Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 GMC Terrain submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I hit a pot hole and a stabilitrack error popped up. Also reduced engine power I was miles from home and could have easily caused a major accident on the road.
Sudden Excessive Oil Consumption, Engine Seized, Oil Pressure Alert Warning Failed to alert driver that the car was bone dry with no oil, and the Information Screen indicated that 25% Oil Life was Remaining, when the car was bone dry with no oil. FYI - GM paid for 50% on costs of a replaced repurposed engine. And yet there is/was no recall? They should have paid 100%
The key can be removed from the ignition in P, R, N, D, and M after the vehicle has been shut off. The vehicle does not provide any warning that the vehicle is not in park prior to allowing you to remove the key. The vehicle does not indicate the vehicle is not in park after the key has been removed. You are not able to start the vehicle if the vehicle is in anything other than park. I contacted GMC to inquiry about this issue and was told my vehicle’s VIN is not included in the recall for this known issue.
Vehicle stopped while driving three different times. Whenever alarm is turned on, car sometimes does not start next day. I've had to jump start it over 7 times in 9 months. Vehicle scheduled for review by dealer in three weeks.
While pulling out of my driveway the car stalled and the stabilitrak light came on. Car would not start again. Had it towed to dealership because it seemed something electrical was the issue and now they say it needs a complete new engine because it lost oil compression. No oil light has ever come on, no other lights and no oil leaking on our driveway or anywhere else that we’ve noticed. Dealership says they can’t tell us exactly why the engine failed. The car only has 53000 mikes on it. We bought it in august of 2014 and maintain it appropriately
When driving my Terrain, my traction control light came on, then a message on the display saying service stabilitrack and engine power is reduced. I couldn't go over a certain speed. I've taken it to Autozone to be put on the computer and it shows up stabilitrack. The car stops running and it takes a few minutes to get it running again. I just bought the car and I'm having problems with these lights and controls. I have read online about this same issue. Is this a recall or does it have to be more complaints about this first? I love my car but these issues are too much. The car has 211k miles on it. Please help me
I HAVE CALLED GM ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS REGARDING MY ENGINE FAILING WHILE DRIVING. STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTIONS. THEY OPENED AT LEAST 7 CASES INVOLVING THIS SAME SITUATION AND KNOWING MY FEAR OF GETTING KILLED WHEN THIS VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING OR JUST TURNING A CORNER OR WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT!! MY HEATER DID NOT WORK, MY RADIO WILL FREEZE UP AND IS NON FUNCTIONING SOMETIMES..I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN. AS I WRITE THIS MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AFTER A $1,000 REPAIR OF THE TIMING CHAIN. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 1:30 IN THE MORNING ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND A SHERIFF DEPUTY HAPPENED TO BE PATROLLING SND HELPED ME BY CALLING A TOWING SERVICE BECAUSE MY SUV WOULD NOT START.. THE DEPUTY EVEN GOT MY MANUAL OUT TO SEE IF HE COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM.. WHEN I CALLED GM I WAS TREATED SOOO DISRESPECTFULLY BY A GIRL THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO MY CASES.. I DO HAVE RECEIPTS AND THE CASES NUMBERS AND DATES WROTE DOWN WHEN I TALKED TO GM.. I NEED A SAFE VEHICLE AND I OWE $19,000 STILL AND NOW IT'S ONLY WORTH $6,000... I'M A WIDOW AND ONLY MAKING ENDS MEET.. THIS HAS BEEN A SCARY STRUGGLE... PLEASE HELP!! THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.🙏🏼
I HAVE HAD THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT REPLACED BY THE DEALER TWO TIMES. IT HAS BEEN SHORTING OUT AND COME TO FIND OUT THE PLUG THAT THE BULB CONNECTS TO HAS BEEN BROKEN AND NO ONE FIXED THE ISSUE. ALSO I HAD MY FRONT AXLE'S HAVING ISSUES.
INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPED 1. WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING RADIO CONTROLS DO NOT WORK. CANNOT TURN OFF, ADJUST VOLUME OR CHANGE STATION. 2. IF THE RADIO IS TURNED OFF WHEN YOU START THE CAR, SOMETIMES YOU CANNOT TURN IT ON. 3. CONTROL PANEL BELOW RADIO IS NOT ILLUMINATED AT TIMES. 4. SEAT HEATER LIGHT ON CONTROL PANEL DID NOT TURN ON WHEN BUTTON WAS PRESSED. COULDN'T TURN SEAT HEATER OFF 4. TIRE PRESSURE DIAGRAM IS INCORRECT. SHOWS THE WRONG UNDERINFLATED TIRE. 5. LIGHTS ON ODOMETER/RADIO PANEL WILL SOMETIMES CHANGE TO VERY BRIGHT OR VERY DIM. THE KNOB TO CONTROL THE BRIGHTNESS DOES NOT WORK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. 6. A FEW TIMES THE A/C KICKED ON WHEN DRIVING AND WE WEREN'T USING THE AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL FEATURE. 7. AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE FOR HOURS, THE CONTROL PANEL WILL SPONTANEOUSLY LIGHT UP FOR NO REASON. 8 EVERYTHING POINTS TO CONTROL PANEL BUT SINCE PROBLEMS ARE INTERMITTANT DEALER WONT REPLACE. AND YOUR FORM STUPIDLY ALLOWS ONLY 1 DATE WHEN THERE WERE 20 INCIDENTS OVER A YEAR IN TIME.
IT STARTED SAYING SERVICE AIRBAGS
MY A/C STOPPED WORKING AND MY MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE THE CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD. THIS BOX ALSO CONTROLS MANY OF THE VEHICLES FEATURES. HE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FINDING A NEW BOX. MY TOTAL COST WAS $461.00.
MY CAR SINCE DAY ONE STEERING WHEELS LOCKS UP CONSTANTLY, THE BRAKES DO NOT STOP YOU THE WORST IS THE ENGINES BATTERY WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE SEAT CONSTANTLY SAYS I HAVE NO POWER IT WILL TURN ON SEVERAL CODES AND THE START IDLING THE RPMS GO UP LIKE YOUR PRESS G THE GAS BUT YOU NOT THEN YOU STALL YOU CAN BE GOING 70 OR 20 MPH AND IT WILL JUST STALL WITH NO WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL AND I LOSE TRACTION IN REGULAR ROADS IN PERFECT WEATHER. I CAN'T SEEM TO LOCATE MY AIRBAGS I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICES A MILLION TIMES THEY ALWAYS SAY NOTHING IS WRONG ALSO WHEN THE RPMS OR GOING UP.AND DOWN I LOSE ALL HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT NIGHT SO MANY TIMES. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALMOST KILLED ME SO MANY TIMES I LOST COUNT I TAKE IT TO SERVICE THERE IS NEVER AN ISSUE. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO END UP IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT SOON THE BRAKE PEDAL STICKS AND I CAN'T PRESS IT DOWN I HAD TO PULL INTO GRASS ONE TIME TO AVOID A CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DARKENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DEFROST SYSTEM FAILED TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD WHEN DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. *TT*JB
I BOUGHT THE VECHILE IN FEB. 2016 RAN FINE. IN JUNE OF 2016. THE VECHILE STARTED ACTING LIKE IT HAD WATER IN THE GAS HESITATEING STALLING AND THE RADIO AND TOUCH SCREEN DON'T WORK TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND HE SAID HAD ATER IN FUEL PUT I A NEW SENORS. BUT STILL DOING THE SAME THING STALLING WHEN COMING TO STOP SIGNS HESITATES NOT GOING INTO TO GEAR TOOK IT TO GM DEALER IN NEW RICHMOND AND THEY HOOK UP TO A COMPUTER SAID NOTHING WRONG WHEN VECHILE DOSE IT AGAIN BRING IT IN DON'T TURN IT OFF THATS HARD TO DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO START IT UP AGAIN TO DRIVE IT THEIR KNOW TODAY THE RADIO IS OFF AND TOUCHSCREEN DON'T COME ON I AM JUST SCARED BECAUSE WE TAKE OUR SON TO ROCHESTER THREE DAYS A WEEK FOR THERPY HELP
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CENTER CONSOLE LOST POWER INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO IG BURTON LEWES AUTOMALL (17861 COASTAL HWY, LEWES, DE 19958), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIO MODULE ASSEMBLY WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,956. **TR CONSUMER STATED TOOK VEHICLE TO I.G., BURTON 8/15/2018 VEHICLE'S CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS WERE NOT WORKING CAUSING THE HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING,DEFROST, NAVIGATION SYSTEM, RADIO CONTROLS AS WELL AS THE PANEL ILLUMINATION TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. WENT TO PICK IT UP ON THE 16TH AND IT WAS NOT WORKING. THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE RADIO CONTROL MODULE. INVOICES ATTACHED. RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK 8/21/2018. TOOK VEHICLE TO I.G, BURTON SAME ISSUES AS BEFORE. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE RADIO CONTROL DISPLAY AND INFO SCREEN, THE RADIO CONTROL ASSEMBLY, PROGRAMMED THE RADIO AND THE HVAC MODULE. INVOICE ATTACHED. RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK 9/6/2018. 9/24/18 TOOK VEHICLE TO I.G., BURTON, DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF WITH THE SAME ISSUES. TODAY IS THE OCT.3RD AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE OUR VEHICLE BACK, NOR HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING. UPDATED 10/29/18*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHORTED OUT DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, WHICH ALSO CAUSED ALL THE GAUGES AND WARNING INDICATORS NOT TO FUNCTION. THE DEALER (CARLSBAD BUICK GMC CADILLAC, 5334 PASEO DEL NORTE, CARLSBAD, CA 92008, (760) 438-5311) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE DEALER FOUND DIAGNOSTIC FAILURE CODES P0496, P0171, AND P0174, WHICH DETECTED PRESSURE IN THE EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT MORE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WOULD BE NEEDED TO DETERMINE A REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO SUBURBAN CADILLAC OF COSTA MESA (2600 HARBOR BLVD, COSTA MESA, CA 92626, (877) 844-8058) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS SCHEDULED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A DOCUMENT THAT DID NOT SPECIFICALLY INDICATE THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE IF THEY SENT HER A CAMPAIGN NOTICE PERTAINING TO THE ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE COMPONENTS FOR CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *LN *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE RADIO, FUEL GAUGE, AND OTHER COMPONENTS FROM WORKING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AUTO ZONE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT NO FAILURE CODES WERE PRODUCED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KOCOUREK GMC (1500 MORNING GLORY LN, WAUSAU, WI 54401) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY REGULAR PRICE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WAS ONE UNRELATED RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION BECAUSE IT FAILED TO REGISTER WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED TO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VICTORY CHEVROLET (717 RHYNE RD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28214 (704) 790-7800), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V502000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,685.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE BACKUP CAMERA SCREEN FAILED TO OPERATE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE RADIO SCREEN POWERED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER SEVERAL MILES, THE SCREEN POWERED ON WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED. THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 04/29/16*LJ
THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED TO WORK ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. DURING THIS TIME, I HAVE HAD THE USER INTERFACE SCREEN FREEZE, NOT POWER OFF AND LOSE SERVICES DURING USAGE. THE ELECTRICAL PANEL ISSUES WILL LEAD TO FURTHER COMPLICATIONS MOVING FORWARD. *TR
AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 30 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE DRIVER SIDE TAILLIGHT. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE DETERMINED BY THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT COLLISION ALERT SENSOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN SPEED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING PROPERLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,033. UPDATED 8/22/14*CN
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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