YearToAvoid

2019 GMC Terrain Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 76 engine complaints for the 2019 GMC Terrain, 41% of its 185 total complaints for the year. No engine-related recall is on file. The median mileage at failure is 14,000 miles, and owners reported 2 fires with no injuries or crashes.

Engine complaints
76
41% of 185
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
14,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of power or complete engine shutdown at highway speeds, sometimes with an oil warning light beforehand.
  • Some describe the turbo body tube separating during acceleration, cutting engine power in half and triggering the check engine light shortly after purchase.
  • Several report the 2.0T engine losing power during hard acceleration or merging, with traction control, AWD, and check engine lights flashing due to a misfire.
  • Owners describe stalling combined with low fuel, transmission, and check engine warnings appearing together at highway speed.
  • A few report engine failure paired with transmission problems, including delayed shifting and onboard diagnostics flagging both systems.
  • One complaint describes an engine shutdown followed by a fire under the hood while driving at highway speed.

When 2019 GMC Terrain engine complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 15, 2018, latest Sep 24, 2026.

2019 GMC Terrain engine complaints: complaints filed per month7Aug 2018Oct 2019Aug 2022Jun 2023Jun 2024Feb 2025Oct 2025Apr 2026
76 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2018 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2021 (7).

Engine recalls for the 2019 GMC Terrain

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Terrain model year

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

  1. 2010126 (43%)
  2. 2011207 (54%)
  3. 2012179 (49%)
  4. 2013206 (57%)
  5. 2014130 (44%)
  6. 201583 (28%)
  7. 201648 (32%)
  8. 201779 (59%)
  9. 201858 (26%)
  10. 201976 (41%)
  11. 202067 (34%)
  12. 202111 (31%)
  13. 202213 (22%)
  14. 202316 (41%)
  15. 202413 (27%)
  16. 20253 (23%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine complaints for the 2019 GMC Terrain?
NHTSA lists 76 engine complaints for the 2019 Terrain, which is 41% of the 185 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 GMC Terrain engine?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the engine problem area on the 2019 Terrain.
At what mileage do 2019 Terrain engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure among reported engine complaints is 14,000 miles.
Have there been any fires linked to 2019 Terrain engine complaints?
NHTSA data shows 2 fires among the engine complaints for the 2019 Terrain, with 0 injuries and 0 crashes reported.
How does the 2019 Terrain compare to other years for engine complaints?
The 2019 Terrain's 41% share of complaints tied to the engine is lower than years like 2013 (57%) and 2017 (59%), but higher than 2018 (26%) and 2020 (34%).

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.