Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 GMC Acadia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 38 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 38, in the owner's own words
THERE WAS A RECALL AT ONE TIME FOR THE TRANSMISSION LINKAGE ABOUT IT POPPING OFF, I AM NOW HAVING IT POP OFF I HAVE NO CLUE HOW LONG IT BEEN THIS WAY SEEING AS IT GOES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY NEVER SAID ANYTHING BUT IT HAD BEEN THAT WAY FOR A WHILE YOU CAN JUST LIFT IT OFF. HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT ALMOST EVERY 6 MONTHS ON THE DOT! I HAVE BEEN CAUGHT TWICE WITH NO LOW BEAMS. *TR
THE LIGHTING HOUSING IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE TYPE OF HEADLIGHTS BECAUSE THEY OVER HEAT IT AND CAUSE THE RUNNING LIGHTS TO MELT THE HOUSING AND CAUSE THE BULBS GO STICK TO IT AND THEN YOUR HEADLIGHTS DON'T WORK . THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FLUCTUATES BETWEEN WORKING AND NOT WORKING IT'S INTERMITTENT. THIS IS A SET UP IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR MORE THEN JUST ME AND I CAN'T GIVE YOU EXACT DATES BUT IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE WRITTEN TO GMC AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO RECTIFY ANY OF THESE ISSUES.*DT*JB
I LEASED MY 2009 GMC ACADIA ALMOST 2 YEARS AGO, IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. I BOUGHT AS IS SO DEALER WOULD NOT RETURN MY CALLS THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH PROBLEMS. FIRST, NOT EVEN 3 WEEKS AFTER I LEASED THE VEHICLE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED TO GO, MY DRIVER WINDOW STOPPED WORKING, MY BACK HATCH WELL I CAN'T EVEN OPEN IT BECAUSE THERE IS NO KEY TO OPEN NOR IS THERE A BUTTON ANYWHERE THE MECHANICS SAID I NEED TO TAKE IT TO AN ELECTRICAL MECHANIC...WONDER HOW MUCH THAT WILL COST?, MY STABILTRAK SYSTEM CONSTANTLY FLASHES. THE ENGINE BURNS UP TOO MUCH OIL EVEN AFTER AN OIL CHANGE WITHIN 3WEEKS I NEED TO PUT OIL, I DO NOT DRIVE FAR NOR ALOT. TO WORK AND BACK. IT WILL COST MORE TO FIX THIS TRUCK THAN WHAT IT IS WORTH NOW I'M STUCK WITH $5,000 LEFT ON A VEHICLE THAT IS A PIECE OF POOP. WHEN I DRIVE THE TRUCK PULLS AS IF THE ENGINE CANNOT GET THE TRUCK GOING. I CAN'T TURN OFF THE TRUCK WHILE PUTTING GAS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WONT TURN OVER ONCE THE GAS HAS BEEN PUT IN AND STARTED. THE MECHANIC SAID ITS THE TRANS EVAP SYSTEM. I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW GMC CAN GET AWAY WITH MANUFACTURING VEHICLES LIKE THIS WITH NO CONCERN FOR THE CUSTOMERS.
I OWN A GMC ACADIA 2009. I PURCHASED IT IN MARCH OF 2018 WITH 136,402 MILES ON IT. FIRST THAT WENT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, SECOND MY STABLILTRAK SYSTEM AND TRACTION SYSTEM SAID MY BREAK WAS ON WHEN IT WASN'T, THRID WAS MY RIGHT REAR TIRE PRESSURE WAS "LOW" AND IT WAS NOT AND FOURTH MY BATTERY STARTED GOING LOW WHILE DRIVING IT. WHILE I NOTICED ALL THESE MAJOR ISSUES I NOTICED MY RADIO DOESN'T WORK RIGHT, THE LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR HAS NO VOLUME IN THE SPEAKERS AND MY LIGHTS AREN'T WORKING RIGHT. ONE BULB ON FRONT IS OUT AND I NOTICED THEY WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF WHENEVER THEY WANTED AND THEN NEVER AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER. THE BACK ON JUST FILLED WITH WATER FOR NO REASON AND BURNT MY BULBS OUT BEFORE I REALIZED IT WAS FILLED TO THE TOP. I'VE OWNED IT FOR 6 MONTHS AND ALREADY HAVE THOUSANDS WORTH OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS.
2009 GMC ACADIA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, STEERING WHEEL POWER AND FAULTY BRAKES. *LD THE CONSUMER THE LIFTGATE AND LAMP WERE REPAIED UNDER RECALL, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONSUMER DID NOT RECIEVE NOTIFICATION FOR THE RECALLS CONCERNING THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND TIMING CHAIN. *JS
IN VERY COLD WEATHER (UNDER 20 DEGREES F) AND IN WET CONDITIONS (RAIN/CARWASH) THE REAR TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK AND IT APPEARS THE BREAKS PEDAL IS ENGAGED (LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT). ALSO IN THE SAME CONDITIONS, THE BACK UP CAMERA IMAGES STAYS ON FOR A MINUTE OR MORE EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING FORWARD. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE TURNS WARM AND THE VEHICLE HAS A CHANCE TO DRY THE PROBLEMS GOES AWAY. IT STARTED IN WINTER 2016 AND RETURNED WINTER 2017.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMPS INDEPENDENTLY FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 20 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN A YEAR AND A HALF. THEY DO NOT BOTH GO OUT AT ONCE BUT BOTH HAVE BEEN OUT AT LEAST 3 TIMES. TONIGHT I WAS PICKING MY DAUGHTER UP FROM A FOOTBALL GAME AND THE DEPUTY HAD ME ROLL MY WINDOW DOWN AND ASKED ME IF I KNEW MY LIGHT WAS OUT? I LOOKED AT MY HUSBAND AND SAID REALLY AGAIN!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN CHEVROLET DEALER IN NJ, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OVERHEATING HEADLIGHT WIRING, THE WIRING AND BULB WERE REPAIRED AND REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHT CONNECTOR IS HEATING UP TOO MUCH AND BURNING. MELTING HEAD LAMP REFLECTOR.
I AM SO EXHAUSTED BY REPLACING HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2009 ACADIA. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND HAVE REPLACED HEADLIGHTS, CONNECTORS, WIRING, AND MORE HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE NEVER HAD ALL WORKING HEADLIGHTS AT ANY ONE TIME. THIS CLEARLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE! NOT TO MENTION THE COST INVOLVED....I DO NOT HAVE OVER $100 EVERYTIME ONE GOES OUT SO WE HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO REPLACE THEM OURSELVES, WHICH ISN'T EASY EITHER!
I JUST LOST BOTH DRL/LOW BEAMS. FIRST THE DRIVER'S SIDE THEN A DAY LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE. THESE ARE THE SECOND SET OF HEADLIGHTS. THIS REPLACEMENT WOULD BE NUMBER 5 AND 6 BULBS. DOESN'T SEEM THAT THEY SHOULD GO OUT THIS MANY TIMES WITH ONLY 66,000 MILES
THE DRIVERS SIDE DAY RUNNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO BURN OUT. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT GMC WILL NOT FILE A RECALL. DEALER CALLED GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO OFFERED A DISCOUNT TO ME FOR THE COSTLY REPAIR OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS WHICH I DID NOT ACCEPT DUE TO THE EXPENSE. GMC KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING BASED ON THEIR OFFER TO ME. ITS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE WIRING RUNS HOT AND VISIBILITY CAN BE REDUCED WITH ONE LIGHT OUT. IT'S AN OBVIOUS ENGINEERING ISSUE.
HEADLIGHT OUT 1.5 MO AGO, THEN OTHER SIDE WENT OUT. MECHANICS HAVE TO REMOVE BUMPER TO GET TO BULB!!! $300-400 MINIMUM LABOR AND PARTS. STRUTS IF SHOCK ABSORBERS STUCK DOWN AFTER UP ON RACK AFTER 2 DIFFERENT TIRE CHANGES REPAIRS. CAR ROAD WOBBLY UNTIL IT WAS FIXED AT MY E PENSR. IS THIS BEAUTIFUL CAR A LEMON OR WHAT?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULB GASKET THAT HOLDS THE DAYTIME RUNNING EXTERIOR LIGHTS MELTED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER AN UNKNOWN RECALL RELATED TO THE BULB GASKET BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.
TOOK 2009 ACADIA SLT TO A DEALERSHIP IN FEB 2015 FOR THE GASKET RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHTS. THE DEALERSHIP MARKED THE RECALL AS COMPLETED. HAD THE OIL CHANGED TODAY, 9-25-15, AT A NON-GMC DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE TECHNICIAN TELL ME THAT THE DAYTIME LIGHT WAS JUST HANGING IN THE ASSEMBLY. AFTER LOOKING, I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE OVER TO THE GMC DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR REPLACING THE GASKET. I HAVE A HOLE IN THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY THE SIZE OF TEXAS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WHERE THE GASKET WAS COMPLETELY BURNED AND THE BULB MELTED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT! REALLY?!!! I AM NOT PAYING THEM TO FIX THIS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THE MELTING HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COULD EASILY MELT THE WIRES. THE WORST PART IS, I AM SURE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ALREADY DAMAGED WHEN THE "REPLACED" THE GASKETS, WHICH NOW I AM SURE THEY DID NOT. SO I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND WITH THIS ISSUE WHEN THE GMC TECHNICIAN WAS SUPPOSE TO FIX THE GASKETS. EVEN IF THE GASKETS WERE ALREADY MELTED, HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME AND HE DID NOT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS AND REMOVES ANY TRUST THAT I HAD WITH THIS DEALERSHIP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SOCKETS AND HOUSING FAILED TO SUPPORT THE POWER FOR THE LIGHTING WATTAGE, CAUSING THE COMPONENTS TO PREMATURELY MELT. THE BULBS WERE REPLACED MORE THAN TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE HOUSING BE REPLACED FOR THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH BOTH LIGHTS SHORTING. THE DEALER, PER THE CONTACT'S REQUEST, DISCONNECTED THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE REAR LIFTGATE CLOSING WITH FORCE, WHICH BRUISED HIS HEAD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) BUT WAS WAITING FOR MONTHS TO DETERMINE WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THE REMEDY AND THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,274. UPDATED 11/20/15*LJ UPDATED 12/14/2017*CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND FAILED TO WORK. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,900.
I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS AND HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD LIGHTS 4 TIMES. *TR
THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB HAS MELTED INTO THE BULB SOCKET. THE EXTREME HEAT CAUSED THE LIGHT HOUSING TO DISINTEGRATE. THE BULB WAS OEM. THE SYSTEM IS NON-OPERABLE AND GM SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS WAS ENGINEERED WRONG OR FAULTY MATERIAL WAS USED. THERE CERTAINLY IS A POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE GIVEN THE EXTREME HEAT CAUSED BY THIS SYSTEM. *TR
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A GMC DEALERSHIP ON MARCH 1ST 2014. THE VERY NEXT DAY I REPLACED A HEADLIGHT (NO BIG DEAL), A FEW DAYS LATER IT WAS VEERING TO THE LEFT VERY HARD SO I TOOK IT BACK. THEY SAID THE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF 45 DEGREES, SO THEY FIXED IT. 1 MONTH LATER THE STEERING STARTED LOCKING UP WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS. I HAD IT DIAGNOSED BY THE GM DEALERSHIP WHO SAID IT WAS THE RACK AND PINION, AND STRUTS AND BEARINGS. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER AUTO SHOP WHO SAID IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND REPLACED IT, THE LOCKING UP STOPPED. THEY SAID THE RACK AND PINION WERE BAD BUT COULD LAST A BIT LONGER. A MONTH LATER THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS COMPLETELY OUT(THE VERY FIRST TIME I TURNED IT ON), AND A MONTH LATER THE ENTIRE CAR IS WHINING VERY LOUDLY WHICH I AM ASSUMING IS THE RACK AND PINION FINALLY GIVING OUT. I HAVE SPENT 20K ON THIS VEHICLE AND HAD IT FOR 6 MONTHS NOW. IN THAT 6 MONTHS IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. THAT IS ON TOP OF THE 3 RECALLS IT HAS BEEN IN FOR IN THE 6 MONTH PERIOD ALSO. NOW IT HAS TO GO BACK IN TO FIX THIS RACK AND PINION. THANKFULLY I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT THIS STEERING COLUMN IS NOT ALL COVERED. I AM BEYOND FRUSTRATED AND TIRED OF THROWING IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WHEN I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND THIS REPLACING OF THE STEERING RACK IS A BIT RIDICULOUS SINCE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT EVEN HAVE 100K MILES ON IT. I WAS TOLD IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, BUT WHEN I DONT HAVE AN EXTRA FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THROW INTO IT AFTER PUTTING A HUGE DOWNPAYMENT ON IT, AND HAVING A BRAND NEW FORD VEHICLE FOR 9 YEARS AND NEVER HAVING TO PUT A DIME INTO IT. I AM SICK OF IT. IT IS WRONG THAT GM PUT FAULTY CHEAP PARTS INTO THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEAD SOCKET ON THE DRIVERS SIDE MELTED. AS A RESULT, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE HEAD LIGHT CAPSULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
I HAVE NEEDED TO REPLACE 7 LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS ON MY GMC ACADIA SINCE 2011. THIS WEEK BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS WENT OUT IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. REPLACING THE HEADLAMPS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ITEM DUE TO THE LABOR INVOLVED (REMOVING THE FRONT WHEELS AND WHEEL WELLS). THIS COSTS ANYWHERE BETWEEN $150 TO $250 EACH TIME. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THIS HAPPENS SO OFTEN. THIS LAST EVENT HAPPENED AT NIGHT REQUIRING US TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT ANY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ALTERNATELY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,531.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND NOTICE A DEER. SPEED LIMIT WAS 55, SO WE HAD SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 45. DEER CROSSING IN FRONT OF US, AND WE ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP (ABOUT 10-15MPH). WE HIT THE DEER ON THE PASSENGER FRONT. GET OUT OF THE CAR TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE, AND NOTICE A FIRE UNDER THE GRILL AND HEADLIGHTS. AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED. EVERYONE EVACUATED THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *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.
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