YearToAvoid

2016 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

40/100

#10 most-complained of 16 Terrain years

The 2016 GMC Terrain has a Complaint Index of 40 and ranks 10th worst out of 16 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Terrain years. NHTSA lists 152 complaints, 2 recalls, and 9 crashes with no fires, with Engine and Visibility & Wipers each accounting for 32% of complaints.

Complaints
152
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
9 / 0
Injuries / deaths
9 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
23
20 city / 28 hwy

Top 2016 GMC Terrain problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine48 (32%)
  2. Visibility & Wipers48 (32%)
  3. Electrical System18 (12%)
  4. Other13 (9%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain11 (7%)
  6. Airbags9 (6%)
  7. Brakes8 (5%)
  8. Steering6 (4%)
  9. Structure & Body6 (4%)
  10. Fuel System3 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy in multiple rear-end and frontal collisions, including one crash where the driver hit at 40 mph with no deployment.
  • Owners describe headlight glare and visibility issues at night, in one case leading to a collision and in another to hitting an animal at approximately 45 mph.
  • Brakes reportedly failed to respond during hard-braking situations, including one case ending in a rear-end collision at a stop light.
  • The transmission has been reported to shift into neutral on its own and refuse to accelerate, with the dealer unable to duplicate the failure.
  • One owner reported the electrical system caused the digital clock to lose accurate time repeatedly, even after resets.
2016 GMC Terrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter142016 Q22018 Q32019 Q42021 Q12022 Q22023 Q32024 Q42026 Q1
179 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2021 Q4 (14).

2016 GMC Terrain recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Caution73296221.5
2015Caution60297323
2016Good40152223
2017Good27133123
2018Caution67220527

All GMC Terrain years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 GMC Terrain reliable?
Relative to other Terrain model years, the 2016 is rated "Good," with a Complaint Index of 40 and a rank of 10th worst out of 16 years tracked by NHTSA.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 GMC Terrain?
NHTSA complaint data shows Engine and Visibility & Wipers issues each make up 32% of complaints, followed by Electrical System at 12% and Transmission & Powertrain at 7%.
Does the 2016 GMC Terrain have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Terrain: one for headlight glare (campaign 22V137000) and one for incorrect certification labels on tire/rim size and pressure information (campaign 16V449000).
How does the 2016 Terrain compare to other years?
The 2016 model year has a lower Complaint Index (40) than most earlier years like 2010-2013, which range from 80 to 100 and are rated "Avoid," but it ranks above later years like 2021-2023, which are rated "Best."
What is the median mileage for reported failures on the 2016 Terrain?
Across all complaints, the median mileage at failure is 51,000 miles, with Engine complaints occurring at a median of 68,748 miles.

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.