The Lemon Index2009 GMC Acadia.
The 2009 GMC Acadia is about average by owner complaints: 46 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 106, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about steering, it has 7 recalls, and it gets 19 mpg combined. The best GMC Acadia year is 2013.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 331 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every GMC Acadia year. 2009 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 55K to 105K miles on the car (281 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- steering complaints mostly came at 55K–90K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 67K–107K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 70K–130K miles
Recalls 7
- body structure 2015
The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power liftgate up when open.
- seat belts 2014
In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.
- airbags 2014
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…
Show all 7 recalls
- seat belts 2010
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, BUICK ENCLAVE, GMC ACADIA, AND SATURN OUTLOOK VEHICLES.
- electrical 2010
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALAN…
- transmission & drivetrain 2009
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES.
- seat belts 2008
GM IS RECALLING 16,667 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, AND SATURN OUTLOOK VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, 'SEAT BELT ASSEMBLI…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems GMC told dealers about
GMC sent dealers 1248 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Power door locks inoperative or other various electrical issues
- Buick/gmc/saturn: intermittent stiff steering after driving through a puddle of water
- Gm/hummer/saab: intermittent illumination of mil, service lamps, service messages, or dtc set…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedOutboard front seat belt anchor cable failure2020–2024
- ClosedSeat belt anchor cable failure2019–2020
- ClosedLoss of headlamp illumination2012–2014
- ClosedFleet vehicle recall completion audit2010–2015
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.6L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Power steering fails at low rpm. Engages above 1500 rpm.
2009 GMC Acadia owner · NHTSA complaint 10446765
Quick answers
Is the 2009 GMC Acadia reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew about the average number of complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 106; 100 is average, lower is better). The best GMC Acadia year by this measure is 2013.
What are the most common 2009 GMC Acadia problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are steering (33%), electrical (26%) and body structure (20%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2009 GMC Acadia have?
7 safety recalls (latest: body structure). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2009 GMC Acadia get?
19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2009 GMC Acadia problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 55,500 and 105,000 miles. The middle report was at 75,400 miles, from 281 complaints.
Does the 2009 GMC Acadia have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2009 GMC Acadia cost in fuel a year?
About $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2009 GMC Acadia have?
3.6L 6-cyl.
What GMC Acadia year is better than the 2009?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2013, 2016 and 2015.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works