2021 GMC Acadia Problems and Recalls (146 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2021 GMC Acadia is Engine (16% of 146 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 146 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 2021 GMC Acadia?

23 of 146 filings named Engine (16% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Fuel system (23 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Fuel system and Rear camera / backup safety. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2020 has 99 reports on file; this year has 146. 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 2021 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 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. 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: Engine 23 complaints · 15.8% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 6
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 3
  • 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 Engine (ENGINE) appears in 23 of 146 owner complaints (15.8%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 23 complaints, 15.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 23 · 15.8% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 23 complaints, 15.8% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 23 · 15.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 15 complaints, 10.3% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 15 · 10.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 13 complaints, 8.9% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 13 · 8.9% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 10 complaints, 6.8% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 crash reports 10 · 6.8% Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION): 7 complaints, 4.8% of reports Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION) 1 crash reports 7 · 4.8% Steering (STEERING): 7 complaints, 4.8% of reports Steering (STEERING) 7 · 4.8% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 6 complaints, 4.1% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 crash reports 6 · 4.1% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 6 complaints, 4.1% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 6 · 4.1% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 46 complaints, 31.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 4 crash reports 46 · 31.5% 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)
Engine (ENGINE) 23 15.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 23 15.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 15 10.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 13 8.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 10 6.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION) 7 4.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 7 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 6 4.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 6 4.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 46 31.5% 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 Oct 2020; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 2021. 2020-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2022-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2023-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2024-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2024-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2025-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2025-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2025-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2025-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2026-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2026-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2026-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 Owner reports Oct 2020 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 21V422000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V422000 Recall campaign 22V709000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V709000 Investigation PE22006 ● Investigation PE22006
  • Campaign 22V709000 was reported 503 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2020-Q4 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 4
2021-Q3 Owner reports 4
2021-Q4 Owner reports 6
2022-Q1 Owner reports 5
2022-Q2 Owner reports 3
2022-Q3 Owner reports 4
2022-Q4 Owner reports 7
2023-Q1 Owner reports 4
2023-Q2 Owner reports 3
2023-Q3 Owner reports 6
2023-Q4 Owner reports 3
2024-Q1 Owner reports 8
2024-Q2 Owner reports 5
2024-Q3 Owner reports 6
2024-Q4 Owner reports 6
2025-Q1 Owner reports 8
2025-Q2 Owner reports 10
2025-Q3 Owner reports 9
2025-Q4 Owner reports 16
2026-Q1 Owner reports 14
2026-Q2 Owner reports 10
2026-Q3 Owner reports 3
Recall campaign 1 21V422000
Recall campaign 1 22V709000
Defect investigation 1 PE22006
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Fuel system and Rear camera / backup safety.

  1. Recall campaign 21V422000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    Improperly attached and seated fuel supply lines may loosen or separate, causing a fuel leak and increasing the risk of a fire.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 22V709000

    Rear camera / backup safety

    Report date
    Component:
    Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
    Consequence:
    An inoperative rearview camera can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
    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.
    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 9 of 146 complaints · page 1 of 6
2026-08-25Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11759335
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 have stopped the car. I have 3 children with my youngest being 1. If this had happened with me and my kids, we could have had a major wreck and/or DIED! GM is aware of the brake vacuum pump issues but does not have a recall on the part. The braske assist light did not come on the dash until brakes were lost.
2026-08-01Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11754182
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 burned.
2026-07-18Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11751305
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 my regular mechanic. He troubleshot it and told me it was the "Fuel Pump Power Control Module". He said he could replace it but it would have to be programmed by a GM dealer as he didn't have the equipment to do that. So I had it towed to the local GMC dealer. Two tow bills equal $360. There is a recall for this issue. It is called "Emission Recall N252516900, Fuel Pump Power Control Module". part number 13554820 I have yet to receive a recall notice. I have seen mentioned in several of the other complaints that I have read that many of the service employees say that this has been an ongoing issue for several of the GM vehicles. Hopefully I will get a recall notice soon and be able to get reimbursed for the cost of the repair.
2026-06-26Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11746671
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My brake pedal got stiff when I was driving. I had zero control of my brakes. I was informed by a GMC dealership that my BRAKE BOOSTER blew up causing my brakes to stop working and metal shrapnel to be sent into my engine. My 2021 vehicle is a complete loss. GMC has done NOTHING to help me.
2026-06-22SUSPENSION
NHTSA ODI 11745670
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was unintendedly drifting to the right. The vehicle was taken to Dally Tire Company, where it was diagnosed with rear links failure and misalignment. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The dealer scheduled an appointment and provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 42,200.
2026-06-10Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11743108
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I was driving and all of a sudden my break pedal was inoperable. It was stiff and unable to be used. Luckily I was only going 40 MPH. I pulled into a parking lot and my car started shaking and apparently the metal parts from the vacuum pump blew into my engine, which completely wrecked my engine. I nearly could have died and now my 2021 car is completely destroyed.
2026-05-30Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11741035
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Display suddenly says "Steering assistance reduced, drive with care" Temp gauge goes to C and stays there. Radiator fans speed up and stay on after the car has been turned off. Dealer unable to find a diagnostic code for the problem.
2026-05-26LANE DEPARTUREUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11740094
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My thermostat failed in my car, my temp goes out and reads at 0° then my steering assist says it’s reduced. There are many forums online regarding this issue.
2026-05-12Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11737300
CrashFireInjuryDeath
This is a very known issue that has been reoccurring with GMC Acadia. The torque converter slipping. That cost alone is over $7.000 for the transmission. I am still making monthly payments for my 2021 Acadia. With rising cost above the board GMC could have resolved this issue before releasing this vehicle to the public for purchase. Only had this vehicle for 2 years and already a new transmission is needed. Other individuals i personally know have the same issue. From my research GMC is aware and fails to do a recall on this issue.

Frequently asked questions

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

Owners named Engine most often — 23 of 146 reports (16%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2021 GMC Acadia?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Fuel system and Rear camera / backup safety. 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 2021 GMC Acadia?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. 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