Windshield wiper mechanism broke while driving in heavy heavy rain near [XXX] . Extremely dangerous situation and almost resulted in a crash but I was able to make my way off of the interstate safely. Huge inconvenience because we had to wait out the rain! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
GMC Terrain wipers problems
420 of the 3,141 owner complaints about the GMC Terrain describe windshield wiper failure, most of them for the 2015 model year.
- owner complaints
- 420
- worst model year
- 2015
- typical repair cost reported
- $350
- typical mileage
- 79,400
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Ball joint 26Engine failure 12Transmission failure 11Headlights 9Check engine light 6Stalling 5Oil consumption 4Grinding brakes 3
What owners say
During heavy rainfall in the mountains at dawn, my windshield wipers suddenly have stopped working. We can manually move the wipers with ease and can hear the motor engaging but both front wipers suddenly stopped. We were 1200 miles from home on what was supposed to be a vacation. Carvana reports 2 recalls for my reports but the dealerships have no recalls for my year of vehicle.
Wiper blades transmission plastic parts keep popping or breaking this is the THIRD time this has happened at a cost of $350. Why would you use plastic parts for this knowing that it will break easily? Who can afford to keep replacing this? 12
Towards the tail end of a nearly 2.5 hour drive, the Automatic Theft Deterrent System was activated on the interstate. I lost every display on the dash panel including my speedometer, battery, coolant, gas, turn signals, and windshield wipers. I went into the nearest parking lot and was unable to restart the vehicle. It was towed to the dealership closest to our home and was repaired for $2200. The technicians at the dealership were not sure of what caused it and had never seen an issue like this so it was “elevated” to the GM engineers at their headquarters. They replaced the electrical control module and both key FOBs. We have not experienced any similar issues.
The windshield wipers quit working while driving during a down pour; some piece to the motor broke. This can cause severe injuries and even death due to the fact that it caused me to not be able to see where I was going and what was around me and could have driven off a high ramp. It hasn’t been inspected by anyone yet. There were no signs, warnings, or messages stating a failure may occur. This issue is available for review if requested until I get the car in for repairs. Will request to keep the part that is repaired Incase it’s needed for review after the fact.
The windshield wipers became inoperable due to a ball joint failure within the wipers. The parts are available for inspection. The safety of myself and others were put at risk as it was raining heavily after sundown and I could no longer see through my windshield due to the rain not being cleared off by windshield wipers. The visibility issue could have caused an accident, especially if the car in front of me had slammed on breaks. The problem has not been addressed by a dealer but I will be doing that in the following weeks. No one has inspected the component. I did not get any warning lamps or messages. The wipers just immediately stopped.
I was driving on an interstate highway. I entered a construction zone restricted to two lanes.(one each way). It began to rain very hard, after a short time of starting the front windshield wipers; both stopped. There was a total failure of both wipers with out any warning and a total loss of vision due to a rain covered windshield. Due to the restricted traffic lanes in the interstate construction zone there was no shoulder on either side to pull off onto and no way to exit the interstate traffic flow for several miles. I was able to avoid a crash and exit the interstate after several miles. With a different driver, slightly different circumstances or a little less luck it would have resulted in LOSS of LIFE!!!! The cause was failure of the wiper arm linkage more specifically the ball broke off of the wiper motor arm. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME FAILURE THAT CAUSED A RECALL TO BE ISSUED FOR PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS OF THE GMC TERAIN. The parts are available for inspection.
Windshield wipers stopped working during a downpour. Lucky I was able to make it home safely but took time. Checked fuses, nothing wrong there. Can hear something running so assume motor is OK, but linkage may have broken. Will have to take to mechanic
The front windshield wipers suddenly stopped working while I was driving on the freeway in moderate rainfall on [XXX]. I wasn't able to see through the windshield. I will call GMC in Roseville MN on Monday, June 9, 2025 to request a service date. I waited until the rain was lighter, so I could drive from Willow River Rest Area to Moose Lake, 19 miles. It was inspected at the repair shop, Federated Co-Ops Moose Lake 017, 100 Arrowhead Ln, Moose Lake, MN 55767. (218) 485-4409. He didn't have the part to make the repair on June 6, 2025. His note: Removed engine plastic trim and wiper transmission. socket on wiper transmission popped off. reinstalled. recommend new wiper transmission. There were no prior indications or issues with the wipers not functioning properly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
WHILE DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAIN IN A CONSTUCTION ZONE, WIPER QUIT WORKING. Never notified vehicle had a wiper linkage failure issue. Paid for repairs out of pocket and GM won't compensate because a GM Dealer didn't perform repair. See Service Bulletin N192266180-01, thank you!
Related recalls
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
- What is wrong
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers to fail.
- Risk
- Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the wiper module, and repair or replace it as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 21, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020 and GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N212352530.
Recall number 22V165000 · Recall details
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.
- Risk
- Inoperative windshield wipers may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. 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 25302.
Recall number 16V582000 · Recall details
Visibility: defroster/defogger/HVAC system
- What is wrong
- General motors is recalling certain model year 2010 chevrolet equinox and gmc terrain vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 103, "windshield defrosting and defogging systems and with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 101, controls and displays". The software in the center instrument panel can cause the heating, air conditioning, defrost, and radio controls, as well as the panel illumination to become inoperative.
- Risk
- Driving without a functioning defrost system can decrease your visibility under certain driving conditions and could result in a crash without warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the computer module in the center instrument panel free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during january 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463 or at www.gmownercenter.com.
Recall number 09V489000 · Recall details
Questions about the GMC Terrain wipers
Which GMC Terrain years have windshield wiper failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2015 (110 complaints), 2014 (83 complaints) and 2012 (77 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix windshield wiper failure on the GMC Terrain?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $350 (median of 30 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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