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2010 GMC Acadia: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
40%
122 of 307 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

40% of relevant owner complaints on the 2010 GMC Acadia are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 54% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 41 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 35%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
122
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
348
this model year
Fires reported
8
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
5 crashes · 11 injuries

Complaints by component

STEERING148 · 43%
ENGINE74 · 21%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM45 · 13%
POWER TRAIN43 · 12%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING24 · 7%
AIR BAGS17 · 5%

The years either side

2010
40%
122 of 348
2011
37%
81 of 280
2012
37%
91 of 302
2013
45%
46 of 140
2014
45%
94 of 467
2015
34%
44 of 261
2016
33%
32 of 236
2017
48%
286 of 702
2018
49%
187 of 392
2019
55%
202 of 382
2020
48%
46 of 100
2021
47%
64 of 148
2022
55%
23 of 48
2023
55%
21 of 42

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other midsize SUVs with no elevated signal in 2010

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE06/18/2026FIRE4 INJURED
The contact owns a 2010 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact became aware of white smoke coming from the vents. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact and m…
ENGINE09/08/2025FIRE1 INJURED
The contact owned a 2010 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, white and black smoke had leaked into the interior cabin through the air vents. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle had caught on fire under the hood. The contact pulled over to the side of the road when the vehic…
ENGINE08/05/2025
Shift to park issue known recall issue in other GMC Acadias ... Vehicle will not lock into park and can NOT remove key anymore electrical still runs in vehicle causing the battery to drain ... Now have to force vehicle to shift into Park as best as possible but still does not fully lock into Park gear anymore ... I was…

Three of 122 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (4)

SEAT BELTS
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufacture…
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In…
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse …

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2010 GMC Acadia

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.