2017 GMC Acadia: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
1,341 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. 2017 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 1,341 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave: the years to avoid, including 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 1,341 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 149.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My Shift To Park senor come on often and wouldn't let me turn the vehicle off. I have taken to dealership for repair. Long wait and because parts are back ordered due to numerous vehicles having this same problem. This has left me stranded in my vehicle and not able to turn it off and leave the vehicle. I feel this is unsafe and should be handled on a recall. I am now without a vehicle for who knows how long?
My Acadia went into limp Mode displaying low power mode on the screen and wouldn’t start for a couple days after. Lights started illuminating on the dash as abs, traction control, and stanilitrack, then check engine light came on and my gmc app displayed code p2138. I have had since low power and extremely high gas consumption.
Something inside the wheel started smoking and my gmc app displayed low break fluid. I pulled over and had someone come out two days later. The breakpad had uneven wear and the caliper had a broken seal on it which in turn tore the caliper up! This was not a safe situation to have with 4 kids in the car. This car has been one problem after another !
Recalls: 4 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V802000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2017 Cadillac XT5 vehicles manufactured April 16, 2016, to May 9, 2016, and 2017 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 19, 2016, to April 22, 2016. The front brake calipers may have a torn or misaligned caliper piston seal which may allow brake fluid to leak. |
| 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. |
| 17V516000 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving. |
| 18V358000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure… |
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 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,650
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.
- Power Train456 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System362 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other321 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Air Bags151 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Engine114 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Service Brakes71 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other GMC Acadia years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 GMC Acadia?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (456 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 GMC Acadia a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 36/100, computed from 1,341 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 GMC Acadia's most common problem?
456 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 GMC Acadia sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 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 2017 GMC Acadia cost to run per year?
About $7,411 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $37,055 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 2017 GMC Acadia have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 GMC Acadia, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/11/2016. 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 2017 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 — 1,341 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 1341 NHTSA complaints on record (149.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (23.7/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems