2019 GMC Acadia Problems & Complaints

Use caution1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Acadia at the same age

Owners have filed 387 complaints about the 2019 GMC Acadia with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 1.7× as many as a typical Acadia model year at the same age — above average, so look closely at the problem areas below before you buy. The most reported problem area is the transmission & drivetrain (154 complaints, typically around 50,000 miles). 2 recalls cover this model year.

387complaints
2recalls
6crashes
2fires
3injuries
0deaths

Most common 2019 GMC Acadia problems

  • 15440%
  • Other / not specified~13,000 miles
    12031%
  • Electrical system~26,000 miles
    10527%
  • Engine & cooling~55,000 miles
    5815%
  • Steering~70,000 miles
    339%
  • Brakes~22,000 miles
    174%
  • Driver assistance~1,000 miles
    144%
  • Lights~10,000 miles
    103%
  • Suspension
    62%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~64,000 miles
    51%
  • Wheels & tires
    41%
  • Seat belts~26,000 miles
    31%
  • Speed control & acceleration~86,000 miles
    31%
  • Air bags~34,000 miles
    31%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~13,000 miles
    21%
  • Stability & traction control~1,000 miles
    21%
  • Body & structure~23,000 miles
    21%
  • Locks & latches
    21%
  • Seats
    10%

Share of the 387 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 →

2019 GMC Acadia recalls (2)

Tires

NHTSA recall 21V-115 · Feb 25, 2021 · 33,838 vehicles

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket…

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021.

Power train › Automatic transmission

NHTSA recall 20V-668 · Oct 29, 2020 · 194,105 vehicles

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020.

What 2019 GMC Acadia owners say

Transmission & drivetrain all 154 →

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park with the engine running, the vehicle suddenly rolled away. As a result of the failure, the vehicle crashed into another parked vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the vehicle was operating as intended. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.

42,000 miles · Apr 2024 · crash

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that upon attempting to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to register that the transmission was in park(P) and the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact stated that the vehicle continued to beep. The "Shift to Park" message was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle required to be turned off and restarted several times, or to be driven to shift to park(P) successfully. Upon investigation the failure, the contact linked the failure to GM Technical Service Bulletins: 18-NA-297 and 19-NA-206. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a faulty shift control, and the dealer determined that the shift assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …

52,000 miles · Aug 2025

Electrical system all 105 →

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she noticed that the engine caught on fire with no warning light illuminated. The fire was put out by the Chicago Fire Department and after the vehicle was inspected the cause of the fire was determined as a failure with the electrical system. A police report was filed with the Chicago Police Department and a report was provided. No injuries occurred and no medical attention was needed. The vehicle was not towed. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

65,000 miles · Jun 2024 · fire

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the battery, the steering, and the brake warning lights were illuminated. The contact contacted Triple A, who tested the battery, the starter, and the alternator and jumpstarted the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the battery had discharged and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that diagnostic testing could be performed after the battery replacement. The contact stated that the battery was replaced four times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

3,000 miles · Aug 2022

Engine & cooling all 58 →

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she noticed that the engine caught on fire with no warning light illuminated. The fire was put out by the Chicago Fire Department and after the vehicle was inspected the cause of the fire was determined as a failure with the electrical system. A police report was filed with the Chicago Police Department and a report was provided. No injuries occurred and no medical attention was needed. The vehicle was not towed. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

65,000 miles · Jun 2024 · fire

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the battery low and steering assist warning lights were illuminated. The contact's minor children were occupants in the vehicle during the failure. The tow truck assistant arrived. The tow truck driver assisted with restarting the vehicle. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to Firestone; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that a portable diagnostic tester was attached, but no error codes were displayed. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to Firestone, where it was diagnosed with a failed START/STOP module. The contact was informed about Technical Service Bulletin: 21-NA-139. …

81,000 miles · Aug 2026

2019 GMC Acadia engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
2.5L 4-cyl6-speed automaticFWD21 / 26 / 23
2.5L 4-cyl6-speed automaticAWD21 / 25 / 22
3.6L 6-cyl6-speed automaticFWD18 / 25 / 21
3.6L 6-cyl6-speed automaticAWD17 / 25 / 20

EPA ratings. Class: SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 GMC Acadia a good car?

Based on 387 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2019 Acadia rates use caution: 1.7× 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 2019 GMC Acadia?

The transmission & drivetrain — 154 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission › lever and linkage › floor shift. Next are the electrical system (105) and engine & cooling (58).

How many recalls does the 2019 GMC Acadia have?

There are 2 recalls for the 2019 GMC Acadia, the most recent from February 25, 2021 (tires). 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 2019 GMC Acadia problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 40,000 miles; 60% 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.