Buyer Research

2016 GMC Terrain — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $9,000–$14,000. There are 2 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.

Kestrel Take

The squared-off cousin of the Equinox, and the engine choice is everything. The oil-hungry 2.4L is the one to avoid; the 3.6L V6 sidesteps the problem. Otherwise a comfortable, quiet crossover that's cheap because it drove like an old design even when new.

What we checked

Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11

NHTSA holds 152 owner complaints for the 2016 GMC Terrain, across 2 recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 32% of them are about one thing — glass, wipers and mirrors. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.

2 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Looked at and set aside: glass, wipers and mirrors (49) — 49 complaints about glass, wipers or mirrors; usually annoying rather than expensive.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2016 GMC Terrain

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

2.4L excessive oil consumptionHigh — wallet impact

A quart per 1,000-1,500 miles from piston-ring design; class-action settlement covered many.

Repair cost (estimate): $3,000-$5,000

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (46).

Timing chain stretch (2.4L)High — wallet impact

A consequence of chronic low oil; rattle and correlation codes.

Repair cost (estimate): $1,500-$2,800

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (46).

Fuel injector and high-pressure pump failuresMedium

Hard starts and stalling on the direct-injected engine.

Repair cost (estimate): $600-$1,200

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (46).

Transmission harsh shiftingMedium

Harsh shifts and shudder on old fluid.

Repair cost (estimate): $250 service to $3,500

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (11).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Oil consumption
✗Cold-start rattle
✗Deferred oil changes
✗Blue smoke

Good Signs

✓3.6L V6 — no oil consumption
✓Documented ring replacement under the settlement
✓5,000-mile oil changes

Found a specific GMC Terrain?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2016 GMC Terrain in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

Get My Verdict — $7.99

No account required. Delivered to your inbox, usually within minutes.

Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.

Other GMC Terrain years

2013 GMC Terrain

$6,000–$10,500