2020 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
53/100
#8 most-complained of 16 Terrain years
The 2020 GMC Terrain has 196 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 53, and ranks 8th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Brakes are the top problem area, with 72 complaints and 5 crashes reported.
- Complaints
- 196
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 7 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 23.5 city / 28 hwy
Top 2020 GMC Terrain problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes72 (37%)
- Engine67 (34%)
- Other35 (18%)
- Fuel System31 (16%)
- Electrical System28 (14%)
- Transmission & Powertrain28 (14%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras13 (7%)
- Structure & Body6 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (2%)
- Visibility & Wipers4 (2%)
What owners report
- Brakes reportedly fail without warning while driving, sometimes leading to collisions with parked cars, walls, or medians.
- Owners describe losing braking ability on the freeway, with a service brake assist warning appearing before the pedal became unresponsive.
- The forward collision/emergency braking system reportedly failed to engage, resulting in a crash with another vehicle.
- Cruise control has been reported to accelerate beyond the set speed, in one case reaching 100 mph after using the increase-speed button.
- Owners report the check engine light flashing along with sudden deceleration shortly after leaving the dealership.
- Some owners report the radio, screen, and gauges shutting off for about 20 seconds before returning to normal.
2020 GMC Terrain recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 23V339000May 11, 2023Other668,187 vehicles
Child seat:vehicle latch anchor
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Risk: The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232403240.
- 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.
2020 GMC Terrain fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 23.5 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,900
- 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.
2020 compared with other Terrain years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 GMC Terrain reliable?
- NHTSA lists 196 complaints for the 2020 Terrain with a complaint index of 53, giving it a Caution verdict. It ranks 8th worst among the 16 model years covered.
- What are the most common problems with the 2020 GMC Terrain?
- Brakes are the top problem area with 72 complaints, 37% of the total, and 5 crashes reported. Engine issues follow with 67 complaints, and fuel system issues account for 31 complaints.
- Does the 2020 GMC Terrain have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2020 Terrain. One covers rear-seat LATCH child seat anchorage bars, and the other involves a start-stop transmission accumulator that may need replacement.
- How does the 2020 Terrain compare to other model years?
- The 2020 Terrain's complaint index of 53 is worse than the 2019 (47), 2021 (0), 2022 (7), and 2023 (20) model years, all of which carry Good or Best verdicts.
- What is the median mileage when problems occur on the 2020 Terrain?
- Across all reported problem areas, the median mileage at failure is 47,734.5 miles. Brake complaints specifically have a median mileage of 71,000 miles.