2019 GMC Terrain: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
181 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Terrain's record is one of the more consistent in the dataset. The first generation (2010–2017) carries the 2.4-litre oil-consumption and timing-chain complaints shared with the Equinox, but at a moderate level, and the 2016–2017 years score above 90. Read the full note on the model page. 2019 specifically: a year the record favours — 181 complaints, score 78/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Malibu, Cruze and Equinox: the four-cylinder years to watch, including 2019 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 181 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 25.86
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
On Saturday, August 15th we were driving on the freeway when with no warning the check engine light came on and the vehicle began to run poorly, and then the vehicle lost electrical power and it became difficult to steer and the brake pedal became stiff, making it difficult to stop and pull over. The vehicle would not start on command but kept running very poorly, it also became impossible to shut the vehicle off unt…
The car’s brakes hardened on the highway, posing a life-threatening danger, right before the engine died. Following a tow to the dealership’s service center, an initial inspection revealed a broken vacuum pump and broken camshaft. The dealership stated that there was evidence that camshaft debris may be scattered throughout the engine. No further inspection has been done at this time due to the probability of major e…
While driving my 2019 GMC Terrain on local roads, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete failure of the braking system. The brake pedal became extremely hard to press, and the dashboard displayed a critical error message stating 'Engine Power is Reduced.' during this frightening safety incident i felt lucky to bring the car to a stop without an accident. The vehicle had to be flatbed towed to a repair facility. T…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 19V184000 | Seats | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The rear-right seat may have insufficient welds on the head-restraint bracket. |
| 20V668000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 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. |
| 18V576000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | 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… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 32 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,500
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Service Brakes68 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Engine66 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train50 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System38 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other21 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Vehicle Speed Control9 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other GMC Terrain years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 GMC Terrain?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Service Brakes (68 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 GMC Terrain a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 181 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 GMC Terrain's most common problem?
68 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 GMC Terrain sit in the Service Brakes group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $580–$1,140 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2019 GMC Terrain cost to run per year?
About $4,641 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $23,205 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2019 GMC Terrain have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 GMC Terrain, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 07/03/2019. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2019 GMC Terrain really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 181 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 181 NHTSA complaints on record (25.9/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (25.1/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems