What are the most common problems with the 2021 GMC Acadia?

Electrical system complaints lead with 39, followed by the engine with 31 and the fuel/propulsion system with 26.

Does the 2021 GMC Acadia have recalls?

Yes. The by-year facts show 2 recalls for this model year. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

How many complaints does the 2021 GMC Acadia have?

NHTSA has 154 owner complaints on file. They are unverified reports from owners.

Is the 2021 GMC Acadia reliable?

Owners filed 154 complaints, led by electrical and engine reports. Weigh that against the recall list and the by-year comparison on this page.

What are the gas mileage and crash ratings?

See the fuel economy and safety sections on this page for those figures.

2021 GMC Acadia Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 154 owner complaints on file for the 2021 GMC Acadia^[1]. The electrical system is the group named most often, with 39 complaints^[2].

154owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[3]

21–25MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name for this SUV, biggest first.

Electrical System. 39 complaints^[2]. Owners describe a rear camera that cuts out, door locks that stop responding, screens and sound that fail, and a parking brake that seems to set itself. Some say the whole vehicle shut off.
Engine. 31 complaints^[6]. In the stories we read, owners describe loud rattles, strong vibration, and the vehicle losing power while driving. Some say the dealer found nothing wrong at first.
Fuel/Propulsion System. 26 complaints^[7]. Owners describe the vehicle stalling without warning on busy roads and needing a tow. Several stories point to a fuel pump part as the cause.
Unknown Or Other. 21 complaints^[8]. These reports do not fit a single named part.
Brakes. 19 complaints^[9]. Owners describe grinding after the car sits, and braking that kicks in or sets on its own while driving.
Steering. 17 complaints^[10].
Power Train. 17 complaints^[11].
Air Bags. 10 complaints^[12]. This is a small group, but 4 of these complaints mention a crash^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2021 Acadia is necessarily included.

Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera (22V709), September 2022. About 95,231 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced visibility. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings (21V422), June 2021. About 572 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, parts separating. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Acadia FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[15]	21 / 27 / 23	$2,900
Acadia FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	22 / 29 / 25	$2,700
Acadia AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[16]	22 / 27 / 24	$2,800
Acadia FWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	19 / 27 / 22	$3,050
Acadia AWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[18]	19 / 26 / 21	$3,200

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[5]	5	5	5	4	15.1%
SUV FWD^[19]	5	5	5	4	16.4%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2021 GMC Acadia with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[20]	237 hp
2021 GMC Acadia with 2.5L 4-cylinder^[21]	193 hp
2021 GMC Acadia with 3.6L 6-cylinder^[22]	310 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
ACADIA 4DR SUV AWD^[23]	193 in	76 in	67 in	113 in	4,239 lb
ACADIA 4DR SUV AWD DENALI^[24]	193 in	76 in	67 in	113 in	4,389 lb
ACADIA 4DR SUV FWD^[25]	193 in	76 in	67 in	113 in	3,922 lb

How 2021 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Acadia model year. The 2021 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2007	428	5
2008	854	5
2009	331	7
2010	343	4
2011	269	5
2012	296	5
2013	135	3
2014	463	6
2015	243	4
2016	236	4
2017	705	4
2018	396	2
2019	387	2
2020	106	6
2021	154	2
2022	49	3
2023	47	4
2024	61	0
2025	67	0
2026	10	1

NHTSA's counts for the Acadia show 154 complaints and 2 recalls for 2021^[3]. Among the 21 model years listed, 8 have fewer complaints than 2021 and 12 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2027 (0) and the most are for 2008 (854)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2021 Acadia?

The 2021 GMC Acadia has 154 complaints on file^[1]. They spread across many parts, with electrical and engine reports leading the list^[2]^[6]. Stalling and loss of power show up in the fuel group too^[7]. These are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for how many were sold^[1]. If you are shopping for one, check that the recalls were done and have the electrical features tested on a drive.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2021 GMC Acadia?: Electrical system complaints lead with 39^[2], followed by the engine with 31^[6] and the fuel/propulsion system with 26^[7].
Does the 2021 GMC Acadia have recalls?: Yes. The by-year facts show 2 recalls for this model year^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
How many complaints does the 2021 GMC Acadia have?: NHTSA has 154 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified reports from owners.
Is the 2021 GMC Acadia reliable?: Owners filed 154 complaints^[1], led by electrical and engine reports^[2]^[6]. Weigh that against the recall list and the by-year comparison on this page.
What are the gas mileage and crash ratings?: See the fuel economy and safety sections on this page for those figures.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the GMC Acadia

2008 854 complaints, 5 recalls
2010 343 complaints, 4 recalls
2011 269 complaints, 5 recalls
2012 296 complaints, 5 recalls
2013 135 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 463 complaints, 6 recalls
2015 243 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 236 complaints, 4 recalls
2017 705 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 396 complaints, 2 recalls
2019 387 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 106 complaints, 6 recalls
2021 this page
2022 49 complaints, 3 recalls
2023 47 complaints, 4 recalls
2026 10 complaints, 1 recall

Compare all model years of the GMC Acadia

Other GMC models from 2021

2021 GMC Yukon 570 complaints, 14 recalls

All GMC models

Similar cars from 2021: suvs

2021 Hyundai Palisade 446 complaints, 6 recalls
2021 Lincoln Aviator 45 complaints, 28 recalls
2021 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 9 complaints, 8 recalls
2021 Nissan Armada 13 complaints, 2 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 154 owner complaints on file for the 2021 GMC Acadia (8 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 4 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
39 complaints name the electrical system component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every GMC Acadia model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Acadia FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 29 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
31 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 36,970). NHTSA vehicle records
26 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
21 complaints name the unknown or other component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the steering component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the power train component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the air bags component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 22V709, filed September 22, 2022: Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera. NHTSA recall database
Recall 21V422, filed June 3, 2021: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines / Piping, And Fittings. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Acadia FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Acadia AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 27 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Acadia FWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 27 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Acadia AWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 9-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 26 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2021 GMC Acadia with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 237 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2021 GMC Acadia with 2.5L 4-cylinder: rated 193 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2021 GMC Acadia with 3.6L 6-cylinder: rated 310 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ACADIA 4DR SUV AWD: length 193 in, width 76 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 113 in, curb weight 4,239 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ACADIA 4DR SUV AWD DENALI: length 193 in, width 76 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 113 in, curb weight 4,389 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ACADIA 4DR SUV FWD: length 193 in, width 76 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 113 in, curb weight 3,922 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2021 GMC Acadia: problems, recalls and fuel economy