2016 GMC TERRAIN Visibility/wiper Problems

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!

When driving in a rainstorm, there was a loud pop, and the driver side windshield wiper stopped moving. After I finally got home I checked the pivot point of the wiper arm and the nut was still tight. I ordered a new wiper motor module, and replaced it. On the old module I discovered one of the arms had disconnected at a pivot point. I understand NOW that GM has an extended warranty for the part so I will be pursuing reimbursement.

My wife was driving on the highway to work when it was raining. Both of the wipers stopped working all of a sudden causing her to not be able to see out of the windshield. When she got home that night I could see that the linkage arm had came off the ball joint.

I have a 2016 GMC Terrain, garage kept and seldom driven, with ONLY 53,260 miles on it. Last night while leaving the movie Theatre in the RAIN my WIPERS stopped working while in motion. I had to drive home in the rain unable to see!!! Looked on NHTSA.gov site and saw where recalls were issued for 2015’s but not 2016’s, although I’m reading numerous complaints for the same occurring on my model suv. Can GMC provide some insight into this?

While driving in the rain, my windshield wipers stopped working. No lights on, nothing showing in my GMC app. I've noticed many others with this same issue, and am aware of the recall on the 2014-2015 models. GMC should extend the recall to cover the 2016 as well since this is a known issue.

I was driving while it was raining. My windshield wipers were on and functioning without issue. I heard a noise and my windshield wipers had stopped moving and now they do not work. I called several places to schedule an appt for my car/wipers to be assessed and repaired. I was told by 3 different shops that a recall had been issued for the year adjacent to my car and my issue sounded like the recall issue.

Was coming back from a hospital and it started to rain and had the wipers on and all of a sudden they stopped working! When I got home I tried to see if it was a fuse and it wasn’t! Called my mechanic who looked at it today and I needed a whole new wiper mtr/ w/ linkage! That was a road hazard and never should have happened on my GMC Cost me $430 to repair and I feel like GMC should reimburse me!

A severe rain down pour started, I turned on my front windshield wipers, and they swiped about twice, than stopped completely, in a vertical position. I could not see, and had to try to get to the side of the road, to pull over to safety. This was extremely dangerous, and from what I am reading, happens frequently to GMC Terrains. Apparently, there was a recall for 2013-2015, seems the 2016 needs added!! No warning lights are on in the car. No failure report via my GMC app.

It was raining so turned on the windshield wipers while driving home and they just stopped working. I had to stop driving until the rain stopped.

Both windshield wipers completely stopped without any warning in a heavy down pour while driving. I could not see to pull over or continue driving.

I turned my wipers on when it started raining. And noticed that my wipers were not working.

Driver's side windshield wiper inoperable when turned on during a pouring rain while traveling at 70 MPH!!! Passenger side worked but drivers did not.

2016 GMC Terrain front windshield wipers failed completely during a major rainstorm downpour event. Visibility during 05/21/2022 drive on Interstate 94 was immediately compromised and my son had to pull over to avoid potential collision. Diagnosis indicates wiper motor is still operational, both front wipers are still coupled/ganged-together and move in unison, but can now be moved freely by hand, indicating wipers are de-coupled from motor. This is the same failure mode that prompted NHSTA to push for a GM recall of 2013, and then later 2014 & 2015 GMC Terrain vehicles. There is a growing list of 2016 GMC Terrain owners reporting this same failure mode online. NHTSA & GM should take a serious look at this before someone is seriously injured.

While driving in rain, I turned wipers on. The rain turned heavy and I put wiper setting to faster mode. The wipers suddenly failed and stayed on windshield. The wipers failed to work in any setting. I pulled car to the side of road waited for the rain to pass before driving.

wipers failed during storm they became disconnected and i had to use my 4 ways and pull over in traffic

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH in inclement weather, the windshield wipers stopped working as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited until the rain slowed down and drove home safely. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with a wiper module failure. The contact was informed that the wiper module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

Mileage: 145,000

Upon traveling west on M50 in Monroe county the vehicles windshield wipers stopped working during a heavy storm. My visibility was gone. I had to veer off onto the shoulder of the road. I was unable to see out of my windshield during the windshield wiper failure. I got out of the vehicle and smoke was coming near the windshield wiper arms at the cowl vents. My windshield wipers were completely off as if the wiper transmission arm had broke. The windshield wiper motor was dead and the ball joint for the transmission had fallen off. This is a major safety concern. HIGH RISK of a head on collision and/or accident involving a pedestrian, structure and environment off road.

When I purchased the vehicle (2/2021), wipers were one thing indicated that was fixed, since then, they have gone out 3 more times, the first time (3/2021) the motor was replaced, the second time (10/2021) the wiper transmission was replaced, now they are not working again (2/2022), and I'm at a loss on what to do.

Windshield wiper broke.

While driving in heavy rain and traffic the front wipers quit working. Lives were put at risk by being unable see because of the heavy rain. This just happen about 5 hours ago and I have not had time to look at the problem. I almost had a panic attack !!!!!!!!!!!This is not fun, this is dangerous !!!!!!!!!!!

Wipers stop working during a storm. You can hear the motor but the blades do not move.?

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 3 MONTHS THAT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR. I AM NOT SURE WHY THE 2016 TERRAINS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED IN THE US, ONLY IN CANADA! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD! WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE, SOMEONE SENSELESSLY DYING IN ORDER FOR GMC TO REPAIR/REPLACE THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS OR FOR THE NHTSA TO MANDATE A RECALL??????

Mileage: 63,248

ON JANUARY 25, 2021, MY 16-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY TERRAIN DOWN THE MAIN ROAD IN OUR TOWN, IT WAS DARK AND IT WAS STARTING TO RAIN. SHE TURNED ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND AFTER MAKING ONE PASS THEY STOPPED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THIS SCARED HER TO DEATH, SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND CALL ME AND WAIT TILL THE RAIN STOPPED BUT HAD EITHER ONE OF US BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH THIS COULD HAVE ENDED DIFFERENTLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

Mileage: 112,000

UPDATE: PLASTIC WIPER JOINTS REPLACED 3 TIMES, QUIT AFTER 3 DAYS. COMPLETE WIPER ASSEMBLY REPLACED, QUIT AGAIN. THE ASSEMBLY WAS THE "NEW" VERSION, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN ORIGINAL, STILL STOPPED MID USE. GMC NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PART IMMEDIATELY.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. I CAN HEAR THE MOTOR WORKING BUT THE ARMS DOD NOT MOVE.

Mileage: 50,288

WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM OUT OF TOWN DURING A DOWNPOUR, THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED. AFTER WAITING OUT THE STORM, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THE WIPER ASSEMBLY AND FOUND THAT THE ARM(HELD ON BY A SMALL, PLASTIC PIECE) HAD POPPED OFF ON ONE SIDE. HE WAS ABLE TO REATTACH IT, AND IT WAS FINE FOR A FEW DAYS UNTIL AGAIN, WHILE TRAVELING DURING A RAINSTORM, THEY STOPPED AGAIN. I WAS DRIVING BOTH TIMES AND AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME AND HAD TO STOP IN TRAFFIC(WE WERE ON A COUNTRY ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER). WE WERE TOLD BY A LOCAL DEALER THAT THE PARTS SHOULD BE REPLACED, BUT THAT THE ASSEMBLY HADN'T CHANGED AND IT WOULD KEEP HAPPENING. WE ALSO FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE.

Mileage: 48,000

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY (WITH MY CHILDREN) DURING A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR, WHEN MY WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY SEEING TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER MY CAR TO A SAFE PLACE WITHOUT WRECKING. IT WAS VERY SCARY FOR ALL OF US.(NOT TO MENTION TORNADO SIRENS GOING OFF AT THIS TIME.) SINCE THEN I HAVE REPLACED THE FUSE AND THE RELAY AND THEY STILL DO NOT WORK, SO I THINK IT MAY BE THE MOTOR. THIS CAR ISN'T OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. THIS WITH THE OTHER PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD SINCE PURCHASING THE TERRAIN MAKE ME WISH I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT. NOW WE ARE STUCK NOT BEING ABLE TO DRIVE IT WHEN IT RAINS UNTIL I CAN SAVE UP THE MONEY TO FIX IT. THANKS A LOT GM. *TR

Mileage: 89,000

2016 GMC TERRAIN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE LINK BALL SOCKET IN WIPER TRANSMISSION. *LD THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE ASSESSED FOR THE KNOWN FAILURE WITHOUT BEING CHARGED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. *JS

WHILE DRIVING IN A HEAVY SNOW STORM THE WIPER BLADES STOPPED WORKING AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF USE. THEY STOPPED ENTIRELY, NO MOVEMENT AT ALL.

Mileage: 150,000

THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING SEVERE INCLEMENT WEATHER; ALMOST CAUSING A WRECK DUE TO THE INABILITY TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY.

THE BALL JOINTS IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE CORRODED OVER TIME AND FELL OUT OF THE SOCKET. THIS CAUSED BOTH OF THE WIPERS TO STOP OPERATING WHILE USE IN RAIN CONDITIONS. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CONTINUE TO BE INOPERABLE.

Mileage: 96,000

VEHICLE WINDSHIELD FLUID PUMP STOPPED WORKING AT ABOUT 49K MILES. THE WIPERS STILL WORKED, BUT WHEN TRIGGERING THE FULLY-FILLED WINDSHIELD FLUID, NOTHING SPRAYED ONTO WINDSHIELD AND COULD NOT HEAR THE MOTOR KICKING ON. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR WAS IN BOTH STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A POSSIBLE LEAK WHERE THE MOTOR IS LOCATED. OPEN INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA19005.

Mileage: 49,000

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY FOGS UP WITH OR WITHOUT DEFROST/DEFOG ON. WHEN IT'S DARK OUT ITS VERY DANGEROUS! TRIED EVERY COMBINATION TO RESOLVE ISSUE WITH NO LUCK. SEEMS THE AIR CONDITIONER IS BLOWING COLD AIR ON THE WINDSHIELD EVEN WITH THE TEMPERATURE TURNED UP. TWICE RAN OFF ROAD ONTO SHOULDER BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE! LUCKILY DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING OR ANYONE! ... IT HAPPENS EVERY MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 20,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. SERRA BUICK GMC CADILLAC (LOCATED AT 12300 30 MILE RD, WASHINGTON, MI 48095, (586) 331-2540) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED VIA PHONE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

Mileage: 89,000

ON THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019, I WAS DRIVING MY 2016 GMC TERRAIN ALONG PENNSYLVANIA STATE ROUTE 420 IN SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, DELAWARE COUNTY. ROAD SURFACE CONDITIONS WERE VERY WET WITH POOLING OF WATER. IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY AND FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS DOWN TO ABOUT 75 FEET. ONE SECOND THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE WORKING AND THE NEXT SECOND, BOTH CEASED TO FUNCTION IN MID-WIPE POSITION AT FULL SPEED. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND INTO A BANK PARKING LOT. I DID NOTICE THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING, IT SOUNDED AS IF THE WIPER MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING. THAT NOISE STOPPED AS WELL AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE. I CHECKED THE FUSE AND IT APPEARED TO BE OK BUT I DID REPLACE IT YET THE WIPERS STILL WOULD NOT ACTIVATE.

Mileage: 54,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE FRONT WIPER BLADES FAILED TO STAY ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REPLACE THE WIPER BLADES. THE CONTACT SALSO STATED THAT SHE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAITED UNTIL THE RAIN SETTLED TO SAFELY DRIVE HOME. THE CONTACT CALLED ROSS DOWNING BUICK GMC (LOCATED AT 1301 S MORRISON BLVD, HAMMOND, LA 70403, (985) 269-0701) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

Mileage: 58,000

WHEN DRIVING 65MPH IN AN INTENSE RAINSTORM, WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE UP POSITION, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAD TO QUICKLY TURN ON MY 4 WAYS AND TRY TO FIND THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO PULL OVER (WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT OF MY WINDSHIELD) ON A VERY BUSY ROADWAY. THIS IS WHILE 7 MONTHS PREGNANT WITH ANOTHER BABY IN THE CAR. THE MOTOR RUNS BUT THE WIPERS ARE COMPLETELY DEAD SO I KNOW IT ISN'T A FUSE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS!

Mileage: 49,242

FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2019 THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY, TRAVELING THROUGH A MAJOR THUNDERSTORM WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE COST RELATED TO THIS DEFECTIVE PART WAS $1156.98. I UNDERSTAND THIS PART IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA AND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE IN CANADA. I'M CONTACTING THE NHTSA SO THAT MY VEHICLE MAY BE ADDED TO YOUR DATA CONCERNING THE 2016 TERRAIN AND THE WIPER MOTOR AND HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A RECALL HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. *BF

Mileage: 45,000

WHILE DRIVING ON A ILLINOIS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING HEAVY RAIN THE WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE EXTENDED POSITIION PARTICALLY BLOCKING MY VIEW OF THE HIGHWAY. I PULLED OVER AND COULD ONLY RETURN THE WIPER BLADES TO THE HOME POSITION AND THEY WOULD NOT WORK AT THIS POINT. TOOK TO MY DEALER AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIPER TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. GMC HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON EARLIER MODEL YEARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SAME AS BEING REPORTED ON RECALLED VEHICLES. HOWEVER, THE 2016 MODEL YEAR OF THE GMC TERRAIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AT THIS TIME. FROM RESEARCH I HAVE DONE, THE WIPER TRANSMISSION ON MY VEHICLE IS THE SAME DESIGN AS THE VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. ALTHOUGH AN ACCIDENT WAS NOT A PART OF THIS FAILURE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN AS I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME AND IT WAS RAINING HARD. COPY OF DEALER INVOICE FOR WORK PERFORMED IS ATTACHED WHICH SHOWS THAT THIS WAS A WIPER TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS OF OTHER FAILURES FOR THE 2016 MODELS AND WANTED TO ADD MY FAILURE TO THE LIST.

Mileage: 51,000