GMC Acadia engine problems, 2016–2027
274 of the 2,203 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the GMC Acadia 2016–2027 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2017 (63), 2019 (58), 2018 (35). Filed under the same heading across these years: no document yet. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
GMC Acadia engine problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the engine | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2026 | 1 | 11% | — | 4 TSBs | the year → |
| 2025 | 6 | 9% | — | 58 TSBs | the year → |
| 2024 | 10 | 16% | — | 98 TSBs | the year → |
| 2023 | 12 | 28% | — | 141 TSBs | the year → |
| 2022 | 14 | 29% | — | 184 TSBs | the year → |
| 2021 | 32 | 21% | — | 222 TSBs | the year → |
| 2020 | 30 | 29% | — | 225 TSBs | the year → |
| 2019 in depth | 58 | 15% | 48k | 197 TSBs | the record → |
| 2018 | 35 | 9% | 29k | 239 TSBs | the year → |
| 2017 in depth | 63 | 9% | 41k | 287 TSBs | the record → |
| 2016 | 13 | 6% | — | 275 TSBs | the year → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.
When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 12 · 2020: 20 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 17 · 2023: 32 · 2024: 36 · 2025: 67 · 2026: 72
Across the model years, half of the 75 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 20,000 and 58,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The contact owns a 2017 Gmc Acadia. The contact stated the vehicle failed to acknowledge when the gear shifter was placed in the park position causing the battery to become drained. Additionally, the contact was unable to turn off the vehicle with the gear shifter in neutral. The vehicle was not repaired.
When shutting down the vehicle a "shift to park" message appears on the console and the electrical system does not shut down. In order to clear the problem, the vehicle must be restarted and the shifter moved between gears and back to park, sometimes several time before successfully shutting down.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the electric power steering (EPS) warning light illuminated, displaying the message "Steering assist Might be Inoperable". The contact stated that following the message being displayed, the vehicle overheated.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The low oil message was displayed. The contact added oil to the engine. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil gasket and plate needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
My steering assist is coming on an the thermostat play apart in this. The thermostat need to be change. 2018-GMC-Acadia are having problems with these parts
What is on file about the engine, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNothing filed under this heading on these model years.
Other systems with a record on the GMC Acadia
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: GMC Acadia problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich GMC Acadia years have the most engine complaints?
2017, 63; 2019, 58; 2018, 35. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2022 (29%).
Is there a recall for the engine on the GMC Acadia?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading on any of these model years. A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the GMC Acadia?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 37,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 20,000 and 58,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.