The Lemon Index2011 GMC Terrain.
The 2011 GMC Terrain is about average by owner complaints: 84 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 87, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 4 recalls, and it gets 19 to 26 mpg combined. The best GMC Terrain year is 2017.
About average. 1.1× fewer complaints than average.
Best year 2017
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 386 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every GMC Terrain year. 2011 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 43K to 109K miles on the car (296 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 63K–115K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 9K–111K miles
- fuel or ev drive system complaints mostly came at 52K–139K miles
Recalls 4
- lights 2022
A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light.
- electrical 2016
As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Sta.
- seats 2014
In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
Show all 4 recalls
- seat belts 2010
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC SRX, CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND GMC TERRAIN VEHICLES.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems GMC told dealers about
GMC sent dealers 1758 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Gmc/chevrolet/cadillac/buick: a door may not open, intermittently, w/the outside handle and/or…
- Buick/chevrolet/gmc/pontiac/saturn/suzuki: all wheel drive system inoperative and dtc c0550 set
- Chevrolet/gmc: loss of engine power acceleration intermitted electrical issues including door…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedMomentary increased steering effort2020–2022
- ClosedFront wiper transmission inoperative2019–2022
- ClosedWindshield wiper transmission failure2018–2019
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMC Terrain SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| GMC Terrain SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2450–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
While the car is idling, and moving at crawling speeds it stalled out 3 times, both in drive, and reverse.
2011 GMC Terrain owner · NHTSA complaint 10433632
More owner reports
The gas fill tube tends to allow the gas nozzle to pop out when filling. Have never seen this on other vehicles. I have to hold the nozzle to make sure it does not pop out.
NHTSA complaint 10439839
Oil smells like gas. Head linear fell down very poor gas mileage engine runs ruff has poor acceleration.
NHTSA complaint 10496049
Quick answers
Is the 2011 GMC Terrain reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew 1.1× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 87; 100 is average, lower is better). The best GMC Terrain year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2011 GMC Terrain problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (19%), fuel system, gasoline (18%) and engine (18%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2011 GMC Terrain have?
4 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2011 GMC Terrain get?
19 to 26 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2011 GMC Terrain safe?
NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2011 GMC Terrain problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 43,100 and 109,400 miles. The middle report was at 79,000 miles, from 296 complaints.
Does the 2011 GMC Terrain have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 19% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2011 GMC Terrain cost in fuel a year?
About $2450 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2011 GMC Terrain have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl.
What GMC Terrain year is better than the 2011?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2017, 2021 and 2016.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works