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2017 GMC Terrain problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2017 GMC Terrain has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 135owner complaints
- 11crash reports
- 2fire reports
- 7injuries reported
135 complaints, against an average of 170 for the other 14 GMC Terrain model years.
Every GMC Terrain model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2017 GMC Terrain?
The components named most often in the 135 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2017 GMC Terrain owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 135 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is my 2017 GMC Terrain burning or losing oil?28 owners · 20.7%
- Why does my 2017 GMC Terrain stall, lose power or shut off while driving?19 owners · 14.1%
- Has the 2017 GMC Terrain had engine failures?19 owners · 14.1%
- What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2017 GMC Terrain engine?13 owners · 9.6%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2017 GMC Terrain?11 owners · 8.1%
- Why does my 2017 GMC Terrain smell of burning or smoke?5 owners · 3.7%
Has the 2017 GMC Terrain been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Exterior Lighting: Headlights General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
What do 2017 GMC Terrain owners report?
12 of the 135 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
Timing Chain driving, clanging noise while driving on I-475 expressway near Perrysburg exit
I bought this 2017 used on XXX I have had to put 1 quart of oil in the car every 500 miles. Because it burns oil like crazy. And now at this point, the transmission has just quit. I believe they call it the drive train. I am taking it to D and D auto repair in [XXX] on Thursday of this week. GMC knows about the drive train problem as it is common well known problem INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The head unit quit working around 98k. The head unit is the radio, and screen which includes the back up camera. From what we have been told and find online, this is a known problem with them and affects other models as well. For the most part the head unit doesn't work but once in a while, once a month, it comes on but shows the Chevy logo on the screen which is odd because it is a GMC. Once you turn the car off, it will be gone again until it decides to come back. We took it into a dealer who tried to hook up to it and reprogram or update it, but he had no luck. Now we are without a backup…
Have had to replace the VVT solenoids several times within a year spam. Had to replace the rear main seal because it blew out due to carbon build up. Having issues with excessive oil consumption. Now the vehicle just started with: going from a stop position to accelerating at low speeds the vehicle stalls and dies. I want GM to take accountability and fix this issue as it is a safety issue to myself and everyone on the road.
I had a message flash that said the power to the engine was reduce. Next message said check stabilink ( or something similar).. it said drive with caution. I live 2 mins from my job I drove home and pulled in the driveway I then felt the car act like it wanted to shake. This was on 2-10-26 I contacted onstar asked them to run a diagnostic. The codes that came back P0016 p0089 p228D are very well known codes with many people with the same vehicle/engine that have had to replace the engine. The engines have known issues had I known that maybe I could have replaced a part or two or three or four…
I am filing this complaint to report a catastrophic engine failure involving my 2017 GMC Terrain equipped with the 2.4L Ecotec engine, which I believe is the result of a known manufacturing defect related to excessive oil consumption and premature internal engine wear. At approximately 88,000 miles, my vehicle experienced severe engine failure, including excessive oil consumption, timing chain failure, and complete engine failure, which has been confirmed in writing by a licensed repair facility. The shop determined that the engine failure was caused by oil starvation resulting from excessive…
We have been keeping up with all maintenance and oil changes. We have only driven the car for less than a year. At time of oil change; the oil has been low, resulting in OVER oil consumption; Requiring an extra quart of oil to be added between oil changes. When we purchased the vehicle, there was an strong exhaust smell; The shop that we bought the vehicle stated there were no issues and we have taken it to them multiple times an hour away from our home. The car completely shut off while my minor son and I were driving. Placing both of our lives at risk! It would never start back up. Now the…
I looked up my recall on my vehicle about my headlights being recall. Never received any information there was a recall.
I was driving back home when I suddenly heard a loud pop and my car seat belt immediately tightened up. I saw smoke inside the car and the screen in my dashboard said "airbag service" There was no air bag physical deployed in the car so I believe it happened internally. Now my driver seatbelt will not retract and the front passenger seatbelt will not come out.
While in park and driving, the passenger seat belt locks and will not unlock. You must unfasten belt and refasten it. It does this multiple times during a trip. This has occurred since 2020.
The air bags will show that they are shut off while we are driving down the road with my wife sitting in the seat and they will also does it if we are just sitting in the drive way. Also they had a recall in the older models of this car for the pvc valve getting clogged and building pressure and causing the lower seal to bust and that happed to my car but they never gave a low oil light when it happed. All that happed was my wife was driving and the lower engine power came on while she was driving in traffic causing her to freak out and feel unsafe with my kids in the car as well. I contacted…
The latch for the rear hatch/door does not release every time. There have been instances when itmes have been in the cargo area and when the button is pressed, it will not release the latch. This causes someone to have to crawl over the back seat to retrieve the items from the cargo area. This also is causing my son to have to store items, that would normally be in the crgo area, on his back seat. I owned a 2015 terrain and had this same issue. The latch was replaced but still did not operate correctly.
2017 GMC Terrain: questions owners ask
Is the 2017 GMC Terrain reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 135 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Terrain; the most common categories were engine (79, 58.5%), power train (24, 17.8%), air bags (12, 8.9%). There is 1 safety recall. 11 complaints mention a crash, 2 mention a fire, 7 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 GMC Terrain?
Across 135 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (58.5% of complaints), power train (17.8% of complaints), air bags (8.9% of complaints), electrical system (6.7% of complaints), exterior lighting (5.2% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2017 GMC Terrain have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2017 GMC Terrain; the most recent (campaign 22V137000, 2022-03-08) concerns Exterior Lighting: Headlights. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is my 2017 GMC Terrain burning or losing oil?
28 of the 135 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 GMC Terrain (20.7%) describe excessive oil consumption or oil leaks. One owner wrote: "I bought this 2017 used on XXX I have had to put 1 quart of oil in the car every 500 miles. Because it burns oil like crazy. And now at this point, the transmission has just quit. I believe they call it the drive train." (NHTSA complaint 11767582, September 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2017 GMC Terrain stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
19 of the 135 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 GMC Terrain (14.1%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Have had to replace the VVT solenoids several times within a year spam. Had to replace the rear main seal because it blew out due to carbon build up. Having issues with excessive oil consumption." (NHTSA complaint 11727804, March 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2017 GMC Terrain had engine failures?
19 of the 135 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 GMC Terrain (14.1%) describe complete engine failure or a replaced engine. One owner wrote: "Traveling on the expressway, engine made wearing noise, reduced engine power and complete engine failure while driving. Rear main seal blowout due to a defective PCV system freezing." (NHTSA complaint 11715695, February 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2017 GMC Terrain engine?
13 of the 135 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 GMC Terrain (9.6%) describe a knocking, ticking or rattling engine noise. One owner wrote: "My vehicle only has 78,000 miles on it and the timing chain needs to be replaced?! This is no longer under warranty because it’s been over 5 years but this should last a life time." (NHTSA complaint 11624318, November 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2017 GMC Terrain?
11 of the 135 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 GMC Terrain (8.1%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "My car was driving without issue until I stopped at a street light. My car started rocking front to back while sitting at the light and every other time I had to make a stop. The engine light came on." (NHTSA complaint 11578892, March 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2017 GMC Terrain smell of burning or smoke?
5 of the 135 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 GMC Terrain (3.7%) describe a burning smell or smoke. One owner wrote: "For a year we have had to check to the oil weekly and add oil due to the vehicle burning oil so quickly. The past month we have had to check it daily and add oil. We do regular routine oil changes and have had to get them before the next one is due." (NHTSA complaint 11706256, December 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Terrain
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2017 only.