2017 GMC Acadia Problems & Complaints

Avoid2.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Acadia at the same age

Owners have filed 705 complaints about the 2017 GMC Acadia with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 2.7× as many as a typical Acadia model year at the same age, which makes the 2017 one of the Acadia years to avoid. The most reported problem area is the transmission & drivetrain (236 complaints, typically around 36,000 miles). 4 recalls cover this model year.

705complaints
4recalls
10crashes
2fires
15injuries
0deaths

Most common 2017 GMC Acadia problems

  • 23633%
  • Electrical system~35,000 miles
    19327%
  • Other / not specified~33,000 miles
    16924%
  • Air bags~51,000 miles
    7611%
  • Engine & cooling~40,000 miles
    649%
  • Brakes~38,000 miles
    365%
  • Steering~16,000 miles
    345%
  • Driver assistance~50,000 miles
    325%
  • Lights~3,000 miles
    254%
  • Stability & traction control~36,000 miles
    142%
  • Seat belts~30,000 miles
    132%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~28,000 miles
    132%
  • Wheels & tires~26,000 miles
    132%
  • Speed control & acceleration~27,000 miles
    91%
  • Suspension~21,000 miles
    81%
  • Seats~0 miles
    61%
  • Body & structure~1,000 miles
    41%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~34,000 miles
    41%
  • Locks & latches~74,000 miles
    20%

Share of the 705 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

GMC Acadia complaints by model year

’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’264288543313432692961354632432367053963871061544947616710
Owner complaints per model year, GMC Acadia. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Acadia years: 2013, 2022, 2020. Years to avoid: 2025, 2017, 2024, 2019, 2018. Compare all years →

2017 GMC Acadia recalls (4)

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 23V-334 · May 10, 2023 · 995,085 vehicles

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.

Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump

NHTSA recall 18V-358 · May 31, 2018 · 895 vehicles

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.

Remedy: 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.

Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft

NHTSA recall 17V-516 · Aug 22, 2017 · 2,905 vehicles

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.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right front intermediate drive shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017.

Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper

NHTSA recall 16V-802 · Nov 4, 2016 · 1,844 vehicles

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.

Remedy: 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.

What 2017 GMC Acadia owners say

Transmission & drivetrain all 236 →

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 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. …

100,000 miles · May 2026 · crash

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and accelerating to 25 MPH, the vehicle jerked and downshifted, and decelerated to 17-18 MPH. The contact stated that the failure occurred several times while driving. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 5 MPH and attempting to come to a complete stop, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle shuddered and failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal harder, and the vehicle responded. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving, causing him to shift to neutral(N) while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the diagnostic test codes: P0010, P0016, P0018, and P0507 were retrieved. The mechanic determined that the engine and an unknown part needed to be replaced. …

75,000 miles · Feb 2024

Electrical system all 193 →

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that after shifting to the park position and attempting to turn the vehicle off, the engine shut off but the headlights and dashboard lights remained illuminated. Also, on multiple occasions, the battery had drained and the vehicle had to be jump-started. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the floor shifter harness was faulty and needed to be replaced. The floor shifter harness was replaced and the failure was remedied, but approximately two years later the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer. The contact was informed of the manufacturer's TSB to repair the failure and a new and improved floor shifter harness was installed which corrected the failure. The contact indicated that the manufacturer was aware of the faulty harness but no assistance was offered. …

45,000 miles · Nov 2020

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while attempting to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact shifted from park (P) to drive(D) and was eventually able to turn off the vehicle. The contact stated that the letter P(park) was outlined in yellow and was illuminated on the instrument panel. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to close and lock the driver's side door, the door failed to lock securely. The contact stated that the failures occurred simultaneously. The contact stated that the failures were intermittent. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

74,000 miles · Jan 2025

Air bags all 76 →

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while parked at her work, she had attempted to start the vehicle and was unable. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The contact had smelled the strong odor of gasoline from the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated a co-worker had looked underneath the vehicle and confirmed the leak of gasoline. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the same independent mechanic, who advised that the fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that she was in a parking lot at a shopping center as she was looking for a parking spot, the driver's side air bag exploded, there was no crash. …

150,000 miles · Mar 2026 · 3 injuries

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that when the front driver's side seat was adjusted, the air bag warning light illuminated, and a message displayed on the instrument panel "Service Air Bags". The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the contact was informed by the mechanic not to adjust the front driver's side seat due to adjusting the seat triggering the sensor. The contact was concerned for her safety while operating the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. …

70,000 miles · Jan 2022

2017 GMC Acadia engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
2.5L 4-cyl6-speed automaticFWD21 / 26 / 23
2.5L 4-cyl6-speed automaticAWD21 / 25 / 23
3.6L 6-cyl6-speed automaticFWD18 / 25 / 21
3.6L 6-cyl6-speed automaticAWD18 / 25 / 20

EPA ratings. Class: SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 GMC Acadia a good car?

Based on 705 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Acadia rates avoid: 2.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Acadia at the same age. It is one of the Acadia years we suggest avoiding. 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 2017 GMC Acadia?

The transmission & drivetrain — 236 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission › lever and linkage › floor shift. Next are the electrical system (193) and air bags (76).

How many recalls does the 2017 GMC Acadia have?

There are 4 recalls for the 2017 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 2017 GMC Acadia problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 33,000 miles; 77% 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.