Most common 2016 GMC Acadia problems
Share of the 236 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Acadia complaints by model year
Best Acadia years: 2013, 2022, 2020. Years to avoid: 2025, 2017, 2024, 2019, 2018. Compare all years →
2016 GMC Acadia recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Critical fasteners
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.
Remedy: 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.
Seats
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.
Remedy: 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.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
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.
Remedy: 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.
What 2016 GMC Acadia owners say
Air bags all 130 →
The contact owned a 2016 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that when she had placed the vehicle in reverse (R), and was applying the accelerator pedal, all of the air bags deployed. The contact stated that she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into her neighbor's house. The contact stated that she was rendered unconscious. The contact stated that when she recovered consciousness the police were on scene and issued her a traffic citation. The contact stated that no emergency medical personnel were called to the scene of the accident. The contact stated that she had not gone to a doctor, but she had pain in her back and had bruises on both legs and feet. The contact stated that the vehicle had been towed to an impound lot. The contact stated that she had called here insurance provider who had declared the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
I was in minor accident this past December. The airbag ruptured and cut up my face. I was extremely confused as to how this could happen and after doing a little research, I found out that the vehicle has an open recall for their air bags. I was extremely shook by this information because we were never notified for such a life threatening recall! I contacted gm over 3 weeks ago. The first person I spoke with expressed that she needed to escalate the issue to the right place and that someone would contact me. A week went by and I did not hear anything so I called, I was told that it was sent to the wrong place but they were going to make sure the matter would be sent to the correct department and that they would reach out to me within a few business days. I have not heard from another person at gm since.
Steering all 26 →
The check engine light has come on multiple times in the past 6 months. I have taken it 3 times to be repaired and finally the found out what was wrong. The first time that I brought it in, May 2023, the Bank 1 Lean Code was coming up on the diagnostic. They replaced a sensor for $300. 2 weeks later the check engine light came on again. They got the same codes and didn't know what exactly was causing it so they fixed a bunch of things which cost me $2,200. 3 months later, the check engine light came back on again. This time they're telling me the repairs cost $3,725 and it's related to this bulletin [redacted] ). This seems like a safety hazard that I should not have to pay for. My car only has 58,000 miles. I already paid $2,500 in misdiagnosed problems and now they want me to pay another $3,725. …
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Acadia. The contact indicated while driving at various speeds the vehicle had experienced random jerking and hesitation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine control module was faulty. The engine control module was replaced but the failure continued to occur. The vehicle was then taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the rack and pinion and power steering pump were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Electrical system all 25 →
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 GMC Acadia on February 28, 2026. After purchasing the vehicle, the contact obtained a Carfax report and discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was purchased at an auction. The dealer agreed to refund a portion of the cost of the vehicle. The contact attempted several times to contact the dealer afterwards but was unsuccessful. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 92,400, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 192,000.
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the driver's side seat control panel had detached from the seat without warning. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to a dealer where the seat panel was replaced out of pocket. Recently, the contact discovered that the same panel was fractured for the second time. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact made another appointment with the same dealer for the same failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
2016 GMC Acadia engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 15 / 22 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 GMC Acadia a good car?
Based on 236 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Acadia rates average: 17% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Acadia at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 GMC Acadia?
The air bags — 130 complaints, 55% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › driver side › inflator module. Next are the steering (26) and electrical system (25).
How many recalls does the 2016 GMC Acadia have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2016 GMC Acadia, the most recent from May 10, 2023 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Acadia?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2022 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2017, 2024, 2019 and 2018. See the full GMC Acadia years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 GMC Acadia problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 48% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.