What are the most common problems with the 2016 GMC Terrain?

Engine and visibility or wiper complaints are the biggest groups, with 46 complaints each.

Does the 2016 GMC Terrain have recalls?

Yes, the by-year data shows 2 recalls. They are listed in the Recalls section on this page.

What is the gas mileage of the 2016 GMC Terrain?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2016 GMC Terrain reliable?

Owner reports are mixed. Engine and wiper complaints lead the list. See the by-year comparison on this page to put 2016 next to other years.

2016 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls and MPG

Q: How many complaints are there for the 2016 GMC Terrain?

NHTSA has 153 owner complaints on file.

NHTSA has 153 owner complaints on file for the 2016 GMC Terrain^[1]. Engine and wiper problems lead the list, with 46 complaints each^[2]^[3].

153owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[4]

18–26MPG combined (EPA)^[5]

4★NHTSA overall rating^[6]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Owners filed complaints under several component groups. Here they are, biggest first.

Engine. 46 complaints^[2]. Owners describe a warning light coming on, a loss of power while driving, an engine that will not start, and one case of smoke from under the hood. The median mileage at failure was 70,000^[2].
Visibility/Wiper. 46 complaints^[3]. In the stories we read, the wipers quit in heavy rain, sometimes while the driver was on a highway. Some owners say a new wiper motor was needed. The median mileage at failure was 56,000^[3].
Unknown or other. 13 complaints^[7]. These did not fit a clear component group.
Power train. 11 complaints^[8]. Owners describe the car slipping out of gear, answering the gas pedal late, and shifting in odd ways.
Air bags. 10 complaints^[9]. Owners describe warning lights and air bags that did not go off in a collision. 6 of these mention a crash^[9].
Exterior lighting. 10 complaints^[10].
Electrical system. 9 complaints^[11].
Steering. 6 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2016 Terrain is necessarily included.

Exterior Lighting › Headlights (22V137), March 2022. About 740,581 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced visibility. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Equipment › Other › Labels (16V449), June 2016. About 17 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Terrain AWD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[15]	20 / 28 / 23	$2,900
Terrain FWD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[5]	22 / 31 / 26	$2,600
Terrain FWD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	22 / 31 / 26	$2,600
Terrain AWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[17]	16 / 23 / 18	$3,700
Terrain FWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	17 / 24 / 20	$3,350

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[6]	4	4	5	4	17.4%
SUV FWD^[19]	4	4	5	4	19.1%

How 2016 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Terrain model year. The 2016 is highlighted^[4].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2010	290	3
2011	386	4
2012	364	4
2013	364	3
2014	297	2
2015	298	3
2016	153	2
2017	135	1
2018	225	5
2019	186	3
2020	197	2
2021	36	2
2022	88	4
2023	41	2
2024	52	1
2025	13	0
2026	33	1
2027	1	0

NHTSA's counts for the Terrain show 153 complaints and 2 recalls for 2016^[4]. Among the 18 model years listed, 8 have fewer complaints than 2016 and 9 have more^[4]. The fewest complaints are for 2027 (1) and the most are for 2011 (386)^[4]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2016 Terrain?

The record for this Terrain is mixed. NHTSA lists 153 owner complaints^[1]. The engine and wiper groups are the largest, and the wiper complaints can leave a driver without a clear view in the rain^[2]^[3]. The air bag group is smaller, but it has the most crashes attached to it^[9]. These are unverified owner reports that are not adjusted for sales, so check the recalls section on this page, since recalls exist for this year^[4].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 GMC Terrain?: Engine and visibility or wiper complaints are the biggest groups, with 46 complaints each^[2]^[3].
Does the 2016 GMC Terrain have recalls?: Yes, the by-year data shows 2 recalls^[4]. They are listed in the Recalls section on this page.
How many complaints are there for the 2016 GMC Terrain?: NHTSA has 153 owner complaints on file^[1].
What is the gas mileage of the 2016 GMC Terrain?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2016 GMC Terrain reliable?: Owner reports are mixed. Engine and wiper complaints lead the list^[2]^[3]. See the by-year comparison on this page to put 2016 next to other years.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the GMC Terrain

2011 386 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 364 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 364 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 297 complaints, 2 recalls
2015 298 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 this page
2017 135 complaints, 1 recall
2018 225 complaints, 5 recalls
2020 197 complaints, 2 recalls
2024 52 complaints, 1 recall

Compare all model years of the GMC Terrain

Other GMC models from 2016

2016 GMC Acadia 236 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 GMC Canyon 271 complaints, 4 recalls

All GMC models

Similar cars from 2016: small suvs

2016 Ford Escape 1,162 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 Honda CR-V 394 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 Honda HR-V 243 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 Honda Pilot 1,716 complaints, 8 recalls
2016 Hyundai Tucson 1,625 complaints, 5 recalls
2016 Jeep Cherokee 1,411 complaints, 9 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 153 owner complaints on file for the 2016 GMC Terrain (10 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 10 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
46 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 70,000). NHTSA vehicle records
46 complaints name the visibility/wiper component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 56,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every GMC Terrain model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Terrain FWD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 31 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
13 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 67,000). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the air bags component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 46,000). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the exterior lighting component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
9 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 44,000). NHTSA vehicle records
6 complaints name the steering component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 22V137, filed March 8, 2022: Exterior Lighting › Headlights. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V449, filed June 21, 2016: Equipment › Other › Labels. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Terrain AWD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Terrain FWD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 31 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Terrain AWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Terrain FWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 24 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 19.1%. NHTSA vehicle records

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2016 GMC Terrain: problems, recalls and fuel economy