2008 GMC Acadia Reliability
The 2008 GMC Acadia has 858 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and air bags. Compared with other Acadia model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Acadia's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
858
NHTSA owner complaints
5
Recall campaigns
22
Complaints citing a crash
13
Complaints citing a fire
2008 GMC Acadia complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 model year, filed between 2007 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 279 | 33% |
| Air bags | 154 | 18% |
| Electrical system | 154 | 18% |
| Steering | 133 | 16% |
| Engine | 124 | 14% |
| Body structure | 87 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 65 | 8% |
| Stability control | 57 | 7% |
2008 GMC Acadia recalls
5 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2008 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08V410000 | Aug 14, 2008 | Visibility / wipers — windshield wiper/washer / linkages | Gm is recalling 88,809 my 2008 buick enclave, and my 2007-2008 GMC Acadia and saturn outlook vehicles currently or previously registered in the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland,… |
| 08V441000 | Aug 28, 2008 | Electrical system | Gm is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 buick lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; my 2007-2008 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC Acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, saturn outlook; and my 2008 buick… |
| 10V240000 | Jun 4, 2010 | Electrical system | 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 avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC… |
| 14V118000 | Mar 17, 2014 | 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… |
| 15V415000 | Jun 30, 2015 | Body structure — body / hatchback/liftgate | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles… |
How the 2008 compares with nearby Acadia years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Acadia analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 431 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2008 (this page) | 858 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2009 | 333 | 7 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2010 | 348 | 4 | Steering | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2008 GMC Acadia
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 5 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2008 GMC Acadia can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2008 GMC Acadia reliability FAQ
Is the 2008 GMC Acadia reliable?
The 2008 GMC Acadia has 858 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and air bags. Compared with other Acadia model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Acadia's typical year.
What are the most common 2008 GMC Acadia problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 GMC Acadia are powertrain / transmission (279), air bags (154), electrical system (154), steering (133). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2008 GMC Acadia have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2008 GMC Acadia, including 08V410000 (visibility / wipers — windshield wiper/washer / linkages) and 08V441000 (electrical system). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2008 GMC Acadia compare with the 2007 and 2009 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2007 has 431 complaints and 5 recalls (avoid); the 2009 has 333 complaints and 7 recalls (avoid). The 2008 has 858 complaints and 5 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2008 GMC Acadia?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More GMC Acadia research
Other GMC Acadia model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2008 Acadia, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.