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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2016 GMC Terrain is associated with 152 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Visibility & Wipers, accounting for 46 reports (30% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 5 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.4l 4-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 18 to 26 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 152 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Visibility & Wipers (46 / 30%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 9 crash / 0 fire / 8 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 18–26 MPG across 5 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 GMC Terrain?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Terrain FWD 2.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 6-spd 22 MPG 31 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Terrain FWD 2.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 6-spd 22 MPG 31 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Terrain AWD 2.4L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic 6-spd 20 MPG 28 MPG 23 MPG — $2,650 / yr
Terrain FWD 3.6L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 6-spd 17 MPG 24 MPG 20 MPG — $3,100 / yr
Terrain AWD 3.6L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic 6-spd 16 MPG 23 MPG 18 MPG — $3,400 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 GMC Terrain?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 19.1%
SUV AWD 17.4%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 GMC Terrain models.
View complete 2016 GMC Terrain crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 GMC Terrain?

Summary of 152 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
152
Crash Reports
9
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
8
Total Injuries
9

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Visibility & Wipers 46 complaints
Engine 34 complaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 9 complaints (2 crashes)
Air Bags 5 complaints (3 crashes)
Powertrain 4 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2016 GMC Terrain problems & component breakdown (34 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 GMC Terrain?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #22V137000 Active Recall
Affected Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Defect Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
NHTSA Campaign #16V449000 Active Recall
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Defect Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.
View all 2016 GMC Terrain recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2016 GMC Terrain

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 GMC Terrain

How many safety recalls does the 2016 GMC Terrain have?

The 2016 GMC Terrain is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2016 GMC Terrain?

NHTSA records list 152 consumer defect complaints for the 2016 GMC Terrain. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Visibility & Wipers, appearing in 46 filings (30% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2016 GMC Terrain defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2016 GMC Terrain?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2016 GMC Terrain earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2016 GMC Terrain get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2016 GMC Terrain range from 18 to 26 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.