Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | 5% | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 1% | 10,000 miles |
| 2019 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2018 | 5 | 1% | 12,000 miles |
| 2017 | 6 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 1% | 50,000 miles |
| 2015 | 3 | 1% | 50,000 miles |
| 2014 | 7 | 2% | 21,000 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 1% | 124,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 2% | 56,000 miles |
| 2011 | 6 | 2% | 52,000 miles |
| 2010 | 4 | 1% | 110,000 miles |
| 2009 | 6 | 2% | 100,000 miles |
| 2008 | 12 | 1% | 70,000 miles |
| 2007 | 4 | 1% | 2,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
No traffic collision. Preemptive report. Headrest positioned so far forward that head is forced into a downward position. Unable to comfortably maintain eye contact with the road in this position (photo attached). Only remedy is to have headrest positioned so far down that it would cause decapitation in a collision. I was not aware of the decapitation risk when purchasing the vehicle. GM initially stated the dealership should have remedies in the form of alternate parts to be installed at the dealership. Dealership stated that is not the case and they do not have any resolution available.
My car seats (2nd row & 3rd row) seats are rattling really bad when I am on the freeway or highway roads; signs of loose seats. Very concerning to wear it loosens the seat belt strap securing my toddlers car seat. I thought it was the road but unfortunately it's my seats.
The service stabiltrak notifcation keeps coming on and shutting off on its own while in motion on a street and it has also happened while on the highway. It has occurred at different speeds and several times with different people driving.the dealership can't figure out why and it doesn't show it even came on at all. When in motion on a strret going 46mph the car tried to auto correct pulling me out of my lane by itslef. It was a straight street with no curves where this occurred. Thank god there wasnt a car in the lane next to me. The side mirrors reset themselves all the time. If I move the seat and then hit the memory button so it will go to the set position the seat doesn't move at all. I have had rental cars more than my Acadia the past 2months while the dealership trys to get these issues fixed. I love the car but am getting mad with all these issues.
Cannot shift out of park. AC stops blowing also. Electric seats stopped working. Replaced BCM modular, solenoid , entire shifter and more. It worked for two months. -Happening again. Cannot shift out of park and the AC stops working. Seat are working at moment. It's all intermittent. Currently dealer will not help me. No warranty anymore. Im on a site where thousands of gmc's have this same problem. Im gonna have to bring back to another dealer but no one can figure it out how to fix this. I sent my last bill. I also had one before that with the shifter assembly and solenoid replaced. I cannot find at moment
Went to Burt Watson the end of May. Paid $250 to diagnose 3 problems. Trans was intermittently kicking into passing gear when starting from a stop position, a service engine light and passenger side blind spot warning would come on when nothing was there and other times wouldn't recognize a vehicle was there. Around the middle of July the battery began draining intermittently leaving me stranded at night away from home. The rear defogger began turning itself on and couldn't be shut off and was very hot to the touch. The drivers seat moved all the way forward on its own pressing me into the steering wheel and dash while I was driving at highway speed. Forcing me to change 2 lanes of traffic trying to get to the side of the road.I was told by the service manager that the rear fuse block had shorted out do to water intrusion from bad drain ports. …
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.
I was driving and all of a sudden my drivers seat started to move foward and down and then eventually reclined fully back and then stopped. Now my seat is permanently reclined. I could have been killed or seriously injured because the seat was moving while I was driving the car and I felt I could have been smushed into the steering wheel.
I have pictures the seat, the airbag in the seat.The driver's seatIt didn't come through the seat, but it deployed or ruptured.But it didn't bust through the seat.It's like a big bubble. I was just driving and I heard a pop but it didn't come through the seat. It left the lump in the seat. I still think it's dangerous, cuz. It's busted.
Related recalls (1)
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Acadia years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (12), 2014 (7), 2009 (6), 2011 (6) and 2017 (6) model years. Seat complaints make up 1% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for GMC Acadia seat problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 15V-833 (seats, Dec 11, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Acadia seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles; 56% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › power adjust (2 mentions), followed by the mid/rear assembly (2).
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.