Is the 2016 GMC Acadia a bad year?
236 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Acadia years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2016 GMC Acadia are in line with other Acadia years. Air bags stands out for this year: see below.
2th quietest of 13 Acadia years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2016 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 77,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 130 (55%) | 41k–132k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 26 (11%) | 40k–68k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 25 (11%) | 18k–49k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 21 (9%) | 25k–56k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Engine | 13 (6%) | 23k–53k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Stability control | 5 (2%) | 29k–66k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Lane assist | 9 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 5 (2%) | 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 77,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 236 complaints: 8 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 7 report an injury · 8 say the car was towed.
13 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2016 GMC Acadia: 4
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.
The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location. If the seat frame is not welded in the correct places, the seat may not perform as intended, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of injury.
Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used. A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
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: 405
Repair instructions GMC sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2016 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
Neighbouring years
2015 Acadia: 243 complaints, keep it · 2017 Acadia: 707 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
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 2016 GMC Acadia a bad year?
236 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Acadia years. At 77,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 GMC Acadia?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (130), steering (26), electrical system (25), transmission and drivetrain (21), engine (13).
How many recalls does the 2016 GMC Acadia have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 23V-334), Air bags (NHTSA 21V-246), Seats (NHTSA 15V-833), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 15V-609). 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.