Car · GMC problems

2016 GMC Acadia problems

236 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Acadia. The most reported area is air bags (55% of them). NHTSA also lists 441 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 16. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 236 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Air bags130 · 55%
• Steering26 · 11%
• Electrical system25 · 11%
• Other or unknown21 · 9%
• Power train (transmission and drive)21 · 9%
• Engine and engine cooling13 · 6%
• Lane departure9 · 4%
• Seat belts5 · 2%

14 smaller areas not shown (31 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 441 repair bulletins from GMC for the 2016 GMC Acadia. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. PIT5698FReceived September 30, 2026

   This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

2. PIT5099JReceived July 29, 2026

   PI to help diagnose A/C concern.

3. PIT3271QReceived April 7, 2026

   Information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

4. 25-NA-156Received December 4, 2025

   Wheels

   Information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities.

5. 00-06-01-026RReceived December 3, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.

6. PIT5214GReceived November 28, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer's vehicles that exhibit...

7. 23-NA-153Received October 25, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is...

8. PIC5650MReceived August 12, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 GMC Acadia. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 23V334000May 10, 2023

   Air bags

   The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.

2. 21V246000April 8, 2021

   Air bags

   The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.

3. 15V833000December 11, 2015

   Seats

   The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location.

See all 4 recalls for the 2016 GMC Acadia, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Acadia will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Air bags 130 complaints · 55%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Steering 26 complaints · 11%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Electrical system 25 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 21 complaints · 9%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2016 GMC Acadia: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 GMC Acadia?

Of the 236 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Acadia, 130 (55%) name air bags, and 26 (11%) name steering. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2016 GMC Acadia reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 8 of the 236 complaints as involving a crash and 2 as involving a fire. They also reported 16 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2016 GMC Acadia have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 GMC Acadia. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 441 repair bulletins for the 2016 GMC Acadia.

More

• 2019 Acadia problems
• 2018 Acadia problems
• 2017 Acadia problems
• 2015 Acadia problems
• 2014 Acadia problems
• 2012 Acadia problems
• 2011 Acadia problems
• 2010 Acadia problems
• 2016 recalls
• All GMC recalls
• GMC problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.