2018 Gmc Terrain Safety Report
2018 GMC Terrain Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2018 Gmc Terrain
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2018 Gmc Terrain. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (5) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (208) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 15 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Service Brakes | Compare service brakes issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2021 | Compare against the 2021 Gmc Terrain with 30 complaints and 2 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2015 | Check the 2015 Gmc Terrain before buying across this generation. |
Gmc Terrain Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Gmc Terrain years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Gmc Terrain | 167 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Gmc Terrain | 131 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Gmc Terrain | 164 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2016 Gmc Terrain | 144 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Gmc Terrain | 30 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2015 Gmc Terrain | 309 | 3 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
2018 Gmc Terrain Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2018 Gmc Terrain, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Service Brakes
38 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Gmc onlyUnknown Or Other
19 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Gmc onlyPower Train
17 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Gmc onlyEngine
16 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Gmc onlyElectrical System
13 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Gmc onlyService Brakes,Engine
10 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes,Engine issues Gmc onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2018 Gmc Terrain
Reliability Score
The 2018 Gmc Terrain receives a reliability score of 85 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates above-average reliability relative to comparable vehicles.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2018 Gmc Terrain
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2018 Gmc Terrain
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2018 Gmc Terrain:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes Multiple reports of service brakes becoming hard to press and difficulty stopping the vehicle. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Airbags Airbags failed to deploy in a collision, posing a significant safety risk. |
High | Occasional | 0-100k miles |
| Driveshaft Recalled due to potential failure, affecting vehicle stability and control. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Transmission Transmission unable to shift, leading to potential driving difficulties and safety concerns. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2018 Gmc Terrain:
Issues with service brakes, including hard pedal and difficulty stopping.
Airbags failed to deploy in a collision, affecting occupant safety.
Problems with the driveshaft, leading to potential vehicle instability.
Transmission unable to shift, causing driving difficulties.
Recall Details for the 2018 Gmc Terrain
The following 5 recalls have been issued for the 2018 Gmc Terrain by NHTSA:
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Consequence: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this r...
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Consequence: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 GMC Terrain vehicles. The sensing diagnostic module (SDM) that senses a crash and deploys the necessary air bags may not power down correctly when the vehicle is shut off, causing it to be inoperative when the vehicle is restarted.
Consequence: If the SDM becomes inoperative, it will not detect a crash or command the necessary air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM with updated software, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18179.
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.
Consequence: If the front right intermediate drive shaft assembly separates while driving, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. If the assembly separates while parked on a grade, without the park brake engaged, the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a vehicle roll-away.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right front intermediate drive shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17329.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2018 Gmc Terrain
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2018 Gmc Terrain with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2 complaints involved crashes. 2 reported injuries or fatalities.
We just got off the bus thruway and my brakes pedal got hard to press and it was hard to stop car I had to push on brake dry hard to get the car to stop it was jarring and o had to get my some and o to a safe place. Garage said it’s brake assist and he researched there’s is an active law suit against GM bc lots of Moses and models have this issue although they claim to know nothing about it
My car was t-boned on the driver side and no airbags deployed. The outer door and window exploded with the force. We were also hit from behind
The control knob that controls AWD, 2WD,Off-road, and 4 x4 AWD. Just stopped working. Stuck on 2WD mode. I did have it checked for any codes, even though, there is NO check engine light is on.
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. While attempting to shift to reverse(R) out of a parking spot, the message “Transmission Unable to Shift” was displayed on the instrument panel, and the transmission was unable to shift into reverse(R). The contact called for tow truck assistance. The vehicle was unable to shift into neutral (N). The contact stated that prior to the transmission failure, the “S...
Faulty Brake Vacuum Pump!!!! 2018 GMC Terrain @ 119254 miles--- NO warning! Brakes were hard to press, did not work and I rolled into ditch to prevent an accident. I see hundreds of people with same issue now that I Am having to research. This was very scary. I was told it was as a brake booster pressure sensor. But that was not the problem. It is the brake vacuum pump. This is so dangerous. Why ...
Vehicle will not shift out of park, despite replacing the valve body, putting in a new battery, and transmission fluid. It has been this way since mid January. The codes don’t make sense and there is no current recall, nor have we had this vehicle for very long. It has 48,000 miles on it and is having this issue. Very disappointed.
Brakes were hard to engage or press when stopping due to Vacuum pump stop working. Had to replace the vacuum pump
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle while transitioning to 4WD. The contact continued driving and the driving sound became more frequent while shifting into 4WD. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the driveshaft had detached and was hanging down from the susp...
Turbo boost went out in my vehicle and 3 others with the same engine, different makes/models. Vehicles were serviced at Grayling Car Care 4430 M-72, Grayling, MI 49738 (989) 348-3200. Significant power loss, sluggish acceleration, poor fuel economy, and often strange noises (whining, grinding), accompanied by blue smoke from burning oil and a lit check engine light, with the severe risk of catastr...
Vacuum pump failure resulting in crankshaft sensor to completely sheer off.
The infotainment system will just randomly start going haywire and when it happens, you cannot use the touchscreen. It will try to randomly delete app icons such as the camera, it will try to delete connected phones, it will try to delete radio favorites and it will move app icons all around. These are just a few examples of things that happen.
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal became extremely difficult to depress, with the message "Brake Assist" displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway and the parking brake was activated, and the vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift into gear, and the vehic...
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and failed to come to a stop while the brake pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a locked brake vacuum pump. The contact was informed that parts of the brake vacu...
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting gear erratically. The contact stated that the doors were locking and unlocking independently, and the instrument cluster was blank. There was an abnormal beeping sound coming from the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that while at a traffic light, the Auto START/STOP feature delayed to respond. OnSt...
My car said to me this not that there is something wrong with the Service Safety Restraint system! It was fine last night when I got home! I just bought this car a month ago and everything was fine and now my air bag light is on and will not go off!
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag and ABS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with air bag failure. The contact was informed that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact...
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the unintendedly decelerated and failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced with a used transmission, but the failur...
April 2025, Vacuum Pump went out meaning lost breaks going 60 miles per hour down the road after engine light came on. Left me and two children stranded 2 hours from home with no way to get back except a tow. Now September 2025 Cam Shafts are out as well as Vacuum Pump. Stranded boyfriend and I two hours away again. Now metal in oil and warranty is not willing to cover it due to the vacuum pump go...
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the infotainment system screen and radio inadvertently switched stations from AM to FM. On other occasions, while driving and using the GPS system, the screen went blank. The contact stated that on several occasions the screen was turned off, and on other occasions, the screen was tur...
It starts to “warn” you by the seat doing whatever it does and the dash lights up collision flashing and slams on the brakes when nothing is even around
Showing 20 of 208 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2018 Gmc Terrain
Has the 2018 GMC TERRAIN been recalled?
Yes, the 2018 GMC TERRAIN has 5 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2018 GMC TERRAIN have?
The 2018 GMC TERRAIN has 208 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 14 involved crashes. 12 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
The 2018 GMC TERRAIN received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 5/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2018 GMC TERRAIN involve service brakes (38 complaints), unknown or other (19 complaints), power train (17 complaints). Other affected components include engine, electrical system, service brakes,engine.
How many crash reports does the 2018 GMC TERRAIN have?
There are 14 crash reports associated with the 2018 GMC TERRAIN out of 208 total complaints (6.7% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2018 GMC TERRAIN have?
There are 1 fire reports for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN out of 208 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN.
How many injuries are reported for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
12 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 GMC TERRAIN. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 GMC TERRAIN is research thoroughly before purchasing. It has 208 complaints, 5 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
The components with the most failures on the 2018 GMC TERRAIN are: 1. SERVICE BRAKES (38 complaints), 2. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (19 complaints), 3. POWER TRAIN (17 complaints), 4. ENGINE (16 complaints), 5. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (13 complaints). SERVICE BRAKES is the single most-reported problem area with 38 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
Be cautious of service brakes and airbags, and monitor for any unusual driving behaviors or warning lights. The 2018 GMC TERRAIN has 208 NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
The 2018 GMC TERRAIN receives a reliability score of 85/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 208 owner complaints, 5 recalls, and 15 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Service Brakes and Airbags.
What are the known issues with the 2018 GMC TERRAIN?
Known issues with the 2018 GMC TERRAIN include: Service Brakes, Airbags, Driveshaft, Transmission. These are based on patterns found across 208 NHTSA complaints. 5 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
Are there any recalls for the 2018 GMC Terrain?
Yes, there are recalls for issues with the driveshaft, transmission, and airbags.
What should I do if I experience hard service brakes?
Check for recalls and have the vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic.
Can electrical system issues affect the brakes?
Yes, issues like a faulty vacuum pump can affect braking and other critical functions.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of service brakes and airbags, and monitor for any unusual driving behaviors or warning lights.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2018 Gmc Terrain
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2018 Gmc Terrain. The data includes 208 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 5 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 14 reported crashes, 1 fire incidents, 12 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2018 Gmc Terrain an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 5 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16