2026 GMC Terrain ICE

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  I was driving (roughly about 30 MPH) when my automatic braking kicked on and caused my tires to squeal to a halt. There were no other cars around me (thankfully) - otherwise I would have been rear-ended. Right before it stopped, it flashed the warning lights for a quick second. I wanted to report this issue in case others are experiencing the same problem and to hopefully help prevent it from happening to someone else. Very scary and could cause a serious accident. I turned off all of my automatic brake settings after the incident, as I believe it is faulty and don't want to risk it happening again.

• 12/29/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The vehicle has been taken to the dealership at least 4 times. Each time for the same reason: when driving at 65 or higher, it sounds like it's on a flat. My screen also glitches when foot is taken off the break after a stop. The service advisor told me that there was a shortage of mechanics and asked me to bring it back next week (this is the response I have gotten each time). I have asked for a loaner twice and was told that there were none available. Therefore, I had to pay $40 to uber to work. Today, I said that I couldn't come back because it's the same issue and I have to work next week. He then let me speak to a service manager. The service manager drove it (with me in the passenger seat) and heard the sound. He noticed that it was not all of the time and that my steering wheel was a little shifty. When it was finally "fixed" (tires being rotated and some steering update), I was told to come back if I hear it again. I left at about 2pm and heard the sound again, as well as my screen began to glitch when I get off the break after a complete stop. I took a video of the glitching and took it back for both issues. I was told that some bolts were tightened and some update was done to the screen, and if I hear it again come back. On my way home at 4:35pm, the issues were not resolved.

• 09/01/2026· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I recently pulled over to help a woman driving a 2026 GMC Terrain who had run out of gas in the middle of XXX in Virginia. Obviously, the first priority was to get the vehicle out of the travel lanes and onto the shoulder. I tried to figure out how to put the Terrain into neutral so we could move it, only to discover that **the vehicle cannot be shifted into neutral if it is not running.** Since it was out of gas, it could not start, meaning we could not put it in neutral and could not move it out of the roadway. Fortunately, a VDOT Safety Service Patrol truck came by. The driver stopped to help and thankfully had gasoline. However, I was told that, according to policy, he could not put gas in the vehicle while it was still in the travel lanes. This created an extremely dangerous catch-22: **the vehicle could not be moved because it could not start, it could not start because it was out of gas, and gas could not be added because it had not been moved out of the roadway.** I believe this is a serious safety issue with the vehicle. A disabled vehicle should have a reliable way to be placed in neutral regardless of whether the engine can start. This is especially important after a breakdown or crash, when the vehicle may need to be moved quickly to protect the occupants, other drivers, or first responders. If there is a manual emergency procedure for putting a completely disabled Terrain into neutral, it should be clearly documented and readily accessible to drivers and roadside assistance personnel. If there is no practical method, I believe GMC needs to address this design. A modern vehicle should not become an immovable roadblock simply because it ran out of fuel. Please investigate this issue and take whatever action is necessary to ensure disabled vehicles can be safely moved out of active traffic lanes.

• 08/30/2026· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  When starting to accelerate from a red light. The car in front of us was accelerating faster. Yet our car initiated an emergency braking action at around 15 MPH. It was very jarring and I still have a headache more yhan 1 hour after the incident.

• 08/25/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I have brand new GMC Terrain 2026, I leased dog on Aug 4th 2025. After one week into driving the vehicle, OnStar, GPS NAV stopped working and the Emergency calling is not working. All features related to locating the vehicle through OnStar or through google stopped working, in addition to SoS not working. I took it to the dealership they said the Telematics module needs replacement.

• 08/23/2026· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  Subject: Urgent: Unresolved Ongoing Vehicle Issues - Request for Contact ​To Whom It May Concern, ​I am writing to express my strong frustration regarding ongoing and unresolved issues with my vehicle. Ever since I purchased it, I have been plagued by constant alerts regarding various vehicle failures. ​My vehicle has already been reset and updated twice to address these issues. I just picked it up after it was supposedly fixed at the dealership this past Thursday. However, today, Sunday, [XXX], the exact same warning alerts have started popping up once again. ​This situation is unacceptable, and I need someone to reach out to us immediately to discuss a permanent resolution. Please contact us at either of the following numbers: ​Primary Phone: [XXX] ​Secondary Phone: [XXX] ​I expect a prompt reply to arrange the next steps. ​ INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 08/06/2026· BACK OVER PREVENTION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  The contact owns a 2026 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that after a software update was performed, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Departure Lane Limited due to the Trailer" was displayed. The failure affected the blind spot warning system. The warning light failed to display while approaching a vehicle on the blindside and erroneously operated while there were no vehicles on the side of the vehicle. Additionally, the "Rear Cross Traffic Warning" light was affected by the failure. The vehicle experienced hard braking while there was no other vehicle nearby. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with sensor failure caused by an impact to the sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,350.

• 08/06/2025· SERVICE BRAKES

  Master cylinder , less then 1000 miles was pulling out of a parking lot and the brakes went out

• 08/04/2026· ENGINE

  At 12,000 miles removed old air filter found grass under air filter

• 07/07/2026· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The Screen calls my own phone number and hangs up over and over if I just ended a call. I am not able to use any part of the screen afterwards such as my map. It stays like that until I disconnect the Bluetooth and wifi from my phone while trying to drive. Safety issue!

• 07/04/2026· STEERING,POWER TRAIN,WHEELS

  This vehicle was bought new and is a NEW 2026 GMC TERRAIN DENALI with less than 5,000 miles at this time. It is a continuous event and not a specific failure date, but began soon after purchasing. The specific parts are UNKNOWN. It could be tires, wheels, steering parts (CV JOINTS, CONTROL ARMS ETC) or possibly transmission. I took it initially to the purchasing dealership and they took it for a ride and just dismissed the problem without investigating. Several days later I called and talked to the person who sold me the SUV and was told either him or service manager or both would call me, but neither did so. They were to set up a return date. After this insulting experience I decided to take it to a Cadillac dealer that I have had great experience with in the past. They took it for a ride and did experience the problem and investigated what they thought could be causing the SUV to wobble, shimmy, or shaking sensation. This Cadillac dealer said there investigation showed nothing wrong and returned the vehicle to me and said nothing could be done unless GM gave them permission. Next I wrote to the service manager expressing my disappointment in nothing being done and my disappointment in General Motors. There is a Service Bulletin (Document ID: PIT6466). This makes four efforts on my part to get satisfaction with this 2026 GMC TERRAIN DENALI and how it is not fun to drive and there is anxiety on the safety of the vehicle when being driven. *Now for the problem I am experiencing with this 2026 GMC TERRAIN DENALI. There is the sensation of a “wobble, shimmy, or shaking” under low to moderate acceleration when going straight or turning. It could be tires, wheels, steering parts or power train. It is difficult to tell. Sometimes the sensation is as if the wheels will fall off. This is an awful feeling and gives you the feeling the SUV is not safe and it is not fun to drive at all.* Why do I have to drive a brand new expensive SUV and feel unsafe and not enjoy do so?

• 06/23/2026· STRUCTURECrashFire

  The contact owned a 2026 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while her husband was driving on a perpendicular road at an undisclosed speed, entering a highway, the driver yielded; however, a truck in the median was attempting to cross the highway during oncoming traffic, and an oncoming vehicle crashed into that vehicle, causing the truck to crash into the front of the vehicle. The front air bags deployed as intended. The contact stated that an electrical fire started under the center console, and the driver’s shirt was burned by the fire. The Fire Department was on scene and removed the contact from the vehicle; however, a fire report was not filed. An off-duty sheriff witnessed the crash and assisted in removing the contact husband from the vehicle. The driver was taken to the Emergency Room for neck, arm, and wrist injuries, bruises, burns, and scratches. The contact was unsure of how the fire was extinguished. The contact mentioned that the smoke emitting was carbon monoxide-related. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was deemed a total loss by the insurance provider. A police report was filed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, and there was a pending inspection on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 6,300.

• 06/20/2026· SERVICE BRAKES

  ABV came on. SCR alerted I needed service. On a 25 mph road I no longer could brake randomly

• 05/12/2026· STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS

  Car aggressively shakes and steering wheel shakes / jerks itself side to side when accelerating. Getting worse with time. GMC has it as a known issue but has been for months. Problem is getting worse the more it is driven. GMC says it is “safe”.

• 05/12/2026· LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  Two issues here. First is that the car will give a danger warning when nothing is there. Sometimes goes as far as slamming on my breaks. Both in drive and reverse. Second is the lane keep assist. It’s like it is working backwards. I turned this all off because it would jerk me out of the lane and into the other lane or off to the sides of the road.

• 05/12/2026· POWER TRAIN

  The car has always had an issue where it would just get stuck in a low gear and RPMs would go high. Does this every single day. But recently it also started acting like it was put into neutral for a few seconds and then back into drive.

• 04/29/2026· POWER TRAIN

  The contact owns a 2026 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal after coming from a complete stop, the vehicle started wobbling. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: PIT6466 (Shimmy, Shake or Wobble When Leaving a Stop); however, the VIN was not included in the bulletin. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall for the failure, and opened a case. The failure mileage was 5,200.

• 04/20/2026· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I bought this car new from Davidson's in Rome, NY in early March 2026. This is a 2026 model. Two days after I took possession, I noticed that the spare tire well was halfway full of solid ice. The car has a severe leak through the back right side window. The dealer states it needs to be replaced. The interior frames of the car were loaded with water for many weeks as it stood on the lot. Had the dealer done a final inspection of this car prior to transferring ownership to me, as they should have and stated they did, they would have found the solid ice that surrounded the spare tire and investigated the leak and repaired it BUT they would have been required to tell me of this leak I assume...if so, I would never have bought this car. They had the car in the shop now for 3 weeks as of today, April 20th, 2026, and no word on the resolution. They did give me a loaner car for use. They have to dry the car out completely and dehumidify it as well as replace the window that leaked. The risks going forward is to the internal wiring, mechanicals, etc. due to static water exposure for many weeks prior to the sale. Had the dealer done their job with prior inspection, this could have been avoided. I asked them for my money back and they refused so I am stuck with a brand-new car that was essentially flooded with rainwater because the dealer did not do a final inspection prior to my accepting ownership of it. I wrote letter to all the dealership principals involved and NONE of them answered me directly...as if I was invisible or completely silent on this issue. If given an option, I would give them this car back and get a full refund.

• 04/17/2026· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  The windshield has an optical distortion, characterized by "waviness" and "rippling." This condition is not merely a cosmetic imperfection; it is a safety hazard that causes visual impairment, and dizziness while driving. This defect compromises my ability to perceive distances and hazards accurately, especially when looking through the passenger side while making turns or looking for hazards. Current Status of the Issue as reported online Documented reports indicate that GMC dealers are aware of these "warped windshields" and that the issue appears to be a systemic quality control failure in the 2026 model year. • Safety Risk: This distortion constitutes a safety-related defect as defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), as it interferes with the driver's primary field of vision. •Failure of Prior Remedies: I am aware that many owners have undergone multiple replacements only to have the same defect reoccur, suggesting that current replacement stock may also be compromised

• 04/16/2026· SUSPENSION

  The contact owns a 2026 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the front driver’s side suspension while driving over bumps in the roadway, and while braking and turning the steering wheel. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where a test drive was performed; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 14.

• 03/24/2026· UNKNOWN OR OTHERFire

  Car was off and parked and randomly caught on fire. Completely totaling the car

• 03/19/2026· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Purchased NEW 2026 GMC Terrain Elevation, and it came with NO User Manual. I was told by the dealership (Al Serra GMC in Grand Blanc Michigan that i could either purchase one for $50.00+ dollars, PLUS TAX & $25.00 SHIPPING, or d/l it via the infotainment system in the car, WHICH DID NOT WORK! Talk about [XXX] A VIETNAM VET!!! We are both [XXX] old & need a manual, so bought a reproduction of the original via eBay for $50.00. At least GM could reimburse the cost of the manual… INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 03/15/2026· STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS

  Vehicle “wobble” under moderate acceleration and in corners, can be felt in the seats and steering wheel.

• 03/04/2026· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Very soon after purchase vehicle developed a front end shake and continued to get worse. This happens when pulling out or in stop and go traffic this varies from in intensity and sometimes it can be quite violent shaking the whole vehicle. The car has been to a GM dealership for this problem 3 times now. The first time 9/8/2025 replaced rear axle, the second time 10/20/25 both front axles were replaced. The 3rd time GM engineer Paul Koerner said they are aware of this problem but there is no repair until it is further investigated this was 12/10/25. As of this time there is still no repair but a bulletin has come out document #7036661. This states the customer should continue to drive vehicle I now have 7600 miles on it and it continues to shake every time I pull out. There seems to be no repair in sight and I’m concerned something will finally fail maybe causing a serious situation and about the unknown damage this is causing to the vehicle. I have written a letter to GM corporate about my concerns and asked for vehicle replacement to no avail. I have all the repair orders and documents and would be glad to give them to you as I have tried to upload them and it seems to work but won’t let me continue.

• 02/20/2026· STRUCTURE

  The contact owns a 2026 GMC Terrain. While drying the vehicle after it was washed, the contact became aware that the middle section of the vehicle was loose. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that the part to repair the vehicle needed to be ordered. The contact was awaiting a response from the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

• 02/02/2026· POWER TRAIN

  The contact owns a 2026 GMC Terrain. While driving at 28 MPH, the RPM became elevated to over 3,000 RPM. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately pulled over and then resumed normal operation after the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact was advised to bring the vehicle back to the dealer if the failure reoccurred. Approximately one week after the initial failure, while driving approximately 30 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to L2. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. A diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was provided a case number. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 1,300.

• 01/13/2026· SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  The system that failed was the brakes, The car is availble for inspection. My saftey and others was put at risk due to not having brakes to stop. The problem has been confirmed by a dealer as a master brake cylinder failer The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer. There were warning lamps, message and other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. They first appearead on December 4 2025