2018 GMC Terrain · symptom sheet
Brake pedal goes hard or the booster or vacuum pump fails
- 51owner reports
- 95,300median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 14, 2026 · checked Sep 29, 2026
51 of the 81 reports of brake wear on the 2018 Terrain describe brake booster failure.
Part of Brakes grind, pulse or wear early (81 reports)
Tick what matches of 51 reports
Brake booster failure 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: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the narrower sheet inside brakes for reports about a hard pedal or a failed power assist. The pedal stops feeling normal: it turns stiff, takes far more force, and the car needs a longer distance to stop.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the vacuum pump (38 reports) and the brake booster (11 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the brakes covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
All 5 recalls on the 2018 GMC Terrain, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 66,084 and 117,000 miles, from the 24 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2018 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.
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the brake booster if the build date of the booster falls within a certain date due to the booster causing a Clunk Noise When Applying Brakes.
What owners wrote
“Brake vacuum pump failed causing engine damage. Camshaft on national back order. Vehicle has been in repair shop for 1.5 months waiting on part. No ETA. There has been recall for similar vehicles with same issue, failure, damage. But not for this VIN. Itâs the same failure with same damage. How is this not a recall for this VIN?”
Filed Feb 18, 2025
“Faulty Brake Vacuum Pump triggered my brake to get stuck while I was driving ended on the side of the express way to avoid traffic and prevent a crash.”
Filed Dec 31, 2024
“While driving the vehicle the vacuum pump failed and caused the camshaft to seize and physically break which caused the break peddle to become hard and breaking the vehicle was limited and almost nonexistent, which caused an extremely dangerous situation on the highway.”
Filed Oct 4, 2024
“Vacuum pump is in the shop now being replaced for the 7th time in almost 6 years. The previous one was replaced in September 2023. You get no warning signs, then all of a sudden you can barely press down on the brake pedal. This started within the 1st year of purchase.”
Filed Jun 12, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 51 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. 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 Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 25 reports