Used 2013 GMC Terrain SUV Consumer Reviews
Love this dependable vehicle
I purchased this vehicle new in 2013 and love it. Ride, handling, gas mileage, are great with no complaints. I recently traded it for a 2019 Acadia because I wanted a vehicle to pull a trailer.
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Known Defect in Engine Oil Consumption
I recently bought a 2013 GMC Terrain 2.4 L. The price seemed fair and vehicle appeared to be in good condition with relatively low miles. I did purchase an after market warranty, and am so thankful I did. I have had this vehicle for less than 5 months, and am now having to replace the engine. The engine not only consumes oil, but also builds condensation. My first indication of this was during a routine oil change when emulsified oil was found on the oil cap and the dipstick. No actual oil level was showing, only the emulsified oil film. When opening the drain plug, only about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts of oil came out. I felt the oil and found a fine gritty feeling in the oil...very bad sign. First thing Monday morning I called a GMC dealer and brought the vehicle to them reporting emulsified oil in the engine. Later that day I received a call telling me the timing chain needed replaced. As I have found out since, this is a common practice, but is not and does not resolve the root cause, it is just a band aid to put money in the dealers pocket. The repair facility stated I had mentioned a noise coming from the engine, which I had not done, performed and engine diagnostics, which I hadn't authorized, then told me I would owe them several hundred dollars that was not covered in my aftermarket warranty. Mind you, I had not check engine light, no alarms, no indication of any problem other that the oil issue I visually and physically saw. I have had to fight with the dealers repair facility to get the root cause of the problem addressed and an adjuster from the warranty company went to the facility to inspect the engine. Then and only then did I find out this engine would have to be replaced and as I did my own research found this is a common and ongoing issue with this engine. I have a friend with a 2017 Terrain that I asked if they were having any issues, and the told me that there last oil change they had emulsified oil on the dipstick. Welcome to my world. They fortunately are still under manufacturers warranty and are planning to get rid of the vehicle. GM has known about this problem and refuses to address it and make it right for their customers, even after our tax dollars went to bail them out. Shame on you and your 7 figure bonuses. I have always bought American, but this will definitely change that. Our federal government should step in and force them to fix their mess. I will still be on the hook for several hundred dollars and will only have a used engine as a replacement. So here we go again. Once repaired I will need to get rid of the vehicle as I still have a few years left on the loan. DO NOT BUY.
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Great Ride
This is perhaps the most comfortable vehicle I have owned. Prior the Terrain I had an Audi and two cars ago a Mercedes and I do not for a second regret changing continents. I always chuckle a little bit when reviews say that such and such a car has less enthusiastic performance... compared to what. I tested a Mercedes GLK the same day as the Terrain, granted I used the gas peddle differently but I noticed no difference in acceleration and the handling was better with the GMC. In fact the stability when cornering is superior to that of my last five vehicles (3 Japanese and 2 German)
Regretful buy
Extremely disappointed with my 2013 GMC Terrain. It has a 2.4 cylinder engine that consumes too much oil between oil changes. A Technical Service Bulletin was issued by GM for the problem but they have not done a full recall yet. Vehicle was stalling due to low oil issues. Intake Solenoid had to be replaced because of low oil levels. Transmission fluid leaked from trans torque converter seal, left rear wheel hub had to be replaced due to bearings going bad all with just 52k miles. The engine specifically in my vehicle is a safety hazard/concern for anyone with a family. My wife is a nanny and does not drive the vehicle aggressively.
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GMC Terrain Now 5 yrs 74,000 miles. Satisfied.
Still no substantial complaints. MPG 4 cylinder disappoints, avg mixed about 26 mpg. Power driver's seat not supportive enough, uncomfortable after 30 mins. Engine - A/C noisy in ECO mode. All things considered Not Bad. The pros: everything else: easy in and out, stylish inside and out, all power except lift gate, heated power seats, heated power mirrors, windows, great infotainment, GMC upscale std features. NO PROBLEMS, NO REPAIRS, NO EXPENSIVE SURPRISES. Tire note: original Firestone Destination LE lasted 72,000 miles! Recently installed 4 Vredestein Quatrack 5 (from Netherlands). What a BIG, BIG difference! Much smoother and quieter ride, better handling, with a full chart of 8+++ attributes. This review is likely the last for the Terrain.
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Perfect SUV for me!
I researched several SUVs before I decided to lease the 2013 Terrain AWD Denali in October 2013 and I love it! The V-6 provides a quiet, smooth ride. I love the red accent lighting and red stitching on the seats and dash. The back seat also has lots of leg room which is nice because a lot of my friends are tall. The backup camera needs a little work. It gets dirty easily and depth perception is off. Usually the longer I have a vehicle, the more I find that I don't like about it but the longer I have this SUV, the more I love it!
DON'T BUY THIS VEHICLE
Being an owner of this vehicle for 6 years, I'm VERY disappointed with GM. Car was bought new off the lot with a 3 year maintenance package. It was served for the 1st 3 years at the dealer it was purchased at. Not one word was mentioned that this engine excessively burns oil, 1 1/2 quarts every 2,000 miles. The 1st time we bring it to our mechanic, he told us that it burns oil. Skipping to this year, 1/21/2019, it was a 2* Fahrenheit morning. My wife was driving to work, 33 miles one way, it stalled on the exit ramp. She got it started up again, but it was running rough. She got to work, maybe 1 mile away from the exit, and she noticed that there was a puddle of oil under it. A tow truck was called to take it to our mechanic. He determined that the rear main seal failed. After researching the probable causes, he found GM Service Bulletin 14882. This bulletin states that after a long drive in cold weather, the PCV system can freeze, and become clogged. In this bulletin, there's a picture of a 1/16 inch drill bit being used to clear the clog. The function of the PCV system is to let the pressure of a running engine to escape. So since it gets clogged, the pressure has to be released somewhere, and the rear main seal is where it's released. Since there's a service bulletin, it's a known problem to GM but only certain VIN numbers are attached to this bulletin, and my VIN isn't attached to it. Since my vehicle has 125,330 miles, it's not covered under the 120,000 mile cut off for this bulletin. This is a manufacturers defect that GM expects it's customers to cover the repair costs of. The PCV system is poorly designed. GM's customers didn't design this engine, so regardless of how many miles, or how old the vehicle is, this should be fixed by GM. I was told by a GM customer service representative to save my receipt, because in the future my vehicles VIN number might be added to this bulletin. That is a admission of fault in my book. This vehicle needs to be recalled and replaced by GM. Search GM service bulletin 14882. There's also a ACDelco of Canada bulletin for this repair as well.
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Loving this ride!
Drove an Altima coupe for 5 years and wanted an SUV for AWD purposes that was reasonable to purchase and repair. Doesn't look like a bug compared the all the other SUV's out there. Smooth ride and comfortable. Very dependable. GM did a great job with this one!
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Worse vehicle I've ever owned
The engine started using 1 qt every 1000 miles, GMC told us, that was normal. The oil usage increased gradually to 1.5 qts, GMC wouldn't warranty the engine and kept stalling , then the next issue was the high pressure fuel pump was starting to give out, the automatic timing adjustable failed next, this was replaced. No warranty. The oil filter was plugging up with carbon deposits, the car became unreliable in two years, and I should have stayed with Toyota 😁,
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noisy
This is by far the noisiest car that I have owned. Their is no sound deadening material used to block road noise coming from the tires on the pavement. On black top, not so bad but on concrete forget it. Our 2008 Ford Escape has the same tire but with very little road noise. When I listen to the radio I have to turn the volume way up to here it over the sound coming from the road. The blind spot mirror is poorly designed and not very helpful. Still feel the same about the noise and mirror. I now have another complaint. When I had the car serviced at the dealer recently I asked about updating the maps in the GPS. I was given a number to call and when I did I was informed it would cost between $159 & $179. The salesman that sold me the car told me the map updates would be free. I was also told by the company doing the updates that I had the latest maps available, so no new updates for the three years after I bought the car. A total waste of $750. My Garmin has three updates for FREE and only cost $199. Don't waste your $$ on a GM GPS!
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