2012 GMC Terrain: won't start

Filed Dec 5, 2021 · Acceleration, Engine · OH

Once again, timing chain incident, this time while driving, wasn't expecting it, suddenly my Terrain steering when became stiff to turn, and happened to realize the car motor had shut off and rolling to the right, nearly hitting parked car. I tried to start vehicle, but made a whining sound, but did not start, yet check engine light was on. I had my OBD reader handy, and got p0011, p0017 codes, which tell me it was the timing chain again in this car. This very dangerous because we could of collided with a parked vehicle, if not for me struggling so hard to steer vehicle while steering wheel was stiff.

Filed Apr 30, 2021 · Engine · 82,000 miles · IL

My husband started the terrain, backed out of garage & it died. It started again then. He was driving it 10 miles from our home & when driving on highway in the country, the car would not accelerate over 20 MPH even as he pressed down the accelerator. When he reached his destination. He shut off the car & tried to restart it to move it & it started. Couple days later, it started to move in garage however when wanting to remove it from garage, the car would not start. Hasn't since. I was ckg oil periodically & when needed so there was still oil in it. Towed it to dealer & told us the timing chain was bad. Same as what gmc & chevy 2011 & 2012 cars are dealing with. Bad oil consumption. Gmc nor our dealership who sold us this car 2 years ago will back their product. They shouldn't have sold is this car in the first place since there was already a law suit against chevrolet & gmc for this problem. I still owe money on this car & no one will help with this dilemma.

Filed Apr 9, 2021 · Engine · 125,000 miles · OH

I was driving about 2 months ago when the low oil pressure light went on on my dashboard and it said stop engine now with a very loud alarm. I pulled into a gas station to check the oil and I did have to add about 3 quarts of oil. So I assumed this would fix the issue but when I started driving about 1 minute after I started driving again the low oil pressure light and alarm came and it again said stop engine now. I finally got it home and I turned the car off and then tried to restart the car and it did not start. I had it looked at by a few mechanics and they said the engine was gone that it failed the compression test 3 time and the vavles were bent . I had just got a oil change about 1 month prior to this .

Filed Mar 19, 2021 · Engine · 88,961 miles · CA

Gm used faulty piston rings resulting in excessive oil consumption. This resulted in blown engines. This vehicle also does not have a oil gauge or low oil light to warn the consumer of the know oil consumption issue. I was driving home and the engine started to ping as I got to the driveway. I turned off the engine, and it would not start again. I took it to gm and they said the engine was blown. See #16118-01: special coverage-excessive engine oil consumption- (jan 28,2020) gm was sued, but are denying most claims. See terrain-equinox oil consumption recall group on facebook. The engine blew due to the oil leaking out of the pistons.

Filed Mar 4, 2021 · Engine · LA

The oil in my car seems to disappear. I get my oil changed and after about 500 miles the oil is gone. There is no warning light. The menu says I had 50 percent life left on the oil. Check the oil and it is ike a rust color. Y engine had stopped. It will not crank. Now I have a car that's needs anew engine. I've looked online about this issue. Find out that people that have the same car has had the same problem. Something needs to b gone about this issue. I have no warrinity left on the car. It all has to b out of pocket.

Filed Jan 2, 2021 · Fuel system · 182,000 miles · IA

My daughter was driving to a friends house. She lost all power, and the vehicle would not start back up. There was 3/4 tank of gas in it. We had it towed to a nearby shop to have it looked at. Upon the vehicle leaving it had a lot of gas on the gravel road. When it made it to the shop there was obvious fuel line issues. This vehicle has not been fixed yet, still waiting on a replacement line from a dealership. This is something that gm should have had recalled and fixed immediately. This might have been an issue that would have been fixed due to it still under a manufacturers warranty, but I do not have access to that. The shop where the work is going to get fixed at said this was covered up to 150,000 miles. If this was an issue to that mileage, it should be extended to the life of the vehicle.

Filed Nov 21, 2018 · Engine, Transmission · 87,228 miles · NJ

I also have a 2012 gmc terrain that has an oil consumption issue that has caused complete engine failure. Approximately 2.5 weeks ago the car wouldnt start. Engine would turn over but not start. I thought that it might be the fuel pump. Had it towed to my mechanic since it has 87k miles and out of warranty. So I went to check the status of the car and the first thing I was told was there was no oil when they checked it. They added 4 quarts before trying to diagnose the problem. Mind you the oil was changed 3k miles ago and oil life monitor said it had 54% life left. They ran the car for codes and the only code that came up was for the tire pressure system, also an issue with the terrain. No issue was found with fuel pump or sensors. Spark plugs were replaced due to them being all fouled up. That didnt fix the issue so it was determined that it must be the timing chain jumped. At that point I had it towed again to the dealership I purchase it from. I was told it would be 125.00 to run a diagnostic. Fine. So I get a call the next day that it was indeed the timing chain. I asked the service guy what would cause this and I was told poor lubrication or low oil pressure. Thats when I started to explain that the first shop had to put 4qts of oil in bc it was bone dry. I asked about the VIN specific letter I received last year,2017, about the oil consumption issue and isnt that why there was no oil and hence causing the timing belt to jump. He answered "no". Then told that upon further inspection, the valves were bent so we were now looking at 3500 to fix or 6k to replace the engine with another problemed engine. So that is when I contacted the toll free customer service line about the situation. They told me to go back to dealership and speak to the customer experience manager.

Filed Oct 16, 2017 · Electrical · 100,614 miles · MI

Took my 2012 terrain in for the excessive oil burn in may 2017. Several times before the car would not start. I was told by dealer it was due to the oil being low due to burn within 1000 miles of change. About a month after getting it back it started randomly not starting. I first thought it was that I left the dome lights on. Then it would happen when I used my back gate, then randomly after opening any door but the drivers when the car was not on. Everything was working but the car wouldn't start. It was all random. Check engine light came on and it read gas cap, so I changed that as I was told that could cause the car not to start. It didn't help and it resumed not starting within days. So I have been starting car to open any other doors and reduced to no dome lights at night. Last night, it wouldn't' start after simply backing my car into a different spot in my driveway. I had it jumped and then the cent console was completely blacked out. I could change the stations and change the heat but no lights. Got back home after driving it to charge battery and the radio wouldn't shut off even after removing key and locking. I tried both fobs, and it wouldn't shut down. I shut the radio off, and then it seemed to have worked because the security light came on and I didn't see any lights inside. This morning the car was dead. More than usual, I couldn't even unlock it except with key. I tried to start, no click and then it locked my keys into the ignition. We jumped it and I drove it straight to the dealer. I have to drive for my job and right now I am scared something it going to stop working like the lights or engine and I will be hurt or killed or hurt someone else. Very scary.

Filed Jun 24, 2017 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 63,575 miles · MO

My 2012 gmc terrain has been stalling for a few days now the stabilltrack sensor was replaced this year the engine light comes on and off. And my radio sometimes cuts off on it's own but now my key keeps getting stuck in the ignition switch and the car keeps stalling but when I get a jump it starts with no problem but once it stalled when I was driving thank god I was a few blocks from home . Then when I try to start again it won't start. It's only 5yrs. Old I've read many complaints about this modle. I think I bought a lemon 😕

Filed Apr 5, 2017 · Engine · 92,000 miles · TX

I bought my vehicle brand new and have records of every maintenance done in a timely manner. On 03/31/2017, I drove 38 miles to a furniture store with my 11 month old baby and wife. When I returned to my car, it would not start. When I turn the car on, it clicks but no power goes to the engine. There was no engine light on and no indication that something was wrong with the vehicle. I ended up towing it to a gmc dealership. They did inspection and advised the timing chain broke and had a chain effect braking rods in the engine. They also mentioned something about the engine oil burning. I was advised by the gm dealers that the whole engine will need to be replaced and advised my warranty expired on 1/14/2017. I contacted gm customer service and have opened a case file but I am not sure if they will do anything to assist me. I did some research online and it appears multiple customers who have owned gmc terrain have had similar issues. If the timing chain broke while I was driving, it is quite possible there might have been a fatality and I or my family might not be alive today.

Filed Nov 5, 2015 · Electrical, Steering · 12,000 miles · AZ

Won't start, get a "check power steering"light.