The Lemon Index2013 GMC Terrain.
The 2013 GMC Terrain is better than average by owner complaints: 68 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 55, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about wipers & visibility, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 19 to 26 mpg combined. The best GMC Terrain year is 2017.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 364 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every GMC Terrain year. 2013 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 49K to 102K miles on the car (241 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 64K–113K miles
- wipers & visibility complaints mostly came at 48K–79K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 63K–117K miles
Recalls 3
- 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.
- visibility 2016
In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.
- electrical 2016
As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Sta.
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 1936 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Engine shudder upon stopping
- The engine may be leaking from the front cover or oil filter adapter
- Cadillac/buick/saturn/pontiac/chevrolet/ gmc: due to an abnormal engine noise or internal by…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
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, 3.6L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
I was rear ended while attempting to come to a stop. The impact pushed me into the car in front of me. My seat belts locked and the air bag light deployed. But the air bag did not deploy (just the light).
2013 GMC Terrain owner · NHTSA complaint 10676718
More owner reports
I was driving on highway in the rain. Wipers were on medium speed and the wipers just stopped working.
NHTSA complaint 10928294
Was driving down highway us19 and collided with another vehicle at at least 40mph and airbags did not deploy
NHTSA complaint 10895896
Quick answers
Is the 2013 GMC Terrain reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.8× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 55; 100 is average, lower is better). The best GMC Terrain year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2013 GMC Terrain problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are wipers & visibility (34%), airbags (12%) and engine (10%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2013 GMC Terrain have?
3 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 2013 GMC Terrain get?
19 to 26 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2013 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 2013 GMC Terrain problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 49,000 and 102,600 miles. The middle report was at 77,600 miles, from 241 complaints.
Does the 2013 GMC Terrain have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2013 GMC Terrain cost in fuel a year?
About $2450 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2013 GMC Terrain have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 3.6L 6-cyl.
What GMC Terrain year is better than the 2013?
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