2016 Gmc ACADIA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
236 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 63 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 129 of 236 complaints (54.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 25 | 10.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 19 | 8.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 4.7% |
| Braking behavior | 8 | 3.4% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 1.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 129 |
| Steering | 24 |
| Electrical System | 23 |
| Power Train | 21 |
| Unknown Or Other | 20 |
| Engine | 13 |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | 9 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 5 |
Air Bags: 129; Steering: 24; Electrical System: 23; Power Train: 21; Unknown Or Other: 20; Engine: 13; Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection: 9; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 19 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 6
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 173 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 62 |
| 2024 | 66 |
| 2025 | 17 |
| 2026 | 12 |
2016: 7; 2017: 5; 2018: 5; 2019: 24; 2020: 17; 2021: 9; 2022: 12; 2023: 62; 2024: 66; 2025: 17; 2026: 12
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 19 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10883937 · 2016-07-11 (July 11, 2016)
2016 SLE GMC ACADIA CENTER GEAR SHIFTING COMPONENT LEVEL DOES NOT INDICATE WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN. P,R,N,D,L ALL REMAIN WHITE IN COLOR DESPITE BEING IN A DIFFERENT GEAR; AN IMPROVEMENT (PERHAPS A COLOR CHANGE TO THE CURRENT GEAR) IS NEEDED. GEAR INDICATION IS CURRENTLY LOCATED ON A 2 INCH BY 3 INCH SCREEN SCREEN ABOVE THE SPEEDOMETER IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCATED WITHIN THE AVERAGE PERSONS FIELD OF VIEW OF THE INDICATION SCREEN, THUS MAKING THE INDICATION SCREEN USELESS UNTIL A MAJOR BODY ADJUS…
Owner-reported narrative. 58 miles reported. Look up ODI 10883937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11217820 · 2019-06-04 (June 4, 2019)
POWER STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING DUE TO SUDDEN SUBSTANTIAL FLUID LEAKAGE. COMPLAINTS TO GM ARE UNRESOLCVED WHILE GM CONTINUES TO SELL FLAWED VEHICLES.
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11217820 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11206209 · 2019-05-08 (May 8, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC ACADIA. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHOOK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KOEPP CHEVROLET [phone removed], LOCATED AT 13221 US-87, LA VERNIA, TX 78121) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11206209 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11090311 · 2018-04-26 (April 26, 2018)
MY WIFES VEHICLE WHICH IS OUR FAMILY VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL REOCCURRING ISSUES. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM AS IT IS STILL ON GOING. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IS EXTREMELY SCARY. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL ALERT THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO HAVE A COLLISION BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN FRONT OF YOU JUST A VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF YOU AND WILL BREAK ON ITS OWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE ALSO HAD SER…
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11090311 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11189845 · 2019-03-18 (March 18, 2019)
SIDE BLIND SPOT DETECTION MODULES NOT WORKING. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD IN GENERAL, BUT CAUSES AN ELECTRICAL SHORT INTERNALLY AND CAUSES OTHER ELECTRUCAL PARTS TO MALFUNCTION SUCH AS: AIR BAGS IGNITION BLINKERS REAR BACK UP CAMERA FRONT CRASH DETECTION THESE ARE ALL MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAPPEN ON THE ROAD, IN MOTION FOR MY FAMILY IN THE CAR AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. WE NEED TO GET IT FIXED BUT, PARTS ARE BACK ORDERED AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR ALMOST 6 MONTHS NOW. IT'S A $1200 REPAIR AND IS RE OCCURRING PROBLEM FROM WHAT THE DEALER HAS S…
Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11189845 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10898255 · 2016-08-24 (August 24, 2016)
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAS COMPLETELY SHUT-DOWN, WHILE SITTING STATIONARY IN TRAFFIC WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED (ONCE AT STOPLIGHT, ANOTHER TIME BACKING OUT FROM DRIVEWAY WITH BRAKE APPLIED PRIOR TO TRANSITIONING TO DRIVE) EACH OCCASION THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED WITH NO ISSUE OR WARNING LIGHTS. 1ST TIME TAKEN TO DEALER, NO "CODES" WERE FOUND AND WERE UNABLE TO RE-CREATE PROBLEM, AND SENT HOME. CURRENTLY AT DEALER FOR THE 2ND TIME AND STILL UNABLE TO RETRIEVE ERROR CODES OR RE-CREATE. CURRENTLY CONTACTING GM FOR ASSISTANCE. VEHICLE PURCH…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10898255 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10908180 · 2016-09-20 (September 20, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT CONSISTENT AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE DEALER TO SEND THE VEHICLE HOME, IF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FA…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,036 miles reported. Look up ODI 10908180 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11231841 · 2019-07-14 (July 14, 2019)
'TAKATA RECALL' WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS OR HAS A HARD SHIFT. THE VEHICLE STALLS OUT BEFORE WANTING TO ACTUALLY MOVE WHICH COULD RESULT IN FATAL ACCIDENTS. THE CAR IS NEARLY BRAND NEW WITH THESE TYPES OF ISSUES.
Owner-reported narrative. 33,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11231841 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11000142 · 2017-06-20 (June 20, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC ACADIA DENALI. WHILE THE DRIVER WAS PLACING THE KIDS IN THE CAR SEAT, WITH THE KEY REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE GEAR SHIFTER IN PARK, A TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A PILLAR. THE FUEL TANK RUPTURED AND CAUSED A FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. THE DRIVER REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAIL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11000142 at NHTSA ↗