repaired · 2018 Q2
Body: hatchback/liftgate
Risk. If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
2009 GMC AcadiaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 331 owner complaints about the 2009 GMC Acadia, most often about the steering. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-415 the manufacturer reports only 77% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 10, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 GMC Acadia has problems
331 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
112Steering3 crash/fire/injury
72Power train2 crash/fire/injury
67Engine3 crash/fire/injury
47Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
38Exterior lighting4 crash/fire/injury
25Structure
15Air bags
14Electronic stability control (ESC)
11Vehicle speed control
6516 other systems6 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 112 | 3 |
| Power train | 72 | 2 |
| Engine | 67 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 47 | 6 |
| Exterior lighting | 38 | 4 |
| Structure | 25 | 12 |
| Air bags | 15 | 4 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 14 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 11 | 1 |
| 16 other systems | 65 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
7 recalls
2009 GMC Acadia recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2015 Q4
Seat belts
Risk. If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Air bags: side/window
Risk. Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
no report yet
Seat belts
Risk. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT AS INTENDED DURING A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
Show 3 more recalls
no report yet
Electrical system
Risk. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
no report yet
Lever and linkage: column shift
Risk. THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE CRASH…
no report yet
Rear/other: buckle assembly
Risk. IN A VEHICLE CRASH, IF THE RIVET IS MISSING, THE BUCKLE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE MOUNTING STRAP, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE PASSENGER.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with GMC.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
70kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 96 steering complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.
4under 30k miles80under 100k miles16100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
20 owners mentioned a cost$1,550median
Middle half: $1,075 – $1,982
Power train
10 owners mentioned a cost$3,953median
Middle half: $3,330 – $4,500
Engine
8 owners mentioned a cost$2,175median
Middle half: $551 – $4,250
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other Acadia year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Acadia median. How we score
'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 GMC Acadia safety ratings
2009 GMC Acadia 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2009 GMC Acadia, and the recalls they led to.
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditNo recall
- Loss of Headlamp IlluminationNo recall
- Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureLed to recall 21V-245
- Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What Acadia owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The vehicle tire system lights came on the air bag sensor light Car did not fill safe driving no control on the road unstable on turns car was sold one lug muissing front tire,returned car several times last time I took the vehicle was due to drivesrs back wheel wobbling so bad, Someone followeing…
The contact's daughter owns a 2009 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an unknown speed, the steering wheel seized without warning. His daughter restarted the vehicle and resumed normal driving operation. The contact stated that the failure recurred while his…
SLIGHT PULSE LEFT THEN PULSE RIGHT ACTUALLY MOVES STEERING WHEEL BUT VEHICLE STAYS ON TRACK - UNLESS DRIVER IS UNAWARE - BUT DRIVE BECOMES AWARE BECAUSE IT'S A MOVEMENT ON A SMOOTH ROAD THEM IS ALARMING - THEN IT'S ALWAYS NOTICED
Own a 2009 Acadia?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.