2021 GMC Acadia Problems: 4 Known Issues

On the 2021 GMC Acadia, gM issued safety recall 21V422000 (GM number N212335590) covering a small number of 2021 GMC Acadia crossovers built alongside the 2021 Cadillac XT5 and XT6. On the affected Acadias, the fuel supply lines may not have been properly attached and seated during assembly. A line that is not fully seated can loosen or separate in service, allowing gasoline to leak — and leaking fuel near a hot engine bay raises the risk of a fire. The campaign is very small: 572 vehicles across all three models combined, not per model, so most Acadia owners will not be included. Because the defect is a build error rather than a wear item, an affected Acadia can have it from day one regardless of mileage. Owner notification letters went out July 1, 2021.

On the 2020-2023 GMC Acadia, the 2020-2023 Acadia uses GM's 9-speed automatic (9T65 with the 3.6L V6, 9T50/9T60 with the four-cylinders), which shares known issues with the Chevrolet Traverse and Blazer. Common complaints include harsh 1-2 upshifts, hesitation between 5-15 mph, lurching on light throttle in stop-and-go traffic, and the transmission hunting between gears on hills. GM has released multiple TCM calibration updates. The transmission is extremely sensitive to fluid condition — extended intervals with aging Dexron HP fluid contribute significantly to shift quality degradation.

On the 2020-2021 GMC Acadia, gMC recalled 2020-2021 Acadia SUVs built with the optional Surround Vision camera package because the coaxial cable connectors feeding the rearview camera may have been crimped improperly at assembly. On an affected Acadia, that bad crimp can interrupt the video signal, so the rearview camera either stops working altogether or cuts in and out. NHTSA's consequence statement is straightforward: an inoperative rearview camera reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle when backing up, which raises the risk of a crash. Only Acadias equipped with Surround Vision fall inside this campaign; the recall covers 95,231 vehicles in total across every model included in it (Acadia plus the Cadillac XT5 and XT6), and that figure is campaign-wide, not an Acadia-specific count. GM's internal number for the recall is N222378380, and owner notification letters went out January 18, 2023.

On the 2007-2021 GMC Acadia, the dual-zone HVAC case uses several small plastic-geared blend/mode door actuators. The gear teeth strip or the door binds, so the actuator hunts for its calibration position and produces a repetitive clicking or ticking from behind the dash or glovebox. The classic complaint is full heat on the driver's side and ice-cold air on the passenger's side (or the reverse), often with the click audible whenever the temperature setting is changed or the ignition is cycled. It is one of the most common non-powertrain complaints on the Acadia across both generations because every part of the actuator drivetrain is plastic.