The reliability of the 2022 GMC Terrain raises some concerns, particularly due to its recalls involving critical components like seats and child seat anchor points. With a peak failure range of 0-20k miles, issues may arise early in ownership, warranting careful attention to these areas.
Key Factor:Seat and child seat issues
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Safety Alert
Safety Alert: This model has a higher recall frequency (2) than the average GMC vehicle (1.6). Owners should prioritize checking these components.
2 recalls for this vehicle1.6 avg. recalls per vehicle (brand)
📋Why This Matters
The recalls on the driver's seat and child seat anchorage system are significant. A loose bolt in the driver's seat can compromise safety during an accident, while excessive powder coating on LATCH anchors may prevent securely fastening a child seat, putting children at risk. For families and daily commuters alike, these defects could lead to serious safety hazards if not addressed promptly.
In addition to recalls, the number of complaints—63—indicates that many owners have experienced issues beyond the initial recalls. This level of feedback suggests that potential buyers should be cautious and thoroughly inspect any used models before purchasing.
Focus Area:Safety Profile
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Expert Analysis
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Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
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Primary Risk Area:Warning
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Vs Brand: Worse than avg (1.6)
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Summary: The year-over-year safety trend for the GMC Terrain seems to reflect a troubling pattern given its recent recalls and numerous complaints. The number of significant issues reported is higher than expected for a vehicle this new, which could indicate ongoing quality control problems during manufacturing.
Safety & Reliability Score
81/100
Score Breakdown
Recall Impact-16
Complaint Impact-3.15
Investigation Impact-0
Technical Specifications
Key specifications for the 2022 GMC Terrain
Model Year2022
MakeGMC
ModelTerrain
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle
Safety History Timeline
Jan22
NEWProduction
Jan22
RECALLRecall Issued
Mar22
ISSUEFirst Report
Nov23
RECALLRecall Issued
Consumer Complaint Analysis
⚠️
Most Reported Issue
19 complaints (30% of total)
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Complaint Trend
Stable
No trend data
✅
Safety Incidents
No critical incidents
Complaint Severity Distribution
Breakdown of 63 consumer complaints by severity level.
🟠High
7(11%)
🟡Medium
20(32%)
🟢Low
36(57%)
Mileage Failure Analysis
⚙️Engineering Insight
With a peak failure range between 0-20k miles, it's clear that some owners are running into problems shortly after they take ownership. This suggests that if you're considering buying one of these vehicles or already own one, you should be vigilant about early signs of issues.
📊 Mileage data extracted from 26 of 63 complaints (41% coverage)
0-20k
15 reports (58%)
20k-40k
4 reports (15%)
40k-60k
4 reports (15%)
60k-80k
2 reports (8%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
1 reports (4%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.
🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center
Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).
Primary Risk Areas
SEATSCHILD SEAT
🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions
Based on recall data, these components require verification:
1
Driver's Seat
Issue: Potentially stripped or loose bolt at height-adjust pivot.
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Have your driver's seat inspected immediately for proper bolt tightness.
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Check service records for previous seat inspections or repairs.
Campaigns:22V-XXXX23V-YYYY
2
Child Seat LATCH Anchors
Issue: Excessive powder coating may hinder proper installation of child seats.
✅
Verify that child seats are securely installed using LATCH anchors.
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Inspect the rear-seat anchor points for any visible coating issues before purchase.
Campaign:22V-ZZZZ
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your GMC dealer to verify recall completion status.
Official Safety Recalls (2)
Campaign: 22V724000
SEATS
▼
Summary
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and 2022 GMC Terrain vehicles. The driver's seat may have a stripped or loose bolt at the seat frame height-adjust pivot.
Consequence
A seat with a missing or loose bolt may not properly restrain the occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the seat cushion frame, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GMC's number for this recall is N222377890.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 23V339000
CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE LATCH ANCHOR
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Summary
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Consequence
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.
Remedy
Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232403240.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Investigations
0 investigations
✓
No active investigations for this vehicle.
Consumer Complaints
63 total complaints
Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2022 Terrain.
Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis
Warning30%
Stall27%
Check Engine Light17%
Smell10%
Burn6%
Battery6%
Odor6%
Acceleration Issues6%
Crash/Accident5%
Display5%
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
When driving vehicle, alert sounded lowered speed detection and my engine light came on. My vehicle then lagged power and it smelled like something was burning. Called dealer i bought vehicle from and i drove it in to them. I just bought the vehicle 8 months ago. I was just in to same dealer for a GPS tracker that was in my vehicle unknown to me that the Onstar stopped working and the dealer had stating they missed it in the pre certified inspection and they had to replace the telemax module do to the unknown GPS Tracker. My vehicle is now in for the lowered speed detection problem which my GM app stated it was an air induction system problem. I do not have paper work for the air induction system yet but i have sent photo of what my GM app produced.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The car went into limp mode while I was on the highway. The car said reducing engine power and then I couldn't go the speed limit I had to drive well under the speed limit and pull off the road as soon as possible. I brought it home and water came pouring out the intercooler after looking online. I found out this is a known issue for this vehicle.
Other⚠️ High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
An AC clutch/compressor malfunction. No cold air, unusual noises (grinding, squealing, rattling), metal shavings, burning rubber smell, engine stalling. No warning lamps or messages ever appeared. The problem was serviced at independent service center. The nearest GM dealer is more than 40 miles away from me. Did not drive vehicle and seeked professional help immediately.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the residence. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred while the contact was driving on the highway. The contact stated that an independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the vehicle with a failed fuel pump. The contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. In addition, the contact referenced an unknown recall that had a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,126.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My wife was driving down the road and all of a sudden the car just shut off and wouldn’t start back up. She called me and I went to her and tried to get the started with no progress so I called a tow truck to come pick it up and come to the mechanic shop to have it fixed. They run a diagnostic test on it and it was the fuel module. Called the gmc in my town and the said it was not covered under warranty or there wasn’t a recall on it either. W needed my car fixed so I called around to find a fuel module and finally found one in north Myrtle Beach. I had to go and pick it up around 75 miles from where I live and bought it back to the mechanic. He put in on and that fixed the problem. A lot of the 22 Terrian’s has a recall but mine doesn’t. I would like to know why mine doesn’t and it only has 53,000 miles and mine falls in the same category as all the others. I think I should be reimbursed having to pay to have mine repaired.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The car was at a red light so it automatically stopped. when the lights turned green, I removed my foot from the break and the car would not move. I had to call OnStar for roadside assistance and they called the police to make sure I was safe and that traffic flowed safely. My car was towed to the dealership after they tried to start the car by the key and my jumper cables. The car would not start. The dealership is unable to start the car as well and they are saying that the issue with the fuel pump is not under the most recent recall for my VIN number. I was able to locate the recall for the same exact issue that I’m having under my VIN number on the GMC website. I have filed a report with the GMC manufacturer to try and get this issue fixed. I have brought this car in multiple times to the dealership I purchased from and an additional dealership to show them the issues that I have been having with this car starting and stopping, I could have been ran over by a public transportation bus today.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
POWER TRAIN,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving approximately 5-10 MPH, the vehicle stopped independently, and the gear shifter failed to shift to neutral(N). A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump power control module needed to be replaced. The fuel pump power control module was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,777.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,WHEELS
Front drivers side wheel makes a clicking/popping noise when turning to the right.
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Screen went black on 3 different occasions, since purchasing vehicle
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and the contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the message "Battery Critically Low" was initially displayed, and then the message "Engine and Transmission System - Schedule Service Now" was displayed. The contact was assisted by Police Officers in redirecting traffic away from the vehicle to prevent a crash. The contact stated that the tow truck driver inspected the battery and informed the contact that the battery was in good condition. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift to neutral(N), which required a special tow truck to tow the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was then towed to the dealer the same day. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,200.
Frequently Asked Questions
What safety concerns should I be aware of with the 2022 GMC Terrain?
You should be particularly mindful of two major recall issues: one involves a possible loose bolt in the driver's seat which could affect your safety during an accident; another relates to improper installation capabilities for child seats due to excessive powder coating on LATCH anchors—all critical factors if you transport passengers regularly.
'How does the number of complaints compare among similar SUVs from other brands?'
'Compared to other compact SUVs in its class, such as the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, the GMC Terrain has a higher complaint rate which raises red flags about its reliability. Both competitors have shown better overall performance regarding owner satisfaction and fewer reported issues.'
📊Year-over-Year Context
➡️Stable Pattern
Compared to earlier years, the 2022 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.
🧭What This Means for You
Families with young passengers, pregnant drivers, or those with frequent highway commutes should prioritize this information.
If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.
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If You Own This Vehicle
Verify all 2 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your GMC dealer.
Unaddressed recalls pose real-world risks. Prioritize scheduling any pending repairs to maintain vehicle integrity.
Proactive tip: Enroll in GMC's owner notification program for real-time safety updates.
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If You're Buying Used
Obtain proof of recall completion for all 2 campaigns before purchase.
Account for potential service downtime when calculating your initial ownership budget.