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2017 GMC Acadia: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
48%
286 of 592 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

48% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2017 GMC Acadia are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 61% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 110 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 41%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
286
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
702
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
10 crashes · 15 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN235 · 33%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM193 · 27%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER167 · 24%
AIR BAGS76 · 11%
ENGINE61 · 9%
SERVICE BRAKES37 · 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 2017

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

POWER TRAIN08/07/2018CRASH1 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, IT INADVERTENTLY ROLLED AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE OCCUPANT WAS STRUCK BY THE DOOR AND THE VEHICLE RAN OVER THE OCCUPANT'S FOOT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL AWAY AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VE…
POWER TRAIN08/27/2026
My Shift To Park senor come on often and wouldn't let me turn the vehicle off. I have taken to dealership for repair. Long wait and because parts are back ordered due to numerous vehicles having this same problem. This has left me stranded in my vehicle and not able to turn it off and leave the vehicle. I feel this is…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE07/20/2026
My Acadia went into limp Mode displaying low power mode on the screen and wouldn’t start for a couple days after. Lights started illuminating on the dash as abs, traction control, and stanilitrack, then check engine light came on and my gmc app displayed code p2138. I have had since low power and extremely high gas con…

Three of 286 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)

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft …
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaC…
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2017 Cadillac XT5 vehicles manufactured April 16, 2016, to May 9, 2016, and 2017 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured …

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

Before you buy a 2017 GMC Acadia

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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. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.