Total Complaints
124 filings
GMC ACADIA · model year
124 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports, and 6 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2020GMCACADIA carries 124 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 ACADIA is electrical system with 20 filings, followed by engine (17) and power train (16). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 6 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2020 ACADIA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
124 filings
Crashes Reported
10 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 20 |
| ENGINE | 17 |
| POWER TRAIN | 16 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 10 |
| STEERING | 9 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 8 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 6 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 6 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 3 |
| LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly cr
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th
TIRES
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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 to fail or function intermittently.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to
TIRES
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.
Reduced steering assist came up on screen then as we went a few more miles the tire pressure on right front dropping like crazy for no reason on screen in vehicle stopped looked at tire no issues.
Failed component was thermostat and I do not have possession of it. Over several months, I would receive infrequent and unrepeatable messages of "steering assist reduced" and my temp gauge would drop all the way to the cold side. No other recorded codes were being set after frequent trips to Autozone for verification and there were no check engine light warnings. No other signs of vehicle malfunctioning were present either. Recently, a code was finally set P01F0, so I had something tangible to take into shop as the prior condition was not repeatable. Hoping it was only the coolant temperature sensor, then ultimately learned the thermostat had failed - the much more expensive repair option. Seeing this complaint relatively frequently with the 3.6L engine on NHTSA. Plus, the tech says he has changed at least 100 of these - Acadias, Traverses, Enclaves, etc., any GM product with this engine and poor design/position for the thermostat.
Rear heater line leak detected during evaluation of engine code P01F0 and empty expansion tank was noted. There was never any puddle in my garage prior to the incident, and nothing detected after the fact either. Pictures included demonstrate a leak at the double-crimp near the farthest rear point of the vehicle. The other hose behind the drip photo was also leaking at the crimp under the secondary piece of hose insulation. The design of the system requires replacement of the entire heater line assembly (4 pipes, associated hoses and fittings) traversing the entire length of the vehicle. I was told this is a dealer-only part.
After heavy rain or a carwash, the door locks and lift gate don't work from key fob. And the vehicle says no remote detected and has trouble starting. After a day or two they start working again. It caused U0422 (invalid data received from body control module). On forums it says it can be water leaking into the vehicle and shorting out the BMC from either the HVAC drain or a weatherstrip somewhere. Now my rear passenger door locks don't work at all. Dealer wants to replace the actuators but can't find the root cause of the problem. Issue has been going on for over a year now.
Engine coolant thermostat failed under 55,000 miles and had to have it repaired on my 2020 Acadia. The 2021 Acadia has a recall on the thermostat.
My front camera that detects the front collision and helps with adaptive cruise control just went dark. I thought maybe it would reset after turning engine off and restarting it, but it didnât help. Not sure what happened.
1. Shift to Park failure, P0700/P187e internal sensor, causing me to have to get a rebuilt transmission. 10/2025 2. Transmission shudder/hard-shifting ongoing 2022-2025 3. Coolant/thermostat issues. Steering Assist Reduced" message, fans stay on HIGH, no AC, engine temp on ZERO ongoing since 2024 3. Start/Stop button failure multiple times (replaced 3 times) 4. Rack and pinion/steering gear (would not return/ got stuck while turning) got new rack and pinion 2023 5. Water pump leaking, replaced 4/2024 6. Since 2023, have had ongoing âTiming OVER ADVANCEDâ, warning issues since 2023. This is TOO MUCH for a New car!!! Iâve owned MANY cars and NEVER had this many issues!!! There appears to be multiple design flaws with this model and similar models!
1. Shift to Park failure, P0700/P187e internal sensor, causing me to have to get a rebuilt transmission. 10/2025 2. Transmission shudder/hard-shifting ongoing 2022-2025 3. Coolant/thermostat issues. Steering Assist Reduced" message, fans stay on HIGH, no AC, engine temp on ZERO ongoing since 2024 3. Start/Stop button failure multiple times (replaced 3 times) 4. Rack and pinion/steering gear (would not return/ got stuck while turning) got new rack and pinion 2023 5. Water pump leaking, replaced 4/2024 6. Since 2023, have had ongoing âTiming OVER ADVANCEDâ, warning issues since 2023. This is TOO MUCH for a New car!!! Iâve owned MANY cars and NEVER had this many issues!!! There appears to be multiple design flaws with this model and similar models!
1. Shift to Park failure, P0700/P187e internal sensor, causing me to have to get a rebuilt transmission. 10/2025 2. Transmission shudder/hard-shifting ongoing 2022-2025 3. Coolant/thermostat issues. Steering Assist Reduced" message, fans stay on HIGH, no AC, engine temp on ZERO ongoing since 2024 3. Start/Stop button failure multiple times (replaced 3 times) 4. Rack and pinion/steering gear (would not return/ got stuck while turning) got new rack and pinion 2023 5. Water pump leaking, replaced 4/2024 6. Since 2023, have had ongoing âTiming OVER ADVANCEDâ, warning issues since 2023. This is TOO MUCH for a New car!!! Iâve owned MANY cars and NEVER had this many issues!!! There appears to be multiple design flaws with this model and similar models!
Steering Assist reduced drive with care message. This is an extremely common issue and should be a recall. ALOT of people including my dealer service advisor has this issue with their vehicle this message comes up fans kick on high a/c stops working and temp gauge stops working. It can be reset by unplugging battery or clearing the code.
Steering Assist reduced drive with care message. This is an extremely common issue and should be a recall. ALOT of people including my dealer service advisor has this issue with their vehicle this message comes up fans kick on high a/c stops working and temp gauge stops working. It can be reset by unplugging battery or clearing the code.
The "Steering Assist is Reduced" warning came on the same time the engine thermostat display stopped working. Then the check engine light came on the same time the AC stopped working. At first I thought maybe it was just the battery, so I had that changed out. But the "Steering Assist" warning continued and the engine thermostat display was still stuck on "Cold" no matter what (note: the oil temp display still worked fine). Looking in to the problem, apparently a defective Engine Thermostat is a pretty common issue with this vehicle. Why isn't there already a recall on this? The risk of engine overheating is HUGE and dangerous. I called GMC and they want to charge and arm and a leg to fix it (the car has 47000 miles so is just out of warranty). I don't want to wait until there is an accident to have something done about this.
The "Steering Assist is Reduced" warning came on the same time the engine thermostat display stopped working. Then the check engine light came on the same time the AC stopped working. At first I thought maybe it was just the battery, so I had that changed out. But the "Steering Assist" warning continued and the engine thermostat display was still stuck on "Cold" no matter what (note: the oil temp display still worked fine). Looking in to the problem, apparently a defective Engine Thermostat is a pretty common issue with this vehicle. Why isn't there already a recall on this? The risk of engine overheating is HUGE and dangerous. I called GMC and they want to charge and arm and a leg to fix it (the car has 47000 miles so is just out of warranty). I don't want to wait until there is an accident to have something done about this.
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Acadia. While the vehicle was at the dealer for maintenance, the contact was informed that the radiator was leaking and needed to be replaced. In addition, the contact was advised that there was coolant intrusion. The contact stated that it was not specified if the coolant intrusion had gone into the engine. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact was informed that the fueling system needed cleaning service, as well as the brake fluid and transmission fluid needed to be serviced. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics, and no leaks were found with the radiator. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000. The VIN was not available.
Mileage: 62,000
I own a 2020 GMC Acadia that has experienced multiple major mechanical failures within one year. In January 2025, at around 74,000 miles, the transmission failed completely with no warning or clear indication of what was wrong. The vehicle suddenly lost power while driving, creating a safety risk for me and my child. I was quoted around $12,000 for the transmission replacement initially before getting GM involved. GM covered all but approximately $3,600 out of pocket for me and also covered 100% of the timing cover replacement, which was found to be defective during the same repair. Now, at about 84,000 miles, the thermostat has failed, triggering the check engine light. This repair has not yet been completed and is estimated at around $1,500. My dealership informed me they keep thermostat parts in stock because this failure is so common on Acadias. There were no warning lamps or symptoms before any of these failures occurred. All repairs and diagnosticsâincluding the current issue
I own a 2020 GMC Acadia that has experienced multiple major mechanical failures within one year. In January 2025, at around 74,000 miles, the transmission failed completely with no warning or clear indication of what was wrong. The vehicle suddenly lost power while driving, creating a safety risk for me and my child. I was quoted around $12,000 for the transmission replacement initially before getting GM involved. GM covered all but approximately $3,600 out of pocket for me and also covered 100% of the timing cover replacement, which was found to be defective during the same repair. Now, at about 84,000 miles, the thermostat has failed, triggering the check engine light. This repair has not yet been completed and is estimated at around $1,500. My dealership informed me they keep thermostat parts in stock because this failure is so common on Acadias. There were no warning lamps or symptoms before any of these failures occurred. All repairs and diagnosticsâincluding the current issue
I own a 2020 GMC Acadia that has experienced multiple major mechanical failures within one year. In January 2025, at around 74,000 miles, the transmission failed completely with no warning or clear indication of what was wrong. The vehicle suddenly lost power while driving, creating a safety risk for me and my child. I was quoted around $12,000 for the transmission replacement initially before getting GM involved. GM covered all but approximately $3,600 out of pocket for me and also covered 100% of the timing cover replacement, which was found to be defective during the same repair. Now, at about 84,000 miles, the thermostat has failed, triggering the check engine light. This repair has not yet been completed and is estimated at around $1,500. My dealership informed me they keep thermostat parts in stock because this failure is so common on Acadias. There were no warning lamps or symptoms before any of these failures occurred. All repairs and diagnosticsâincluding the current issue
Vehicle will shutter or buck at variable speeds like, 35-38 mph, 40-45 mph and so on. if I take my foot of the gas and reapply it will shutter buck again at almost any speed. I took it to a mechanic and there are no codes, no check engine light. Shop recommended changing the transmission fluid so we did. Car still responds the same way, shutters and bucks when reapplying fuel pedal or slow acceleration.
Vehicle will shutter or buck at variable speeds like, 35-38 mph, 40-45 mph and so on. if I take my foot of the gas and reapply it will shutter buck again at almost any speed. I took it to a mechanic and there are no codes, no check engine light. Shop recommended changing the transmission fluid so we did. Car still responds the same way, shutters and bucks when reapplying fuel pedal or slow acceleration.
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed at an intersection, the failure recurred, and the vehicle stopped in the middle of the intersection. The vehicle failed to restart, and the driver was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer, but was not diagnosed because the contact declined to pay the diagnostic test cost. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was purchased, and the fuel pump module was replaced; however, the failure recurred 2-3 months later. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to start. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
Mileage: 104,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.