GMC Acadia Complaints

359 consumer complaints on file.

#11729530April 6, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
My complaint does not involve an accident. The brakes on the 2024 Acadia Elevation are squealing very loudly, and have been doing so for the past six months or so. I have approximately 18,000 miles on it. I took my vehicle to the dealership twice for this issue, and I was told this time that the brakes are still good (still 8mm of pads) - even though it was showing 22% brake pad. They told me about the malfunctioning sensor and they fixed that, but the squealing is still there. I was told that it was the metal composition of the brake pads that is making that noise, and GM does not cover brakes past 7,500 miles (this 7,500 warranty is pointless because who would need brakes replaced in that short time frame, anyway?). That means I would have to pay out of pocket for the brakes! There is clearly something wrong with the structure of the brakes and I see on the Acadia forum that this is a common complaint. If the brakes are good, then why are the brakes squealing? Why am I being told that I just have to deal with the squealing sound? What can be done about this issue. It seems unfair to me that I have to come out of pocket to fix something that should not be "broken".
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729422April 6, 2026
STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:DASHBOARD
The contact owns a 2025 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the sunlight reflecting off the dashboard chrome onto the windshield was blinding, forcing the driver to use a cardboard to protect their eyes. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure via an online chat. The failure mileage was approximately 10.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729333April 6, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Horn began sounding unexpectedly and intermittently while driving and parked. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The uncontrollable horn startled surrounding motorists and pedestrians, causing confusion and defensive reactions. While removing the fuse temporarily stopped the noise, it eliminated a critical safety feature. The horn remains inoperable as of 4/6/26. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? GMC Dealership. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? GMC Dealership. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No prior warning. Issue began Jan 31, 2025 (66 days after purchasing the brand new vehicle). Timeline of events: Jan 31, 2026: Horn began sounding unexpectedly and intermittently while driving and parked. Per dealership advice, the horn fuse was removed to allow for safe travel. Feb 5, 2026: First service visit. Service advisor reported a "kinked wire" was found and repaired. Feb 15, 2026: Issue recurred; horn sounded continuously while driving. Fuse was removed again to disable the horn; it has remained inoperable since. Feb 26, 2026: Second service visit. Dealership diagnosed the issue as a faulty steering wheel and placed an order (ETA: 7–10 days). Mar 3, 2026: Follow-up call. Advised the part was under “national control” with an additional 10-day delay. Mar 13, 2026: Dealership notified me that the steering wheel request was denied by GM because the part is restricted and the cause remained unproven. Mar 18–20, 2026: Third service visit (loaner provided). New diagnosis identified an internal failure in the SIR coil. Part was confirmed as backordered.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729190April 4, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While backing out of a parking place my husband noticed he couldn't stop the 2025 Acadia and almost hit restraunt behind us, while pusing on the break. He then started to go forward and kept saying "I can't stop it, it won't stop, I'm pushing on the break." The vehicle then went forward and couldn't stop even pushing on the break. I tried pusing the button to turn off the 2025 Acadia a couple times (possible turning back on and because he foot was on the break restarted the vehicle) and then pushed park to see if that would stop. We hit the building in front of us and stopped. The air bags did not deploy so not going that fast. I pushed the button for 911 and they came on to assist and call police and asked if everyone was all right and other questions. Lucky no on was hurt and thank God for that. Tow truck was called and taken to local tow yard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729184April 4, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
I purchased my 2025 GMC Acadia on March 26, 2025. // My vehicle began to have electrical/communication/system issues in August 2025. // I took my vehicle to the dealer to address these issues at this time. When I got to the dealership, a representative performed diagnostics, and said "I can't even get a read on this. There is no signal coming from your module. You need to contact OnStar about this." // I called OnStar, and they ran a test, and stated that it is a manufacturing defect that needed to be handled with GMC. //No one informed me of the severity of the safety implications involved. // In March 2026, my vehicle was inoperable. The module controls everything, and was draining the battery at a severely high rate. I had my vehicle towed to the dealership. They tried to deny all liability and said that they weren't the dealership that sold me the vehicle. // I had my battery jumped so I could take it from the dealership have a new battery installed. My vehicle stalled and shut off while I arrived at the Auto Parts store. *** Answer to Questions: Q1: Yes. My vehicle is available for inspection. It is at the dealership. // Q2: My safety and others were put at risk because the brand new batteries were constantly draining and making me stall out in mid-traffic without having any control. // Q3: Yes. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer. They tried (and still are trying) to avoid responsibility. Other reports show that this is a significant safety issue with many GMC vehicles. // Q4: Yes. The vehicle was inspected by the GMC dealership. This is day-16 with no solution. // Q5: Yes, there were issues with the car, as stated above. But absolutely no indication that it would be safety issue. My engine was running normal the night before. No signs that the battery was low or dead and prohibit me from driving safely or that it would shut off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728726April 2, 2026
POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE
Vehicle would not run due to a failed fuel pump control module. With a non-running engine, the transmission could NOT be placed into Neutral to be able to movie vehicle out of the road. Needed tow truck to move vehicle. This condition placed many people at risk as the vehicle could not be moved out of the way until a tow truck arrived.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728307March 31, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, and the engine lost automotive power. The vehicle was able to restart. During a second failure, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled in the middle of the highway, and the vehicle was unable to restart. An alert message was sent by OnStar reporting a transmission or engine failure and advised that the vehicle needed immediate service. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a fuel pump module failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,749
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728151March 30, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On March 27, 2026, I experienced a complete brake failure while driving a 2021 GMC Acadia in a school zone at approximately 3:00 PM. When I pressed the brake pedal, the vehicle did not respond. I attempted multiple times, including using the emergency brake, which did not activate immediately. The vehicle remained in motion for several minutes in an area with children and parents present. The emergency brake only engaged after approximately 30–45 seconds of repeated attempts. I was forced to steer off the road to avoid a collision. The vehicle had been inspected at a GM dealership on March 16, 2026, just eleven days prior, where the brake system was evaluated and no issues were identified. After the incident, the dealership diagnosed a leaking vacuum pump, which is a component that supports the brake booster system. This failure occurred without warning and created a dangerous situation. I am concerned this may indicate a broader safety defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728147March 30, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The vehicle has a serious transmission/drivetrain defect that repeatedly occurs when accelerating from a complete stop, especially onto an incline. The vehicle sometimes does not respond at all when the accelerator is pressed and fails to move, even though acceleration is being requested. In one recent incident, it remained stopped for about one minute before finally responding. During these events, the vehicle jerks and shakes severely and fails to gain speed as expected. This creates a major safety risk at stop signs, intersections, and uphill starts because the vehicle may not move when needed and cannot keep up with traffic. The problem has worsened, and during one of these incidents the check engine light came on. I have video evidence showing the loss of response to accelerator input, severe jerking/shaking, and the check engine light illuminating during the same event. The issue has been reported to dealers and GM customer service but has not been properly resolved.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727817March 29, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I was driving on the highway, and the sunroof was closed and the cloth screen that would allow or not allow sun to come through was also closed. Then out of nowhere there was this explosion sound which scared me so much, I almost wrecked the car and at first, I thought maybe someone shot at my car and shot one of my windows but as I got to the side of the road I realized that none of my windows in the car had been shot and that it was the sunroof and I noticed that cause pieces of glass came into the car from the sides of the cloth barrier. This happened so fast and was so loud that it almost caused me to hit the other car in the lane to the left of me on the highway. Thank goodness I was able to react fast and pull the car back into my lane. I contacted the dealership and they indicated that they had not heard about this before and that I would need to talk with the service department but that it is closed now and not something that would typically fall under warranty. I did check online and see that this is a known issue for this vehicle so I don't understand why it would not be fixed cause it is going to hurt someone at some point. I am trying to get someone to look at it to get it fixed. There was no warning of anything. It just exploded all of the sudden and glass was all over.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727317March 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I purchased this vehicle in June 2024 as a demo vehicle with approximately 7,000 miles on it. Within one month of ownership, the vehicle began experiencing serious problems that have continued to worsen. The vehicle currently has approximately 34,000 miles, and the issues have been ongoing from the time of purchase through the present. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has been in the dealership multiple times for the same recurring problems, including but not limited to: * Powertrain issues and loss of power * Reduced acceleration while driving * Complete electrical failure while driving * Engine and electrical warning lights repeatedly turning on * Vehicle running excessively hot * Water pump replacement * Replacement of sensors * Thermostat replacement * Ongoing engine and electrical system malfunctions Despite these repairs, the same problems continue to reoccur. Each time I return the vehicle for service, I am informed that it is a “different issue,” even though the symptoms remain unchanged. This strongly indicates a defective powertrain and/or electrical system that has not been properly repaired. The most serious concern occurred while I was driving on public streets, when the vehicle lost acceleration, electrical power shut off, and the vehicle completely shut down, nearly causing me to be hit by other vehicles. This incident created an extreme safety hazard for myself, my passengers, and other motorists. I have made several formal complaints directly with GMC, and more than four case numbers have already been created regarding this vehicle. Despite these complaints and repeated repair attempts, the problems persist. Given the repeated failures, numerous repair attempts, documented safety risks, and the fact that these issues began shortly after purchase, I believe this vehicle qualifies for relief under applicable lemon laws and consumer protection laws. Incident (Critical)Vehicle lost acceleration and electrical power and completely stalled while roads
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726886March 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
Infotainment system freezing, screen shaking, touch screen not working, disconnecting from android auto, unable to connect to phone.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726383March 23, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This is ongoing from the purchase of the car. 1) Infotainment computer screen daytime illumination is so dark as to be a major safety issue as it causes too much time looking away from the road to operate the system. If you wear sunglasses you cannot see the screen at all. The dealer says nothing can be done to improve the problem. 2) Right rear tail light stopped working after 500 miles. Replacement requires dropping the rear bumper and quarter panel. The dealer actually damaged the body of the car while replacing the light. Where are the days of changing out a light bulb? 3) At 1200 miles the transmission torque converter is chattering and slipping on cruise control at 50 MPH. 4) Engine noise is very loud during acceleration. Seats seem flat with no bolsters and little cushioning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726103March 21, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The vehicle experiences a transmission/drivetrain defect involving delayed gear engagement, hesitation, and apparent slipping. When accelerating from a complete stop (especially onto an incline) the engine RPM increases but the vehicle fails to accelerate as expected. The vehicle jerks and shakes violently and is unable to gain speed. This issue is intermittent but highly repeatable and occurs almost every time when there is a slope immediately after a stop sign. It results in loss of acceleration, violent shaking, and inability to maintain or build speed, creating a serious safety risk in traffic. It first happened around 1 year (early 2026) after the new car purchase (Nov 2025). There are no warning lights or messages. The dealer claimed they were unable to reproduce the issue during a brief test drive without me present and incorrectly attributed it to a bulletin without performing a detailed diagnosis or repair or looking at the video we recorded on the issue. The issue persists and affects safe operation of the vehicle. No inspection has been done by police or insurance. In one instance, this occurred while other vehicles were approaching from behind, creating a dangerous situation where I could not accelerate to match traffic flow. This resulted in a high risk of being rear-ended due to the unexpected loss of acceleration. I am aware of other consumer reports describing similar transmission-related symptoms such as slipping, hard shifting, and hesitation in this model. Some complaints describe transmission issues occurring at low mileage without warning lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726073March 21, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Automatic brake engaged unnecessarily/ unexpectedly while driving forward at a low speed. There was no reason for the brake to engage. There were no objects or people infont of us. This has happened twice in less than a month. Both times we were in a forward motion. It could have been a serious situation if the car behind us had been any closer when we suddenly breaked for no reason.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725820March 20, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the coolant fan was running after the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone to be diagnosed due to the check engine warning light being illuminated. The contact was informed that DTC: P1098; was retrieved, which indicated a fault with the coolant control valve. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the coolant control valve had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact related the failure to the Manufacturer Recall Number: N252508341. However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725673March 19, 2026
POWER TRAIN, STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE
We purchased our 2024 Acadia in June 2025. Since we have had the vehicle, it has been in the shop going on 6 times. First the sunroof seal came off, then the antenna cover fell off, the driver side rear panel had to be replaced because it was coming off. Once all this was done then the vehicle started leaking transmission fluid, took it to the dealer to get fixed, once we get it back the coolant starts leaking from the radiator hose, took it in to get repaired, now there is knocking noise coming from the engine/hood. Every time we take it in to get repaired a new problem pops up. We purchased the vehicle to have a safe way to get our kids around and it has been nothing but a headache and run around from the dealership. GMC really needs to resolve this issue. Parts seem to be on never-ending backorder with no ETA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723566March 11, 2026
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2025 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH at nighttime, there was an abnormally loud explosion and the contact became aware that the sunroof had exploded unexpectedly, causing shattered glass to fall inside the vehicle onto the contact's head, face, and body. The contact stated that two of her children were occupying the third-row seats when the failure occurred. The contact stated that a larger quantity of shattered glass fell near or in the car seat of the contact's son, who was not occupying the vehicle during the failure. There was no reported injury. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the sunroof needed to be replaced; however, the repair was not covered under warranty. The contact was referred to the insurance company for assistance. The dealer informed the contact that an engineering inspection had been requested. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the vehicle could be repaired under warranty at the discretion of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722994March 9, 2026
STEERING
My vehicle’s steering became dangerously stiff while driving on the highway, nearly causing my wife to be involved in a serious accident. While she was traveling on I-95 in Miami, Florida, the steering suddenly got so hard that she could barely control the vehicle and was unable to turn the wheel properly. This created an extremely dangerous situation and put her life, as well as the lives of others on the road, at risk. She was thankfully able to get off the highway, and I had to come take over the vehicle to make sure she got home safely. This was terrifying and completely unacceptable. A failure like this should never happen while a vehicle is in motion. When I took the vehicle to the dealership, I was told I would have to pay over $3,500 for the repair. That is outrageous for such a serious safety issue. I also found information online showing recalls for similar steering problems in GMC Yukons, yet GMC Arcadias do not appear to be included. That is deeply concerning, especially since this same dangerous defect is clearly affecting my vehicle. This issue could have caused a major crash, severe injuries, or even death. GMC needs to take responsibility for this problem instead of forcing customers to pay thousands of dollars for a dangerous defect that should be addressed as a safety recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721893March 4, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car has had multiple issues with check engine light coming on for the last 2 years and stays on especially during the winter months. The purge pump has failed multiple times. The cooling fan has run after engine shutting off for multiple years now. The thermostat has been failing for the last 6 months. Now yesterday low power protection suddenly turned on driving on the expressway limiting power in the middle of traffic. Was able to get off at exit without accident and get car home. I guess we have to pay out of pocket to get fixed. This is a known issue that GM fails to include every VIN with the 2021 year or certain models and VINS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to GMC Acadia