YearToAvoid

2013 GMC Acadia Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2013 GMC Acadia has a complaint index of 6, the lowest (best) among 19 model years, and carries a Best verdict. It logged 135 complaints, 3 recalls, and 8 fires, with electrical system issues being the top concern.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
6/100
#18 of 19 Acadia years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
135
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
5
reported in complaints
Fires
8
Injuries
4
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2020
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18.5
16.5 city / 23.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0

Top 2013 GMC Acadia problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA 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%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report spontaneous engine compartment fires, sometimes starting while the vehicle was parked and not running.
  • Electrical system smoke and sparks have been reported coming from under the hood shortly after driving, including in vehicles with very low mileage.
  • Some drivers describe the accelerator behaving oddly at low speed with wheel spin, stability light activation, and visible engine smoke.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in side-impact and frontal collisions, in some cases with injuries to occupants.
  • One owner described a vehicle that rolled forward unexpectedly after being parked, without any dashboard warning.
  • A driver's seat was reported to squeak and rock due to a suspected issue with the seat mounting track or frame.
2013 GMC Acadia complaints: complaints filed per quarter102013 Q22015 Q22017 Q22018 Q42020 Q22022 Q22024 Q12026 Q2
135 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q4 (10).

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)0255075100’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Caution50269519
2012Caution56296519
2013Best6135318.5
2014Avoid83462618.5
2015Good28243419

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 ranks 18th out of 19 model years for reported problems, with a complaint index of 6, and carries a Best verdict relative to other Acadia years.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA data shows the top problem areas are the electrical system (46 complaints, 34%), airbags (29 complaints, 21%), transmission and powertrain (27 complaints, 20%), and the engine (25 complaints, 19%).
Does the 2013 GMC Acadia have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Acadia covering airbags (side curtain airbag attachment and a wiring harness issue) and seat belts (lap pretensioner).
How many fires have been reported for the 2013 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA complaint data lists 8 fire reports for the 2013 Acadia, with several described as originating in the engine or electrical system.
What year Acadia should I avoid instead of 2013?
Among other Acadia years, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2017, and 2019 carry an Avoid verdict, with 2008 having the highest complaint index at 100.

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.