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GMC · NHTSA safety record

2017 GMC Acadia

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 704 safety complaints about the 2017 GMC Acadia with the US government. Of those, 10 describe a crash, 2 mention a fire, 15 people were injured and no death is recorded. 4 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 236 complaints, 34% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 33,000 miles, the median across the 381 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers September 2016 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

704 complaints on file

704

Complaints

10

Describe a crash

2

Mention fire

15

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints fell 32% year on year: 63 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 93 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 236 · 34%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 193 · 27%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 167 · 24%
AIR BAGS 76 · 11%
ENGINE 61 · 9%
STEERING 34 · 5%
SERVICE BRAKES 33 · 5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 25 · 4%
LANE DEPARTURE 17 · 2%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 13 · 2%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 13 · 2%
SEAT BELTS 13 · 2%
0 96 192

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 704.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 120.

128 96 64 32
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2017 GMC ACADIA, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 15.0% 16.4%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

4 on file

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

23V334000 · May 10, 2023

The defect
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.

General Motors, LLC · up to 995,085 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

18V358000 · May 31, 2018

The defect
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 LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
The risk
A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

General Motors LLC · up to 895 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

17V516000 · August 22, 2017

The defect
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 may fracture and separate while driving.
The risk
If the front right intermediate drive shaft assembly separates while driving, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. If the assembly separates while parked on a grade, without the park brake engaged, the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a vehicle roll-away.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right front intermediate drive shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17329.

General Motors LLC · up to 2,905 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

16V802000 · November 4, 2016

The defect
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 April 19, 2016, to April 22, 2016. The front brake calipers may have a torn or misaligned caliper piston seal which may allow brake fluid to leak.
The risk
If there is a brake fluid leak, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake calipers, replacing the brake caliper assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 16096.

General Motors LLC · up to 1,844 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

4 injured · crash · towed

We had a head on collision on 4/26/23. The other at fault vehicle airbags did in fact deploy and we believe ours should have also deployed but Didn’t. We have dash cam footage to see the impact and at that speed, one would anticipate airbags deploying.

NHTSA complaint 11520363. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · towed · 150,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while parked at her work, she had attempted to start the vehicle and was unable. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The contact had smelled the strong odor of gasoline from the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated a co-worker had looked underneath the vehicle and confirmed the leak of gasoline. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the same independent mechanic, who advised that the fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired.

NHTSA complaint 11724860, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 4,500 miles

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE IN A VERY SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT AND I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE OUR AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE WERE TRAVELING ON A DIAGONAL STREET IN CHICAGO AND HE WAS GOING STRAIGHT. MY RIGHT FRONT FENDER HIT HIS RIGHT FRONT FENDER. HIS AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BUT OURS DID NOT. THE ER TOLD ME IT WAS LIKELY I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT COULD TAKE UP TO NINE MONTHS TO HEAL FROM HAVING WHIPLASH IN MY SHOULDERS AND NECK. MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A CONTUSION. WE HIT REALLY HARD I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25 MPH AND HE WAS PROBABLY DOING 45 MPH. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. MY AIR BAGS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE BUT I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint 11222811. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed · 12,000 miles

THE VEHICLES BRAKES BECAME DEFECTIVE AND STOPPED WORKING WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint 11083806. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

48,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear after parking in the McDonald's drive thru. The vehicle was shifted into gear and resumed normal operations after an extended period. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle operated as designed, and no repairs were needed. The failed had occurred in 2022, and the gear shifter and the drive shaft were replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

NHTSA complaint 11767738. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Bad thermostat causing power steering to go out and lose AC.

NHTSA complaint 11766184. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
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 unsafe and should be handled on a recall. I am now without a vehicle for who knows how long?

NHTSA complaint 11760081. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
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 consumption.

NHTSA complaint 11751463. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
Something inside the wheel started smoking and my gmc app displayed low break fluid. I pulled over and had someone come out two days later. The breakpad had uneven wear and the caliper had a broken seal on it which in turn tore the caliper up! This was not a safe situation to have with 4 kids in the car. This car has been one problem after another !

NHTSA complaint 11751467. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

TIRES
P235/65r18, 106v 3 of the 4 tires are bubbled out lose air and are constantly feeling as if they are hydroplaning with lack of ice water or snow, constantly having to fill the tires with air. One has popped completely and am driving on a spare tire. It is unsafe to drive, 33 of the 4 tpms sensors have quit working as well:

NHTSA complaint 11751472. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the GMC Acadia

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 9 1 —
2025 65 0 —
2024 61 0 —
2023 43 4 —
2022 49 3 —
2021 149 2 —
2020 105 6 —
2019 386 2 —
2018 396 2 —
2016 236 4 —
2015 243 4 —
2014 462 6 —
2013 135 3 —
2012 296 5 —
2011 269 5 —
2010 343 4 1

Other 2017 GMC models

Every GMC on this site — 149 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst