FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2021 GMC Acadia AWD
The 2021 GMC Acadia AWD has 2 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 144 owner complaints, and gets about 24 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2021 GMC Acadia AWD at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 2L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 2 L
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic 9-spd
- Body
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 10, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
2 openFuel System, Gasoline
03/06/2021
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel supply lines may be improperly attached and seated.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace fuel supply lines as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212335590.
Back Over Prevention
22/09/2022
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.
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.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 10, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
144 filed- 28
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The camera system has failed. The screen is black and there is an exclamation point and a camera on the screen.
- 15
SERVICE BRAKES
My brake pedal got stiff when I was driving. I had zero control of my brakes. I was informed by a GMC dealership that my BRAKE BOOSTER blew up causing my brakes to stop working and metal shrapnel to be sent into my engine. My 2021 vehicle i
- 15
STEERING
Display suddenly says "Steering assistance reduced, drive with care" Temp gauge goes to C and stays there. Radiator fans speed up and stay on after the car has been turned off. Dealer unable to find a diagnostic code for the problem.
- 15
POWER TRAIN
This is a very known issue that has been reoccurring with GMC Acadia. The torque converter slipping. That cost alone is over $7.000 for the transmission. I am still making monthly payments for my 2021 Acadia. With rising cost above the boa
- 15
ENGINE
I am submitting this complaint regarding ongoing mechanical and electrical issues with my 2021 GMC ACADIA that have been occurring intermittently for approximately the past year and a half. The primary issues involve the coolant temperature
- 15
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My Acadia, 2021 has just 36011 miles. Car sputtered a few times like it was running out of gas and stalled as I was driving home in rush hour traffic. I couldn't even get it off the road. No warning lights or advance warning. Waited 3
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 10, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★★
- Frontal
- ★★★★★
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 10, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 24 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 22 / 27
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,600
- CO₂ / mi
- 362 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 10, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Confirm the recalls were fixed
This model has 2 open NHTSA recalls (including the fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
Have a mechanic check the electrical system
Owners report problems with the electrical system more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
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Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
What is recalled on the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD? +
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD, including the fuel system, gasoline. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD get? +
The EPA rates the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD at 24 mpg combined (22 city / 27 highway), about $2,600 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD? +
Owners have filed 144 complaints with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Acadia AWD, including 6 involving a crash. The most-reported area is electrical system.
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