GMC Acadia Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 242 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the GMC Acadia across 20 model years. The 2025 model year has the most (40). The words owners use most often: “master cylinder” (13% of reports).
- 242service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 16mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 26%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Master cylinder: mentioned in 32 of 242 complaints (13%)
- Shift park: mentioned in 25 of 242 complaints (10%)
- Service brake: mentioned in 19 of 242 complaints (8%)
- Traction control: mentioned in 18 of 242 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 101 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 242 complaints, 16 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 6 an injury.
GMC Acadia service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Acadia | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2025 Acadia | 40 | 60% | — |
| 2024 Acadia | 23 | 38% | 25,312 |
| 2023 Acadia | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2022 Acadia | 2 | 4% | 15,000 |
| 2021 Acadia | 18 | 12% | 26,000 |
| 2020 Acadia | 8 | 8% | 4,788 |
| 2019 Acadia | 16 | 4% | 21,212 |
| 2018 Acadia | 21 | 5% | 41,000 |
| 2017 Acadia | 33 | 5% | 35,596 |
| 2016 Acadia | 4 | 2% | 25,500 |
| 2015 Acadia | 5 | 2% | 35,021 |
| 2014 Acadia | 9 | 2% | 16,000 |
| 2013 Acadia | 3 | 2% | 94,000 |
| 2012 Acadia | 7 | 2% | 26,500 |
| 2011 Acadia | 10 | 4% | 89,750 |
| 2010 Acadia | 5 | 1% | 98,000 |
| 2009 Acadia | 3 | 1% | 12,830 |
| 2008 Acadia | 25 | 3% | 86,118 |
| 2007 Acadia | 7 | 2% | 37,208 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Model years: 2017
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2017 Cadillac XT5 vehicles manufactured April 16, 2016, to May 9, 2016, and 2017 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 19, 2016, to April 22, 2016. The front brake calipers may have a torn or misaligned caliper piston seal which may allow brake fluid to leak.
Risk: If there is a brake fluid leak, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake calipers, replacing the brake caliper assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 16096.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving my car and my brakes felt weird. Then warning lights came on and my car told me that my brakes werenât working and I would need to push them hard to stop. I put on my hazard lights and turned into a side street and was able to safely stop in the parking lane next to the curb. I shut…
While driving my 2023 GMC Acadia, I experienced intermittent abnormal brake pedal behavior. When applying the brakes normally, the pedal would travel partway and then suddenly encounter resistance/catch accompanied by a click, causing the vehicle to brake abruptly and unexpectedly. The vehicle…
Purchased NEW 2026 GMC Acadia on XXX XXX - Fastened seat belts, Started vehicle in a driveway, Switched into forward gear and Vehicle lurched forward while Depressing the brake with no braking action occurring (BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR). Shut off engine and depressed the Emergency Brake Button…
While driving my 2025 GMC Acadia, the vehicle experienced a sudden and severe failure of the brake master cylinder assembly, causing a significant loss of hydraulic pressure and braking assistance. Multiple dashboard warnings illuminated simultaneously, including ABS and brake system alerts. The…
When backing into my driveway the brakes failed. I was nosing the car across the street towards the neighbors driveway so I could put the car in reverse and back it into the driveway. I applied the brakes while traveling at about 3-4mph when the brakes had little resistance and went straight to the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all GMC Acadias have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 242 owner complaints about service brakes for the GMC Acadia. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the GMC Acadia service brakes?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the GMC Acadia?
The most frequent phrase is “master cylinder”, in 32 of 242 complaints, followed by “shift park” (25).
Other GMC Acadia problems
- Power Train problems (1,378)
- Electrical System problems (1,084)
- Air Bags problems (908)
- Steering problems (809)
- Engine problems (746)
- Exterior Lighting problems (278)
- Structure problems (250)
- Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems (196)
See all GMC Acadia problems.