2021 Gmc TERRAIN problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
34 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
57,422 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 34 complaints (23.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 13 | 38.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 23.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 8.8% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 5.9% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 5.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 2.9% |
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 | 8 |
| Power Train | 8 |
| Service Brakes | 8 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 2 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | 2 |
Engine: 8; Power Train: 8; Service Brakes: 8; Electrical System: 7; Unknown Or Other: 3; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 2; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2; Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 30 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 |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 | 8 |
2021: 4; 2022: 4; 2023: 5; 2024: 4; 2025: 9; 2026: 8
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 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 11431951 · 2021-09-07 (September 7, 2021)
i WAS GOING TO MY SONS HOME WHICH IS LOCATED ON A STEEP DOWHILL STREET WITH SEVERAL TURNS, ONE OF THER ALMOST 90 DEGREES.aS i STARTED TO DESEND THE HILL AND GAIN SPEED, I DEPRESSED THE FOOT BRAKE. iT DID NOT RESPOND AT ALL. AS I CONTINUED TO GAIN SPEED AND COMING UP ON THE SHARP CURVE, I CONTINUED TO PUMP AND APPLY BRAKE . tHE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. i CONTINUED TO GAIN SPEED AND GO AROUND 2 OTHER TURNS. AT THE END OF THE STREET i HAD A CHOICE TO CONTINE STRAIGHT AHEAD AND HIT A HOUSE, TURN RIGHT AND CONTINUE DOWN ANOTHER STEEP…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11431951 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11457737 · 2022-03-21 (March 21, 2022)
The contact owns 2021 GMC Terrain. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle and attempting to shift the vehicle to drive, the vehicle inadvertently reversed. The contact depressed the brake pedal. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the gear shift selector was stuck in park(P) position while the instrument panel was displaying that the vehicle was in neutral. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who informed the contact that they could not replicate the failure; however, the vehicle remained under observation at…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11457737 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11425716 · 2021-07-20 (July 20, 2021)
When driving car starting from a red light/getting on freeway or after making turn from a stop light when accelerating between 45 and 60 car shakes when shifting. Problem is getting worse. Car only has 6000 miles on it. I reported it to local gmc dealer and I was told GM is aware of the problem and they do not have a solution. They mentioned there is a TB out for several models that customers have reported same problem
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11425716 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11434563 · 2021-09-27 (September 27, 2021)
My 2021 gmc terrain with 6000 miles on odometer. When driving up hill or going around corner transmission shudders so bad that it feels like front tires are coming off. I contacted the dealer and gm and was told there is a tsb for this complaint. GM and dealer acknowledged there was a problem but they didn't have a fix or known cause of problem
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11434563 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11543018 · 2023-09-06 (September 6, 2023)
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Terrain. The contact stated upon pressing the Push to Start button, the vehicle failed to start after several attempts, and the battery drained. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the vehicle restarted after a while. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled while at a complete stop at a traffic light. The contact also stated th…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11543018 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11635970 · 2025-01-14 (January 14, 2025)
I purchased the car August 2024, I have had it for 4 months and while driving down the road a large fuel tank pops up stating low fuel and the car comes to an abrupt stop.The 3x the gas tank was never low. Parking brake comes on and car doesn't not move. All lights on dash come one. It has done it 4 times and thankful each time I was in a 30 mph zone. If I was going 55 I am sure the result would have been bad. The car last did it on December 29, 2024 and has been in the dealership for 3 weeks now and they cannot fix it. I told them 3 days into …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11635970 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11652800 · 2025-04-04 (April 4, 2025)
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was like GM Product Safety Recall: N222372310 (Inadequate Fuel Pump Flow). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the fuel pump had malfunctioned and damaged the camshaft. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11652800 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11548782 · 2023-10-07 (October 7, 2023)
When accelerating from a stop between 35-45 mph the steering wheel shakes and you feel a vibration coming from the front wheels. I thought the wheels were loose and were about to come off.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11548782 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11574021 · 2024-02-26 (February 26, 2024)
The car has revved high rpm's since purchase, with multiple attempts to get it resolved . Since then, the steering wheel has jerked out of my hand's multiple times, unexpecting, causing the car to jerk while being stopped. The car has also not budged in the middle of traffic while being in drive and the pedal down to the floor until at least a 10 second delay and when doing so the screen that includes the radio, etc panel has completely blacked out and started twitching
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11574021 at NHTSA ↗