Most common 2025 GMC Acadia problems
Share of the 67 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 →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2025 GMC Acadia:
Electronic Brake Module Component Failure
On April 11, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24011 after receiving complaints concerning a loss of brake assist in 2023 MY Cadillac Lyriq vehicles. These complaints allege a hard brake pedal, followed by a "Brake System Failure" message at start up or while driving.
What 2025 GMC Acadia owners say
Brakes all 40 →
We filled a report on 04/04/2026 with NHTSA at 12:16 pm but can't find a copy of the whole report. My husband John Chandler was driving our 2025 GMC Avadia Elevation. He was backing out of a parking place when he noticed it wouldn't stop while putting his foot on the break. He was able to put it into drive and it lundged forward and wouldn't stop. He kept pushing with both feet on the break and wouldn't stop. I tried pushing the start button to stop but because his feet were on the break it would restart so then pushed the park button and it stopped as we hit the building. The air bags did not depoy so not going that fast. I pushed the button for 911 and they came on to assist and call police. They asked if everyone was al right and other questions. Lucky no one was hurt and thank God for that. Tow truck was called and taken to local tow yard. …
I have had my 2025 GMC Acadia Denali for 1 week with 336 miles on it. When I went to start it on the evening of [redacted], I felt the brake pulse. Then the dash lite up with message to Service ESC. The brake icon was lite up red and ABS was lite up yellow color. I took my vehicle to our local Jeff Fender GMC dealership the next morning. The service tech did a brake pressure test which passed. He cleared the codes. When I went out to leave the dealership, the codes came back on. The service tech said it is NOT safe to drive because my brakes can fail at anytime. Service said they need to replace the master cylinder. With this issue, my brakes could fail & a horrible crash could occur causing injuries and/or death. Service rep told me this has happened to a new Yukon too. My husband called the dealership in Lake City, FL, where we purchased the Acadia from & spoke to a service rep. …
Driver assistance all 22 →
The contact owns a 2025 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving uphill at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated, jerked, and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a computer reprogramming was performed; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and merging into the left lane, the automatic emergency braking system erroneously engaged and the vehicle hard-braked, nearly causing a rear-end crash. The contact immediately depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle accelerated as intended. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and had occurred approximately six times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined; however, the dealer advised the contact that the failure might be related to the camera system. …
Car driven off the lot 06/14/2025 On Sunday 07/06/25 (21 days from purchase) while driving home from a 30 minutes away from home trip with 3 young children with me, the car gave multiple alerts and service warnings. "Service Brake Assist" and "Service ECS" Lights / Symbols related to the following were also displayed: Traction Control System (TCS)/ Electronic Control Stability Light, Anti-lock Brakey System (ABS); Brake System Warning Light, Forward Collision Alert and BREAK light I stopped the car immediately and pulled to the side of the road. After restarting vehicle, lights were still displayed and service alerts still on. Power steering was very diminished and the breaks were struggle to break. Acceleration was also impacted and every time I breaked it appeared as though the car was trying to accelerate. I was able to drive the car home slowly following back roads. …
Engine & cooling
The vehicle experiences a transmission/drivetrain defect involving delayed gear engagement, hesitation, and apparent slipping. When accelerating from a complete stop (especially onto an incline) the engine RPM increases but the vehicle fails to accelerate as expected. The vehicle jerks and shakes violently and is unable to gain speed. This issue is intermittent but highly repeatable and occurs almost every time when there is a slope immediately after a stop sign. It results in loss of acceleration, violent shaking, and inability to maintain or build speed, creating a serious safety risk in traffic. It first happened around 1 year (early 2026) after the new car purchase (Nov 2025). There are no warning lights or messages. …
The vehicle has a serious transmission/drivetrain defect that repeatedly occurs when accelerating from a complete stop, especially onto an incline. The vehicle sometimes does not respond at all when the accelerator is pressed and fails to move, even though acceleration is being requested. In one recent incident, it remained stopped for about one minute before finally responding. During these events, the vehicle jerks and shakes severely and fails to gain speed as expected. This creates a major safety risk at stop signs, intersections, and uphill starts because the vehicle may not move when needed and cannot keep up with traffic. The problem has worsened, and during one of these incidents the check engine light came on. I have video evidence showing the loss of response to accelerator input, severe jerking/shaking, and the check engine light illuminating during the same event. …
2025 GMC Acadia engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 19 / 24 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2025 GMC Acadia a good car?
Based on 67 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2025 Acadia rates avoid: 3.6× 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 2025 GMC Acadia?
The brakes — 40 complaints, 60% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the driver assistance (22) and engine & cooling (6).
How many recalls does the 2025 GMC Acadia have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2025 GMC Acadia. You can still confirm with your VIN using our 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 2025 GMC Acadia problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 3,000 miles; 100% 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.