NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Acadia. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
"STEERING ASSIST REDUCED. DRIVE WITH CARE" message, fan runs nonstop, even after the vehicle is off. Sounds like a plane taking off. This seems to be EXTREMELY common after doing my research. Please consider turning this into a recall!
Cars is not keeping track of temperature showing engine is cold after 30 minutes of driving, fan runs for extended periods of time after shutting off, check engine light comes on, steering assist alert comes in screen. All of this happens in a cycle. To stop it the battery has to be unplugged and reconnected resetting the car and everything goes back to being fine for a short period of time.
Been happening for a year and a half. Muffler is very loud and rattles constantly. Getting worse over time. There is a current recall but my vin isn’t included even though my car is having the same issue.
While driving vehicle stalled multiple times in the middle of the road, with service transmission and engine light coming on, causing unsafe conditions, causing accident and leaving passengers stranded. Battery being drained and needing to be replaced multiple times within 2 years. Vehicle stopping and shutting off on the highway causing dangerous driving conditions!! Radio and lights flickering, with radio freezing and shutting off. Electrical system not working properly and overheating!
While driving down the interstate at 70mph+, the instrument panel went black and restarted multiple times. The car continued to stay at a sustained speed, but I was unable to control anything or see how fast I was going. It appears as if the car has shut off, but it isn't. It also affects the lights. It has happened multiple times with no known cause. When I brought this up at the dealership, they said that it would be an $80 diagnostic fee and unless they can replicate the problem they can't do anything about it because it doesn't throw any error codes. There was another women in the dealership the same time as me with the exact same issue. No fix offered. Looking online and talking to others this seems like a common issue that GMC is ignoring.
Vehicle stalled out and instrument panel showed no gas when the tank was over half full. I had trouble re-starting but was able to only drive a mile before stalling again. Both times occurred at a stoplight I had it towed to local dealer . They replaced the fuel pump power control module. The service personnel said that they see a large number of these and that some people had accidents due to this. I was about to enter a very busy highway at rush hour and if this happened on the highway, it would be very dangerous. I saw that there were previous recalls on GMC/Chevy vehicles similar to mine from 2021 that had recalls for this same reason but the Acadia has not been included. From what I have seen, a recall should be considered.
46,000 miles on my car. Fuel management system failed. Would not start until we unplugged battery, and let it reset. Car lost acceleration and went into neutral on highway.
Engine exhaust makes vibrating noise similar to a leaf blower under acceleration. TSB issued due to common issue and GM refuses to recall or fix. Broken baffle/weld inside of front muffler/resonator on exhaust system under front passenger compartment. Issue getting worse. $2500 at local dealership to fix, with GM offering “assistance” to fix issue in the amount of $742 leaving the consumer with balance. At what point will the rest of the defective part deteriorate and cause clogging issues and more damage?
Vehicle stalled on major interstate while giving no warning Vehicle would not start after failure Had to be towed to dealership Found to be a faulty fuel pump module Service advisor even said this is a common problem Vehicle mileage was at 33,478 This could have been a deadly accident
5 September went to start my car and the car started before i put it in drive it stalled and i could not restart the car kept turning over and will not run. plug in a diagnostics machine and found fault code P023F Fuel pump control module. this was the same fault I had two years ago june 2022. replaced the unit but part number has changed "13543075 has changed to a new number of 13554820" so GMC is aware there is a problem with the old part. included an image of original repair.
Front right brake hose was entangled around the front drive shaft and tore the brake line apart causing catastrophic brake failure. Car had only 19000 miles on the odometer odometer.
Vehicle shut off on highway, was able to pull off on shoulder. Would turn but not start. Dealer states fuel pump control module fault.
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated to 35 MPH. The vehicle stalled, and the "Steering Assistance Reduced" message was displayed. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer the following day, where it was diagnosed that the accelerator pedal and terminal connector were bent. The dealer retrieved DTC codes: P2138, and P2122. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 27,792.
The vehicle, without any warning, suddenly stopped. I was unable to restart and unable to put the vehicle in Neutral for pushing to a safer location. Had to be towed to the dealership.
Electronic dashboard failure. Entire instrument panel randomly shuts off while driving, including speedometer and all gauges. Driver then has to wait for system to reboot itself before it begins working again. This condition is completely random and may not occur for months, or may occur several times within minutes. This is a safety issue due to the driver's inability to monitor speed. It is also possible that other safety systems are being shut down while waiting for the system to reboot. GM has known about this software glitch since 2021, and it affects certain GM vehicle models from 2021-2023. (Refer to GM TSB# 21-NA-054). NHTSA should require a recall for this problem.
While driving, the vehicle shut off without warning. It was in-traffic when this occurred and subsequently blocked traffic. I tried to restart the vehicle many times. It would start and then die within a few seconds. Since the vehicle would not remain running, it was impossible to shift out of the "park" position. Since it was in "park", the vehicle could not be readily moved out of traffic. This failure is a safety hazard! The vehicle was towed from the scene. The dealer diagnosed the problem as the "Powertrain control module lost communication the the fuel pump driver module causing no fueling to engine from low pressure fuel pump U18A..." The fuel pump control module had internal communication circuit failure. GMC module 13554820 was replaced.
I have 43,000 miles on my car and I do not by any means drive hard or really ever go over 50 MPH and I am being told that my rear tow links are loose and need to be replaced. I have NEVER had to replace those in any vehicle I have ever owned especially a 2021 vehicle with under 50k miles on it. I have read that there is a recall on the 2022 Acadia's for this exact issue so I can only assume it is the same issue happening on the 2021's as well.
Vehicle engine shuts off randomly while driving, car goes into neutral, and I have to stop and try to restart it. Sometimes, the vehicle struggles to start up and requires multiple attempts before being able to drive again. The engine then misfires, the car shakes aggressively, and engine will shuts off again 1-2 more times before it will start smoothly. This is obviously a safety issue as it happens while driving and could lead to a major collision. Been to the dealership multiple times. First time, the dealership was unable to find anything wrong and could not replicate the problem. The problem continued to happen and returned to dealership where they replaced the purge valve in the fuel system. Problem started occurring again and returned to dealership. Dealership kept vehicle for a week and was unable to replicate the problem. Showed the dealership a video of the problem and they replaced the fuel pump control module. A few weeks out from the fuel pump control module replacement and the car shut off twice while driving to work.
My 2021 GMC Acadia only has 25,327 miles. I purchased it new from Mossy of Picayune. The fuel pump module has been replaced 3 times. The first 2 times I was able to drive it to dealership for repairs. The last time on march 29, I was crossing a very busy highway and my vehicle just stopped without warning. It stopped as I was crossing and vehicles were coming up behind me very fast and I was almost hit. This was very scary and dangerous for me and my family and also the other vehicles on the highway . I was able to coax it into the emergency lane. I called Mossy of Picayune and was told my vehicle was no longer under warranty and they didn’t have a tow truck available. I had it towed to a local repair shop and had repaired. The cost to tow to Mossy was high (40 miles). And I paid $100.00 to have towed to local shop. The cost of repairs was $285.00. There really needs to be a recall on this dangerous situation. I have read many reviews with others having the same problem with their 2021 Acadia. I am very worried to drive my vehicle.
UNKNOWN-THE VECHILE WILL NOT START AND SHOWS THE FUEL IS EMPTY, BUT I JUST LOOKED PRIOR AND HAD 3/4 FULL.
My vehicle stops working while in traffic when the auto stop is engaged. The abs, parking brake, and dash flashes prior to the engine stopping. I have been to the dealership multiple times and they are never able to recreate the issue. The check engine light codes produced are P0014 and c0800-03.
The exhaust resonator failed only a few hundred miles after warranty (60,300) and not covered by dealer under warranty. It creates a noise and reduces power/performance, which could inherently create a safety concern. The vehicle was inspected by an independent service center. The following code for the rattle noise is PIT5863.
Airbag light on dash comes on solid. Dealership had vehicle for 3 days and repair made to seat belt tensioner, days later, airbag light returns on dash. Other GM vehicles were recalled for airbag problems but maybe should include the Acadia.
The fabric on my headliner/ceiling is coming unglued or the clips are not holding it. It is a danger to my driving the car as it is continually loosening; which could potentially fall while I am driving the car. It is making an irritating squeaking noise which distracts my concentration from driving carefully. I took the car to Walker GMC in Alexandria, Louisiana. The mechanic and the service advisor both told me GMC has issued an instruction form on how to fix this problem as GMC has had complaints with this happening to the Acadias. I contacted GMC customer service. They will not let me know if they will cover the cost of the repair until I get an estimate. Walker is wanting to charge approximately $188 for the estimate. Since this is a safety issue, I am reporting this problem to your agency so that others may be protected and GMC will take care of this problem.
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while reversing, the back-over prevention camera failed to display an image. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the back-over prevention camera was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V709000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 25,000.
Service safety restraint system notice comes on constantly and disappears at random times.
VEHICLE'S ENGINE INCURRED COOLANT TEMPERATURE ISSUES, SET DTC CODE, AND COOLING FAN RAN AFTER ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS THERMOSTAT FAILURE AND COMPLETED REPAIRS. DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND NO SERVICE ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A BACK ORDER FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS AND WAS SECURED THROUGH DEALER IN DETROIT CURRENT NHTSA ID NUMBER 110243390 / MFG COMMUNICATION # N252508350 REFERRING TO 3.6 V-6 ENGINE. GMC DECLINED ANY MONETARY ASSISTANCE TOWARDS REPAIRS WITH 76278 MILES I ALSO OWN A 2020 CHEVROLET BLAZER WITH A 3.6 V-6 ENGINE THAT EXPERIENCED SAME FAILURE PAID $400 DEDUCTABLE TOWARD REPAIR
Vehicle lost power and died during normal driving. Luckily it occurred on a low traffic road and not the interstate. Prior to this there were no check engine lights or other signs of failure or degradation in performance. Was unable to start the vehicle and had to have it towed to my local dealership for service. Failure was due to the Fuel System Control Module GM part 13543075. This part is currently back ordered nation wide and the dealership cannot give an ETA on part availability or repairs.
The car stopped working all of a sudden, I was driving the car with no issues that morning and parked & shut off car to go to my appt. I turned the car back on and worked fine as I was putting in my address on the GPS my car just stopped and shut off by itself. I pushed the start button and it sounded like it wanted to start but it wouldn't and the whole engine shooked. Called GM and car still under warranty had it towed to the nearest GM. They diagnosed it and said it was the fuel injector module that went bad. It's 2021 with only 23800 miles. After a week, just got it back for a day and now the cooling fan has a loud noise, check engine light on, coolant stays on C even after driving it more than 10 mins, ac blows hot air, I get an alert with steering assist is reduced and to drive with care.....seems like something is wrong with the thermostat.
My grandson used the safety restraint in the middle second row seat. He pulled the belt out to put it on and it would not retract. I have taken it to the dealership to have it fixed but there is a fee of $515 to fix it. I do not feel I should have to pay the since it seems to be an ongoing problem with the Acadia model. I purchased a 2018 model before this one and the same thing happened with the middle safety restraint in the second row seat. I have contacted GM and they informed me there is nothing they can do to waive the fee of fixing this defect.
My 2021 Acadia digital dash goes out (completely black). I took it to the dealership on Friday August 25, as the issue was happening more frequently. I was told the software was not current. This was attributed to parking in a garage each night. Yesterday September 22 while driving, the dash again went out for a much longer timeframe (several miles). I called the dealership. Service was closing but was told by the receptionist that one of the sale people said to (1) park the car, (2) turn off the engine, (3) open the drivers door and leave open for 5 minutes to reset the system and everything should be fine. The black dash prevents the driver from seeing current MPH. I am uncertain if it also disengages adaptive cruise control and auto-braking. Is it acceptable for the digital dash to routinely go black while being operated? Is there a more sustainable resolution for the dash going out? Thank you!
The contact leased a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated water had leaked into the trunk compartment on a rainy day. Additionally, the contact stated that he pressed the power release button to close the trunk; however, while the trunk lid was in the process of closing, the driver's side trunk lid spring fractured. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
Driving at 70mph on Interstate 69 near Charlotte Michigan at around 10 pm on Wednesday 8/23/2023. Passenger side front tire suddenly deflated. Limped the SUV into a store parking lot at interchange. Continental 235/65R18 106H tire was changed by road side service and spare installed. This morning , while examining tire and rim , found two long radial cracks approximately 50 to 75 mm in length on the outboard surface of the tire. The cracks are about 90 degrees apart. The vehicle has just under 34000 miles on the OEM installed tires. The reason I am contacting NHTSA is that the cracks do not look like road hazard/debris, rather a split in the sidewall. I have not taken the tire back to the dealer or a tire store. I did photo document the failure and cracks.
The IPC goes out while driving. GM is aware of this issue in several models they make starting in 2020. They failed to call a recall on the issue and when you take it in to be looked at there is a service bulletin out to have the dealership to do a software update on the IPC to resolve the issues that some customers may be experiencing. This issue costs 189.99 to diagnose the first hour then the dealership spends another 2.5 hours diagnosing the known issue to charge customers for a total of 3.5 hours in repair costs. GM does not assist in anyway with covering the cost of the repair to the vehicle that is a 2021 make and model. In all to make your car safe to drive again the repair costs 474.88 and there is no guarantee after the software is updated that the issue will not come back and then I will be left with taking it back in for troubleshooting to be charged another 474.88 as long as the price does go up for electrical diagnostics charges. It’s pretty convenient on GM and their dealerships to charge customers a to fix a safety concern that can happen again and charge 3.5 hours of labor charged even when there is a service bulletin out telling repair technicians to do the software update when a customer stated the IPC goes out while driving and comes back on. If there is a know. Issue then my issue should be been resolved with just having to pay for time it took the repair technician to do the software update. Not waste time tracing all wiring just to run up all labor rates first.
Car stalled on major roadway. Could not restart of shift to neutral. Car blocked traffic for 3 hours until tow. Faulty fuel control module was the cause. Car was almost hit numerous times by passing traffic.
I opened my power lift gate to load groceries in the trunk. It opened without issue. As I loaded the groceries the lift gate came crashing down on my head. This happened in the festival foods parking lot around 5:05 pm today (7/16/23). Once I moved out from under it I saw the left arm was popped off. I popped it back in , there is a metal piece that was messed up. It came/ happened out of nowhere. I’ve never had an issue with it.
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a fractured rear cap catalyst converter cap. The contact was informed that the catalyst converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the original catalyst converter was replaced by the same dealer less than two years ago under warranty. In addition, the contact stated the front catalyst converter was replaced by the same dealer five weeks ago. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
No matter what speed I am driving at or whether or not there is a passenger my service safety restraint system light comes on randomly and shuts off randomly. I called the dealership and they brushed it off saying it just means the airbag wont deploy if I were to get into an accident. Great thanks that makes me feel real safe! I see several people complaining about this as well and think it might be time to look into what the problem is and do a recall.
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the software update was performed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V709000 (Back Over Prevention). After the software was updated, the Lane Departure Assist system failed and was no longer alerting the driver when the vehicle was drifting into the other lane. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who completed the software update however, the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,700.
May 2023 we took the car to the GM dealership for a electronic recall. We reported a rattling noise at that point in time. Whatever repair was done that the car ran w/o any noise for nearly a year. April 2024 the catalytic converter failed at just 61K miles on this vehicle. The mechanic at the same dealership noted a broken mounting bracket and replaced the catalytic converter. October 24 2024 at 76K miles the car started making the same noise. The mechanic at the same dealership noted a loose mounting bracket due to an excessively vibrating catalytic converter, a crack on the cat converter, a leak and sequentially damaged front pipe. They noted they made all of those repairs. They noted they test drove the vehicle and verified the car was repaired. October 26, 2024 after those final repairs the car made a loud revving noise and emitted a smell of sulfur. The next day the car died on the road while driving. Every system of he vehicle shut down and I narrowly avoided getting hit from behind. On 11/2/24 We had the car towed to the dealership again. The mechanic noted the recent replacement on the cat converter & oil had leaked intermixing. That caused the motor to seize and the car to stop working while I was on the road driving. I can't imagine what could've happened to me had it stop on the highway at 65mph.
Brakes will start Grinding on front wheels
Was driving when the vehicle engine completely lost power. Very dangerous situation in heavy traffic. Had difficulty pulling to the side of the road and ended up blocking traffic. Vehicle needed to be towed and is less than 2 years old with less than 10k miles. Diagnosis is failure of fuel pump control module. I see there is an identical GMC Acadia incident already logged by someone else and the dealer said they have seen this multiple times. After 1 week at dealer, they are unable to secure part for repair and don't know when they will. A RECALL was issued for other GMC 2021 vehicles for this exact problem. GMC RECALL N212332040: POWER CONTROL MODULE MAY CAUSE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. However this recall does not include the Acadia. The Acadia needs to be recalled as well before people are killed and the replacement parts need to be made available.
Vehicle has previously been brought in to GMC dealership at least 2-3 times for the dash turning on and off while driving. Started happening around 5,000 miles here and there. First took it in just over 7,000 miles as it was happening more and more frequently. It was last in for the issue on 2/6/23. The dash turned completely off WHILE driving going approx 45-50 mph, is not turning back on, unable to see speed while driving.
GM recall N222378380 Vehicle was taken to dealer for the recall for "Surround Vision". Dealer performed the recall yet the backup camera continues to work intermittently. Not having a reliable back up camera is a serious safety concern.
I have a really loud buzz & rattle noise. I can feel vibration on the passenger floor board real bad. The loud noise usually around 2,000-2,500 rpms. I have 39,000 miles on my car. It has always made a noise at take off but we thought it was normal untill now it's extremely worst. I took it into the dealship they diagnosed as something broken inside the muffler / resonator / weld inside muffler. So I did my research on the internet and I see alot of people complaining about this same issue on there cars. There was even a BULLETIN NUMBER (PIT5863) Pulished on 11/2/2021 the correction review # (21-na-118) all my issues are identical to bulletin. My year,make,model and issues with my car.
Taken from service report; customer states brake pedal some times sinks to the floor and brake fluid on driveway. Tech performed brake fluid check and found that the brake fluid leak is coming from the left front and right front caliper hose, caliper hose has rub marking, making contact with cv boot. Tech replaced the left and right front brake caliper hoses and performed brake fluid fill and bleed, rechecked the operation of the brakes-brakes are working as design Also on service report: Left front cv axle leaking, left front outer cv axle boot is torn, replaced the c axle assembly. Not on the report is that the service manager Informed me that I should not have driven the vehicle in but had it towed in. Service performed under warranty at Linus Cadillac Buick GMC, Vero beach, Fl
WAS DRIVING AND VEHICLE ENGINE DEAD STOPPED WITH OUT WARNING. COULD NOT GET STARTED AND HAD TO CALL A WRECKER TO TOW TO GMC DEALERSHIP. WERE TOLD IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS. THEY HAD A PART IN STOCK TO REPAIR IT. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE “DRIVERS FUEL PUMP MODULE” .WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL AS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY INCIDENT DURING RUSH HOUR ON THE ROADS IN MY AREA. WHILE RESEARCHING FOUND A RECALL ON FULL SIZE GMC 2021 SUVS FROM LAST YEAR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 21V739000) ! WHY IS THIS NOT BEING DEALT WITH ON THE 2021 ACADIAS? MY DAUGHTER HAS ONE SHE BOUGHT THE SAME DAY AND NOW I AM IN FEAR IT WILL DO THE SAME THING !!! NO INSURANCE ISSUES OR POLICE ISSUES. AFTER ENGINE DIED SEVERAL SYMBOLS INCLUDING ENGINE ICON CAME ON WHEN TRYING TO RESTART. ALSO RECEIVED AN EMAIL “DIAGNOSTIC ALERT” FROM ON STAR IMMEDIATELY : AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN YOUR 2021 GMC ACADIA HAS BEEN DETECTED. PLEASE SERVICE YOUR VEHICLE WITHIN 7 DAYS….
October 2021 warning light service service seat restraint system. Schumacher Lake Park FL replaced SIR module. Mileage 3741 Took 2 weeks to repair. October 2022 Warning light service seat restraint system. Mileage 7180. Vehicle at Starling GMC Stuart FL for 2 weeks effective this coming week - Nov. 7. Airbag module issue again.
While driving down a busy road automatic braking engaged for no reason causing the Acadia to abruptly come to a dead stop in the middle of the road with nothing in front of me. Red collision lights came on at the same time as braking with no prior warnings. Could not get the car to move for a few minutes (when giving gas there were grinding sounds) then the braking system let up. Drove for another few minutes and it did it again. Called GM and WE had to figure out how to get the car to the dealership with a major safety issue. Took the car in and it was throwing B390F, U0184, B395A codes. When we received the vehicle back one of the codes was for a bad back up camera so the new rear back up camera view is so stretched you can’t use it to back up nor does it have the lines anymore. The rear view camera now has a view that is sideways. So I took the car back to the dealership and they had no clue how either could be happening and would look into it again. Did my own research and figured out there are two cameras on the tailgate so the rear view camera was reinstalled wrong. Sent proof of how I came to the conclusion and that I wanted the backup camera replaced/fixed also. Its been over a month and I cannot get my car fixed because I refuse to pay for a rental on something they messed up because they have no loaners. Well on 11/14/2022 my cars automatic braking system activated again only this time it stopped in the middle of the road and was not as dramatic as last time. The warning lights came on as the car was coming to a stop. This time I was able to move shortly after it came to a complete stop. GM dealership wants me to bring the car in somehow and I will be carless for who knows how long. There is also a safety recall for a cable for the backup camera with no parts available. I have an RO number and a complaint number.
As I was stopped in line behind a car at the ATM, my foot slipped from the brake, I quickly placed it back only to find that I ended up going forward. I quickly moved my foot more to the left for the brake only to end up going forward even faster hitting the car in front of me. I then put my left foot firmly on the brake. Now with both feet on the brake the car is climbing up the car in front of me and not braking. Finally, I put it in park and cut the engine. The whole front end of my car is crushed. Now 5 days earlier my husband had a similar incident when he was parking the car and thankfully only hitting the curb. Looking at the brake pedal you will find that there is a rubber edge hanging down on the right side. IF YOUR FOOT SLIPS BELOW IT while crossing from the accelerator going right to left, YOU WILL NOT hit the brake but will continue to press the accelerator. In fact, if you raise your foot upward, you will only raise the brake. The only way to get to the brake is to get out from under it by going toward the accelerator and then back to the left. This action does not work in an emergency! I believe this rubber edge is too large is a safety hazard. We are still in the process of assessment by insurance, body shop and GMC.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026