2016 GMC Terrain · symptom sheet
Windshield cracks or distorts
- 35owner reports
- 58,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report May 17, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
52 of the 152 complaints on this car are about the windshield and wipers. 35 of those describe windshield. Only wiper failure is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 35 reports
Windshield on other Terrain years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Many windshield complaints are about cracks owners can't explain: a line that starts at the edge of the glass, or a small chip that spreads. Nearly one in five of these complaints mentions it happening again or a second windshield.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the windshield (35 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the windshield and wipers covers the 2016 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the windshield and wipers on the Terrain
Front wiper transmission inoperative. Closed nov 28, 2022, led to recall 22V-165.
Windshield wiper transmission failure. Closed dec 19, 2019.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 49,000 and 96,000 miles, from the 16 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 8 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 GMC Terrain that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Special Coverage. On certain 2010-2012 model year and 2016-2017 model year Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, the ball joints in the front windshield wiper modules of these vehicles may experience high corrosion and wear that could result in the ...
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have may a helicopter type noise when a rear window is lowered.
This Bulletin provides procedures to correct a condition of Power Foldaway Mirror Glass Shake, Flutter at Normal Driving Speeds
This engineering information bulletin ends the need for information from the field on vehicles that have the condition of Front Windshield Wipers Inoperative.
4 more on the 2016 GMC Terrain page.
What owners wrote
“Windshield wiper mechanism broke while driving in heavy heavy rain near [XXX] . Extremely dangerous situation and almost resulted in a crash but I was able to make my way off of the interstate safely. Huge inconvenience because we had to wait out the rain! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
Filed May 17, 2026
“My wife was driving on the highway to work when it was raining. Both of the wipers stopped working all of a sudden causing her to not be able to see out of the windshield. When she got home that night I could see that the linkage arm had came off the ball joint.”
Filed Dec 29, 2023
“While driving in the rain, my windshield wipers stopped working. No lights on, nothing showing in my GMC app. I've noticed many others with this same issue, and am aware of the recall on the 2014-2015 models. GMC should extend the recall to cover the 2016 as well since this is a known issue.”
Filed Jul 5, 2023
“I was driving while it was raining. My windshield wipers were on and functioning without issue. I heard a noise and my windshield wipers had stopped moving and now they do not work. I called several places to schedule an appt for my car/wipers to be assessed and repaired. I was told by 3 different shops that a recall had been issued for the year adjacent to my car and my issue sounded like the recall issue.”
Filed Jul 2, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 35 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Windshield wipers stop working 45 reports