Reliable Auto DB

2021 GMC Acadia reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2021 GMC Acadia has 149 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 17 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Acadia years here — over the median of the other years, which is 11. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Camera and Hoses and fittings.

2012 GMC Acadia
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

149

Per year

17

Recalls

2

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (38 of 149), then Engine (29) and Fuel and propulsion system (24). Those filings include 7 that report a crash and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Acadia has 104 complaints, 9 per year, and the 2022 has 49 complaints, 7 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 GMC Acadia. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2022-09-22 · NHTSA campaign 22V709000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with the optional Surround Vision feature. The rearview camera coaxial cable connectors may have been crimped improperly, causing the rearview camera to fail or function intermittently.
Remedy Dealers will replace the coaxial cables, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222378380.
Recall gasoline fuel system, delivery, hoses and fittings 2021-06-03 · NHTSA campaign 21V422000
Summary General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel supply lines may be improperly attached and seated.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace fuel supply lines as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212335590.

Complaints by component (149 total)

Electrical system
38
Engine
29
Fuel and propulsion system
24
Service brakes
18
Powertrain
17
Steering
16
Air bags
9
Back-over prevention
7
Speed control
7
Forward collision avoidance
6
Fuel system, gasoline
4
Lane departure
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Suspension
3
Seat belts
2
Structure
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Equipment
1
Exterior lighting
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Parking brake
1
Tires
1
Show 14 more Show less
Crash-flagged

7

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22020142021192022172023252024432025292026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "While driving home from work the car displayed a "No Fuel" warning, despite having a full tank of gas. Within seconds of the display showing the car stalled out and stopped right in the middle of the road. It would not…"
    Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-14
  • "On 9/08/2026 I was driving and almost got a wreck but I was able to get out and was going less the 25 and lost control of the vehicle and barely hit the curb and the two air bags went off and I was sent to the hospital"
    Air bags · filed 2026-09-10
  • "While driving the brake vacuum pump exploded leading to catastrophic brake failure. My husband was driving and was able to stand on the brakes to get the car to stop, but had i been driving, I am not strong enough to…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-08-25
  • "No incident but steering assisted reduced could cause an issue. Also the fix is to reset the computer by detaching the negative pole on the battery. This could be an issue due to the heat in the car someone could get…"
    Steering · filed 2026-08-01
  • "I have seen numerous complaints for this same issue. My 2021 Acadia with 31,600 miles failed to start when parked in garage. It turned over just fine but wouldn't fire as if it wasn't getting any fuel. I had it towed to…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-07-18

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 GMC Acadia SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 GMC Acadia SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Acadia all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 22 27 24 MPG $2700
Acadia all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 19 26 21 MPG $3100
Acadia front-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 21 27 23 MPG $2800
Acadia front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 22 29 25 MPG $2600
Acadia front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 19 27 22 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

2nd generation (C1XX), 2017–2023
Body styles SUV
Oil dexos1 5W-30 (V6 per manual) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 235/55R20, 235/65R18 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 4,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 21V702000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2022 GMC Acadia vehicles. The sensing diagnostic module (SDM) may have been left in "manufacturing mode" and not activated at the assembly plant prior to shipment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection.". The air bags will not deploy with an unactivated SDM, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Remedy: The vehicles will be returned to the assembly plant for SDM activation. Both affected vehicles are still in dealer inventory and therefore no owner notification letters will be mailed. Owners may contact GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212344261. When NHTSA lists multiple GM nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2020 GMC Acadia Next year 2022 GMC Acadia See every GMC Acadia model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 GMC Acadia reliable?

The 2021 GMC Acadia has 149 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 17 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Acadia years here — over the median of the other years, which is 11. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Camera and Hoses and fittings.

What are common problems with a 2021 GMC Acadia?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (38 of 149), then Engine (29) and Fuel and propulsion system (24). Those filings include 7 that report a crash and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 GMC Acadia more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Acadia has 104 complaints, 9 per year, and the 2022 has 49 complaints, 7 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 GMC Acadia been recalled?

The 2021 GMC Acadia has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 GMC Acadia?

Owners have filed 149 complaints about the 2021 GMC Acadia with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 GMC Acadia get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 GMC Acadia is 23 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a GMC Acadia use?

US Acadia manuals specify dexos-approved oil viscosity for your engine.

What does NHTSA recall 15V-609 cover on the GMC Acadia?

NHTSA safety recall 15V609000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015.

What generation is the 2013 GMC Acadia?

1st generation (Lambda) (2012-2016).