There are 25 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2011 GMC Acadiain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The engine light came on. Had a mobile mechanic look at it, he ran a diagnostics, it showed a P0017 code. He advised to get another opinion on how to repair, as he said it may need a new engine. Took it to a local repair shop, was told the same thing. The Acadia runs fine, and only has 116K miles. The problem is that it will not pass the required emission test for annual registration and tag. The cost of a new engine was estimated at about $10K, which is more than the Acadia is worth. Was told that these vehicles have had a history of this same issue.
LOOKING INTO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT I FOUND I HAD A MISFIRE IN A FEW CYLINDERS. LOOKING INTO IT I FOUND OIL IN MY SPARK PLUG TUBES, MY COILS WERE PERFECTLY DRY AND THE TOP OF THE TUBES WERE DRY AS WELL. LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE I FOUND MULTIPLE TSB FORMS FOR THE ISSUE STATING THERE WAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT IN THE HEAD. IT SAYS IT EFFECTS ALL VINS FOR ALL YEARS AS THEY USE THE SAME ENGINE.
I had issue with the timing chain an have check engine light is on I have heard other people having problems with there timing chain. It starts hard. I've had it looked at multiple times. I feel like this is a safety concern. It has low miles on it
I was driving on a busy freeway, my car lost power and became very slow at only 20mph. Almost got rear ended, luckily I was able to pull over. Then check engine light came on. My engine failed and had to tow it. Mechanic said faulty timing chains destroyed my engine. Bought a used engine and is costing me over $4,000. I was lucky not to get killed. GM knows there’s a timing chains issues with these engines. People have complained about this costly and dangerous problem. They should recall and pay for the repairs. There was no warning for me until it was too late.
Had to replace transmission. I waa sowing down to come to a stop and the car shuts off in the road while I am turning into a drive way. After getting a new gmc transmission,My speedometer is moving back and forth again. The vehicle shutters while in park. These are some of the same signs from last time.
I HAVE HAD THIS 2011 ARCADIA FOR LESS THEN A MONTH. THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM ASSURED ME THAT THE ONLY ISSUE IT HAD WAS IT NEEDED A NEW A/C CONDENSER. ( PERMANENT CODES, P0008, P0332, P0017 ) (PENDING CODES P0161, P0332, P0017 ) ( STORED CODES, P0332, P0008 ) SEVERE URGENCY REPLACE TIMING CHAINS AND RELATED COMPONENTS, T CHAIN X1 T CHAIN X1 T CHAIN X2 TIMING TENSIONER X1 X1 X1 X1. I HAVENT EVEN BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT AND THE SOLD ME THE CAR ON FALSE PRETENSES. THEY WONT HELP ME WITH FIXING IT, THEY WONT EVEN FIX THE A/C CONDENSER. IM GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE AND I PUT THE ONLY MONEY I HAD INTO THIS CAR. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO.
WAS DRIVING MY CAR. GOT OFF I-79 TO GET GAS. GOT BACK IN MY CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. HAD TO GET A JUMP. IT STARTED. STARTED DRIVING (ABOUT 4 MILES) ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTED MAKING A NOISE FROM THE MOTOR. IT NEVER GAVE ME A WARNING, NO NOISE OR ANYTHING BEFORE THIS. IT RAN PERFECTLY. I'M SO DISGUSTED. THEY'RE SAYING ALMOST $5000.00 WITH PARTS AND LABOR WITH A USED MOTOR. THE BEARING SPUN, THE ROLLER ROCKER BROKE OFF TIMING CHAIN, AND SOMETHING ELSE. HMM A USED MOTOR. YOU DO KNOW A USED MOTOR WILL FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY AGAIN!! I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHERE IT STILL SITS. I UPKEPT THE OIL BEFORE IT WAS DUE. IT HAS 138,706 MILES I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AT ALL . GM I HOPE YOU DO US RIGHT BECAUSE WE STOOD BY YOU AND TRUSTED YOU!
WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, MY ENGINE TURNED OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. UP UNTIL THAT POINT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ON A SECONDARY ROAD MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A SLOW SPEED WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. HOWEVER, HAD THIS HAPPENED 10 MINUTES EARLIER I WOULD HAVE BEEN ATOP A VERY HIGH BRIDGE AND WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR WHICH IS THE POSTED SPEED FOR I-295. HAD THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ON THIS BRIDGE I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. MY VEHICLE COULD HAVE GONE OVER THE RAILING AND PLUNGED 300+ FEET DOWN INTO THE RIVER. OR POSSIBLY OTHER VEHICLE TRAFFIC COULD HAVE CRASHED INTO ME CAUSING UNTOLD DAMAGE AND INJURY OR POSSIBLY SOMEONE'S DEATH. FORTUNATELY I WAS IN A SAFER AREA WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED AND THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE REPAIRED AT MY DEALER. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. ENGINES SHOULD NOT SIMPLY TURN OFF AND STOP RUNNING BECAUSE OF SOME ELECTRONIC CONTROL PART. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS SITUATION AND I'M SURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY EXPERIENCING SIMILAR SITUATIONS. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE, BUT ALL NEWER AND LATE MODEL VEHICLES. IT IS DANGEROUS TO THINK THAT THE AUTO INDUSTRY HAS EMPLOYED SUCH A DANGEROUS ENGINEERING AND DEVICE THAT COULD CAUSE THE DEATH OF SOMEONE. I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP REVIEWING THIS SITUATION FOR ALL THE PEOPLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AS IT TRIED TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE FROM A RAMP. THE CONTACT AND HER PASSENGER QUICKLY EXITED THE VEHICLE AFTER SHE PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER. THE COMPLETE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT WAS THE ONLY ONE TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND WAS GIVEN A CAT SCAN. THERE WERE NO OTHER INJURIES .THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN TO THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BACK IN 10/2019. THE CONTACT JUST RECEIVED HER VIN FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY SINCE THE FIRE DESTROYED ALL TRACES OF THE VIN ON THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT TOTAL THE VEHICLE SINCE IT ONLY HAD LIABILITY COVERAGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
AT 86,000 MILES, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DESPITE OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD TICKING SOUND. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO THE NEAREST AUTO SHOP. WE HAD TWO MECHANICS (HAD CAR TOWED FOR SECOND OPINION) SAY THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER WHILE DRIVING ON A SIDE STREET. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN THE ENGINE WENT TO BE RESTARTED, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR WAS TOWED, AND WAS NOTED AFTER INVESTIGATION BY THE GMC DEALER THAT THE ENGINE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WITH APPROX. 120,000 MILES. IT WAS FORTUNATE THIS OCCURRED ON A SIDE STREET WITH NO TRAFFIC VERSES ON A HIGHWAY. ALSO IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE TIMING CHAIN HAD TO BE REPLACED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO DUE TO BEING STRETCHED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL PENETRATED THE CYLINDER HEAD, SPARK PLUG TUBE, AND TIMING CHAIN, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
THE CAR HAS 77,000 MILES AND HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AND ALL COMPONENTS INVOLVED. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY HAD RECALLS ON 2007-2009 VEHICLES BUIT HAD SINCE FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT APPARENTLY NOT. I HAD MY MACHANIC FIX THIS THE COST WAS $1636.00 WHICH WAS WAY CHEAPER THAN THE DEALER. I THINK THAT GMC SHOULD RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM AS I HEARD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM STILL.
THE 2011 GMC ACADIA VEHICLE AT 38K MILES SUFFERED A MAJOR LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM.PER NHTSA ID NUMBER 10052213 & PB-13079, THE FIX DID NOT STOP THE COOLANT LEAKAGE AROUND THE WATER PUMP SEAL. WITH THE VEHICLE AT 38K MILES THE DEALER TESTED AND CHARGED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER PUMP. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE. THE MANUFACTURERS SAFETY ISSUE IN MY PART WAS UNSATISFACTORY DO TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE PART NOT UNDER WARRENTY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER PULLING OVER AND ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED ON THE INITIAL ATTEMPT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
MY 2011 GMC ACADIA WOULD NOT START ONE MORNING. WE PUT A BATTERY CHARGER ON IT. IT STARTED BUT HAS A PINGING SOUND. WE CHECKED THE OIL. THE OIL WAS READING LOW. WE ADDED 3 QTS OF OIL. WE HAD AUTO REPAIR SHOP CHANGE OIL AND INSTALL NEW BATTERY. I STILL NOTICED THE PINGING SOUND. THAT EVENING, AS I WAS DRIVING THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING TERRIBLE SOUNDS AND LOOSING POWER. I STOPPED DRIVING AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. THEY SAID THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN. I HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AT ALL. THE DEALER IS TELLING ME IT IS MOST LIKELY THE TIMING CHAIN. THE ACADIA IS ONLY 5 YRS OLD WITH 116K MILES. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO THIS NEW OF CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THEY ALL SAY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE ACADIA AND THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL OR WARRANTY ISSUE. EQUALLY FRUSTRATING, I BOUGHT A WARRANTY THAT I WAS TOLD WAS AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" THAT I THOUGHT WOULD LOVER IT NOW I'M BEING TOLD THE WARRANTY WAS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE WHICH IS NOT WHAT THE SALESMEN TOLD ME WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I FEEL TOTALLY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AS A WOMEN.
STOPPED AT STOP SIGN MAKING RIGHT TURN EXCELLERATE TO 10-15 MPH NOTICE GARGLING SOUND OR LIKE A MUFFLER EXPLODES POWER REDUCTED...WITH IN A HUNDRED YARDS OR SO ENGINE LIGHT GO ON POWER (ENGINE) FAILURE NOT BREAKS OR STEARING AVAILABLE COAST TO CURB TRY TO START VEHICLE AGAIN...DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL. FLAT BEDDED TO KERBECK GMC DEALERSHIP BY 1:00PM 09/12/16 ...SERVICE MGR. CALL AT 6PM NO NEWS STILL BEING DIAGNOSED, WILL CALL IN THE AM...LATER THAT DAY CALLED TO TELL ME THAT IT SUCKED A VALVE AND HAS BROKEN ROCKER ASSEMBLY AND SEEMS TO BE DAMAGE IN THE LOWER END OF THE MOTOR! NEED NEW ENGINE...VEHICLE IS IN THE HANDS OF THE DEALER! NO WRITTEN REPORT HAS BE GIVEN TO ME, JUST VERBAL! PASSANGE IN VEHICLE AT TIME OF OCCURANCE...
THE CAR WOULD NOT SPEED UP. I WAS DRIVING ON A HEAVILY TRAFFICKED ROAD (PENDLETON PIKE) IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN. AFTER PASSING SUNNYSIDE ROAD, IT WENT FROM 40 MPH TO 25 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. I HIT THE ACCELERATOR MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT IT WOULD NOT SPEED UP. I TURNED MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. I PANICKED! I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL INTO A STARBUCKS PARKING LOT AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. I WAITED TEN SECONDS EXACTLY, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. IT WAS FINE AFTER THAT PROCEDURE.
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 30 MPH TO 60 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGINS TO MISS, ESPECIALLY UPHILL. THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE TERRIBLY. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP REGARDING THE ISSUE, I WAS ASKED IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. IT WAS NOT BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAD ME BRING IT IN ANYWAY. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE OR FOUR TIMES NOW. I HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE FUEL SYSTEM CLEANED AS WELL AS THE SPARK PLUGS AND PLUG COILS REPLACED. THESE ARE EXPENSIVE PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTIES. IN THE END, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT UNLESS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON TO 'MAP' THE PROBLEM, THEY CAN'T HELP ME. *TR
DRIVING VEHICLE, TEMP GAUGE GOT OVER 240 DEGREES STOPPED AND FOUND WATER POURING OUT OF FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE.AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND THE WATER PUMP TO BE LEAKING BADLY. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026