GMC Acadia: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
GMC Acadia problems by model year, from 3,868 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2023 (56%, 23 drivetrain complaints), 2019 (55%, 205 drivetrain complaints) and 2022 (53%, 23 drivetrain complaints). 13 of the 14 GMC Acadia years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
Best years on this measure: 2016 (33%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2016 (33%) to 2017 (48%), up 15 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2017 drew the most drivetrain complaints (287 of 1,351 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every GMC Acadia year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Acadia | elevated | 40% | 122 | 348 | 10/14 | 4 |
| 2011 Acadia | elevated | 37% | 81 | 280 | 11/14 | 5 |
| 2012 Acadia | elevated | 37% | 91 | 302 | 12/14 | 5 |
| 2013 Acadia | high | 45% | 46 | 140 | 9/14 | 3 |
| 2014 Acadia | high | 45% | 94 | 467 | 8/14 | 6 |
| 2015 Acadia | elevated | 34% | 44 | 261 | 13/14 | 4 |
| 2016 Acadia | no elevated signal | 33% | 32 | 236 | 14/14 | 4 |
| 2017 Acadia | high | 48% | 287 | 704 | 6/14 | 4 |
| 2018 Acadia | high | 49% | 189 | 396 | 5/14 | 2 |
| 2019 Acadia | high | 55% | 205 | 386 | 2/14 | 2 |
| 2020 Acadia | high | 49% | 49 | 105 | 4/14 | 6 |
| 2021 Acadia | high | 47% | 65 | 149 | 7/14 | 2 |
| 2022 Acadia | high | 53% | 23 | 49 | 3/14 | 3 |
| 2023 Acadia | high | 56% | 23 | 45 | 1/14 | 4 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the GMC Acadia years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
GMC Acadia transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns on the GMC Acadia involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 31 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2014 | 14V092000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2014 |
| Aug 2017 | 17V516000 | power train: driveline: driveshaft | 2017–2018 |
| May 2018 | 18V358000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2017–2018 |
| Oct 2020 | 20V639000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2020 |
| Oct 2020 | 20V668000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2019–2020 |
| Jun 2021 | 21V422000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2021 |
| Jun 2022 | 22V446000 | fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly | 2022 |
| Feb 2023 | 23V043000 | power train: driveline: driveshaft | 2023 |
| Mar 2023 | 23V172000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2023 |
22 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2010 | 10V375000 | seat belts | 2010 |
| Apr 2012 | 12V151000 | visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages | 2011–2012 |
| Mar 2014 | 14V118000 | air bags: side/window | 2010–2013 |
| Apr 2014 | 14V223000 | electrical system: instrument cluster/panel | 2014 |
| May 2014 | 14V266000 | seat belts | 2010–2014 |
| Oct 2014 | 14V614000 | electrical system | 2014 |
| Jan 2015 | 15V044000 | tires | 2015 |
| Jun 2015 | 15V415000 | structure: body: hatchback/liftgate | 2010–2012 |
| Sep 2015 | 15V609000 | visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor | 2016 |
| Dec 2015 | 15V833000 | seats | 2016 |
| Nov 2016 | 16V802000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2017 |
| Jul 2020 | 20V446000 | air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator | 2020 |
| Nov 2020 | 20V684000 | tires | 2020 |
| Feb 2021 | 21V115000 | tires | 2019–2020 |
| Apr 2021 | 21V246000 | air bags: critical fasteners | 2011–2016 |
| Sep 2021 | 21V702000 | air bags | 2022 |
| Apr 2022 | 22V246000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2015 |
| Jun 2022 | 22V427000 | suspension: rear | 2022 |
| Sep 2022 | 22V708000 | equipment: other: labels | 2023 |
| Sep 2022 | 22V709000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2020–2021 |
| May 2023 | 23V334000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2014–2017 |
| Oct 2023 | 23V681000 | visibility: windshield | 2023 |
What the free pages leave out on the GMC Acadia
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the GMC Acadia
What are the worst years for the GMC Acadia?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst GMC Acadia years are the 2023 (56% of relevant complaints, high), the 2019 (55% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2022 (53% of relevant complaints, high). 13 of 14 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the GMC Acadia?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best GMC Acadia years are the 2016 (33%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the GMC Acadia have transmission problems?
In some years. Across the 14 scored years, 1,351 of 3,004 relevant NHTSA complaints (45%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is power train. The years with an elevated share are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Is the GMC Acadia reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 13 of 14 GMC Acadia years we score have an elevated complaint share and 1 do not. Pooled across those years, 45% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the GMC Acadia?
Yes. NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the GMC Acadia years we track, out of 31 in total: 22V446000 (Jun 2022, 2022), 23V043000 (Feb 2023, 2023), 23V172000 (Mar 2023, 2023), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.