2017 GMC Acadia Problems and Recalls (696 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2017 GMC Acadia is Transmission / driveline (28% of 696 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 696 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2017 GMC Acadia?

195 of 696 filings named Transmission / driveline (28% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (101 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes, Transmission / driveline, Fuel system, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2016 has 233 reports on file; this year has 696. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2017 GMC Acadia

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Transmission / driveline 195 complaints · 28.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 10
  • Fires 2
  • Injuries 15
  • Deaths 0
All GMC Acadia years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 195 of 696 owner complaints (28.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 195 complaints, 28.0% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 crash reports 195 · 28.0% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 101 complaints, 14.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 2 fire reports 101 · 14.5% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 68 complaints, 9.8% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 crash reports 68 · 9.8% Engine (ENGINE): 32 complaints, 4.6% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 32 · 4.6% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 24 complaints, 3.5% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 24 · 3.5% Steering (STEERING): 24 complaints, 3.5% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 crash reports 24 · 3.5% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 17 complaints, 2.4% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 17 · 2.4% Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE): 15 complaints, 2.2% of reports Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 15 · 2.2% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 11 complaints, 1.6% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 11 · 1.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 213 complaints, 30.6% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 4 crash reports 213 · 30.6% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 195 28.0% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 101 14.5% 1 crashes · 2 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 68 9.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 32 4.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 24 3.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 24 3.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 17 2.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 15 2.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 11 1.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 213 30.6% 4 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2016; the first recall shown was reported in Nov 2016. 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2017-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2017-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2017-Q3: 16 owner reports 16 2017-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2018-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2018-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2018-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2018-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2019-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2019-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2019-Q3: 52 owner reports 52 2019-Q4: 44 owner reports 44 2020-Q1: 26 owner reports 26 2020-Q2: 27 owner reports 27 2020-Q3: 45 owner reports 45 2020-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2021-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2021-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2021-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2022-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2022-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2022-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2023-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2023-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2023-Q3: 26 owner reports 26 2023-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2024-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2024-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2024-Q3: 34 owner reports 34 2024-Q4: 25 owner reports 25 2025-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2025-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2025-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2025-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2026-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2026-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2026-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 Owner reports Jul 2016 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 16V802000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V802000 Recall campaign 17V516000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V516000 Recall campaign 18V358000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V358000 Recall campaign 23V334000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V334000
  • Campaign 17V516000 was reported 244 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V358000 was reported 324 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V334000 was reported 6 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 8
2017-Q1 Owner reports 16
2017-Q2 Owner reports 7
2017-Q3 Owner reports 16
2017-Q4 Owner reports 18
2018-Q1 Owner reports 13
2018-Q2 Owner reports 10
2018-Q3 Owner reports 8
2018-Q4 Owner reports 12
2019-Q1 Owner reports 7
2019-Q2 Owner reports 17
2019-Q3 Owner reports 52
2019-Q4 Owner reports 44
2020-Q1 Owner reports 26
2020-Q2 Owner reports 27
2020-Q3 Owner reports 45
2020-Q4 Owner reports 21
2021-Q1 Owner reports 16
2021-Q2 Owner reports 11
2021-Q3 Owner reports 4
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q1 Owner reports 8
2022-Q2 Owner reports 6
2022-Q3 Owner reports 12
2022-Q4 Owner reports 9
2023-Q1 Owner reports 17
2023-Q2 Owner reports 13
2023-Q3 Owner reports 26
2023-Q4 Owner reports 15
2024-Q1 Owner reports 17
2024-Q2 Owner reports 30
2024-Q3 Owner reports 34
2024-Q4 Owner reports 25
2025-Q1 Owner reports 20
2025-Q2 Owner reports 14
2025-Q3 Owner reports 17
2025-Q4 Owner reports 17
2026-Q1 Owner reports 16
2026-Q2 Owner reports 11
2026-Q3 Owner reports 8
Recall campaign 1 16V802000
Recall campaign 1 17V516000
Recall campaign 1 18V358000
Recall campaign 1 23V334000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Brakes, Transmission / driveline, Fuel system, and Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 16V802000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    If there is a brake fluid leak, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 17V516000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    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.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 18V358000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 23V334000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 696 complaints · page 1 of 28
2026-08-27Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11760081
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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?
2026-07-20Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11751467
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 !
2026-07-20Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11751463
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2026-07-14Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11750345
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Shift to park take forever to get it to recognize that vehicle is in park. my lane departure only works sometimes.
2026-07-09Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11749380
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that after shifting into park (P), the vehicle failed to shut off because it failed to recognize that the gear shifter was in park (P). The "Shift To Park" warning message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact jiggled the gear shifter button several times until the vehicle responded as intended and turned off. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently but became frequent. A dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle, and a diagnostic estimate was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
2026-07-09Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11749319
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on an incline with the engine turned off, the contact's toddler was able to shift into drive(D), and the vehicle rolled backwards, hit a light pole and a basketball stand, causing damage to the front driver-side door. No police report was filed, and no injuries were reported. The contact was unable to shift back into park(P) and was forced to start the vehicle in neutral(N). The contact was then unable to shut off the vehicle as the gear shifter was no longer in park(P). Upon investigation, the contact learned that it was necessary to manually flip a switch underneath the gear console for the vehicle to register that it was in park(P). The contact initially took the vehicle to the independent mechanic but was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact submitted a claim with pictures and videos of the failure. The contact was then instructed to take the vehicle to a dealer for an inspection. The contact was later informed by the claim manager that the claim would be denied, and no further assistance was offered. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 99,968.
2026-07-08Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11749164
CrashFireInjuryDeath
🚨 P0128 code, thermostat-related symptoms, Steering Assist Reduced warnings, increased steering effort, or other safety concerns while driving.
2026-07-02Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11748052
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My Shift To Park senor come on often and wouldn't let me turn the vehicle off.
2026-06-18Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11745036
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Vehicle has experienced multiple electrical and mechanical failures at unusually low mileage. Purchased at 32,000 miles. At approximately 50,000 miles, the factory radio/infotainment system failed completely. Electrical systems were observed remaining active after the vehicle was powered off, suggesting an underlying electrical fault. At approximately 60,000 miles, the power steering rack and fuel pump both required full replacement and were confirmed and replaced by an authorized dealership. No warning lights appeared prior to these failures — components failed without any prior indication. At approximately 100,000 miles, the transmission began failing and exhibits the known torque converter shudder issue widely reported on this vehicle platform. The shudder was present prior to full transmission failure symptoms appearing. The pattern of premature failures across multiple unrelated systems — electrical, steering, fuel delivery, and transmission — suggests a broader manufacturing defect.
2026-06-16Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11744647
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I have replaced 5 batteries in my vehicle. The battery is constantly being drained. There is no lights or residual drawing power that can be identified.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2017 GMC Acadia?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 195 of 696 reports (28%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2017 GMC Acadia?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes, Transmission / driveline, Fuel system, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2017 GMC Acadia?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources