Is the 2020 GMC Terrain a bad year?
198 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Terrain years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2020 GMC Terrain are in line with other Terrain years. Brakes stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2020 Terrain owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 79,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 73 (37%) | 40k–102k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 28 (14%) | 7k–59k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Engine | 61 (31%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 31 (16%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 27 (14%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 11 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Backup camera | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 79,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 198 complaints: 7 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 3 report an injury · 19 say the car was towed.
58 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2020 GMC Terrain: 2
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. 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.
The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts. 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 recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from GMC: 324
Repair instructions GMC sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2020 GMC Terrain. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
Correct a customer concern of Vehicle Will Not Lock and Unlock (Loss of Active Functions) Crank or Start (Loss of Passive Functions) with DTC P0513 Set
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Rotational Clicking Noise Heard After Engine Shut Down may be normal characteristics of the vehicle
Neighbouring years
2019 Terrain: 187 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2021 Terrain: 36 complaints, keep it.
Every GMC Terrain year
2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Terrain years side by side
Other GMC models: GMC Acadia · GMC Canyon · GMC Denali · GMC Envoy · GMC Envoy XL · GMC Envoy Xuv · GMC Jimmy · GMC Safari · GMC Savana · GMC Sierra · GMC Sierra 1500 · GMC Sierra 2500 · GMC Sierra 3500 · GMC Sierra Denali · GMC Sonoma · GMC Yukon · GMC Yukon Denali · GMC Yukon Denali XL · GMC Yukon XL · GMC Yukon XL 1500. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2020 GMC Terrain a bad year?
198 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Terrain years. At 79,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 GMC Terrain?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: brakes (73), transmission and drivetrain (28), engine (61), fuel system (31), electrical system (27).
How many recalls does the 2020 GMC Terrain have?
2 recall campaigns list this model year: Other (NHTSA 23V-339), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 20V-668). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.