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2010 GMC TerrainProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 290 owner complaints about the 2010 GMC Terrain, most often about the engine. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 22V-137 the manufacturer reports only 32% of affected cars repaired.

2010 GMC Terrain
48
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Terrain median · #5 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 32%Owner complaints29019 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage80kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 10, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2010 GMC Terrain has problems

290 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine1075
Power train511
Electrical system484
Visibility/wiper401
Air bags246
Electronic stability control (ESC)210
Vehicle speed control172
Visibility140
Fuel/propulsion system141
16 other systems714

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2010 GMC Terrain recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

32%repaired · 2024 Q2

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 22V-137 · Mar 8, 2022 · 740,581 vehicles · 234,163 repaired

Risk. The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

75%repaired · 2016 Q1

Front assembly: power adjust

Recall 14V-447 · Jul 23, 2014 · 414,333 vehicles · 312,762 repaired

Risk. If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system

Recall 09V-489 · Dec 23, 2009 · 59,031 vehicles

Risk. DRIVING WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING DEFROST SYSTEM CAN DECREASE YOUR VISIBILITY UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with GMC.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

80kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 82 engine complaints. 73% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
5under 30k miles60under 100k miles22100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine

12 owners mentioned a cost

$1,750median

Middle half: $1,113 – $4,475

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2010 vs. every other Terrain year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Terrain median. How we score

'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2010 GMC Terrain safety ratings

2010 GMC Terrain 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2010 GMC Terrain, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Front Wiper Transmission InoperativeEA19005 · closed Nov 28, 2022
    Led to recall 22V-165
  2. Momentary Increased Steering EffortPE20009 · closed Jun 3, 2022
    No recall
  3. Windshield Wiper Transmission FailureRQ18002 · closed Dec 19, 2019
    No recall
In owners' words

What Terrain owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I bought this car and the mileage said 120K, but the title says when it was tagged 157K. the car has been tampered with and the some of the lights for the car on the dash are missing, such as the check engine light. Also, it misses so bad that it will die at times
Complaint 11732619 · Apr 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service stabili-trak and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to O’Reilly Auto Parts, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was then…
Complaint 11705073 · Dec 15, 2025 · 120,000 miles
Reduce spreed unknown if related to fuel pressure regulator since repaired twice told could be to service bulletin. Warning lights keeps appearing while driving at a speed of 40 to 50 mph.
Complaint 11627256 · Nov 25, 2024

Own a 2010 Terrain?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.