Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 GMC Acadia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
The air bags light came on with no reason truck never being in a crash, the abs and the off road light is on too, the break lights are on while you don't step on the pedal and they go off when you step on it...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE BRAKES SEIZED, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 131,000.
WHILE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS IN 90+ DEGREE WEATHER, THE 2008 GMC ACADIA EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. ENGINE QUIT ALONG WITH ALL ELECTRONICS, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. LET CAR SIT FOR 20 MINUTES AND IT STARTED UP AND DROVE FINE FOR A WEEK OR SO THEN THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITHIN 5 WEEKS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND TWO DEALERSHIPS. OF THOSE DEALERSHIPS, WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL AUTONATION GMC DEALER 3 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF 2 WEEKS AND ALL GROUPS WHO HAVE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND AND "CODES" AFTER RUNNING THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS. WE HAVE REQUESTED AN ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER TO BE ORDERED FROM AUTONATION GMC PARK MEADOWS (CO) BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY AND INTERSTATE SPEEDS. HAVE RESEARCHED OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME SITUATION ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING INTO THE POWER BUSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING DOWN FROM THE SUN ROOF INTO THE ELECTRICAL FUSE BOX, CAUSING CORROSION AND THE VEHICLE WOULD FAILED TO TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER LEAKING INTO THE FUSE BOX WAS CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO TURN OFF DUE TO THE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 06/29/16*LJ UPDATED 08/02/16.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS IN RAINY WEATHER, THE CONTACT NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE AND DASHBOARD. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL SHOOK VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
GOING DOWN THE HIGH WAY THE STABILITRACK LIGHT COMES ON AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR TURNING IT BACK ON IT GOES OUT THE LIGHT HASN'T CAME BACK ON ITS BEEN A COUPLE MONTHS IT ONLY COMES ON WHEN DRIVING FAR. ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES THEY GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR HARD TO STOP THE CAR. MY GIRLFRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM I DROVE IT MYSELF TO SEE IF IT WOULD DO IT TO ME NEVER DID TILL TODAY I ALMOST HIT 2 CARS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED KNEE AND HEAD INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER IN THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT ALSO NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE, THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO DISENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, WATER WOULD ENTER THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
THE SERVICE BRAKE LIGHT AND STABILATRAC COMES ON EVERY TIME YOU START THE VEHICLE AND SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING. HAVE NOT RECEIVED A QUOTE FROM THE DEALERSHIP YET. WILL THERE BE A RECALL THAT EFFECTS THIS OR IS IT OUR PROBLEM TO DROP 1500 DOLLARS TO REPAIR A MANUFACTURER DEFECT
WHILE DRIVING THE STABILITRAK OFF LIGHT, SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON. UPON TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND BOTH PARTS NEED TO BE REPLACED OR THE WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM COULD/WOULD FAIL. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE GMC ACADIA AND COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT/FATALITY. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN ISSUE DUE TO AN APPARENT DEFECT IN CONSTRUCTION WHERE THE BRAKE FLUID DOES NOT LEAK EXTERNALLY, BUT RATHER INTERNALLY TO ANOTHER COMPONENT. THIS SERIOUS ISSUE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY GMC.
MY VEHICLE BEGAN GIVING A STABILITRAK NOTIFICATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUE I WAS TOLD BY THE GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING INTO THE BOOSTER AND WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE BRAKES TO FAIL. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DEALT WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY ISSUE THAT IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO CAUSE INJURY OR POSSIBLY FATALITY.
IT HAD RAINED THE NIGHT BEFORE AND I CAME OUT TO START MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WAS LEAKING WATER AND THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR BOARD AND WATER WAS DRIPPING FROM MY EMERGENCY BRAKE. IT HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN AND I'M AFRAID MY AIRBAG WON'T WORK PROPERLY IF I WAS EVER IN A WRECK. *TR
STABILITRAK SYSTEM SAYS IT IS "OFF" CAR MAKES A RECURRENT BEEPING NOISE, WARNING LIGHT TO CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM SHOWS. OCCURS RANDOMLY AT ANY TIME OF DAY. NO LEAKS FROM CAR, STILL BRAKES WELL. *TR
THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ON MY GMC ACADIA HAS COME ON MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AFTER ADDING BRAKE FLUID TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC ACADIA'S, WHERE THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS BRAKE FLUID INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE BRAKING ABILITY AND AT ONE POINT, THE BRAKE BOOSTER IS NOT GOING TO WORK DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS FILLED WITH BRAKE FLUID. GM NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCTS ... NOT JUST SAY THAT THEY ARE THE "NEW" GM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
I HAVE BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN BEFORE OUR TRIP TO MASSACHUSSETTS TO THE GM DEALER IN HASTINGS, MN AS THE STOP ENGINE NOW/FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON ALL THE TIME. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS PROBABLY JUST A SENSOR ISSUE. SO I DROVE MY CAR. IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS MORE LIGHTS CAME ON SUCH AS TRACTION CONTROL IS OUT, STABILIZATION NEEDS ATTENTION, BREAKS NEED ATTENTION, AND CHECK ENGINE. SO THEY FIGURED JUST MORE SENSOR ISSUE. 9/9/14 I WAS BACKING OUT A PARKING SPOT WITH A FRIEND OF MINE AND MY POWER STEERING WAS DISABLED AND ALMOST CAUSED AND ACCIDENT WHEN THE BREAK SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. FINALLY MY HUSBAND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO FIND THAT NOW I NEED A NEW TIMING CHAIN AND UPDATES $2045, TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE W/SOLENOID $1226.58, AND MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER $690.00. THEY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS BEFORE AS GM IS WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUES ACCORDING TO COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND THE SERVICE MAN WHO TOLD ME HE SEES THIS A LOT. I NOTICED THERE IS A RECALL ON 2007 AND 2009 FOR SEVERAL OF THESE ISSUES. HAD I NOT HAVE MY HUSBAND BRING THIS IN AGAIN I AM SURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SEVERE ACCIDENT INVOLVING ME AND POSSIBLY MY CHILDREN. GM OFFERED TO PAY FOR HALF THE SERVICES BUT HONESTLY THEY KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THEIR MODEL. TO TELL PEOPLE NOTHING IS WRONG, NOTHING IS WRONG AND BAM EVERYTHING WRONG AT JUST 120K MILES SEEMS FISHY. I WANT THIS FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH THE SAME MODEL WITH MANY OF THE SAME ISSUES. THIS IS NOT FAIR TO LEAVE CONSUMERS IN THE DARK CONSIDERING THIS IS VEHICLE MOSTLY USED BY FAMILIES. *TR
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION ON A CAR WITH JUST OVER 55000 MILES. THE WINDOWS LEAK WHEN SITTING OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN. THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN YOU DRIVE THRU A PUDDLE. THE BRAKING SYSTEM MAKES SOME GOD AWFUL NOISE WHEN GOING ON OR OFF A RAMP. THIS WAS OUR VERY FIRST BRAND NEW OFF THE LINE CAR. REALLY WISH WE HAD WAITED UNTIL THE BUGS WERE WORKED OUT. *TR
ON FEBRUARY 2, 2011 MY CARS SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM AND STABILITRAK LIGHTS CAME ON AND TRACTION CONTROL TURNED OFF. CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING BREAK FLUID INTO BOOSTER. IF NOT FIXED AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS FURTHER, BRAKES WILL FAIL. AUGUST 6TH 2014, VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER FOR SAME ISSUES. SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM/BRAKE LIGHTS ON. STABILITRAK LIGHT ON AND TRACTION CONTROL TURNED OFF ON VEHICLE. SUV WILL LOOSE BRAKES IF ALL THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKS INTO BOOSTER. FAULTY PARTS POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD AS THERE IS NO EVIDENCE VISUAL TO THE EYE THAT BREAK FLUID IS LEAKING. IF BREAKS WERE TO GO OUT SERIOUS INJURIES AND ACCIDENTS WOULD BE THE RESULT. GM HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PARTS. GMC SEES NO PROBLEM IN MASTER CYLINDERS AND BOOSTERS FAILING AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES AND THEREFORE CUSTOMERS ARE FACED WITH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF REPAIRS. GMC WON'T TAKE OWNERSHIP TO REPLACE FAULTY PARTS THAT HAVE GONE BAD REPEATEDLY. 3 MASTER CYLINDERS AND 3 BOOSTERS IN A CAR THAT IS ONLY AT 80,000 MILES IS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN PARTS. WE ARE LUCKY BRAKES HAVEN'T FAILED 100% AND KILLED INNOCENT PEOPLE BECAUSE OF GMC'S NEGLIGENCE ON FIXING FAULTY PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED ON MASTER CYLINDER AND BOOSTER REPLACEMENTS. *TR
WATER LEAKING INTO VEHICLE CABIN ENTERING THROUGH PANORAMIC SUNROOF AND ENDING IN THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE CAUSING MULTIPLE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS TO TURN ON AND INOPERABLE AT TIMES WHEN LIT. ON TWO INSTANCES VEHICLE UNABLE TO START TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AND AFTER A FEW DAYS AND UNABLE TO REPLICATE WAS SENT HOME. CURRENTLY BREAKS AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY AND UNABLE TO OPERATE CRUISE CONTROL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SERVICING THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER, RACK AND PINION AND THE WAVE PLATE FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE TRANSMISSION, BRAKE BOOSTER, AND THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.
POWER STEERING FAILURE AGAIN! 4/30/2010 AT 23624, THEN 10/31/2013 AT 80110, NOW ONLY DRIVEN APPROX. 6,000 MORE MILES AND POWER STEERING IS FAILING AGAIN MAY 2014. 10/31/2013 MASTER CYLINDER ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED MY ACADIA FOR THE FIRST 50,000 MILES, BUT EVER SINCE I STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES, THIS VEHICLE HAS TURNED TO A MONEY PIT. I WILL NEVER BUY A GENERAL MOTOR FAMILY VEHICLE AGAIN. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE SHORT LIFE OF THIS AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
STOPPED AT LIGHT, EMERGENCY STABILITRAK MESSAGE FLASHED, STABILITRAK LIGHT CAM ON, THEN THE DING, DING, DING THEN THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN ANOTHER MESSAGE: WARNING SERVICE BREAKS. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE BRAKE WARNING WENT AWAY, THE STABILITRAK LIGHT STAYED ON. I PULLED OVER, STOPPED AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AND THE STABILITRAK LIGHT TURNED OFF. NO OTHER ISSUES IN FRIVING THIS DAY. THE NEXT MORNING SAME ISSUE, ABOUT 3 MILES OF DRIVING, STOPPED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THEN THE DING, DING, DING...THEN THE STABILITRAK MESSAGE AND THEN THE : WARNING SERVICE BREAKS MESSAGE. *TR
WARNING INDICATORS TURN ON FOR THE SYSTEM BRAKING COMPONENTS SUCH AS ABS BRAKE FAILURE, TRACTION CONTROL AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE ACCELERATING BETWEEN 35 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR. ENGINE POWER DECREASE AND THE CAR SPEED AND POWER IS DECREASED WITH THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WARNING. THE CAR WOULD JUST STOP AT THIS POINT. I CONTACTED ONSTAR EACH TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURRED TO A DIAGNOSTIC SCAN AND EACH REPORT INDICATED THAT SAME WARNING REPORTED ON THE CONSOLE. AFTER 10 MINUTES THE VEHICLE WOULD RE-START AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT. THIS ISSUE HAS RE-OCCURRED WITHIN 2 YEARS AND THE GMC SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BUT DURING THE LATEST INCIDENT THE MECHANIC HAD RULED THE ISSUE AS LOW BRAKE FLUID. I'VE INVESTIGATED THIS ISSUE ONLINE ON VARIOUS BLOG FORUMS FOR THE GMC ACADIA WITH THE SAME DESCRIPTION OF BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE AND OTHERS REPORT THE FAILURE AS AN INTERNAL BRAKING MALFUNCTION IN WHICH THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD POTENTIAL BECOME FATAL IS IT RECURS. THE GMC SERVICE DEPARTMENT REFUSE TO LOOK INTO MY CONCERN AND INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF A LEAK BECAUSE THE LEAK IS INTERNAL. *TR
WHILE GETTING REPAIRS FOR MY 35R WAVE PLATE (ODI 10550736), THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MY MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING INTO THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LIKE THE 35R WAVE PLATE, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE ACADIA. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I DID NOT REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER, EVENTUALLY, THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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