2012 GMC Terrain: ball joint or control arm failure

6 of the 364 complaints about the 2012 GMC Terrain describe ball joint or control arm failure.

owner complaints: 6
of this car's complaints: 2%
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 22 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Ball joint or control arm failure by model year

2026
1
2025
2
2018
1
2016
4
2015
4
2014
3
2013
9
2012
6
2011
4

What owners say

Filed Aug 5, 2023 · MI

Drive side frame is rotted out which has allowed rear driver side control arm for the wheel to freely move. The passenger side is completely fine. Contacted gm and was told it has to be taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. It’s easy to see the issue I have pictures that can be provided. This car should not be rotted out frame was perfect 8 years ago with no rust and has been washed twice a week during winter to remove salt with undercarriage car wash.

Filed Mar 14, 2023 · Visibility · PA

Ball joint for wiper assembly just "pops off" while in use causing wipers to stop working. I have taken vehicle apart, fixed the issue ( reconnecting the ball joint) and issue happens again. I understand the vehicle is from 2012, but uses same part 2010-2017, which is currently a recall on 2013-2015 models. First occurrence of this issue was July 02, 2019. I brought to GMC dealer, they said they were out of the part. Since then I've not had the issue until today March 14, 2023 where I almost hit another car, due to it popping off and stopped working while in motion.

Filed Mar 5, 2021 · Visibility · NY

Wiper transmission need to be replaced due to water and debris entered the wiper assembly ball joints and caused excessive wear, allowing the ball joints to detach and causing the wipers to stop working

Filed Jun 19, 2017 · Visibility · 56,000 miles · PA

Driving at 35 miles an hour on a double lane highway in very heavy rain at about 6:00 p.m.. The windshield wipers were on high to clear the water from the windshield. Wipers stopped working during the middle of the storm. I was able to safely navigate my car to a parking lot and wait for the rain to stop. Later upon inspection the ball joint became separated from the socket which rendered the windshield wipers useless. See attachments. This has been reported to gm and is a known problem in canada. "25300-03: safety recall - front wiper transmission corrosion failure (canada only) - 2010-2017 chevrolet equinox & gmc terrain". I notified gm about this and they stated they will notify me if they issue a recall for my VIN.

Filed Sep 7, 2016 · Visibility · MA

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 gmc terrain. Without warning, an internal ball joint rod fractured and caused the driver side windshield wiper to fail while driving during inclement weather. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road to make adjustments. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the wiper transmission rod prematurely fractured. The part was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. Updated 10/19/16*lj updated 10/24/16.

Filed Aug 28, 2016 · Visibility · MN

Windshield wiper failure to continue to operate while car in use. Wipers came out of socket repair shop said that sometimes the ball joints corrode and the windshield wipers become inoperable. After investigation it sounds like this is a common complaint with the 2013 and on wondering if this is also a complaint with the 2012? This has now happened to us twice. Both times we were driving in the rain the second time I had just started out and ended up going home the first time it was en route and was incredibly difficult to pull over we almost caused an accident because it was raining hard and I couldn't see the wipers stopped in the upright position and were also in my way when they stopped in my visual field. I had to roll my driver side down in order to see. This was horribly scarry and the 2012 models need to be investigated for the same defects that the 2013 are being recalled for.