2016 GMC Acadia: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
235 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Acadia is the Traverse's sibling, and its record has the same first-generation timing-chain and steering complaints, with the 2014 year the worst. The second generation launched for 2017 on a smaller platform with a new transmission, and that year has 1,340 complaints, most of them the shift-to-park fault in which the vehicle cannot recognise that the shifter is in Park; General Motors extended the warranty on the shifter after a class action. Read the full note on the model page. 2016 specifically: a year the record favours — 235 complaints, score 77/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave: the years to avoid, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 235 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 23.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Technician told me the engine "grenaded itself". "Cylinder #4 melted into the side walls of the cylinder wall caused by air to fuel mix ratio controlled by the ECU failure to mix appropriately." My family and I were traveling for Easter and were stranded on the side of the highway. I had a private repair shop (Greenville Auto Clinic LLC) confirm as well as the local dealership Greenville Chevy. The vehicle require…
The cable that attaches the front driver seatbelt to the base of the seat (left side), suddenly broke when simply buckling the belt.
Transmission began hesitating around 1800rpm with only 92,000 miles showing on the odometer. it feels like a flutter as the transmission shifts into the next gear. i have heard the 2016 year group has had transmission problems. believe a recall is justified.
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V246000 | Air Bags:Critical Fasteners | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached. |
| 23V334000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect. |
| 15V833000 | Seats | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured November 6, 2015, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location. |
| 15V609000 | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015. Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 17 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags130 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Steering26 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System25 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train20 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other20 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine13 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
Other GMC Acadia years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 GMC Acadia?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (130 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 GMC Acadia a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 77/100, computed from 235 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 GMC Acadia's most common problem?
130 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 GMC Acadia sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2016 GMC Acadia cost to run per year?
About $6,116 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $30,582 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2016 GMC Acadia have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 GMC Acadia, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 08/04/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2016 GMC Acadia really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 235 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 235 NHTSA complaints on record (23.5/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (23.7/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems