There are 4 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2016 GMC Terrainin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I was driving my morning commute to work, when I came upon a stop light. I was pressing the brakes and the brakes failed to engage which caused me to hit a car in front of me. I did not have any warnings that the brakes were defective. The warning on the dash did not indicate that there was anything wrong with brakes. I had my set belt, was going the speed limit and my brakes just gave out. I have injury’s to my arms, shoulder, neck, and head. The other vehicle driver was not hurt. Thank the Lord.
HUSBAND WAS TRAVELING UNDER 25 MPH UP HILL AND TWO VEHICLES AHEAD OF HIM ABRUPTLY STOPPED FOR UNKNOWN REASON WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT DOING THE SAME CAUSING MY HUSBAND HAVING TO HARD BRAKE. AS HE TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES WOULDN'T RESPOND AND CAR KEPT ROLLING RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. THE ABS CONTROLLER FAILED
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE TAKES EXTREMELY LONG TIME TO PROPERLY STOP. BRAKES FEEL SOFT AND FADE WHEN APPLIED AND I HAVE NEARLY STRUCK VEHICLES FROM THE REAR SEVERAL TIMES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT, NO OBVIOUS DEFECT WERE FOUND BY THE MECHANIC. I FEAR THAT THE BRAKES ARE NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT.
I HAD A TEMPORARY BRAKE FAILURE AT 25MPH WITH A HARD BRAKE. I HAD A CAR PULL OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HAD TO HARD BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING UNTIL IT WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND IT FINALLY WORKED WITH A SUDDEN STOP/JOLT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT MADE A LOW SORT OF ALMOST VIBRATION SOUND. I DID NOT FEEL A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL THOUGH. THE BRAKES WORKED WELL BEFORE THAT AND AFTER THAT. IF THE BRAKE WOULD HAVE NOT SUDDENLY GRABBED WHEN THE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR I WOULD HAVE HIT THE CAR. I WAS GOING ABOUT 25MPH. I KNOW WHAT IT SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE TO HAVE WORN BRAKES AND ROTORS. THIS WAS NOT IT. AGAIN IT WAS A TEMPORARY FAILURE AND AFTER THAT THE BRAKES ARE THEIR NORMAL FIRMNESS AND RESPONSIVENESS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT VERY UNPREDICTABLE.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026