2010 GMC Terrain: sudden loss of power

14 of the 290 complaints about the 2010 GMC Terrain describe sudden loss of power.

owner complaints: 14
of this car's complaints: 5%
typical mileage: 80,300
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 289 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Sudden loss of power by model year

2024
9
2023
8
2022
2
2021
2
2020
11
2019
12
2018
12
2017
11
2016
9
2015
7
2014
12
2013
11
2012
21
2011
28
2010
14

What owners say

Filed Dec 20, 2019 · Acceleration, Engine · 80,000 miles · IN

2010 gmc terrain with v6 loss of power, engine codes timing issue, camshaft sensor fault, crankshaft sensor fault. Stabil-track fault. Rough idle, oil consumption. The list goes on. This is a common thing with these engines and gm has done nothing. This has been going on with this vehicle for awhile. Stay away from gm vehicles they do not stand behind there products, I will be buying a ford and I will tell everyone I know!

Filed Nov 15, 2018 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 132,685 miles · NJ

Filed Oct 19, 2018 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 98,000 miles · IL

While driving my car the stabili-track service light comes on. Then the check engine, brake, ABS, awd, as well as the power steering lights come on. Then I lose power steering and my speed is throttled down a lot. Its happened on the expressway and city streets. When on the expressway I have to immediately get to the shoulder without getting into an accident. I've had my car towed to the mechanics shop multiple times and they've told me that there are no codes when hooking up the computer. They kept it a few times in the last 3 years and have told me there were misfires after letting the car sit and testing it out (test driving) and work was needed (throttle body replacement, spark plug replacement, cam shaft swap out and a full tune-up). $1000 and less than a year later it happens again and then again. This is the 3rd year (2016, 2017, 2018) it has happened to me in a row and all the mechanic can say is that it may be something gm should investigate. I've called gm with no luck. This is extremely unsafe and I am thankful that my kids were not in the car when it happens. Trying to navigate traffic on the expressway when your car throttles down to 25-35 MPH is insane.

Filed Mar 20, 2018 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 80,300 miles · PA

While driving the stability track service lift comes on, the ABS, brakes, service all wheel drive, as well as the service power steering at which time I lose power steering. It also feels like it is accelerating sluggishly when drive sometimes. This happens and goes off sometimes with out me turning the car off or stopping but other times I have to pull over and wait a few minutes after turning the car off. It happens various times. At one moment it is driving fine and then these lights come on. When taken to dealership the lights have gone off and they get no codes. I was told the that it says a miscommunication and no code is recorded. The service light issues happen on city streets. The sluggish acceleration happens on both city and highway. I have been to the gmc dealer several times over the last 2-3 weeks.

Filed Mar 20, 2018 · Transmission · 54,000 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 gmc terrain. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to vyletel buick gmc (40755 van dyke, sterling, heights, mi) where it was diagnosed that the transmission was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

Filed Sep 25, 2017 · Acceleration, Brakes · 130,000 miles · MI

The drakes lock up and will not release until the car sits for sometime about 2-8 hours.the service stabilitrack light comes on and you lose engine power almost instantly. I have had four different shop fix what they suspected was the problem and the last shop was a dealership and it happened to me a week later while out of town for a wedding.

Filed Jul 31, 2017 · Engine · 92,000 miles · MO

Car lost power in the middle of traffic moving at 60 MPH on a busy highway. Had to be towed to a dealer, where they said the timing chain had broken and the engine was destroyed as a result. Then we find out that broken timing chains and broken balance chains are common problems on 2010/2011 terrains.yet gm has never been forced to acknowledge the problem or issue a recall for this serious safety issue. (timing chain breakage in any engine should be rare, not a common occurrence!)

Filed Feb 25, 2017 · Acceleration · 83,137 miles · CA

While driving on freeway in san diego, ca during morning rush hour, car suddenly lost power. Dashboard message was "reduced power to engine." car would suddenly only go 30 MPH. Very dangerous. I was in the middle lane of freeway and luckily avoided collisions, as traffic flow was 70 MPH. Took car to gmc dealer and throttle body had to be replaced. Total cost was $458. I could have easily created a major traffic accident causing injury to myself and many others because I suddenly could only drive 30 MPH.

Filed Nov 8, 2016 · Engine · 36,627 miles · CT

Copy of letter to mr. Thomas d'addario, d'addario automotive group, explaining the serious problems which may have been caused by the mass air flow sensor hose not connected or dislodged during the engine/ECM module replacement. *smd the consumer stated due to the problem, he experienced loss of power and a leaking exhaust and/or catalytic converter. Also, the consumer had to add one quart of oil every 1000 miles and the check engine light illuminated several times.

Filed Jan 30, 2016 · Driver assistance, Transmission · 67,000 miles · KS

I have had car speed up accelerate not accelerate burn oil and loss of engine power body throttle and mobile stabilizer codes and it's un safe I have children dealership wil not honor so called warranty

Filed Dec 10, 2015 · Driver assistance, Engine · 90,000 miles · CA

My car is idling when it suddenly begins to idle roughly then stalls. There is a "reduced engine power" warning that appears with the check engine light, and "service stabilitrak" with the stabilitrak light. This has happened 3 times, twice when the vehicle was stationary, another time in motion, driving on a city street, and I was able to pull over before it died. In reading other complaints, this seems to be a known safety issue for 2010 gmc terrains and should be investigated as a recall issue.

Filed May 18, 2015 · Engine · 58,450 miles · MA

I was driving down the road when my 2010 gmc terrain suddenly lost power and slowed down. The next morning my check engine light was on and stayed on. I took it to the dealership and they stated that I needed a new engine. Problems with the timing chain being stretched, camshaft and camshaft actuator, and oil leaking in the engine. How could I need a new engine, my car has 58,500 miles on it. Gm had a recall due to the timing chain stretching. I had the recall taken care of in nov 2013. 1 1/2 years later, 15,000 miles later and 2 1/2 months past my warranty and the engine goes. Wasn't the recall suppose to take care of this issue. The dealership stated that the engine would cost around $6,000. They supposedly called gm and gm stated they would cover roughly 60%. I still have to pay $2500 to have it repaired. Plus the engine is a rebuilt engine so I can run into the same issues. I was livid. I contacted gm and they wouldn't even help me. They stated they could only work with the dealership. I have to leave it to some dealership to negotiate on my behalf. I know I am getting taken to the cleaners on this but what can I do. I have to fix it in order to trade it in. Gm knows there is a problem with the engines in the 2010 terrain and they don't want to do a thing about it. I noticed a lot of other people were complaining of engine problem on their 2010 terrain too. What makes the situation worse is on 5/17/2015 my husbands check engine light went on in his 2012 gmc sierra.