2016 GMC Acadia Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2016 GMC Acadia, 55% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 130,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bags contacted” (29% of reports).
- 130air bags complaints
- 130,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 2related recalls
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bags contacted: mentioned in 38 of 130 complaints (29%)
- Injury death: mentioned in 11 of 130 complaints (8%)
- May result: mentioned in 8 of 130 complaints (6%)
- Metal fragments: mentioned in 8 of 130 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 5 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 130 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
GMC Acadia air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Acadia | 1 | 11% | 4,700 |
| 2024 Acadia | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 Acadia | 2 | 4% | 5,665 |
| 2022 Acadia | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2021 Acadia | 9 | 6% | 8,100 |
| 2020 Acadia | 3 | 3% | 10,000 |
| 2019 Acadia | 3 | 1% | 33,717 |
| 2018 Acadia | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2017 Acadia | 76 | 11% | 42,500 |
| 2016 Acadia | 130 | 55% | 130,000 |
| 2015 Acadia | 108 | 44% | 91,842 |
| 2014 Acadia | 246 | 53% | 82,500 |
| 2013 Acadia | 29 | 21% | 95,000 |
| 2012 Acadia | 33 | 11% | 81,000 |
| 2011 Acadia | 19 | 7% | 56,355 |
| 2010 Acadia | 16 | 5% | 62,370 |
| 2009 Acadia | 15 | 5% | 112,000 |
| 2008 Acadia | 150 | 18% | 83,455 |
| 2007 Acadia | 64 | 15% | 90,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Safety recall that has not been addressed by the dealership in over 4 months
I have a recall on this vehicle that GMC has failed to provide me parts/repair and this recall will be 3 years old in June. I have emailed the local dealer, the manager of the local dealer, GM corporate, and no one has followed through. The best I came to getting the repair was that Corporate made…
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Acadia. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 GMC Acadias have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 130 owner complaints about air bags for the 2016 GMC Acadia (55% of the 236 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 GMC Acadia air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 130,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2016 GMC Acadia?
The most frequent phrase is “air bags contacted”, in 38 of 130 complaints, followed by “injury death” (11).
See all 2016 GMC Acadia problems or air bags problems across all Acadia years.