Car · GMC problems

2018 GMC Terrain problems

226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 GMC Terrain. The most reported area is service brakes (37% of them). NHTSA also lists 538 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 12. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 226 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Service brakes83 · 37%
• Engine and engine cooling56 · 25%
• Power train (transmission and drive)42 · 19%
• Electrical system35 · 15%
• Other or unknown35 · 15%
• Fuel system17 · 8%
• Air bags14 · 6%
• Forward collision avoidance8 · 4%

16 smaller areas not shown (49 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 538 repair bulletins from GMC for the 2018 GMC Terrain. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. PIT5698FReceived September 30, 2026

   This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

2. PIT5099JReceived July 29, 2026

   PI to help diagnose A/C concern.

3. PIT3271QReceived April 7, 2026

   Information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

4. PIT5992BReceived March 31, 2026

   This preliminary information discusses a condition that may arise from the drivers window switch sending an errant message causing the vehicle to enter manual fob learn mode.

5. 25-NA-156Received December 4, 2025

   Wheels

   Information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities.

6. 00-06-01-026RReceived December 3, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.

7. PIT5214GReceived November 28, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer's vehicles that exhibit...

8. 23-NA-153Received October 25, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2018 GMC Terrain. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 18V576000August 30, 2018

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

2. 20V668000October 29, 2020

   Power train

   The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

3. 17V516000August 22, 2017

   Power train

   The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.

See all 5 recalls for the 2018 GMC Terrain, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Terrain will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Service brakes 83 complaints · 37%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Engine and engine cooling 56 complaints · 25%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Power train (transmission and drive) 42 complaints · 19%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Electrical system 35 complaints · 15%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

Get quotes for your GMC Terrain

Tell us the job and your ZIP. Free, takes a minute.

Job

ZIP

WhenAs soon as possibleThis monthJust planning

Your name

Phone

Email

Add a phone, an email, or both.

Anything we should know? (optional) I agree that Fair Price and the car repair shops and lead marketplaces listed on our Partners page, or their agents, may call and email me at the number and email I provided about my request, including by automated technology, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. Ticking this box is how I give this consent. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms. Get quotes

Fair Price is not a contractor or a repair shop. Who sees your request

2018 GMC Terrain: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 GMC Terrain?

Of the 226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 GMC Terrain, 83 (37%) name service brakes, and 56 (25%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2018 GMC Terrain reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 14 of the 226 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 12 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 GMC Terrain have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2018 GMC Terrain. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 538 repair bulletins for the 2018 GMC Terrain.

More

• 2015 Terrain problems
• 2014 Terrain problems
• 2013 Terrain problems
• 2012 Terrain problems
• 2011 Terrain problems
• 2010 Terrain problems
• 2018 recalls
• All GMC recalls
• GMC problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.