2017 GMC Terrain Engine Problems

Have had to replace the VVT solenoids several times within a year spam. Had to replace the rear main seal because it blew out due to carbon build up. Having issues with excessive oil consumption. Now the vehicle just started with: going from a stop position to accelerating at low speeds the vehicle stalls and dies. I want GM to take accountability and fix this issue as it is a safety issue to myself and everyone on the road.

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that after the vehicle was taken to a local car wash, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence; however, the next day, the vehicle hesitated while starting. The message "Stabilizer - Power to Engine Reduced" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine possibly needed to be replaced because the engine failed to turn over. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine was blown. The contact was informed that the engine and the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost and remained with the local dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,750. The VIN was not available.

On January 31, 2026, while driving on the highway, my 2017 GMC Terrain suddenly began shaking as if it was going to stall. Thankfully, I managed to exit the interstate before the vehicle lost power. Luckily, when this happened, it "only" blocked traffic on a side road. The Terrain was towed to my garage. The mechanic called to inform me that the vehicle was out of oil -even though it was not due for servicing, nor did a “check oil" warning appear. He noted that this was not the first time he had seen this problem occur with this particular make and model: the PCV valve had frozen due to recent cold weather, which led to the rear main seal fracturing, causing oil leaking. In addition, the manifold had also cracked. He explained that repairs would be costly given the labor needed to remove the transmission and perform other related tasks. He recommended that I "Google" the problem to gain an understanding of the time involved to complete this repair. My research corroborated that this was a very labor-intensive undertaking. More concerning was discovering an abundance of cases documenting this failure -as well as class action lawsuits- which underscores the fact that GM knows about this issue but refuses to address it. I am not sure why there hasn't been a recall—though perhaps that's a question for people much smarter than I am. Now, after spending thousands of dollars, I have a vehicle with an oil life monitoring system that doesn't function as intended—and worse, I know this could happen again.

Rear main seal blow out

Traveling on the expressway, engine made wearing noise, reduced engine power and complete engine failure while driving. Rear main seal blowout due to a defective PCV system freezing. It is a known issue for GM2.4L engine especially in cold weather leading to massive oil loss and catastrophic engine damage. This has been confirmed by a GM authorized dealer.

[XXX], our 2017 Terrain Denali displayed code: “Low Oil/Shut Engine Off” so had it towed to Laura Buick/GMC Colllinsville, IL. Laura confirmed the issue was blown rear seal due to design of intake cover and PCV. They checked with aftermarket warranty for VIN [XXX] , warranty contract number [XXX] who said it was not a covered issue. We called Warranty folks also and were told it was an “external issue” and not covered. Appealed to GM Customer Service who said VIN was not covered. The vehicle has approximately 83,000 miles and we referenced PIP5093B and Special Coverage Program number SB-10057977, and Special Coverage Adjustment 16118 Excessive Engine Oil Consumption. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

This car burns 1 quart of 5w-30 synthetic blend oil every 200 miles! The pcv valve has been cleaned numerous times and this does not affect the burning oil issue and yes this can be inspected upon request. Safety put at risk you ask, this is a ticking timebomb ready to ruin the engine due to burning oil, leaves me stranded in my rural town for fear of mechanical breakdown, need to carry two 5 quart containers of oil, and dipstick needs to be checked every 100 miles. I have scheduled appt with GMC dealer in Chadron NE for mid January 2026. There are no warning lamps or messages that appear and this problem has been going on since August 2025, bought the car February 2025 from Chevy dealer in above mentioned town. KBB has a trade in value for this car at 1500 and private sale at 1900 for a 2017 Terrain SLT! Unbelievable!!!!!!

I was driving back from out of state and all the sudden the engine just got loud. So I pulled over and check oil levels. Except there is no access to the transmission oil. The only way to check this is to remove the front driverside tire, take a bolt out and see if any oil drips out. This is insane that there is no dip stick. I am taking it to a mechanic on Monday but to not have quick access to this is wild.

GM recently recalled over 500,000 car engines. The warning signs to look out for was a “knocking” sound coming from the engine. I had recently experienced the same issues that the recalled car engines were experiencing. I went to get it checked out and my mechanic said there were chunks of metal in the engine. The GM engine recall should include 2017 GMC TERRAINS SLT. If I had not got it looked at, it would have caused an accident that would have been unpreventable due to the warning signs of only the knocking sound. No other lights had came on in the car. Please consider putting this make and model in the engine recall! If someone reaches out to me, I have the name of my mechanic that can verify the engine issue of my GMC.

I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with my 2017 GMC Terrain, which has experienced severe engine failure due to excessive oil consumption. I purchased this vehicle with the expectation of reliability and durability, yet at only 80,000 miles, the engine seized without warning, rendering my vehicle completely inoperable. I have consistently maintained my Terrain according to the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule. However, I recently discovered that the engine was consuming oil at an alarming rate of 1 quart per 1,000 miles, which ultimately led to catastrophic failure. There were no warning lights or clear indicators of low oil, making it impossible for me to prevent the damage. After researching, I have found that numerous other GMC Terrain owners have reported similar excessive oil consumption issues, indicating a potential widespread defect in this engine design. As a loyal GM customer, I am extremely disappointed that a well-maintained vehicle would suffer such a failure at a relatively low mileage. Given the severity of this issue, I request that GM take responsibility for this defect by covering the full cost of engine repair or replacement. A vehicle should not require a complete engine overhaul at 80,000 miles due to a known design flaw. Please provide a prompt resolution to this matter. If GM is unwilling to address this issue, I will have no choice but to explore other options, including filing a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and seeking legal counsel. I hope to resolve this matter amicably and look forward to your timely response.

As per several other complaints on the GMC terrain of particular years my vehicle has had a rear main seal leak, a blown engine terrible amounts of oil consumption and now the second engine has malfunctioned. And made the vehicle inoperable. The safety of myself and others was put at risk as the vehicle lost all power and cut off. The problem has had class action lawsuits filed. The first time the engine failed no warnings came on the second time a reduced engine power came on that we had no idea existed. The vehicle consumed oil very quickly, with in days the oil could need replaced. Oil consumption has been going on for years. Even after replacing engine.

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the contact was informed that the engine oil levels were low, and oil was added to the engine by the mechanic. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed the failure persisted. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact stated that the oil level was low, and the engine was not consuming oil. The contact also noticed oil leaking from the bottom of the engine compartment. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

DETAILS: Frozen/clogged PCV in the intake manifold caused the rear main seal to burst due to crankcase pressure, leading to complete engine failure. The 2.4 EcoTech engine must be entirely replaced. GMC refuses to act despite being well aware of this consistent issue. There is a class action lawsuit, service bulletins and multiple examples of this scenario all over the internet. RESOLUTION NEEDED ASAP. - 1/20/25: While driving home from my night shift at highway speeds, exhaust fumes entered the cabin, followed by a loud pop and sudden engine failure. The check engine light never came on and the vehicle would not restart. After towing to the dealership, they confirmed what occurred and noted that it happened on the coldest night of the year, consistent with the well-documented defect in the 2.4L EcoTech engine. They estimated replacement cost can run up to $10,000 and is my responsibility, advising that GM takes no liability for this known issue. This is not an isolated incident for this engine. GM is fully aware of this defect evidenced by multiple service bulletins, including TSB GMC 19-NA-021, which explicitly states this issue is known for ALL 2010-2017 GMC Terrains. Despite this when I called GM for a resolution, I was told my VIN is somehow excluded, making me ineligible for assistance. Instead of taking responsibility, GM directed me to NHTSA, claiming they alone can update affected VINs. This is NHTSA and GM’s failure, not mine. - This situation is completely unacceptable. GM must immediately resolve this issue in one of the following ways: 1. Full engine replacement at no cost to me. 2. Complete payoff of my remaining loan balance. Additionally, NHTSA must provide an explanation for why my VIN is not included in their list of affected vehicles and correct this oversight immediately. - I will not accept further delays, deflection, or excuses. GM must take full responsibility for this failure and respond immediately with a resolution.

While driving home from work in single digit temperatures on Monday 01/20/25 the engine of my 2017 GMC Terrain stalled without warning at a traffic light. I was able to restart the vehicle and drive it the 1.5 miles home. When I exited the vehicle I noticed a trail of oil leading up the driveway into the garage. Oil continued to leak from the vehicle in the garage, and we had it towed the next day. Righter’s Auto Repair found the rear main seal had blown due to a frozen PCV system that GMC is well aware of and subject to TSB 5093c.The vehicle only has 64,856 miles.

While driving on a county highway during an extreme cold front, the vehicle experienced catastrophic engine failure due to low oil pressure. There was traffic that was impacted by this issue and the occupants (mother and child) were stranded in dangerous temps. This issue has been confirmed by a mechanic shop the vehicle was towed to. No warning from vehicle given, regular oil changes and vehicle maintenance performed. It is my understanding this is a known issue with this motor as far as oil consumption, faulty piston and piston ring assemblies and there have been class actions filed for these vehicles.

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact discovered that there was an oil leak. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence and the contact self-diagnosed the vehicle and was able to confirm that there was an oil leak, and the oil leak was coming from the rear main seal. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

For a year we have had to check to the oil weekly and add oil due to the vehicle burning oil so quickly. The past month we have had to check it daily and add oil. We do regular routine oil changes and have had to get them before the next one is due. Recently when driving the “oil pressure low stop engine” light has been coming on almost daily. The oil change company has reported to us that it is due to the 2.4 Eco tech motor. You can smell the oil burning through the vents inside the car.

March 1, 2025, I was driving from Charlotte, NC east bound on highway 40 towards Wilmington and all of a sudden my car just stopped while I was in the left lane. I was able to cruise over to the right shoulder and park my car in front of a sign that read exit 298 a few feet ahead. From there I was on the highway about two hours trying to get a tow truck to tow my 2017 GMC Terrain to the nearest GMC dealership which so happened to be 10 miles away. Which the tow never came. My step father drove about 100 miles west to pick me and my daughters up. All night I was on the phone with one tow truck company after another and every one kept saying they couldn’t find my car. In the morning I called another tow and he was able to find my car in the same location I left it. It was a Sunday so I had to wait until Monday to follow up with GMC Thompson. They advised I needed engine work. I was told I needed, timing chains, compression, gear bolts. However my car had just been repaired in November 2024, because my car wouldn’t start up after work. GMC in Charlotte Liberty GMC they replaced the gasket, chains, pipes, pistons, bolts, screws, seals, valves, bearings, actuators, tensioners, manifold, I mean the engine was rebuilt basically. It Thompson GMC about month to repair the vehicle because they were waiting for parts. The last week Lisa my representative was able to get me a loner car. I’ve been driving the car for about almost 3 weeks and I’m still very Leary of it. Terrible experience and I don’t see any recalls for my year make and model but I believe I’m probably not the only one with this year make and model that has gone through this. There’s two dates so I’m not sure which date to put.

Vehicle repeatedly stalled while on highway, there were no warning lights on dash or anything indicating of an issue prior. Took vehicle to repair shop and after thorough investigation they reported that there was no oil in engine despite dashboard monitor registering oil life was fine. Oil changes are always completed regularly and on time for vehicle. Mechanic said that this is a known issue with GMC for this specific model where oil is consumed at an irregular rate. There is a lawsuit against gmc for oil consumption that includes years 2010-2014 where gmc was at fault however the lawsuit was filed before the 2017 model came out. It was later discovered that years ,2014-2017 also have this known defect however a recall has yet to be placed. Being a common symptom of this issue is frequent vehicle stall this really should be a recall. After speaking with a couple of other gmc dealerships they were aware it was a frequent issue as well but are uncooperative when it comes to the cost of repairs, an entirely new motor is needed to be replaced now for the vehicle being driven without oil. After several calls with a GMC representative I was advised to file a complaint with NHTSA to have you guys complete an investigation into the issie

Oil goes back into motor blowing motor so causing you to get a new motor