Midsize and three-row SUVs · model years 2014 to 2020
Chevrolet Traverse vs GMC Acadia: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Traverse and the Acadia split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 22, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2014 to 2020 | Traverse | Acadia |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 2.8% | 2.0% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 1.8% | 1.5% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 50,000 | 40,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 2.9 | 2.7 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 2 | 3 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Traverse owners complain about most is airbags; for the Acadia it is transmission and drivetrain. Complaints citing airbags make up 33% of all Traverse complaints, against 23% on the Acadia. The Acadia leans the other way on electrical: 23% of its complaints, against 17% for the Traverse.
Chevrolet TraverseGMC Acadia
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Traverse is airbag problems (33% of its complaints), and the Acadia shares it (22%).
| Problem | Traverse | Acadia |
|---|---|---|
| Airbag warning light or recall | 33% 865most in 2017 · 65k mi | 22% 558most in 2014 · 80k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 10% 270most in 2014 · 44k mi | 12% 287most in 2017 · 41k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 4.6% 120most in 2018 · 50k mi | 7.9% 198most in 2017 · 41k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 6.8% 175most in 2014 · 65k mi | 3.1% 7874k mi |
| Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on | 6.3% 162most in 2014 · 67k mi | 2.4% 6141k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 5.0% 130most in 2018 · 60k mi | 3.6% 90most in 2017 · 77k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 4.4% 114most in 2018 · 40k mi | 3.7% 92most in 2017 · 35k mi |
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 2.9% 74most in 2018 · 50k mi | 4.9% 121most in 2017 · 37k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Acadia owners report problems earlier. Half the Acadia complaints that give a mileage come before 40,000 miles; for the Traverse the halfway point is 50,000. 48% of Traverse reports and 61% of Acadia reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Chevrolet TraverseGMC Acadia
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 996 for the Traverse and 1,092 for the Acadia.
Worst and best years
The 2018 Traverse draws 1.6 times the complaints of a typical Traverse year for its age. The 2017 Acadia draws 3.3 times the complaints of a typical Acadia year for its age.
Chevrolet TraverseGMC Acadia
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 2.9 campaigns per model year for the Traverse and 2.7 for the Acadia. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Chevrolet Traverse
20 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (7), transmission and drivetrain (3) and tires (3).
- 21V-246 (airbags) covers 6 model years
- 21V-782 (airbags) covers 4 model years
Investigations
- EA20002: Outboard front seat belt anchor cable failure (closed, led to a recall)
- RQ19003: Seat belt anchor cable failure (closed)
GMC Acadia
19 recall campaigns and 3 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (4), transmission and drivetrain (3) and tires (3).
- 23V-334 (airbags) covers 4 model years
- 21V-246 (airbags) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE22006: Rear-view camera failure (closed, led to a recall)
- EA20002: Outboard front seat belt anchor cable failure (closed, led to a recall)
- RQ19003: Seat belt anchor cable failure (closed)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Traverse complaints report a crash: 2.8%, against 2.0% for the Acadia. Fires are rare on both. Complaints on file report 2 deaths in the Traverse and 0 in the Acadia for these model years.
Chevrolet TraverseGMC Acadia
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Chevrolet Traverse or the GMC Acadia more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Traverse and the Acadia split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Traverse has 2,584 complaints and the Acadia 2,494 for model years 2014 to 2020, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the Acadia?
The Traverse has 20 recall campaigns and the Acadia 19 across model years 2014 to 2020. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 2.9 campaigns per model year for the Traverse and 2.7 for the Acadia.
What are the most common problems on the Traverse and the Acadia?
The most reported problem on the Traverse is airbag problems (33% of its complaints), and the Acadia shares it (22%).
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