Home · 2017 GMC Acadia Denali · Complaints

What 639 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Acadia Denali

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (639)Crash / fire / injury (14)Transmission & drivetrain (221)Electrical system (169)Airbags (75)Engine (53)Brakes (33)Steering (26)Lights (25)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (13)Lane Departure (11)Seat belts (11)

Newest first · 639 complaints · page 26 of 26

Feb 14, 2017Lights

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS FAILED TO ADEQUATELY PROVIDE ILLUMINATION FOR SAFE DRIVING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLAMPS OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,200.

NHTSA ODI 10954558

Jan 24, 2017Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE HORN FAILED TO ACTIVATE WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BUT FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 700. .....UPDATED 03/08/17 *BF

NHTSA ODI 10947292

Jan 16, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

ON 2017 ACADIA WITH IT'S 6TXX TRANSMISSION, THE SHIFTS FROM 2-3 FEEL WEIRD (ESPECIALLY) WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. YOU GET A FEELING AS IF TRANNY TAKES MORE THAN USUAL TIME TO ENGAGE INTO 3RD GEAR, WHEN ALREADY DISENGAGED FROM 2ND GEAR. THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT FEELING ONE MIGHT GET IF YOU MOVED FROM 2ND - NEUTRAL - 3RD GEAR. I STARTED EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE FROM APPROX. 5K MILES. THIS WOULD BE RISKY WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO MERGE INTO A YIELD OR CHANGE LANES AND THIS SHIFT OCCURS, YOU MOMENTARILY FEEL LOSS OF CONTROL. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND YOU WILL SEE FOLKS ALREADY COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ON FORUMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10945492

Jan 9, 2017Lights

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE INADEQUATE. VERTICAL AIM IS OK BUT LUMINOUS LUX IS LOW, AND LATERAL COVERAGE DURING LOW SPEED TURNING IS INSUFFICIENT. IF THIS VEHICLE MEETS THE FMVSS STANDARD FOR LIGHTING, CONSIDER RAISING THE MINIMUM STANDARDS. LIGHTING IS A SAFETY ISSUE NHTSA NOW TESTS FOR. UNLESS THE CUSTOMER DOES A TEST DRIVE AT NIGHT (CAN BE IMPOSSIBLE DURING THE SUMMER), THERE IS NO WAY TO LEARN OF A DEFICIENCY BEFORE PURCHASING.

NHTSA ODI 10943806

Jan 4, 2017

ON A RECENT TRIP. GOING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, 28 DEGREES OUTSIDE. WE CONSTANTLY HAD TO KEEP TURNING DOWN THE INSIDE TEMP. STARTED AT 72 DEGREES INSIDE AND FINALLY GOT TO A COMFORTABLE INSIDE TEMP AT 66 OR 67 DEGREES. ANYTHING ABOVE THAT WAS WAY TO HOT. WHEN YOU STOPPED OR SLOWED WAY DOWN, THE TEMP HAD TO BE TURNED UP. THIS IS WHILE THE SYSTEM WAS SET TO AUTO. THIS COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO TAKE THERE EYES OFF OF THE ROAD TO MESS WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI 10939671

Dec 31, 2016

2017 ACADIA 'DENALI' TRIM IS MISSING AFM INFORMATION FROM ITS DIC DISPLAY. AFM INFORMATION SHOWS WHEN THE ENGINE IS USING 6 V/S 4 CYLINDERS. OTHER TRIMS SEEM TO SHOW AFM INFORMATION WHEN EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINE. AFM IS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE AND DENALI BEING THE HIGHEST LEVEL TRIM SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE. GM SHOULD PROVIDE UPGRADED DISPLAY TO 2017 DENALI CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA ODI 10938906

Dec 21, 2016Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP IN 4WD MODE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500.

NHTSA ODI 10936687

Dec 13, 2016Speed controlDriver assistance

ADAPTIVE-CRUISE-CONTROL (ACC)/FORWARD COLLISION BRAKING(AVOIDANCE) SYSTEM APPLIED VERY STRONG BRAKES(TWICE) IN CERTAIN SCENARIO WHEN USING ACC, INCREASING THE CHANCES OF VEHICLE BEHIND REAR-ENDING. WHILE ACC IS ENABLED, SAY YOUR VEHICLE COMES TO FULLSTOP AS VEHICLE IN FRONT HAS COME TO A FULL STOP(SAY AT TRAFFIC SIGNAL) AND ACC APPLIES FULL BRAKES. TRAFFIC AHEAD STARTS MOVING AGAIN, BUT SINCE VEHICLE WON'T MOVE ON ITS OWN DRIVER IS REQUIRED TO PRESS ACCELERATOR TO GET IT MOVING AGAIN OR ACC TO RESUME ITS OPERATION (THIS IS BY DESIGN). IN SUCH SCENARIO IF DRIVER ENDS UP PUSHING ACCELERATOR A BIT HARDER(I.E. MORE THAN JUST TAPPING IT), ACC APPLIES VERY STRONG BRAKES STOPPING VEHICLE RIGHT THERE. BY THIS TIME VEHICLE BEHIND YOU HAS STARTED MOVING ALREADY AND MIGHT REAR-END DUE TO ABRUPT STOP. I GUESS ACC THINKS DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND VEHICLE AHEAD IS VERY LESS AND THINKS ITS GOING TO COLLIDE AND HENCE APPLIES STRONG BRAKES. BUT THIS IS A BAD DESIGN/PROGRAMMING SINCE IT EXPECTS DRIVER TO PUSH ACC. PEDAL FOR ACC TO RESUME OPERATIONS, BUT IF DRIVER DOES IT BIT MORE THAN WHAT ACC LIKES, THERE IS A CHANCE OF ACCIDENT. GM SHOULD PERFORM MORE TESTS WITH ITS ACC AROUND SUCH SCENARIOS AND FINE-TUNE THEIR ACC SOFTWARE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10935093

Dec 5, 2016Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN DID NOT FUNCTION UNLESS AN ABNORMAL FORCE WAS EXERTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DEALERS WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT TOOK AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO GET THE HORN TO WORK. THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,800.

NHTSA ODI 10929974

Nov 8, 2016

THE HORN TAKES A LOT OF FORCE TO HONK OR ENGAGE THE HORN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID, "IT WAS BY DESIGN". TO ME THIS IS A FLOW AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN TO ME AND MY FAMILY.

NHTSA ODI 10924944

Oct 19, 2016Lights

THE 2017 GMC ACADIA DOES NOT HAVE ANY TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS THAT ARE VISIBLE ON THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE TURN INDICATOR IS EMBEDDED IN THE HEADLIGHT AND IS NOT VISIBLE TO VEHICLES ALONG SIDE OR PERPENDICULAR TO THE ACADIA.

NHTSA ODI 10917304

Oct 17, 2016Body & structureElectrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FORCE TO ENGAGE THE HORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE HORN WAS NORMAL, AND NO FAILURE OR REPAIR WAS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 700.

NHTSA ODI 10916625

Oct 15, 2016Body & structureSeats

HEARING RATTLE SOUND FROM 2ND AND 3RD ROW FROM DAY1 FOR 2017 GMC ACADIA DENALI. PRIMARY SOURCE SEEMS(SOMETHING INSIDE) SEATS IN 2ND ROW AND MAY BE 3RD ROW. RATTLE CAN BE HEARD WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS OR BAD ROAD PATCHES ON USUAL CITY ROADS. SEEMS WHENEVER VEHICLE GOES OVER A BAD ROAD PATCH, 2ND/3RD ROW SEATS VIBRATE A LOT AND RATTLE SOUND CAN BE HEARD. SOMETIMES I CAN HEAR SLIGHT RATTLE FROM AROUND PASSENGER SIDE 1ST ROW DOOR AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 10916242

Sep 30, 2016Seats

THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SEAT HAS SOMETHING LOOSE UNDER THE LEATHER. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT MOVES WHEN YOU GO AROUND TURNS OR STOPS. IT ALSO MAKES NOISES AND POPS.

NHTSA ODI 10910726

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Working with the data? Download all 639 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2017 GMC Acadia Denali verdict →