YearToAvoid

2018 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#6 most-complained of 16 Terrain years

The 2018 GMC Terrain has a Complaint Index of 67 and ranks 6th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 220 complaints, 5 recalls, and 87 brake complaints, the largest problem area at 40% of total complaints.

Complaints
220
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
14 / 1
Injuries / deaths
12 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
27
25 city / 29 hwy

Top 2018 GMC Terrain problems

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

  1. Brakes87 (40%)
  2. Engine58 (26%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain41 (19%)
  4. Electrical System35 (16%)
  5. Other35 (16%)
  6. Fuel System15 (7%)
  7. Airbags14 (6%)
  8. Collision Avoidance & Cameras9 (4%)
  9. Structure & Body7 (3%)
  10. Steering6 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report brakes that fail to respond or feel unresponsive when coming to a stop, sometimes causing a rear-end collision.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in low to moderate speed frontal or side crashes.
  • One owner described a side curtain airbag deploying and burning a passenger.
  • Engine-related reports mention a burning odor from the vents and steering wheel vibration during operation.
  • Owners describe the transmission revving without shifting, requiring the driver to let off the gas before it engages, sometimes causing the steering wheel to jerk.
2018 GMC Terrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter182017 Q42019 Q22020 Q32021 Q42023 Q12024 Q22025 Q3
321 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2023 Q3 (18).

2018 GMC Terrain recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V668000Oct 29, 2020Transmission & Powertrain194,105 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

    Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

  2. NHTSA 18V576000Aug 30, 2018Brakes210,628 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

    Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

  3. NHTSA 18V358000May 31, 2018Fuel System895 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

    Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

See all 5 recalls for the 2018 GMC Terrain →

2018 GMC Terrain fuel economy and fuel cost

City
25 MPG
Highway
29 MPG
Combined
27 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2018 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
2016Good40152223
2017Good27133123
2018Caution67220527
2019Good47185327
2020Caution53196225

All GMC Terrain years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 GMC Terrain reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2018 Terrain has a Complaint Index of 67 and ranks 6th worst among the 16 model years covered, giving it a Caution verdict rather than a favorable one.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 GMC Terrain?
NHTSA data shows brakes are the top problem area, making up 40% of complaints (87 total), followed by engine issues at 26% (58 complaints) and transmission/powertrain issues at 19% (41 complaints).
Does the 2018 GMC Terrain have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2018 Terrain, covering the transmission accumulator, brake system bleeding, a fuel pump/pipe replacement, an airbag sensing module software update, and a front driveshaft that may fracture.
How does the 2018 Terrain compare to other years?
The 2018 Terrain's Complaint Index of 67 is worse than 2016 (40), 2017 (27), and 2019 (47), but better than 2010-2013, which carry Avoid verdicts with indexes as high as 100.
What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2018 Terrain?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 18,500 across all complaints, though brake issues showed up later at a median of 50,569 miles and transmission issues earlier at 10,300 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.