YearToAvoid

2013 GMC Acadia Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

20/100

#13 most-complained of 16 Acadia years

The 2013 GMC Acadia ranks 13th worst out of 16 model years, with a complaint index of 20 and 135 complaints, earning a "Best" verdict relative to other Acadia years. Electrical system issues, including fires, are the top concern.

Complaints
135
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
5 / 8
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18.5
16.5 city / 23.5 hwy

Top 2013 GMC Acadia problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System46 (34%)
  2. Airbags29 (21%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain27 (20%)
  4. Engine25 (19%)
  5. Other22 (16%)
  6. Brakes10 (7%)
  7. Steering8 (6%)
  8. Structure & Body7 (5%)
  9. Fuel System6 (4%)
  10. Lane Departure4 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report engine compartment fires starting on their own, sometimes right after routine service like an oil change.
  • Electrical system complaints describe smoke or sparks coming from the hood or front end shortly after parking, in some cases with a full vehicle fire.
  • Some drivers reported the accelerator pedal being depressed with tires spinning but the vehicle not moving, along with stability and traction lights coming on and smoke from the engine.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during side-impact or T-bone collisions, even in crashes at highway speeds.
  • Owners describe the vehicle rolling forward unexpectedly after being parked, with no warning light illuminated beforehand.
  • A driver's seat was reported to squeak and rock during driving and braking, traced to the seat mounting track.
2013 GMC Acadia complaints: complaints filed per quarter132013 Q22015 Q22017 Q22018 Q42020 Q22022 Q22024 Q12026 Q2
192 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q4 (13).

2013 GMC Acadia recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V246000Apr 8, 2021Airbags108 vehicles

    Air bags:critical fasteners

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.

    Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.

  2. NHTSA 14V266000May 20, 2014Seat Belts1,339,355 vehicles

    Seat belts

    General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.

    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.

    Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.

  3. NHTSA 14V118000Mar 17, 2014Airbags1,176,407 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.

    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.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.

2013 GMC Acadia fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 MPG
Highway
23.5 MPG
Combined
18.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,500
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other Acadia years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Caution60269519
2012Caution67296519
2013Best20135318.5
2014Avoid93462618.5
2015Good33243419

All GMC Acadia years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 GMC Acadia reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Acadia has a complaint index of 20 and ranks 13th worst out of 16 model years, giving it a "Best" verdict compared to other Acadia years.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA data shows the top problem area is the electrical system, accounting for 34% of complaints (46 of 135), including 5 reported fires. Airbags and transmission/powertrain issues follow at 21% and 20% of complaints.
Does the 2013 GMC Acadia have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2013 Acadia, covering airbags (two separate campaigns) and seat belts. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2013 Acadia compare to other years?
The 2013 Acadia's complaint index of 20 is lower than the 2014 (93), 2017 (100), 2018 (87), and 2019 (80) model years, all rated "Avoid," making 2013 one of the better years for this model.
What is the typical mileage when problems occur on the 2013 Acadia?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 83,000 miles overall, with electrical system failures reported at a median of 67,950 miles and transmission/powertrain failures at 99,250 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.