GMC Acadia Structure Problems
Owners have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the GMC Acadia across 19 model years. The 2008 model year has the most (87). The words owners use most often: “water leaking” (9% of reports).
- 250structure complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 35mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 24%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.
- Water leaking: mentioned in 23 of 250 complaints (9%)
- Lift gate: mentioned in 19 of 250 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 190 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 250 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 35 an injury.
GMC Acadia structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Acadia | 2 | 3% | 10 |
| 2024 Acadia | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Acadia | 1 | 2% | 5,200 |
| 2022 Acadia | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Acadia | 2 | 1% | 15,000 |
| 2020 Acadia | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2019 Acadia | 2 | 1% | 11,750 |
| 2018 Acadia | 1 | 0% | 7,900 |
| 2017 Acadia | 4 | 1% | 353 |
| 2016 Acadia | 2 | 1% | 53,000 |
| 2015 Acadia | 3 | 1% | 40,000 |
| 2014 Acadia | 8 | 2% | 40,147 |
| 2013 Acadia | 5 | 4% | 85,250 |
| 2012 Acadia | 42 | 14% | 62,368 |
| 2011 Acadia | 9 | 3% | 76,000 |
| 2010 Acadia | 8 | 2% | 81,000 |
| 2009 Acadia | 25 | 8% | 60,500 |
| 2008 Acadia | 87 | 10% | 74,130 |
| 2007 Acadia | 44 | 10% | 61,474 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate
Model years: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured August 17, 2006, to March 18, 2010. The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power liftgate up when open. These struts may prematurely wear and the open liftgate may suddenly fall.
Risk: If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Well, letâs try this again. The first try disappeared. The rear hatch seal on the vehicle has identical spots on both sides of the hatch that are mashed flat. I think this is being caused by the flat spots on the hatch itself. The vehicle is a total body and engine redesign. The flat spots allow…
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, after pressing the liftgate button the liftgate raised and crashed down independently after several seconds. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown recall…
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while reversing, the liftgate unexpectedly opened, even though the liftgate was properly closed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was…
The contact owns a 2025 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the sunlight reflecting off the dashboard chrome onto the windshield was blinding, forcing the driver to use a cardboard to protect their eyes. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The…
We purchased our 2024 Acadia in June 2025. Since we have had the vehicle, it has been in the shop going on 6 times. First the sunroof seal came off, then the antenna cover fell off, the driver side rear panel had to be replaced because it was coming off. Once all this was done then the vehicle…
Frequently asked questions
Do all GMC Acadias have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 250 owner complaints about structure 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 structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about structure problems on the GMC Acadia?
The most frequent phrase is “water leaking”, in 23 of 250 complaints, followed by “lift gate” (19).
Other GMC Acadia problems
- Power Train problems (1,377)
- Electrical System problems (1,083)
- Air Bags problems (908)
- Steering problems (809)
- Engine problems (746)
- Exterior Lighting problems (278)
- Service Brakes problems (242)
- Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems (196)
See all GMC Acadia problems.