2012 GMC Terrain Visibility Problems

I was driving while it was raining. The wipers stopped working. The driverside wiper jumped partially off the windshield. I had my mechanic inspect it. The fuses, relay, and wiper motor are operational. The bushing on the wiper transmission failed. I found the following recall. Special Coverage Adjustment N192266181 Wiper Transmission Arm Linkage Failure – USA Only Release Date: July 2022. However, my VIN does not have this as an applicable recall.

NHTSA ID

11545190

Incident

Sep 14, 2023

Wiper motor went out on me no warning

NHTSA ID

11538348

Incident

Aug 13, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH in rain weather, the front windshield wipers stopped functioning. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to deactivate and activate the windshield wipers however, the wiper blades failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the windshield wiper motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 152,000.

NHTSA ID

11530431

Incident

Jul 3, 2023

Mileage

152,000 mi

Windshield wipers quit working. I can hear something, but blades don't move. I see the 2014-15 have a recall.

NHTSA ID

11526991

Incident

Jun 14, 2023

Ball joint for wiper assembly just "pops off" while in use causing wipers to stop working. I have taken vehicle apart, fixed the issue ( reconnecting the ball joint) and issue happens again. I understand the vehicle is from 2012, but uses same part 2010-2017, which is currently a recall on 2013-2015 models. First occurrence of this issue was July 02, 2019. I brought to GMC dealer, they said they were out of the part. Since then I've not had the issue until today March 14, 2023 where I almost hit another car, due to it popping off and stopped working while in motion.

NHTSA ID

11511864

Incident

Mar 14, 2023

I was driving in the dark at 5 am with my 2 year old son in the down pour rain and my wipers stopped working but the motor was still running

NHTSA ID

11507754

Incident

Feb 17, 2023

Driving in heavy rain south on the I-5 at 545p. In peak traffic and wipers suddenly just stopped while going 60mph in the carpool lane. As we past the exit for I-405 There was no shoulder to pull off of on my left. I had to cross over 5 lanes until I could safely get off the freeway. Then drive another 5 miles on side streets getting out an manually moving the wipers every few blocks so i could see. I'm female and over 50 yrs old. There was not a place I felt safe to just pull over at night. I stopped at a friend's. I can hear the motor moving but the wipers are not. I do not recall ever seeing the recall on the ball bearings and nor the wiper linkage but found one. However I'm have 72k miles and have owned it for 10 yrs.6 months. So it may not be covered, which I believe is not fair. I almost died and could have caused other deaths just trying to safely maneuver off the freeway, which I felt was safer than sitting on the side of a very dangerous section of the freeway. I know people with cars over 40 yr old that were left outside with over 200k miles and the wipers have never just died. I am the original owner and my car has been garaged for over 95% of the time when not in use. I will call the dealership in the morning but trying to get ahead of this since articles are saying there are no parts. Scared and frustrated.

NHTSA ID

11496833

Incident

Dec 9, 2022

very serious failure ... traveling at night, in a rainstorm, doing 70mph on a highway and the wiper regulator connecting the wiper arms to the wiper motor fails ... no warning what so ever ... no intermittent operation or noises, nothing ... looking into this problem I see that GM has issued a safety recall for 2014 and up versions of this vehicle but not my specific model year ... what are the chances that the hardware used in my particular vehicle model year are any different than those listed in (22V-165) this safety recall.

NHTSA ID

11468383

Incident

Jun 8, 2022

I was driving on the highway and it was raining hard so I had my windshield wipers on and they just stopped working and I almost got in accident because I couldn't see.

NHTSA ID

11455655

Incident

Mar 7, 2022

I was getting on the Interstate when a really bad rain storm came up. I turned my windshield wipers on and they got stuck in the upright position. I tried many times to get the wipers to work, but they would not move. I had NO VISIBILITY and I was on an elevated ramp getting on the interstate. I could not see anything so I had to roll my window down, drive 5 miles an hour and use the white line on the road as a guide. I got soaking wet as did my car. I had to drive about a mile before I could safely stop the car. There was no warning and I am reading now there is an issue with this on Terrains. This was an EXTREMELY dangerous, I could have severely hurt myself or someone else. I am getting really tired of all the recalls on the Terrain. So far there have been six (6) for my car and a few more that don't seem to apply YET!!

NHTSA ID

11429327

Incident

Aug 15, 2021

Wiper system failed, without notice or warning, while in use during travel on the highway, severely limiting visibility and creating significant safety event. No accident was reported as other vehicle passengers were able to assist the driver in safely maneuvering the vehicle to a safe stopping location.

NHTSA ID

11419599

Incident

Jun 3, 2021

DURING A BAD STORM THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT PAST THE WINDSHIELD AND THE MOTOR FROZE UP MOTOR STARTED HUMMING THEN LOCKED UP.

NHTSA ID

11406096

Incident

Jan 3, 2021

Mileage

120,000 mi

WIPER TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WATER AND DEBRIS ENTERED THE WIPER ASSEMBLY BALL JOINTS AND CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR, ALLOWING THE BALL JOINTS TO DETACH AND CAUSING THE WIPERS TO STOP WORKING

NHTSA ID

11399325

Incident

Feb 20, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL INSIDE THE VEHICLE UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE FIRST OIL CHANGE. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PRIOR TO THE DISCOVERY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS GIVEN A VOUCHER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO DEFECTIVE PISTON RINGS THAT WERE TOO EXPENSIVE TO BE REPLACED. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ENGINE FAILURE. PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REVVED AND ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT NOTED THAT PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE, BOTH WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION. BOTH WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE REPLACED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

NHTSA ID

11383093

Incident

Aug 1, 2018

Mileage

55,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAIN STORM ACROSS A LONG THREE LANE BRIDGE WHEN MY WIPER SYSTEM FAILED. DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WIND, RAIN AND TRAFFIC ROAD SPRAY, I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD OR VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD ZERO VISIBILITY. MIRACULOUSLY, I MADE IT SAFELY ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND OFF THE SHOULDER INTO A GRASSY AREA. THE DEALERSHIP THAT MADE THE REPAIR TOLD ME THAT GM COVERED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WIPER ASSEMBLY BECAUSE THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT, BUT HAVEN'T ISSUED A PUBLIC RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED. IT HAS CAUSED ME TO HAVE CONTINUED ANXIETY ISSUES WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND ACROSS LONG BRIDGES. PLEASE MAKE THIS A PUBLIC RECALL. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

11374725

Incident

Oct 17, 2020

Mileage

63,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WIPERS BROKE TWICE. THE BUSHINGS BREAK. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY A SEMI TRUCK..

NHTSA ID

11363924

Incident

Feb 8, 2019

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING. THE MOTOR STILL RUNS BUT THE WIPERS WILL NOT MOVE

NHTSA ID

11362499

Incident

Sep 27, 2020

Mileage

190,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, MY WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE UP POSITION AND WOULDN'T MOVE. THE MOTOR WAS STILL WORKING BECAUSE YOU COULD HEAR IT CYCLING, BUT THE WIPERS WOULDN'T MOVE. FORTUNATELY THE RAIN WASN'T VERY HEAVY, I WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREETS ABLE TO GET HOME SAFELY DESPITE THE IMPAIRED VISIBILITY. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY IN SOME OF THE RECENT RAIN WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

NHTSA ID

11361044

Incident

Sep 24, 2020

Mileage

121,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AT 55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY ON MY WAY TO SCHOOL I TURNED ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPER, IT CAME ON AND STOPPED MOVING AFTER 10 MINUTES. I HAD TO PUT ON MY BLINKERS AND SLOWLY DRIVE ACROSS LANES TO MOVE IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I WAITED FOR ASSISTANCE FROM MY HUSBAND TO GUIDE ME BACK HOME (WHICH WAS CLOSER FOR ME) BECAUSE I COULDN'T CONTINUE LIKE THIS FOR ANOTHER 45 MINUTES. BEFORE WE LEFT, WE WAITED ABOUT 20-25 MINUTES MORE ON THE ROADSIDE AND HEADED BACK HOME WHEN IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. MY HUSBAND DID TRY GETTING IT TO WORK AT LEAST TWICE AS WELL BUT WE COULD HEAR WAS THE MOTOR GRINDING BUT NO MOTION. WE TOOK IT THE NEXT DAY TO NEIGHBORHOOD'S PEP BOYS SINCE THAT WAS CLOSER TO ME THAN THE NEAREST GMC DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE BAD AT 47851 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11353617

Incident

Sep 16, 2019

Mileage

47,835 mi

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC BUT WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO MOVE OVER AND PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY. THIS EQUIPMENT FAILURE COULD HAVE HAD A TRAGIC ENDING FOR US AND THE OTHER MOTORISTS AROUND US. WE UNDERSTAND THERE WERE RECALLS FOR 2013 MODELS FOR THIS FAILURE. NOT SURE WHY A RECALL HASN'T BEEN DONE ON 2012 MODELS.

NHTSA ID

11350967

Incident

Aug 21, 2020

Mileage

74,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED YET. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS RAINING. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11348632

Incident

Aug 8, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF OF THE ROADWAY, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE ON APRIL 1ST, 2020 CASE NUMBER [XXX[. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.*BF*JB

NHTSA ID

11319848

Incident

Mar 31, 2020

Mileage

94,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 ON 3/29/2020 WHEN IT STARTED RAINING I TURN ON MY WIPERS AND IT STARTED OKAY AT FIRST ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY STOP WORKING I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT I PULLED OVER TO THE SERVICE ROAD AND WAITED UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHAT DO I DO NOW I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GET IT FIXED AND I WON'T DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN.

NHTSA ID

11319689

Incident

Mar 29, 2020

Mileage

955,877 mi

ON OCTOBER 31, 2019 MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED ON MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IN A DOWNPOUR OF RAIN DOING 45 MPH, THERE WERE VEHICLES AROUND ME BUT THANKFULLY NOT BEHIND ME AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT BEING HIT. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY ABOUT 2 BLOCKS FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND PARKED MY VEHICLE THERE WHILE THE OWNER GAVE ME A RIDE HOME. I SPENT $318 ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TRANSMISSION. CANADA RECALLED THIS EXACT SAME VEHICLE SO WHY HASN'T THE U. S. I ALSO REPORTED THIS TO GMC.

NHTSA ID

11278886

Incident

Oct 31, 2019

Mileage

88,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN A RAIN STORM, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY BECAME INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE CAUSED A VISIBILITY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,885.

NHTSA ID

11258946

Incident

Sep 27, 2019

Mileage

72,885 mi