2021 GMC Acadia Problems, Recalls & Reliability

215 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2021 GMC Acadia, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 16/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2021 GMC Acadia has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

215Complaints
16/100Trouble index
2Recalls

Better year

Where 2021 sits among all Acadia years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Electrical 38 complaints (18%)
“Vehicle purchased new mid-march 2021 and in less than 30 days the rear back-up camera stopped working intermittently. This has occurred several times and the vehicle is currently at the dealer being diagnosed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Acadia
Engine 32 complaints (15%)
“The thermostat failed which cause the steering system to fail and car to not read temperature”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Acadia
Fuel system 27 complaints (13%)
“Vehicle shut off on highway, was able to pull off on shoulder. Would turn but not start. Dealer states fuel pump control module fault.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Acadia
Other 21 complaints (10%)
Driver assistance 20 complaints (9%)
Brakes & stability 18 complaints (8%)

Recalls (2)

BACK OVER PREVENTION 22V709000 2022

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…

Fix: 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…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 21V422000 2021

General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel supply lines may be improperly attached and seated.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace fuel supply lines as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at…

Federal defect investigations

Rear-View Camera Failure PE22006 opened 2022, closed 2022

Led to recall campaign 22V709000.

Technical service bulletins

843 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2021 GMC Acadia. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2021 Acadia TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2020peak 72 in 20252026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2021 GMC Acadia reliable?

The 2021 GMC Acadia drew 215 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 16/100, scored against the model's worst year (2008).

What are the most common 2021 GMC Acadia problems?

The top reported problems for the 2021 GMC Acadia are electrical (38 complaints), engine (32), and fuel system (27).

Does the 2021 GMC Acadia have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 2021 GMC Acadia. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2020 Acadia All Acadia years 2022 Acadia →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.