2016 GMC Acadia Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Acadia years
- About as many complaints as other years 12th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 236 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Acadia. That ranks 12th out of 20 Acadia model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (130 complaints, 55%), typically at around 130,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 2 fires, 16 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

- 236owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 GMC Acadia problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 130 | 55% | 130,000 | “air bags contacted” (29%) | — |
| Steering | 26 | 11% | 53,600 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 25 | 11% | 47,783 | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 9% | 77,911 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 20 | 8% | 39,704 | — | — |
| Engine | 13 | 6% | 31,300 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 9 | 4% | 55,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 2% | 39,451 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 2% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 2% | 25,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 58 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 47,002 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 1% | 33,854 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 1% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | 100 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 26,334 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 GMC Acadia recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:critical fasteners
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.
Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
Seats
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured November 6, 2015, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location.
Risk: If the seat frame is not welded in the correct places, the seat may not perform as intended, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row left side lower seat frame, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 21930.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015. Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used.
Risk: A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor cover assembly, free of charge. Owners are advised not to use their front windshield wipers until the wiper cover has been replaced. If weather conditions prevent operation of the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will make arrangements to pick up the vehicle for servicing. The recall began on September 30, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15780.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Transmission torque converter required replacement
Technician told me the engine "grenaded itself". "Cylinder #4 melted into the side walls of the cylinder wall caused by air to fuel mix ratio controlled by the ECU failure to mix appropriately." My family and I were traveling for Easter and were stranded on the side of the highway. I had a private…
The cable that attaches the front driver seatbelt to the base of the seat (left side), suddenly broke when simply buckling the belt.
Transmission began hesitating around 1800rpm with only 92,000 miles showing on the odometer. It feels like a flutter as the transmission shifts into the next gear. I have heard the 2016 year group has had transmission problems. Believe a recall is justified.
Without warning transmission overheated, blew out fluid and caught the front end of the vehicle on fire
Other GMC Acadia years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Acadia | 9 | 1 |
| 2025 Acadia | 67 | 0 |
| 2024 Acadia | 61 | 0 |
| 2023 Acadia | 45 | 4 |
| 2022 Acadia | 49 | 3 |
| 2021 Acadia | 151 | 2 |
| 2020 Acadia | 106 | 6 |
| 2019 Acadia | 387 | 2 |
| 2018 Acadia | 396 | 2 |
| 2017 Acadia | 705 | 4 |
| 2016 | 236 | 4 |
| 2015 Acadia | 243 | 4 |
| 2014 Acadia | 463 | 6 |
| 2013 Acadia | 135 | 3 |
| 2012 Acadia | 296 | 5 |
| 2011 Acadia | 269 | 5 |
| 2010 Acadia | 343 | 4 |
| 2009 Acadia | 331 | 7 |
| 2008 Acadia | 854 | 5 |
| 2007 Acadia | 428 | 5 |
See all GMC Acadia problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
Similar GMC models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 GMC Acadia?
Owners most often report air bags, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 130 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 GMC Acadia?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 GMC Acadia a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Acadia model years, the 2016 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.