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GMC Acadia Problems and Repairs

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Comments

  • orr4orr4 Member Posts: 4
    edited July 2012
    My '08 Acadia is going to the dealership tomorrow for the same issue concerning a loss of steering in wet conditions. I haven't had it in yet but I am skeptical about getting this fixed properly after everything that I have read . Two days ago, in fairly light rain, my daughter (on a learner's permit) lost steering in an intersection and nearly crashed. I'm just wondering if you have any update with the new belt and overall state of your Acadia... for that matter I am wondering if anybody has been satisfied with the repair process for this issue...
  • hbacadiahbacadia Member Posts: 7
    After having a splash shield installed 1 yr. ago, then the power steering belt replaced about 6 months ago. I still have had my steering fail during wet conditions. After taking the car back again recently, I have now been told by the dealership that everything that they know to do, or have been instructed to do for this condition has been done!
    The car is unsafe, especially in wet conditions.
  • orr4orr4 Member Posts: 4
    Sorry to hear that-what a nightmare ! Mine is at the dealership now and I am getting the runaround as I am being told they are unfamiliar with this problem, there is no service bulletin etc. Have you tried GMC directly and was that worthwhile? Thank you for your help.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good evening orr4,
    Did your appointment with your dealership turn around this afternoon? We're available to look into the situation further, if you would like. Please email us at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name/Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 digits of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your involved dealership). My coworker Christina, who answers inbound emails from the forum, will assist you further.

    Regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • Tobster1Tobster1 Member Posts: 12
    Hi. I am sorry for all the problems I hear everyone having. We bought a 2007 Saturn Outlook. In 2009 we successfully won a lemon law arbitration. We won on the basis of power steering failure while turning in the rain. It was very dangerous. We also had leaks that never stopped after many attempts. Carpet was replaced, drains were replaced, electrical was going and the final thing was the power steering failing which is VERY dangerous. GM fought me the entire process. . . consistently delayed and ultimately we filed for lemon law protection. If you can do this, do it. From what everyone is reading on this post and others shame on GM for not fixing these problems or doing a major recall. Good luck everyone.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good afternoon,
    I'm glad to hear back from you, and am glad to hear that you were able to get the steering pump replaced. Do you have any other continuing concerns with your vehicle that are unresolved at this time?

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • rollie_dogrollie_dog Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2012
    I am doing some research on buying an Acadia and noticed that the Edmunds Acadia forum has tons of posts regardia Acadia problems. With the same platform and mechanicals one would expect similar problems on the Traverse or Enclave forum. Anyone have any ideas on why the Acadia forum is so much more active. I am not interested in the Traverse, just like the looks of the Acadia.
  • orr4orr4 Member Posts: 4
    Rollie Dog... don't buy the Acadia unless you don't value the safety of yourself and passengers. Its a nice looking car that has an incredible amount of safety issues. If you raise them, you will get treated like a moron by GMC and like me, will have to sue them after they stick you with repair bills for their design defects. They will not stand behind that product in any way. Im not a big Traverse fan - I am replacing my deathrtrap Acadia with a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,830
    You know... it is a little weird..

    I do see plenty of issues with the Enclave, though not as many... but, that might just reflect higher sales of the Acadia than the Buick..

    But, why not the Traverse? That is a puzzler.. but, the Traverse was the last of the triplets to go on sale, and also... there are many more "base" model Traverse, than the other two brands.... less extras to have problems with?

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  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Or it could be that disgruntled Traverse and Enclave owners haven't found Edmunds. Yet anyway. :surprise:
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,830
    Maybe.... though, I see lots of Enclave complaints...

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  • lovegmc1lovegmc1 Member Posts: 37
    edited July 2012
    There are a few reasons for the surplus of acadia problems versus the enclave and the traverse. For one, the acadia(along with the outlook in 2007) was the fist of the lambda vehicles in production, so by the time the traverse came about, the leaks stopped and the transmission isues lessened. Also, the 2007 and 2008 model years of the acadia, enclave, and outlook were terrible. Overall, there were many problems, from leakage(which caused electrical issues), to transmission, power steering, and a/c. Since the outlook was discontinued in 2010, the acadia is the only standing lambda vehicle that was in production since the 2007 model year, leaving the most years for possible issues. It is a very popular model(there is one every turn you take almost) so that small percentage of people with issues, or large percentage with 07's and 08's with issues, makes for many people. After 2010, you're all set as all of the problems were addressed over the years.
  • lovemygmclovemygmc Member Posts: 1
    Hi everyone this is my first time posting to this forum. I have read some of the post and will continue to read them but here are my concerns. I have a 08 Acadia SLT and we have had it since December. The check engine light has came on and stayed on we took it to AutoZone to get it tested and they said High emmisions and sometimes it stalls and you can smell it burning rich. Also when I put gas in it stalls and doesn't start for a few minutes which it didn't start until after the check engine light appeared. Second my passenger front tire makes a weird sound we have checked the struts, brakes, and cv axles but everything seems to be great. The sound is usually when I brake and only if I don't slam on my brakes:). Also and lastly the chrome on the vents are blinding and my mother is epileptic is there any thing I can do to fix it? Please help :confuse:
  • lupe_r49lupe_r49 Member Posts: 7
    Sorry to hear about your problems. I too had similiar issues with my 2007 Acadia. My Acadia would not start after I filled it with gas. I returned it to the dealer and it turned out to be a problem with the fuel pump. It had to be replaced and cost me about $400. The engine light was also an issue in addition with the stabilitrack light. This was fixed under a factory recall. Not sure if your Acadia falls under this recall. The noices from what I thought was my brakes or tires ended up being the strearing rack and pump. This was a hefty $700+ to fix. I have filed a complaint with GMC about these issues, but have yet see results besides being reimburst for a headlight recall. I continue to use this forum to warn others and express my dissapointment with my vehicle. Hope this informations helps.
  • ktriektrie Member Posts: 15
    My only recommendation is to sell it...fast. Seriously, this is a nightmare of a vehicle.

    I'm on my 3rd transmission and it's barely 4 years old. Thankfully, I purchased the GMPP extended warranty plan right before the factory warranty was up and it has been put to good use. I have had more than $10k in repairs that were covered under the extended warranty. Most recently my air-conditioning went out on a 100 degree day. This will definitely be my final year of ever owning a GM vehicle.
  • jaimita94jaimita94 Member Posts: 1
    Hello,
    I was super close to closing a deal the other night on a 2012 Acadia SLT2. After being jerked around too much by the sales person I walked. They quickly called back and have agreed to my number but the delay has given me time to read this forum and also further consider the Honda Pilot. We have always been Honda people and were lured away once by an American minimvan which we ended up selling back at 30,000 miles for over heating and randomly dying (for no diagnosable reason) in the middle of intersections. I was leary of this car but it is beautiful and the features are awesome. Also, the Consumer Reports for the 2012 show marked improvement over the dismal previous years.

    I am now REALLY torn. Do I venture out into American car territory again with this Acadia or stick with what I know to be thr reliable, even though a little more boring, choice of the Pilot?

    The other thing that is really enticing me is this 0% financing for 72 months but if the car won't go more than 35000 miles than I guess that really doesn't do me much good. Interested to hear your opinions on if the Acadias have improved or if I should be scared.
  • safety9285safety9285 Member Posts: 88
    I had a First year Acadia SLT2 (2007) and put 96,000 miles on it. Traded it in on a 2011 Acadia Denali. I went for the Denali Package this time since it had upgraded sound deadening similar to what they put in the Enclave. The 20" crome wheels are sweet along with the TriCoat White paint job. The Yukon and Suburban are still on truck frames which offer a much stiffer ride.
    The Vehicle offers a superior Ride, good looks, luxury interior heated and AC seats etc. If you are into this size of car, this is the one to buy.

    Remember my friend, these forums are like the travel forums, most people do not take the time to tell you how how much they like something. :)
  • lovegmc1lovegmc1 Member Posts: 37
    You should definitely go with the acadia! True, the older years (07 and 08 mainly) wee teible. I myself have a 2012 slt-1 and love it so much that I've put 20k miles on the thing since October 2011! Every mile has been flawless, and the feaures really are great!! Here's a tip, if you do get an slt-2 be sure to get the ventilated seats. They aren't avalable on the slt-1but boy i wish they were! Since 2009, they have been working on fixing the problems,(leaks fixed 2009, transmission quirks and most power steering issues 2010, so, unless you get a lemon, you're good. :shades: :)
  • acadianotacadianot Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Acadia, loved the vehicle when I first got it new. Since then have had the following problems:

    Transmission went out at 72K
    Waterpump went out at 72K
    Replaced front sway bars on both sides due to rattling
    Had leaks so had to replace rack and pinion and RH front axil seal
    Tires cup at around 30K and then make weird noise. replaced with new tires and were good until about 30K again. I have had a front end alighnment but they did the same thing again.
    Now the latest is the A/C has a leak and looking at about a 2K repair

    I would not recommend an acadia to anyone
  • obravadaobravada Member Posts: 37
    I purchased a 2012 SLT-2 last November. Have not had any problems with the vehicle. I only have 5,000 miles on it. Gas mileage has been averaging 18.7 mpg. Just came back from a vacation in New Jersey and averaged about 22 MPG in highway driving. Only outstanding issue is a factory recall for the wipers (for vehicles that may encounter heavy snow like we have in Connecticut). I traded in a Caddy XRS and the Adcadia has a much smoother ride. Have enjoyed the vehicle so far.
  • jones0333jones0333 Member Posts: 3
    Help.. I am starting to hate my 08 Acadia. I have 116,000 miles on it and have had transmission replaced at around 75,000, water pump replaced at 105,000. Problems with noise when turning the steering wheel that I have just dealt with and leaking on drivings side around the door or visor which causes the car to smell horrible for a few days afterwards, also a/c has started to give problems. I am a single parent who can't afford a lot of car repairs or to take my vehicle in and be without it for long periods of time with a huge bill to pay for. This latest issue with the stabilizer problem, I don't know what to do about as it is coming on very frequently and doesn't go off till I turn vehicle off and back on, doesn't appear to affect driving.. Anybody had issue with this and what it took to resolve. Desperate to get this resolved.
  • lovegmc1lovegmc1 Member Posts: 37
    Honestly, and i hate to say this, but you have been lucky with your 2008 acadia.. many people have had MAANY more problems than that with them. The power steering and a c issues happen frequently, as well as water pumps, timing chains, leakng, and transmissions. If you have any way to do so, I suggest you get a different car.. This may not be an option but the 08 acadia is very unreliable, so it may be a better bet in the long run.
  • lovegmc1lovegmc1 Member Posts: 37
    Many times when the check engine light comes on for the 08 acadia means you need a new timing chain.. Also, the noise in the wheel may mean you need new powersteering, because the power steering is an issue plaguing old acadias and that makes for an unsettling noise.
  • safety9285safety9285 Member Posts: 88
    A 2008 is a five year old car. If I still had my 2007 it would have been 6 years old. The 2007 was a first year car with issues and the 2008 was still a 2007(no changes) since GM was struggling. My 2011 and my buddies 2012 are absolutley heads and shoulders different from the first ones. If you folks continue to post issues on cars that are five or six years old, I am not sure what you are expecting.

    If you want a super car, buy a 2012 Acadia. Get the Denali upgrade like mine :) if you can afford it.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    We're so glad to hear how much joy the Acadia has brought you! Many more happy miles!
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    We're sorry to read about the difficulties you've encountered with your Acadia. If you would like for us to look into anything for you, please feel free to email us at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name and contact information and the last 8 digits of your VIN in addition to your description of the issue).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • rjbladerjblade Member Posts: 14
    Hello, jaimta94, I have a 2011 SLT 2 with all the options and 24,000 miles. To date, the gas milage is around 16 MPG and I have the annoying zipper noise when the steering wheeel is turned. I recommend on waiting for the 2013 models, as they have redesign the interior and changed the way the transmission shifts.
  • rayjay5555rayjay5555 Member Posts: 1
    Sarah, GM Customer Service,
    I just got my new 2012 acadia, I have about 2000 miles on it.
    When the outside temp is in the 90's and I am in slow traffic the engine temp go up to 235.
    This also happens when towing a small 2000 lb boat, sometimes temp goes up to 250.
    I called the gm hotline and a dealer and they said it is ok unless the temp goes up to 265.
    I do not think this is right, I had a 2009 acadia and it never went above 210 doing the same work.
    The fluid level is full, sometimes the fan will keep running after I turn it off but sometimes it does not run even if the engine temp is 235.
    Any suggestions?
  • cascadia1cascadia1 Member Posts: 1
    I recently bought a new 2012 Acadia SLT2 with ebony interior. Once the dealer applied the interior protectant/sealant the leather seats and all plastic panels changed to a dark brown color. I have less than 600 miles on the car and this brown color is hideous. What to do????
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    rayjay5555,
    Thank you for taking the time to post your concerns and question. Can you please email me that question as well as your VIN and dealer of choice? I would like to look into this further for you. I look forward to your response.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    We're so glad to hear that you've been enjoying your Acadia so much, obravada! Many more happy miles!
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • lovegmc1lovegmc1 Member Posts: 37
    edited July 2012
    Honestly, I think that this is a small issue, and if the dealership looked carefully at it, would either find no problem, or possible some minor issue. I have a 2012 with 20k on it now, and recall one time where the needle reached higher than normal: when it was on almost all day long in 90 degree, humid, weather, transporting and with the a/c going. Who knows, there might be something like a misreading within your car where it thinks it isn't hot, but is. Hopefully, soon we can get a hybrid trailer, so I can keep posted if it overheats then, but mostly, just enjoy the luxurious ride and copious features :).
  • crimsonacadia8crimsonacadia8 Member Posts: 1
    I'm driving along and l look down to check my speed when I notice the Speedo and RPM gauges are stuck at 0. All the other gauges are working normal. Temp gauge always runs right on 210. Volt gauge runs 1-2 hash marks above 13. I drive the car a few more miles then I notice I have no turn signal indicaters. Thus far no warning lights on the dash have appeared. I park the SUV and wait about thirty minutes then start the car and all gauges work fine. I took the SUV to the mechanic shop and they put the meter on the remote battery terminals to check the voltage. It shows that the volts are in fact dropping out and everything points to the alternator being bad. The SUV didn't throw any codes either which is odd. The gauges continue to act up after replacing the alternator and the battery. I took the SUV to the GMC dealership and they can not find anything wrong with it. All the way home from the dealership the gauges bounced all over the place. One minute the temp gauge was at 210 the next it was over 210. The car should not be running hot. The fuel gauge showed I had burned half a tank of gas to go less than 20 miles. The volt gauge started out over 13 when I started the suv up at the dealership then dropped to 13 at the first red light I came to. Then it ran below 13 until the next stop I made then spiked back up to 13. Can anyone tell me what else to check on this? I am over $400 in the hole for this and not sure what to check next. I hate to think it could be something as simple as the fuse to the cluster panel...
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    We would be more than happy to follow up on this with your dealership for you. Please contact us at socialmedia@gm.com with the following: your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, the name of your dealer, and information about your most recent visit there (date, cost, etc).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • thesleevethesleeve Member Posts: 3
    I heard about this "cupping" of the tires associated with the Acadia's. I am getting ready to get 4 new tires on Friday. Cooper CS4 Touring. Any advise on tires that will lesson my chances of "cupping"
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Have the vehicle aligned the same day as the installation of the tires.
  • cs350cs350 Member Posts: 5
    Rotate your tires religiously every 6,000 miles and have a true 4 wheel alignment done. If you still notice uneven wear on your tires, begin rotating every 3,000 miles. It sucks but there are some vehicles out there that you simply have to rotate tires every oil change. Also, if for some strange reason you actually follow the ridiculous gm oil life light for your oil changes, be sure to check your oil level every 1,000 miles or so. If not, you may find yourself 3 or 4 quarts down by the time your oil change message comes on. GM considers 1 qt every 2,000 miles to be acceptable oil loss.
  • miaapmiaap Member Posts: 2
    I have had this Acadia now almost 4 years ('08 Model), and it's been one thing after another wrong with it. My beef is also with why so many parts are breaking, and yet nothing comes up in my multipoint inspections. These repairs are expensive and keep catching us off guard. In the last 2 years, the entire steering had to be replaced. Twice! One under warrantly, the other out of pocket. Now, my steering is doing the same thing again! I've been told its a problem with this model, so why aren't these repairs covered when outside of warranty? It seems that I've replaced everything under the sun with this vehicle, CV Joints, Airbag sensors, the transmission, the AC condenser hose,etc. Each time I do these repairs, I'm out an entire paycheck. It just seems so wrong. :cry:
  • akrivosheinakrivoshein Member Posts: 5
    I am in the same situation with our 08 with no help from GMAC. What does it take for them to recall and fix the issues? Is it because this vehicle was manufactured pre-bailout so now GMC does not care about the rest of us? My 08 has had issues and still does. I can not afford to fix all of them and we are out of warranty. If anyone has any helpful suggestions please forward them to me.

    Alex
  • brooklyngirl1brooklyngirl1 Member Posts: 14
    My husband and I have had the same problem with an 08 and a 10. The 08 fell under the lemon law so we were given a 10 and the same exact thing started happening. I think we were able to drive it for a year and a half before the real problems started. We just cut out losses and get rid of the damn thing. I will never ever but another GMC vehicle again. My husband and I had many sleepless nights over these vehicles. Now every time we see an Acadia on the road we call the people driving them victims. That is exactly how we felt when we owned one of these things. We we sold it to car max I told my husband that is not even the same vehicle that we purchased because any and everything that could be replaced was. I think GMC needs to step up to the plate on this.
  • lizziekate97lizziekate97 Member Posts: 3
    I purchased a new 2012 Acadia SLE in late April of this year. I have repeatedly had this car in the shop for several problems and based on my experience with this GMC, I WILL NOT be purchasing another GM vehicle. I am very dissatisfied. The problem that I am having is that the A/C blower speed drops when the brakes are applied and the engine speed slows. The A/C recirculate button will also cut off spontaneously. Today, while riding in the second row, I realized that the rear A/C stopped blowing all together following one of these blower speed drops while braking and coming to a stop, despite the light on the rear A/C button STILL TURNED ON. We had to turn the rear a/c button off then turn it back on to make air blow. All of these things happen simultaneously with the needle on the voltage meter dropping. There seems to be a power supply problem that causes it to shed power from anything non-essential ( in my case, the A/C). Although it happens very frequently, it does not happen 100% of the time, therefore making it hard to replicate on demand. My dealerships service department has after several unsuccessful A/C repair attempts has told me the blower speed change is "a normal characteristic" of the vehicle. I DO NOT buy this response. There is absolutely nothing normal about these "characteristics". If this is normal for a GM product, I will soon be purchasing another Honda or Toyota, both of which I have owned with absolutely NO service trips. I have driven 10 loaner vehicles since purchasing this Acadia and still have this problem. Has anyone had this or a similar issue?? And how can I get help from GM on a corporate level? My dealers service dept. doesn't seem to have the answer. PLEASE HELP!
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Had you already contacted the Customer Assistance Center? If so, please send us your case number or the last 8 digits of your VIN to socialmedia@gm.com (or, if you would like for us to set up a case for you to look into this further you can include your name, phone, and address as well).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning,
    If we can look into this situation further, please send us the following information to socialmedia@gm.com: your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your involved dealership.
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • lovegmc1lovegmc1 Member Posts: 37
    I am sorry to say this, but you were unfortunately driving a lemon. The 08's had problems, but they were bettered by 10, so you simply were unlucky.

    As for the 12 with blower fan issues, we have 21,000 miles on our 12 and we have had not one problem with it. It is the nicest vehicle I have owned, (and I've owned an Acura MDX) and will continue to love it for years to come, unless it gets totaled in an accident, which is rare considering the commendable crash test scores it gets :)
  • brooklyngirl1brooklyngirl1 Member Posts: 14
    I knew that I was driving a lemon in 08 that was confirmed by GMC and the BBB that is how I got the 10. I don't think I was simply unlucky with the 10 I just think that GMC Acadia is a piece of crap! If I was simply unlucky there was a bunch of unlucky people in 10s with me at the dealership at the service department.

    It is wonderful that you have not had any issues with your 12 I hope that continues to be the situation for you. You still have some miles to go you were only at 21,000 when you get to about 40,00 let me know how it's going for you.

    I am not here to bash GMC just giving a little glimpse into what happen to my family and I. It is my opinion that the Acadia is garbage. Yes its a very nice looking vehicle and that's it!

    Enjoy your day and your 12 Acadia:)
  • lizziekate97lizziekate97 Member Posts: 3
    I'm happy you haven't had one problem with your 2012. And I certainly hope your prediction of "loving it for many years to come" is accurate. I, however, have not been able to keep mine out of the service dept. long enough to fall in "love" with it. Believe me, I would much rather be surfing the Internet for fun, rather than looking to forums like this to solve problems for a vehicle that hasn't even had its first oil change.
  • michele2377michele2377 Member Posts: 7
    Please call the NHTSA and open a complaint file for any of the problems - GM doesn't have to assist with fixing anything if there isn't a bulletin issued. The NHTSA won't issue a bulletin unless they get enough complaints about it.

    1-800-424-9153 www.safercar.gov
  • lizziekate97lizziekate97 Member Posts: 3
    Thank you for the information! I will do that.
  • brooklyngirl1brooklyngirl1 Member Posts: 14
    I would also make a complaint with the BBB you will be surprise they work wonders. Have you had your Vehicle for less then 18 months? If so you need to get with BBB ASAP also write GMC a certified letter explaining everything that has happened with your vehicle. I have went through this process twice one with a 08 and another time with a 10. If you need anymore information let me know I will be happy to help.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Please don't ask for "personal" help via email. We all benefit when a problem is discussed on the open forum. Plus you'll get spammed. Thanks.
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