMC Terrain reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2016 Terrain a complaint index of 40, the 10th worst of 16 model years, and a Good verdict relative to other Terrain years. It had 152 complaints and 2 recalls, with no fires reported.
- What are the most common problems with the 2016 GMC Terrain?
- Engine issues account for 32% of complaints and visibility/wiper issues another 32%, followed by electrical system problems at 12% and transmission/powertrain issues at 7%.
- Does the 2016 GMC Terrain have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Terrain: one for headlight glare affecting driver visibility (2022) and one for incorrect tire/rim information on certification labels (2016). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- How does the 2016 Terrain compare to other model years?
- The 2016 model's complaint index of 40 is better than years like 2011 (100) and 2012 (93), which are rated Avoid, but higher than 2021-2023 and 2025, which earn Best verdicts with indexes as low as 0.
- Did airbags fail to deploy in the 2016 GMC Terrain?
- Multiple sample complaints describe airbags not deploying during crashes, including a rear-end collision and a T-bone impact at 40 mph. Airbag complaints made up 6% of total complaints and were linked to 5 crashes.