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GMC Acadia Problems by Year

Which GMC Acadia years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

2024 GMC Acadia
Photo: Deathpallie325, CC BY-SA 4.0

Owners have filed 3,293 complaints with NHTSA about the GMC Acadia from 2012 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the transmission and drivetrain, the electrical system and the air bags. The years with the most complaints are 2017, 2014 and 2018.

Years to avoid

2017

The most complaints compared with other Acadia years.

Safer bets

201320202021

Clearly fewer complaints than a typical Acadia year. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

2012296201313520144632015243201623620177072018399201938820201062021156202252202350202462

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2012 AcadiaAbout average2965Steering
2013 AcadiaOne of the better years1353Electrical system
2014 AcadiaWorse than most years4636Air bags
2015 AcadiaAbout average2434Air bags
2016 AcadiaAbout average2364Air bags
2017 AcadiaAmong the worst years7074Transmission and drivetrain
2018 AcadiaWorse than most years3992Transmission and drivetrain
2019 AcadiaWorse than most years3882Transmission and drivetrain
2020 AcadiaOne of the better years1066Engine and cooling
2021 AcadiaOne of the better years1562Electrical system
2022 AcadiaToo new to judge523Engine and cooling
2023 AcadiaToo new to judge504Engine and cooling
2024 AcadiaToo new to judge620Brakes and stability control

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GMC Acadia questions

What are the worst GMC Acadia years?

Compared with its other years, the Acadia years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2017. The most reported problem area across all years is the transmission and drivetrain.

What are the best GMC Acadia years?

The Acadia years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2013, 2020 and 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.

What are the most common GMC Acadia problems?

Across 2012 to 2024, owners report problems with the transmission and drivetrain, the electrical system and the air bags most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the GMC Acadia have?

NHTSA lists 45 recalls across the 2012 to 2024 Acadia, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.