2010 Gmc TERRAIN problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
290 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
73,925 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 234 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 107 of 290 complaints (36.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 31 | 10.7% |
| Engine operation | 24 | 8.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 5.5% |
| Steering behavior | 14 | 4.8% |
| Braking behavior | 12 | 4.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 3.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 107 |
| Electrical System | 47 |
| Power Train | 47 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 40 |
| Air Bags | 21 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 21 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 |
| Unknown Or Other | 16 |
Engine: 107; Electrical System: 47; Power Train: 47; Visibility/Wiper: 40; Air Bags: 21; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 21; Vehicle Speed Control: 17; Unknown Or Other: 16
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 42 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 35 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 45 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 53 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 51 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 42; 25,000 to 49,999: 35; 50,000 to 74,999: 45; 75,000 to 99,999: 53; 100,000 to 149,999: 51; 150,000 and above: 8
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (53). 56 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 32 |
| 2015 | 29 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 30 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2010: 15; 2011: 13; 2012: 6; 2013: 16; 2014: 32; 2015: 29; 2016: 45; 2017: 30; 2018: 33; 2019: 24; 2020: 12; 2021: 10; 2022: 13; 2023: 4; 2024: 3; 2025: 2; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 31 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 24 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10347137 · 2010-08-03 (August 3, 2010)
ON THURSDAY JULY 22 WHEN I WENT TO GO START MY CAR MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE FORWARD, IT WOULD ONLY ROLL FORWARD. THE CAR DASH STATED IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE "STABILITRACK" AND THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT WAS ALSO ON. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. ON THURSDAY JULY 30, I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT 70MPH ABOUT TO TURN OFF ONTO A RAMP WHERE MY CAR STOPS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO ROLL INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND "STABILITRACK" CAME UP ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR HAS BEEN T…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10347137 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10396701 · 2011-04-18 (April 18, 2011)
I HAD COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE COURTESY GMC IN TRUSSVILLE, AL IN THE LAST THAT MY 2010 GMC TERRAIN WAS NOT GETTING GOOD GAS MILEAGE AND IDLING AND SHIFTING VERY ROUGH. AT THAT TIME IT WAS UNDER THE 36,000 MILE FACTORY WARRANTY. THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS JUST HOW THIS NEW ENGINE RAN BUT WAS NOT A PROBLEM. THE WEEK OF APRIL 4, 2011 MY VEHICLE STARTED REALLY HAVING ALOT MORE DIFFICULTIES ON IDLING, HAD NO PICKUP AND GAS MILEAGE GOT EVEN WORSE AND IT ALMOST CUT OFF A FEW TIMES. WELL I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON APRIL 11, 2011 A…
Owner-reported narrative. 48,177 miles reported. Look up ODI 10396701 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10564329 · 2014-02-14 (February 14, 2014)
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL OF THE WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND CAM SHAFT WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000. PM *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10564329 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10564933 · 2014-02-19 (February 19, 2014)
IT STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN 12/13 REPLACED EXHAUST CAM SOLENOID AND AGAIN IN JANUARY 2014 WHEN THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT POSITION EXHAUST ACTUATOR. THE HAVE ALSO AT DIFFERENT TIMES HAD TO REPLACE THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, WATER PUMP AND BALANCE SHAFT CHAIN, REPLACED THE CONDENSER, EVAC ON THE AIR CONDITIONER ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE OTHER 2010 GMC TERRAIN WE OWN. WE DO NOT FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE AC CONDENSER SINCE IT HAPPENED ON BOTH VEHICLES WE OWN WITHIN MONTHS OF EACH …
Owner-reported narrative. 46,786 miles reported. Look up ODI 10564933 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10393917 · 2011-04-01 (April 1, 2011)
WITH ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS AND ONE MAP LIGHT ON, WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL, ALL LIGHTS WILL DIM WHEN SIGNAL LIGHT COMES ON. THERE SHOULD NOT BE THAT MUCH STRAIN ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393917 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10577813 · 2014-04-06 (April 6, 2014)
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND DISPLAY READ POWER STEERING PROBLEM. AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND COMING TO A STOP AT A REDLIGHT, THE CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. IT HAD NO POWER, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RUNNING AND ENGINE WAS IDLING HARD AND MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND THE FIXED THE CAM ACTUATOR. CAR DROVE FINE FOR ANOTHER 2,000 MILES AND SAME ISSUED OCCURRED. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED...AGAIN. WILL FILE ANOTHER COMPLAINT WHEN I KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10577813 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10650018 · 2014-10-26 (October 26, 2014)
I COULDN'T RESTART MY CAR RIGHT AFTER I STOPPED AT A PARKING STALL IN THE MORNING, BUT I CAN HEAR "CLICK" SOUND. DASH BOARD SHOWS WARNINGS:"STABILITRAK.."(I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY THE WORDS), "BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE!" AND "SERVICE POWER STEERING". HOWEVER, I MANAGED TO JUMP MY CABLE AFTER 20MINS, AND STEP ON GAS AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY, FINALLY I START MY ENGINE AFTER 3 OR 4 TIMES. IN THE AFTERNOON, WHEN I TURNED ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS BUT NOT CRANK, POWER WINDOWS DIDN'T WORK AT ALL, WHICH USED TO WORK WELL, AND "SER…
Owner-reported narrative. 47,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10650018 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10403698 · 2011-05-29 (May 29, 2011)
MY 2010 GMC TERRAIN AWD WE HAD SINCE JULY OF 2010 WORK WONDERFUL AT FIRST. NOW, MAY 25, 2011 OUR TERRAIN HAS SEVERAL LIGHTS COMING ON. ABS, STABILITY SERVICES, AWD IS TURN OFF,AND TRACTION CONTROL IS NOT WORKING LIGHTS. ONSTAR CAN NOT SEE THESE PROBLEMS IN ITS SYSTEM. HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR IT IN JUNE 1, 2011 AT OUR LOCAL DEALER. BUT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO ANYONE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10403698 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10484829 · 2012-11-15 (November 15, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE PARKED, THE TIRE PRESSURE, ABS, ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10484829 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10496687 · 2013-02-07 (February 7, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY TO 30 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ELEVEN TIMES IN RELATION TO THE PROBLEM. THE FUEL INJECTOR AND TIMING CHAIN WERE BOTH REPLACED TWICE. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE CONSUMED A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIF…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496687 at NHTSA ↗