2020 Gmc Terrain Safety Report
2020 GMC TERRAIN Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2020 Gmc Terrain
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2020 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 | Moderate (2) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (164) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 8 | 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 | 2023 | Compare against the 2023 Gmc Terrain with 24 complaints and 2 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2018 | Check the 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Gmc Terrain | 30 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2019 Gmc Terrain | 167 | 3 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2022 Gmc Terrain | 67 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2018 Gmc Terrain | 208 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2023 Gmc Terrain | 24 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Gmc Terrain | 131 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2020 Gmc Terrain Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2020 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
30 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Gmc onlyUnknown Or Other
16 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Gmc onlyEngine
11 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Gmc onlyElectrical System
10 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Gmc onlyPower Train
9 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Gmc onlyService Brakes,Engine
7 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes,Engine issues Gmc onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2020 Gmc Terrain
Reliability Score
The 2020 Gmc Terrain receives a reliability score of 70 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 2020 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 2020 Gmc Terrain
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2020 Gmc Terrain:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes Recalled for service brake issues, with reports of hard brakes and brake assist system alerts. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Engine Engine failures have been reported, leading to complete vehicle shutdowns without warning. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Electrical System Airbag malfunctions and brake assist alerts have been reported, causing safety concerns. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Fuel/Propulsion System Fuel pump control module failures have been reported, leading to unexpected vehicle stalling. |
Low | Occasional | 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 2020 Gmc Terrain:
Issues with service brakes, including hard brakes and brake assist alerts.
Engine failures leading to complete vehicle shutdowns.
Airbag malfunctions and brake assist alerts.
Fuel pump control module failures.
Recall Details for the 2020 Gmc Terrain
The following 2 recalls have been issued for the 2020 Gmc Terrain by NHTSA:
Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Consequence: The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for ...
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...
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2020 Gmc Terrain
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2020 Gmc Terrain with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 3 complaints involved crashes. 1 reported injuries or fatalities.
Catastrophic engine failure; no warning lights,etc. took place on or about end of January 2026. Car completely died and would not start. Car towed to dealer (GMC Blaise Alexander, Hazleton, PA) Vehicle inspected by dealer master mechanic and others. Engine completely disassembled. Unable to repair. No warnings, lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to failure. Tremendous expense had to be inc...
The airbag system on my 2020 GMC Terrain has an intermittent malfunction. The airbag warning light turns on and off and the diagnostic code B0014 has been identified by a dealership. When the warning light is on, the airbag system may not deploy properly in a crash, creating a safety risk. The vehicle has approximately 49,000 miles. The problem has occurred for about three years. The dealership r...
I was driving 55 miles an hour on an Expressway. And suddenly my truck just shut off.The brake became very hard unable to break very scary situation for me and my children. Engine power was reduced and would not start, many errors came up. The vacuum pump failed, which also caused the cam shafts to fail.The vacuum pump exploded into pieces and sent metal into my engine.
While driving I received a "service brake assist system" alert and a check engine light. After this happened the brakes were extremely hard to press. I had to put my entire weight on the breaks to stop the car. The brake "assist" feature really is making the brakes functional. We were able to safely get to the side of the road. We found a vacuum pump failed and needed to be replaced. There was no ...
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving in cold weather at various speeds; moisture accumulated and deactivated the charger, causing the vehicle to go into LIMP Mode and lose drive power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the charger air cooler was defective and needed to be replaced. The dealer also wanted to plac...
I own a 2020 GMC Terrain with approximately 110,000 miles. While driving in winter, the vehicle suddenly lost cabin heat and defrosting capability. The temperature gauge began fluctuating and the cooling fans continued running after the vehicle was shut off. A mechanic diagnosed the cause as a cracked radiator that allowed coolant to leak out, which is a known frequent failure on this model. Beca...
I noticed a sticker in driver door stating recall however no evidence. The vehicle will not pull hills, back up on a hill and will not accelerate over 25 miles per minute. Dangerous to drive on roads. Took vehicle to a GMC dealer for diagnostic test, received the report for what the report found. Took the report to auto shop to get repaired however the vehicle still continues with same issue. Took...
While driving down the interstate a notice popped up on my dash about the brake assist. When I attempted to slow down the vehicle to safely pull over the brake pedal was very hard to push. I was able to slow the vehicle to a complete stop but needing to use both feed and press hard with all my weight. Once the vehicle was parked and shut off I turned it back on to have the check engine light po...
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. While the contact’s wife was driving approximately 40 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal to pull into the parking lot of Walmart, the braking distance was extended while bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. The driver used excessive force on the brake pedal using both feet. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle ...
Towards the tail end of a nearly 2.5 hour drive, the Automatic Theft Deterrent System was activated on the interstate. I lost every display on the dash panel including my speedometer, battery, coolant, gas, turn signals, and windshield wipers. I went into the nearest parking lot and was unable to restart the vehicle. It was towed to the dealership closest to our home and was repaired for $2200. T...
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal while driving uphill or making a left or right turn, the tires were skipping, and there was a clicking and whining sound coming from the front of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that a friend test-drove the vehicle and informed that the vehi...
This message concerns a persistent engine light that activates and generates engine code P0299, indicating an engine underboost issue. There have been several occasions where I am driving over 55mph on the highway and my 2020 Terrain SLT fails to pick up speed over 60mph in traffic. I took it to my GMC dealer earlier this year for them to diagnose, and they discovered that the charge air cooler tu...
The intercooler has been a document problem on GMC Terrains for awhile now. I had my intercooler replaced and now less than 10 months it is having the same problem. The vehicle will go into reduced power mode which would be a safety hazard because it will also stall sometimes when it is having performance issues. That could lead to someone colliding into me if it suddenly stops when someone is beh...
Since August 2024, my brake booster has gone a total of five times each time with the notification on the dash service brake assist. And it just went again as of two days ago. I’ve brought it to Firestone where they have replaced it each time with a warranty on the part. I called them yesterday to tell them that it went again and they refused to fix it telling me that they got the part from the de...
Re: 2020 GMC Terrain. Our fuel pump control module (FPCM) unexpectedly failed after driving a short distance. Vehicle stalled without warning on the street and was unable to be started again. This could have resulted in a crash and/or injury to other people in the area. An independent service center suspected an issue with the module but was unable to make an official diagnosis. The vehicle w...
While driving my brakes failed. I was unable to stop my car, my brake pedal became very stiff and I could not stop my car. There were no warning signs or lights on indicating there were any issues with my car prior to this happening. I had to have my car towed to the dealer. The current estimate is for a vacuum pump failure resulting in camshaft damage. Both need to be replaced. I see other GM...
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving up the driveway at approximately 10 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to function as intended. The contact used force to depress the brake pedal. When the vehicle came to a stop, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the front brakes. The contact stated that the message "Power Assist Brakes" was displ...
While driving on a main road at around 45mph the vacuum pump that supplies brake fluid to the brakes failed. The car was unable to be stopped and had it not been late in the night I could have crashed into other vehicles on the road or hit someone walking. There was not indication prior to the malfunction and was very sudden. This issue has been observed by the dealer as well as multiple other ind...
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that upon shifting to reverse(R), the rear-view camera image was blue, and the parking sensor beeping sound was inoperable. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear-view camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The ...
The rear backup camera in my 2020 GMC Terrain failed. I first noticed and noted that the image was 'cloudy' on 5/3/2023, and it became very bad by 1/22/2024. On 7/1/2024, the image stopped working completely, replaced with a blue screen on the dashboard screen. I ordered a new camera and replaced it myself on 8/1/2024. Because the dealership did not mention any safety effects or recalls, and...
Showing 20 of 164 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2020 Gmc Terrain
Has the 2020 GMC TERRAIN been recalled?
Yes, the 2020 GMC TERRAIN has 2 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2020 GMC TERRAIN have?
The 2020 GMC TERRAIN has 164 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 7 involved crashes. 5 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
The 2020 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 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2020 GMC TERRAIN involve service brakes (30 complaints), unknown or other (16 complaints), engine (11 complaints). Other affected components include electrical system, power train, service brakes,engine.
How many crash reports does the 2020 GMC TERRAIN have?
There are 7 crash reports associated with the 2020 GMC TERRAIN out of 164 total complaints (4.3% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2020 GMC TERRAIN have?
There are 1 fire reports for the 2020 GMC TERRAIN out of 164 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2020 GMC TERRAIN.
How many injuries are reported for the 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
5 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2020 GMC TERRAIN. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2020 GMC TERRAIN is acceptable with caveats. It has 164 complaints, 2 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 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
The components with the most failures on the 2020 GMC TERRAIN are: 1. SERVICE BRAKES (30 complaints), 2. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (16 complaints), 3. ENGINE (11 complaints), 4. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (10 complaints), 5. POWER TRAIN (9 complaints). SERVICE BRAKES is the single most-reported problem area with 30 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
Be aware of service brake and engine issues, and regularly check the electrical system for malfunctions. The 2020 GMC TERRAIN has 164 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
The 2020 GMC TERRAIN receives a reliability score of 70/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 164 owner complaints, 2 recalls, and 8 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Service Brakes and Engine.
What are the known issues with the 2020 GMC TERRAIN?
Known issues with the 2020 GMC TERRAIN include: Service Brakes, Engine, Electrical System, Fuel/Propulsion System. These are based on patterns found across 164 NHTSA complaints. 2 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common safety issues with the 2020 GMC Terrain?
Service brake issues and engine failures are the most common, with reports of hard brakes, brake assist alerts, and engine shutdowns.
Are there any recalls related to the 2020 GMC Terrain?
Yes, there are recalls related to service brakes and automatic transmission issues.
What should I do if I experience brake assist alerts?
Monitor the situation closely and have the vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be aware of service brake and engine issues, and regularly check the electrical system for malfunctions.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2020 Gmc Terrain
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2020 Gmc Terrain. The data includes 164 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 2 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 7 reported crashes, 1 fire incidents, 5 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2020 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