Is the 2014 GMC Acadia a bad year?
463 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Acadia years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2014 GMC Acadia are in line with other Acadia years. Air bags and electrical system stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2014 Acadia owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 82,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 246 (53%) | 55k–114k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 90 (19%) | 35k–98k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 47 (10%) | 34k–84k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 35 (8%) | 36k–106k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Steering | 26 (6%) | 40k–82k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Exterior lighting | 20 (4%) | 48k–109k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 25 (5%) | 9k–74k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Stability control | 19 (4%) | 42k–81k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 9 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Lane assist | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 82,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 463 complaints: 15 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 12 report an injury · 14 say the car was towed.
13 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
First, 2 days after we purchased the car, the engine light came on. Then the front camera needed service and the side warnings stopped.
My wife was driving the car around 40MPH on surface streets. . The vehicle's traction control, electronic stability control, and check engine warning lights illuminated.
Motor cranks for an extended period of time when starting and engine runs rough for a few seconds after starting.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 82,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2014 GMC Acadia: 6
The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached. Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short. If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time. If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the engine control module (ECM) software may cause the fuel gauge to read inaccurately. An inaccurate fuel gauge may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from GMC: 495
Repair instructions GMC sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2014 GMC Acadia. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Internal Engine Noise or Damage After Oil Filter Replacement
Inspection/diagnosis/correction information on a cold start misfire and/or rough idle and DTC P0300 that may also be set
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Neighbouring years
2013 Acadia: 135 complaints, keep it · 2015 Acadia: 243 complaints, keep it.
Every GMC Acadia year
2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Acadia years side by side
Other GMC models: GMC Canyon · GMC Denali · GMC Envoy · GMC Envoy XL · GMC Envoy Xuv · GMC Jimmy · GMC Safari · GMC Savana · GMC Sierra · GMC Sierra 1500 · GMC Sierra 2500 · GMC Sierra 3500 · GMC Sierra Denali · GMC Sonoma · GMC Terrain · GMC Yukon · GMC Yukon Denali · GMC Yukon Denali XL · GMC Yukon XL · GMC Yukon XL 1500. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2014 GMC Acadia a bad year?
463 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Acadia years. At 82,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 GMC Acadia?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (246), electrical system (90), engine (47), transmission and drivetrain (35), steering (26).
How many recalls does the 2014 GMC Acadia have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 23V-334), Air bags (NHTSA 21V-246), Electrical system (NHTSA 14V-614), Seat belts (NHTSA 14V-266) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.