2020 GMC Acadia problems, complaints & recalls

Updated from NHTSA data · How we count

Owners have filed 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 GMC Acadia, most often about engine. There are 6 recalls for this model year.

Complaints
104
Recalls
6
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Injuries
2
Median mileage
12,029 mi
at time of problem

Key facts

  • Engine is the most-reported problem area, named in 30 of 104 complaints (29%).
  • Electrical System (27) and transmission & drivetrain (22) follow.
  • Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 12,029 mi.
  • Owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries.
  • The 2020 GMC Acadia has 6 recalls on file.
  • NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation covering this vehicle.
  • It ranks 8th of 20 GMC Acadia model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
  • That is 72% fewer complaints than the 2019 model year (378).

2020 GMC Acadia problems by category

  • 30 complaints
  • 27 complaints
  • 22 complaints
  • 20 complaints
  • Other / Unknown
    15 complaints
  • Driver Assistance & Safety Tech · 1 crash
    14 complaints
  • Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion
    11 complaints
  • Brakes
    7 complaints
  • Seats & Seat Belts · 1 crash
    4 complaints
  • Acceleration & Cruise Control · 1 crash
    4 complaints
  • Airbags · 2 crashes
    3 complaints
  • Visibility & Wipers · 1 crash
    3 complaints
  • Body & Structure · 2 crashes
    3 complaints
  • Wheels & Tires
    1 complaints
  • Lighting
    1 complaints

A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.

Most-reported components

Component (as filed with NHTSA)Complaints
Engine29
Electrical system27
Power train21
Steering20
Unknown or other14
Fuel/propulsion system9
Service brakes7
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking6

When problems happen (mileage)

9Under 10k310k–30k230k–60k560k–100k1100k–150k150k+
Mileage at the time of the problem, for 2020 GMC Acadia complaints that list mileage.

2020 GMC Acadia recalls (6)

  • Recall 22V709000Sep 22, 202295,231 vehicles
    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with the optional Surround Vision feature. The rearview camera coaxial cable connectors may have been crimped improperly, causing the rearview camera to fail or function intermittently.

    Risk: An inoperative rearview camera can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the coaxial cables, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 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 N222378380.

  • Recall 21V115000Feb 25, 202133,838 vehicles
    TIRES

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.

    Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.

  • Recall 20V684000Nov 5, 20207,516 vehicles
    TIRES

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.

    Risk: Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319030.

  • Recall 20V668000Oct 29, 2020194,105 vehicles
    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

    Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

  • Recall 20V639000Oct 15, 20202,781 vehicles
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine.

    Risk: Insufficient fuel supply can result in an engine stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module. The recall began November 16, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202314760.

  • Recall 20V446000Jul 30, 2020769 vehicles
    AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR

    General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.

    Risk: If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • PE22006Opened Jul 22, 2022Closed Nov 21, 2022led to recall 22V709000

    Rear-View Camera Failure

    On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22-006) to assess alleged failures of the rear-view camera (RVC) in Model Year (MY) 2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The complaints report that the screen for the RVC is black, sometimes with a red triangle and a circle with a line through it. To date, ODI has received a total of 18 complaints and several EWR Field Reports with allegations of the RVC image failing to display when the vehicle is in reverse. The reports have been received over the past 28 months with most occurring…

Recent 2020 GMC Acadia complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

  1. Filed Oct 4, 2026OHSteering
    Thermostat housing failed. Got the message of "Steering Assist Is Reduced – Drive With Care". Have seen this numerous times in message boards. Has been reproduced. Safety is put at risk with the steering assist reduced. Mine happened on an highway.
    NHTSA complaint #11768830 · source
  2. Filed Sep 30, 2026ALEngineSteering
    Engine thermostat not functioning properly, therefore the display stayed on cold and would not show temp. It also cause the fan to run fast to cool engine. The AC would not cool and reduce power steering assist error message comes on. This is a known problem by GM and there is a recall for this issue on many of these vehicles, other GMC and Cadillac vehicles. Our vehicle should be added to the recall list!
    NHTSA complaint #11768037 · source
  3. Filed Sep 21, 2026WAElectrical System
    Receive error message about Power steering that shuts off AC and Temperature gauges. Happens constantly when vehicle is driven on freeway. Requires the battery to be disconnected and it resets until the next time.
    NHTSA complaint #11765941 · source
  4. Filed Sep 21, 2026VTEngineTransmission & Drivetrain
    2020 GMC Acadia bucks/hesitates when I take off or slow down and speed back up. Mechanic looked at it can see engine is having random misfires. We have tried plugs, transmission fluid, looked at everything we could think of. The condition improves if I put into AWD but still exists and worsens for a period of time after it shifts back into FWD mode. My mechanic has done a lot of research and found that one possible issue was a stretched timing chain but since it is out of…
    NHTSA complaint #11765876 · source
  5. Filed Sep 21, 2026MNEngine
    Engine thermostat not functioning properly, opening too early and not allowing engine to operate at proper engine temperature. Check engine light comes on, reduce power steering assist error message comes on, engine temperature gauge reads cold when vehicle has been running for an extended period of time. This is a known problem by GM and there is a recall for this issue on many of these vehicles, other GMC and Cadillac vehicles. Our vehicle should be added to the recall…
    NHTSA complaint #11765790 · source
  6. Filed Sep 10, 2026COBrakes
    While driving my 2020 GMC Acadia SLT AWD Turbo with my young daughters in the vehicle, the brake pedal suddenly and sporadically lost all hydraulic pressure and sank nearly all the way to the floorboard. The vehicle would only gradually roll to a slow stop. Simultaneously, the dashboard illuminated with ABS and Service ESC notifications. After turning the vehicle completely off and restarting it, the braking system temporarily reverted to normal function before randomly…
    NHTSA complaint #11763346 · source
  7. Filed Aug 23, 2026NYEngineOther / UnknownSteering
    Received a power steering reduced notice when starting the car, noticed shortly after driving the temperature gauge had not moved from its resting position. A few trips later it still had not moved and the check engine light came on. Mechanic looked at it said it may be a sensor quoted $1k to fix. A few days later it randomly started working and the light went off so I did not have it fixed. About 4 months later the same code displayed on the dash with the same issues. This…
    NHTSA complaint #11758890 · source
  8. Filed Jul 12, 2026CAElectrical SystemEngineSteering
    [Symptom & Safety Hazard] While driving my 2020 GMC Acadia 3.6L V6, the Driver Information Center displayed the warning: "Steering Assist Reduced, Drive With Care" (SARDWC). Steering effort increased abruptly, the engine temperature gauge dropped to cold/zero, and the HVAC system lost air-conditioning function. The warning and reduction in steering assist presented a safety hazard and increased the risk of a crash. [Diagnostic Findings] Vehicle diagnostics identified DTC…
    NHTSA complaint #11749841 · source

Compare the 2020 GMC Acadia with another vehicle →

Other 2020 GMC models

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology