Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, transmission, and engine. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 GMC Acadia: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/3
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 GMC Acadia. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 24–25 mpg |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD, FWD | 21–22 mpg |
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Vibration at highway speeds
11,000–19,000 miles
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 GMC Acadia, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Sudden shutdowns are the main pattern. The vehicle stalls or loses power while driving. The cluster lights up with brake, transmission and engine warnings, and the shifter may refuse Park or Neutral, which leaves the car stranded in traffic. Dealers often cannot duplicate the fault. Repeat alternator failures also appear. A parked vehicle caught fire at about 13,000 miles, and the insurer blamed the electrical system. Other reports cover a dead backup camera, a back-ordered telematics module, and jerking with a Service StabiliTrak message.
Loss of drive and shifting faults dominate. Several reports describe the engine stalling on the highway and not restarting. The transmission stays stuck in Drive and will not go into Neutral, so the car has to be pushed or towed. In some cases dealers found a failed fuel pump control module. Other complaints describe a shudder at 50 to 65 mph, gear hunting at low speeds, a clunk during low-speed shifts, and a car stuck in low gears with no Reverse. Long dealer stays and back-ordered repair parts also come up.
Unexpected movement and stalling are the concerns. In one crash, the vehicle lunged forward when the brake was released in Park and struck a machine outside a building. The driver was injured, at about 20,000 miles. Other complaints describe the engine stalling just before a stop, hard or delayed shifts, and the digital instrument screen going dark while driving, which takes away the only speedometer. Heavy oil and coolant use from new is also reported, with a quart of oil needed every couple of weeks.
Vibration and reduced steering assist are the reported faults. One car vibrates between 45 and 60 mph, and the dealer found no cause. Another pairs a temperature gauge that drops to zero with a Steering Assist Reduced, Drive with Care message and a fan that runs after shutdown. That cycle repeats about every 2 weeks until a check engine light comes on, and a parts store read the code as a temperature sensor malfunction. One complaint gives no details.
Nothing deploys in either reported crash. In one, the vehicle hit a deer at 65 mph and one person was injured. In the other, the vehicle accelerated unexpectedly while parking with stop/start active, then went over a curb and hit a tree. The front end took severe damage, yet no bags went off. No cause was found for that acceleration, and the owner says it happened more than once.
The sunroof glass shatters with a loud bang at highway speed, even with the roof and shade closed. Glass enters the cabin, and the noise startles the driver badly enough to nearly cause a collision. A separate complaint says windshield washer fluid fumes come into the cabin every time the washer runs, and it gets worse with the HVAC on. GMC representatives confirmed the odor over repeated inspections, and the owner is concerned about the fluid's labeled toxicity.
Excerpts from complaints Acadia owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
My 2023 GMC Acadia consistently makes a sound at lower speeds when it is changing gears. For example, accelerating or accelerating for stoplights. The sound is kind of a ka clunk. The technician can find nothing and does hear the sound when we go for a test ride. I am worried that the sound indicates a transmission problem. The VIN search does not show a recall for my vehicle.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2026
Vehicle would not run due to a failed fuel pump control module. With a non-running engine, the transmission could NOT be placed into Neutral to be able to movie vehicle out of the road. Needed tow truck to move vehicle. This condition placed many people at risk as the vehicle could not be moved out of the way until a tow truck arrived.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2026
I've had the engine stall before coming to a complete stop on several occasions. It also has been shifting hard and has had a delayed shift. The other day all of the lights to to screen and speedometer completely went out while driving then randomly came back on. That's the only speedometer I have is the digital screen.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2025
From the day that I’ve gotten this vehicle it has been burning oil and water like crazy. There is no reason I should be putting a quart of oil every couple weeks
Filed with NHTSA, February 2026
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 has the fewest owner complaints of the 7 Acadia years we cover, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the seventh model year of the Acadia's second generation (2017–2023).
It includes the 2022 update.
What changed for 2022
Recall repairs are free at any GMC dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 GMC Acadia and 2024 Cadilac XT5 and XT6 vehicles. The windshield may have been assembled without the proper urethane sealant required to bond the windshield to the vehicle body.
Risk: A windshield that is not properly bonded may detach during a crash and increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the windshield and apply primer and urethane sealant. If the windshield is damaged, the dealer will replace it. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 14, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232419690.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Cadillac XT6, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Blazer, Traverse, and 2022-2023 Cadillac XT5 vehicles. The transmission may have been built with an incorrect sun gear, which can result in the driver-side half-shaft disengaging from the transmission.
Risk: A half-shaft disengaging from the transmission can result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the sun gears, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2023. The remedy is expected to become available August 31, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GMC's number for this recall is N222389310.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia vehicles. The right-front half-shaft assemblies may be improperly connected to the transmission, causing them to separate.
Risk: Separation between the half-shaft and transmission can result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right-front half-shaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222393410.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The certification label located on the driver's side B-pillar contains tire size information that may be illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims.".
Risk: Illegible tire size information may result in the wrong tires being installed, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the vehicle certification label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 12, 2022. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222381690.
Cars shoppers compare with the GMC Acadia, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
