AutoUtility currently tracks 218 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 GMC Terrain. Brakes & Traction Control issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 86 complaints (39.4% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 14 filings cite a crash, 1 cites a fire, 7 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
86 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
51 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
41 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
35 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
8 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
7 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"Approximately 3 miles from my residence my car display flashed "Reduced Engine Power" and slowed down. When I reached a stop sign and tried to stop, my brakes were stiff and I was unable to stop. I went through the stop sign. I continued to my residence at 10mph and backed into a parking space with..."
"The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while her son was driving 45 MPH, the brake pedal was firm while depressed. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, excessive force was needed on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact was able to drive the..."
"While driving my 2018 GMC Terrain, the vehicle suddenly displayed an “Engine Power Reduced” warning and the brakes became extremely hard to press. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of normal power-brake assist while it was in motion, creating a serious safety risk because significantly greater..."
"The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was abnormally firm. The brake pedal was depressed to the floor, and the..."
"Vehicle would slowly roll even when break is applied. It was confirmed by the service center that the break booster vacuum pump was only reading 8 when it should be at 27. It was not making enough pressure. The vehicle would not stop when break was applied."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 GMC Terrain | 315 | 10 | 3 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 GMC Terrain | 152 | 9 | 2 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 GMC Terrain | 133 | 11 | 1 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 GMC Terrain Current Page | 218 | 14 | 5 | Current |
| 2019 GMC Terrain | 181 | 7 | 3 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 GMC Terrain | 192 | 7 | 2 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 GMC Terrain | 34 | 4 | 2 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 GMC Terrain | 81 | 0 | 2 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 GMC Terrain | 37 | 2 | 2 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 GMC Terrain | 48 | 1 | 1 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 GMC Terrain | 12 | 2 | 0 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 GMC Terrain | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 67 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 41 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 9 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEATS,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 GMC Terrain
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2018 GMC Terrain is Brakes & Traction Control, appearing in 86 records (39.4% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Engine & Cooling (51) and Powertrain & Transmission (41).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 218 consumer defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns for the 2018 GMC Terrain.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2018 GMC Terrain, 14 filings cite a crash, 1 cite smoke or fire, and 7 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.