1976–2025 model years
HIGHEST COMPLAINT YEAR
2008
2,017 complaints
Total Complaints
27,883
Models Covered
63
Years Covered
1976–2025
High‑Risk Categories
Service Brakes
Air Bags
Engine
Significant rise in complaints peaking in 2008. Dominated by fundamental safety system issues including premature brake line corrosion and failure, particularly in northern climates. Airbag system complaints emerged regarding cracked dashboards and deployment failures, later associated with Takata recalls.
Defined by mechanical problems primarily affecting popular SUVs and crossovers. Acadia and Terrain models experienced significant timing chain and excessive oil consumption issues. Power train complaints, particularly transmission failure in the Acadia, were prominent during this period.
Complaint volumes surged in mid-2010s driven by redesigned flagship models. Sierra and Yukon from 2014-2016 had widespread poor headlight performance and failing exterior LED tail lights. Increased electrical system issues including failing infotainment screens and persistent 'Shift to Park' errors.
Primary complaints for traditional models focus on engine lifter failure in V8 engines, causing misfires and requiring significant repairs. Introduction of Hummer EV brought new electrical and software-related issues including high-voltage battery problems and advanced feature failures.
GMC's highest-complaint model with 7,692 complaints. The 1999-2006 model years were dominated by severe brake line corrosion with over a thousand complaints detailing sudden brake failure. The 2007-2013 years shifted to airbag-related complaints, specifically dashboards cracking around the passenger airbag. Recent 2014-2015 models faced major headlight performance issues, while 2019+ models see surging complaints about engine lifter failure.
With 6,629 complaints, the first-generation Acadia (2007-2012) is a significant source of major mechanical complaints. The 2008 model year alone has over 1,200 complaints, primarily for power train and steering issues. The most common failure is the transmission's 'wave plate,' leading to complete transmission failure. For 2017-2019 models, the primary issue shifted to a persistent 'Shift to Park' error message preventing vehicle shutdown.
The Yukon's 2,831 complaints are largely defined by two major issues. From 2007 to 2014, the dominant complaint was dashboard cracking around the passenger side airbag, a significant safety concern with over 500 reports. The second major issue plagued 2015-2017 models: failing exterior LED tail lights with over 300 complaints, representing a significant quality control problem with limited TSB coverage.