First generation
2017 GMC Terrain
The most reported problem on the 2017 GMC Terrain is engine failure, with 31 complaints, usually around 88,000 miles.
- 134owner complaints
- 1recalls
- 11involved a crash
- 60,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 28, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Terrain doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2017 model year.
Is the 2017 GMC Terrain reliable?
The 2017 GMC Terrain has 134 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, less than half the median of 307 for 2017 SUVs on this site. Of the 13 Terrain model years since 2014, it has the 7th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2016 and 2018
- At 13 complaints for each year on the road, the 2017 runs close to the 2016 (14) and well under the 2018 (25).
- Top problem
- Engine failure leads with 31 of the 134 complaints (23%), ahead of stalling at 23. A quarter of the 11 owners who gave a mileage for engine failure saw it by about 65,000 miles, and half by about 88,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 12 of the 134 complaints (9%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, a little above the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 11 reports mention a crash, 2 mention a fire and 7 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 9 of 11, fall under airbag.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- No recall on file is on the same system as engine failure. For those, the complaints are all there is.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2024 at 25 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 21. So far in 2026, 13 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: engine failure, knocking or rod bearing, 31 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
134 complaints is 2.0 times fewer than the median 2017 model on this site and 2.3 times fewer than the median 2017 SUV. Among the 8 Terrain model years here it ranks 7th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2017 GMC Terrain
GMC filed 1,065 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2017 GMC Terrain. 49 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. 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.
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 4 bulletins · 31 complaints
This service bulletin provides diagnostic aid information/procedures to perform inspections to determine if the engine needs to be replaced as opposed to just internal parts for knocking, rattle, squeak and/or squeal type noises from engine.
This service bulletin provides diagnostic aid procedure to perform inspections to determine if the engine needs to be replaced as opposed to just internal parts for knocking, rattle, squeak and/or squeal type noises from engine.
2 more on this problem
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to perform inspections to determine if the engine needs to be replaced as opposed to just internal parts for knocking, rattle, squeak and/or squeal type noises from engine.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information on a rattle, tick, or knock type noise. Any drivability concerns they should be addressed prior to the following diagnostic progression.
Engine stalls or loses power while driving 3 bulletins · 23 complaints
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on.
This Preliminary information communicates to the dealer an issue where the vehicle's engine may stumble and/or stall at startup. The dealer is to evaluate for a faulty aftermarket or incorrect upstream oxygen sensor.
1 more on this problem
This Preliminary information communicatesIn ambient temperatures 100F (37.7 C)degrees or higher, DTCs P2635 and/or P018B may set.The vehicle may also exhibit a hesitation or stalling condition.Excessively Hot and sustained ambient temperatures over 100F (37.7 ...
Burns oil or oil level rises 2 bulletins · 23 complaints
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about engine block of possible cylinder bore damage, scoring or out of round as the possible cause of engine oil consumption, misfire, cylinder leakage or blow by.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about engine block that have a possible cylinder bore damage, scoring or out of round as the possible cause of engine oil consumption, misfire, cylinder leakage or blow by.
Airbag warning light or recall 1 bulletin · 12 complaints
THIS INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON LOCATING AND RECONNECTING AIRBAG CONNECTORS THAT ARE NOT FULLY SEATED TO CORRECT A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF AN AIRBAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED, OR ONE, OR MORE, AIRBAG DTC(S) SET.
Engine leaks oil 3 bulletins · 12 complaints
This service bulletin provides a repair procedure to correct a customer concern of Coolant and/or Oil Leak, Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminatedâ.
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to seal the bedplate bolt #621 if found the cause of the oil leak.
1 more on this problem
This Bulletin Provides Information for Repairing Engine Front Cover Oil Leak, Sealing Surface Preparation and Applying RTV Sealant.
Timing chain or cam phaser rattles 1 bulletin · 11 complaints
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician that Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0008 or P0009 may be set. Technician will need to inspect for loose timing chains or tensioners.
Check engine light or misfire 24 bulletins · 9 complaints
This service bulletin provides inspection/diagnosis/correction information on a cold start misfire and/or rough idle and DTC P0300 that may also be set.
This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce ...
22 more on this problem
This technical bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to ...
This Preliminary information communicates information that will need to be provided to TAC to aid in diagnosing if a vehicle comes in with misfire and DTC Codes P0300 - P0308 and/or P050D
This service bulletin provides diagnostic tips/steps on testing for possible EVAP leaks in the system to correct a customer concern of an MIL Illuminated with DTCs P0442 and/or P0455 Set.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Service Engine Soon Malfunction Indicator Lamp. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Code P06DE set in the Engine Control Module.
This Bulletin provides inspection/diagnosis/correction information on a cold start misfire and/or rough idle and DTC P0300 that may also be set.
This Preliminary information communicates the repair recommendations for misfire and DTC's immediately following HFV6 re-manufactured engines replacement.
Emission - General Motors has decided to conduct a voluntary emissions recall involving certain 2016-2019 model year diesel engine vehicles.
This informational bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to ...
This Preliminary information communicates the repair recommendations for misfire in HFV6 re-manufactured engines.
This engineering informational bulletin is requesting information from the field on vehicles that have the condition of Engineering Information ? Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) On DTCs P0171 Fuel Trim System Lean Bank 1 and/or P0174 Fuel Trim System Lean ...
Plus 12 older ones not listed here.
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 11 bulletins · 6 complaints
This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or rearward while in Park at start up after cold soak. This condition may be accompanied by a clunk noise.
This service bulletin provides information on Driveline Clunk Noise and what is acceptable and what is considered normal operation.
9 more on this problem
This service bulletin provides a procedure to replace the upper and lower valve body housings to correct customer concerns of launch shudder, 2-3 Upshift or 3-2 Downshift concerns.
This informational bulletin provides information on Transmission Adaptive Functions and Correcting Low Mileage Harsh Shifts, Slips, or Flares.
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the upper and lower valve body housings to correct launch shudder, 2-3 Upshift or 3-2 Downshift concerns.
Information on Transmission Adaptive Functions and Correcting Low Mileage Harsh Shifts, Slips, or Flares.
This informational bulletin provides information on Driveline Clunk Noise and what is acceptable and what is considered normal operations.
This informational bulletin provides information on Some vehicles may rock or move slightly forward or rearward while in Park at start up after cold soak. This condition may be accompanied by a clunk noise.
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the upper and lower valve body housings to correct the customer concern of launch shudder.
SHAKE AND/OR SHUDDER DURING LIGHT THROTTLE ACCELERATION BETWEEN 40 AND 128 KM/H (25 AND 80 MPH) AT A STEADY STATE.
THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN PROVIDES THE PROCEDURES TO COMPLETE A TRANSSMISSION ADAPTIVE LEARN ON ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES AND TRANSMISSIONS BASED ON RPO OPTIONS TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF HARSH SHIFTS ON HARD ACCELLERATIONS.
Complaints filed by year
25 complaints came in 2024. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2017 GMC Terrain
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
The recall on the 2017 GMC Terrain, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2017 GMC Terrain?
Engine failure, with 31 of the 134 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 88,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2017 GMC Terrain problems start?
Of the 55 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 37,000 miles and half by about 60,000.
Is the 2017 GMC Terrain better or worse than the 2016 and 2018?
Counted per year on the road, the 2017 has about as many complaints as the 2016 and fewer complaints than the 2018: 13 a year against 14 and 25.
How many 2017 GMC Terrain complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
12 of them (9%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for engine failure on the 2017 GMC Terrain?
No recall on file for the 2017 GMC Terrain is on the same system as engine failure. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.