Collision Avoidance complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 30% | 5,000 miles |
| 2025 | 22 | 33% | 3,000 miles |
| 2024 | 14 | 23% | 18,000 miles |
| 2023 | 5 | 11% | — |
| 2022 | 7 | 14% | 73,000 miles |
| 2021 | 18 | 12% | 25,000 miles |
| 2020 | 14 | 13% | 0 miles |
| 2019 | 14 | 4% | 1,000 miles |
| 2018 | 14 | 4% | 59,000 miles |
| 2017 | 32 | 5% | 50,000 miles |
| 2016 | 10 | 4% | 70,000 miles |
| 2015 | 7 | 3% | — |
| 2014 | 6 | 1% | 135,000 miles |
| 2013 | 4 | 3% | 58,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 0% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2026 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while at a stop sign and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and crashed into the rear passenger's side of a Semi Truck. Both the AEB and the IAEB failed to engage during the incident. The vehicle sustained severe front-end damage. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy, and the Forward Collision Avoidance System failed to engage to prevent the crash. The driver sustained a neck and right shoulder injury. The front passenger seat occupant sustained a right arm and left leg injury, and a headache. No medical treatment was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,700.
On several occasions, this vehicle break pretty hard for no apparent reason in a red rectangle with a crash symbol came up on the windshield a few times we've had people behind us which created dangerous situation and there's no apparent reasons for this vehicle breaking there was nothing in front of us at times there were vehicles in the other lane, but at other times there were no vehicles around at all I was wondering if this what's happening with other GMC's or or any GM product.
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. …
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while back out of his driveway while in reverse(R), the contact hit another vehicle that was also parked in the driveway. The contact stated that back over prevention sensor failed to alert him that a vehicle was in his vicinity; also the vehicle did not apply the automatic braking system when closely approaching vehicle. The contact stated that the failure cause significant damage to both vehicles involved in the collision. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired for the failure. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 17,500.
2024 brand new Acadia Denali trim with 1k miles was brought in to the dealership because of 'popping' and 'grinding' noise when turning, most loudest when turning to and from the right. It was also very much felt on the steering wheel. Dealer took apart the front right strut assembly and said that it was not 'installed' properly, causing the springs to hit the fender everytime the wheels turned. They inspected it said that nothing needed to be replaced, installed it properly, test drove it and determined that it was fixed. Driving home, I sped through potholes and bumps, especially during turns, to really test their repairs. Luckily, the sound was gone, steering was smooth. And I hope it stays that way. Out of curiosity, I took a picture of the strut assembly post Repair You can see the coil is bulging out of place from the strut. This is only in the right side. …
While driving my 2023 GMC Acadia, I experienced intermittent abnormal brake pedal behavior. When applying the brakes normally, the pedal would travel partway and then suddenly encounter resistance/catch accompanied by a click, causing the vehicle to brake abruptly and unexpectedly. The vehicle remained straight, but the braking action was significantly harder than intended. This problem has created a serious safety concern. On one occasion, the unexpected braking behavior nearly resulted in my vehicle being rear-ended. I had the vehicle inspected at a GMC dealership, as well as by the dealer that I purchased the vehicle from. The problem was initially intermittent and was not reproduced during the first two inspections. I recorded a video of the braking behavior to document the issue. …
While driving under normal conditions, the vehicle experienced a sudden, violent deceleration. The emergency braking and collision avoidance systems activated spontaneously, as if the vehicle had struck or was about to strike an object. There was no obstacle, impact, or external threat present. This uncommanded braking caused significant physical stress and injury to the occupants. Critically, multiple safety systems failed during the event: The seat belts did not lock, failing to restrain the occupants; The airbags did not deploy, despite the severity of the deceleration; no warning indicators or diagnostic alerts were present before or after the incident. These failures directly contributed to physical injuries, including TBI (concussion, spinal trauma, etc.) which required emergency medical treatment and ongoing care.
Related recalls (1)
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with the optional Surround Vision feature. The rearview camera coaxial cable connectors may have been crimped improperly, causing the rearview camera to fail or function intermittently.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the coaxial cables, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782.
NHTSA investigations
Rear-View Camera Failure
On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22-006) to assess alleged failures of the rear-view camera (RVC) in Model Year (MY) 2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The complaints report that the screen for the RVC is black, sometimes with a red triangle and a circle with a line through it.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Acadia years have collision avoidance problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2017 (32), 2025 (22), 2021 (18), 2018 (14) and 2019 (14) model years. Collision Avoidance complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 2017.
Is there a recall for GMC Acadia collision avoidance problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 22V-709 (camera, Sep 22, 2022). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Acadia collision avoidance problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles; 56% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic emergency braking (52 mentions), followed by the blind spot detection (43).
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.