- The 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.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- The 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.
Vehicle safety record
2017 GMC Acadia Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 707 complaints about the 2017 GMC Acadia with NHTSA, most often about the transmission & drivetrain (236) and the electrical system (193). Those complaints describe 11 crashes, 2 fires and 20 injuries. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in May 2023 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2016 has 236 and the 2018 has 399.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Acadia year, for its age
#14 most complained-about 2017 vehicle
- Complaints
- 707
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 11
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 20
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2017 GMC Acadia problems
Share of all 707 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2017 GMC Acadia recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
- The risk
- A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
- The problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.
- The risk
- If the front right intermediate drive shaft assembly separates while driving, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. If the assembly separates while parked on a grade, without the park brake engaged, the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a vehicle roll-away.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right front intermediate drive shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17329.
- The 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.
- The risk
- If there is a brake fluid leak, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The 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 say
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
707 complaints about the 2017 GMC Acadia
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 29.
The car seat hasn't failed but it was involved in an accident caused by a driver rear ending me. The seat is unusable and the insurance company is refusing to cover the cost of a replacement. They have told me to purchase a used one . The seat I have is 1 year old and has an expiration date of November 15, 2034. They claim car seats depreciate.
Warning light "steering assist is reduced, drive with care" pops on, check engine light comes on, thermostat gauge does not work, full on coolant, cruise control does not work when this populates. Steering is different and does not feel safe.
Steering assist warning. Thermostat and temp control sensor changed twice in 2 years.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear after parking in the McDonald's drive thru. The vehicle was shifted into gear and resumed normal operations after an extended period. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle operated as designed, and no repairs were needed. The failed had occurred in 2022, and the gear shifter and the drive shaft were replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Bad thermostat causing power steering to go out and lose AC.
My Shift To Park senor come on often and wouldn't let me turn the vehicle off. I have taken to dealership for repair. Long wait and because parts are back ordered due to numerous vehicles having this same problem. This has left me stranded in my vehicle and not able to turn it off and leave the vehicle. I feel this is unsafe and should be handled on a recall. I am now without a vehicle for who knows how long?
P235/65r18, 106v 3 of the 4 tires are bubbled out lose air and are constantly feeling as if they are hydroplaning with lack of ice water or snow, constantly having to fill the tires with air. One has popped completely and am driving on a spare tire. It is unsafe to drive, 33 of the 4 tpms sensors have quit working as well:
Something inside the wheel started smoking and my gmc app displayed low break fluid. I pulled over and had someone come out two days later. The breakpad had uneven wear and the caliper had a broken seal on it which in turn tore the caliper up! This was not a safe situation to have with 4 kids in the car. This car has been one problem after another !
My Acadia went into limp Mode displaying low power mode on the screen and wouldn't start for a couple days after. Lights started illuminating on the dash as abs, traction control, and stanilitrack, then check engine light came on and my gmc app displayed code p2138. I have had since low power and extremely high gas consumption.
Shift to park take forever to get it to recognize that vehicle is in park. my lane departure only works sometimes.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that after shifting into park (P), the vehicle failed to shut off because it failed to recognize that the gear shifter was in park (P). The "Shift To Park" warning message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact jiggled the gear shifter button several times until the vehicle responded as intended and turned off. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently but became frequent. A dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure...
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and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle, and a diagnostic estimate was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on an incline with the engine turned off, the contact's toddler was able to shift into drive(D), and the vehicle rolled backwards, hit a light pole and a basketball stand, causing damage to the front driver-side door. No police report was filed, and no injuries were reported. The contact was unable to shift back into park(P) and was forced to start the vehicle in neutral(N). The contact was then unable to shut off the vehicle...
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as the gear shifter was no longer in park(P). Upon investigation, the contact learned that it was necessary to manually flip a switch underneath the gear console for the vehicle to register that it was in park(P). The contact initially took the vehicle to the independent mechanic but was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact submitted a claim with pictures and videos of the failure. The contact was then instructed to take the vehicle to a dealer for an inspection. The contact was later informed by the claim manager that the claim would be denied, and no further assistance was offered. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 99,968.
P0128 code, thermostat-related symptoms, Steering Assist Reduced warnings, increased steering effort, or other safety concerns while driving.
My Shift To Park senor come on often and wouldn't let me turn the vehicle off.
The contact owns an Evenflo Car Seat, Model Type: Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Extend, Manufactured Date: January 14, 2025, installed in a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the 360-degree rotating car seat failed to lock securely into position while the child was seated in the car seat. While attempting to position the car seat in the forward-facing setting, the rotational shell failed to engage or snap into the locking mechanism on the base. The failure had occurred inside the vehicle. The car seat was not repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was in the process of replacing the car seat.
Vehicle has experienced multiple electrical and mechanical failures at unusually low mileage. Purchased at 32,000 miles. At approximately 50,000 miles, the factory radio/infotainment system failed completely. Electrical systems were observed remaining active after the vehicle was powered off, suggesting an underlying electrical fault. At approximately 60,000 miles, the power steering rack and fuel pump both required full replacement and were confirmed and replaced by an authorized dealership. No warning lights...
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appeared prior to these failures - components failed without any prior indication. At approximately 100,000 miles, the transmission began failing and exhibits the known torque converter shudder issue widely reported on this vehicle platform. The shudder was present prior to full transmission failure symptoms appearing. The pattern of premature failures across multiple unrelated systems - electrical, steering, fuel delivery, and transmission - suggests a broader manufacturing defect.
I have replaced 5 batteries in my vehicle. The battery is constantly being drained. There is no lights or residual drawing power that can be identified.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission and torque converter were previously replaced twice; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Imagine wrapping up your errands and stepping into your GMC Acadia to drive home. You arrive and everything seems fine until you park, press the button to shut it off, and a "Shift to Park" message lights up the dashboard. Thinking you might have made a silly mistake, you double-check the shifter, only to realize it's already in Park. It has become so rampant, has drained my battery and caused anxiety.
Steering assist is reduced Brake assist reduced Seems to be a defective thermostat and sensor .temp gauge is below Normal operating temperature this needs to be addressed by GM should be a recall as this can be a costly repair.Many reports of same issue
UNKNOWN I'm told the micro parking switch is the problem. This is an intermediate issue. This is a well known problem with the GMC Acadias. Their times when I try to turn off the engine, I get a shift to park error message. The car will not turn off, I'm unable to lock the doors and I'm concerned that the car is not in the park position thus and fearful, it can roll away. This has been occurring more often than before.
When the car was parked and turned off, I received a notice to "SHIFT TO PARK" even though the car was in park.
I keep getting this warning "Action Required Steering Assist Is Reduced Drive With Care" . This warning has occurred randomly for several years. Recently, after getting this warning the check engine light came on and the engine temp gauge stopped indicating. I have seen a bulletin from GM that this condition is covered under a 'special warranty extension' for a single model year, but it is common over at least 5 model years. This should be a recall because of the steering assist issue.
Driver's side seat belt lower attachment point. Has a flexible cable swage attachment to the lower seat belt and. This braided steel cable has failed at the swage. No accident involved. Just a fatigue failure over time. But since this is a safety system, I thought I should report it. It seems very similar to the earlier seat belt failures on the same GMC platform. That recall is included as a reference document
When shifting vehicle into park and turning off the ignition switch a notification shows up and says shift to park even though vehicle is already in that position.
GMC Acadia: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 156 | 2 | C |
| 2020 | 107 | 6 | B |
| 2019 | 389 | 2 | D |
| 2018 | 399 | 2 | D |
| 2017 | 707 | 4 | F |
| 2016 | 236 | 4 | C |
| 2015 | 261 | 4 | C |
| 2014 | 468 | 6 | D |
| 2013 | 140 | 3 | B |
2017 GMC Acadia vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 GMC Acadia | 707 | 4 | F | |
| 2017 Ford Explorer | 1,717 | 14 | F | Compare |
| 2017 Ford Edge | 1,389 | 8 | D | Compare |
| 2017 Hyundai Santa FE | 976 | 6 | F | Compare |
| 2017 Subaru Outback | 921 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2017 Kia Sorento | 812 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee | 364 | 6 | A | Compare |
| 2017 Toyota Highlander | 272 | 4 | C | Compare |
| 2017 Dodge Durango | 214 | 2 | B | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2017 GMC Acadia
Does the 2017 GMC Acadia have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2017 GMC Acadia: inflator module (May 2023); fuel pump (May 2018); driveshaft (August 2017); caliper (November 2016). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 GMC Acadia?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the transmission & drivetrain (236), electrical system (193), airbags (76).
How many complaints has the 2017 GMC Acadia had?
707 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on September 30, 2016 and the latest on October 28, 2026. Of these, 11 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 20 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2017 GMC Acadia a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 24 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical GMC Acadia year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which GMC Acadia years have the most complaints?
2008 (858), 2017 (707), 2014 (468). See every GMC Acadia year compared.
What should I do if my 2017 GMC Acadia has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data