VehicleVerdict

2011 GMC Terrain engine problems

The 2011 GMC Terrain has 200 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 36% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

200

Engine complaints

36%

Share of year

1

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Terrain engine complaints by model year208 complaints2010: 119 complaints2011: 200 complaints2012: 174 complaints2013: 208 complaints2014: 129 complaints2015: 83 complaints2016: 45 complaints2017: 79 complaints2018: 51 complaints2019: 62 complaints2020: 56 complaints2021: 10 complaints2022: 12 complaints2023: 13 complaints2024: 11 complaints2025: 2 complaints
Terrain engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. PULLED OVER AND PLACED CAR IN PARK. BRIEFLY CAUGHT FIRE UNDER HOOD DUE TO OIL COMING OUT. AFTER INSPECTION OF CAUSE, ROD WENT THROUGH CYLINDER BLOCK CAUSING OIL LEAKAGE AND BLOWN ENGINE. RECALL UNKNOWN HOWEVER I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · June 8, 2020 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2011 GMC Terrain have?

NHTSA has 200 complaints about the 2011 GMC Terrain engine — 36% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.