2013 Gmc ACADIA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Gmc ACADIA has 191 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: while dropping off some kindergarteners after a playdate, i was parked in my friends driveway and left 2 children in the car with the doors closed. as i stood there with my friend next to the car, i noticed flames shooting out the front left passenger tire. we got the kids out, the car was filling w. ⚠️ 13 fire reports filed.

13 fire reports 4 crash reports 4 injuries

191

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

37 complaints

19%

• WHILE DROPPING OFF SOME KINDERGARTENERS AFTER A PLAYDATE, I WAS PARKED IN MY FRIENDS DRIVEWAY AND LEFT 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. AS I STOOD THERE WITH MY FRIEND NEXT TO THE CAR, I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER TIRE. WE GOT THE KIDS OUT, THE CAR WAS FILLING W
• AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM A SHORT 5 MILE DRIVE IN THE EVENING ON 11/19/13, I SHUT OFF MY 6 MONTH OLD CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SPARKS AND FIRE WERE COMING OUT BELOW THE ENGINE. I CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT WAS A FULL BLOWN
• MY VEHICLE HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS WHILE DRIVING, THANK GOD THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. ALSO MY POWER DOOR LOCKS HAVE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED REPEATEDLY BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT PRESSING ANY BUTTON IN VEHICLE OR KEY FOB. THE LOCKS WILL GO UP AND DOWN UNTIL I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THEN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports

“WHILE DROPPING OFF SOME KINDERGARTENERS AFTER A PLAYDATE, I WAS PARKED IN MY FRIENDS DRIVEWAY AND LEFT 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. AS I STOOD THERE WITH MY FRIEND NEXT TO THE CAR, I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER TIRE. WE GOT THE KIDS OUT, THE CAR WAS FILLING W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

28 complaints

15%

• MASSIVE AIR BAG FAILURE, NOTICE THAT ALL AIR BAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. TWO FRIENDS THAT HAVE SAME VEHICLE HAVE SAME FAILURE. TOLD THAT PASSENGER WEIGHT SENSOR OR WIRING FAILURE WILL CAUSE MASSIVE FAILURE OF AIR BAGS. THIS SEAMS TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED., 2 OUT OF 3 HAVING
• SEE ATTACHED THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD TURN ON AND OF. THE AIRBAGS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED, BUT CONTIUED TO FAIL. *JS
• AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“MASSIVE AIR BAG FAILURE, NOTICE THAT ALL AIR BAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. TWO FRIENDS THAT HAVE SAME VEHICLE HAVE SAME FAILURE. TOLD THAT PASSENGER WEIGHT SENSOR OR WIRING FAILURE WILL CAUSE MASSIVE FAILURE OF AIR BAGS. THIS SEAMS TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED., 2 OUT OF 3 HAVING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

27 complaints

14%

• ALL WHEEL DRIVE TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING UP STRAIGHT UP A HILL WITH 2-3 FEET OF SNOW. COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO MOVE IN ANY GEAR EXCEPT REVERSE. IF THERE HAD BEEN UPHILL TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED BECAUSE IT STOPPED MOVING.
• GMC ACADIA SLT 2013, THIS CAR HAD PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. AFTER THE DEALER CHANGE SOME PARTS INSIDE TRANSMISSION, THE CAR HAS NOT STOP LEAKING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, MAYBE 4 TIMES TO STOP THE LEAKING. THEY HAVE NOT BE ABLE TO FIX IT. BY NOW, I DO NOT HAVE IDEA WHAT TO D
• CAR WILL NOT SHIFT TILL IT HITS 3500 RPMS, AND 5000 RPMS IF U TRY TO GET UP TO SPEED QUICKLY. SOUNDS LIKE IT'S WHINING LIKE A 4 CYLINDER BUT IT'S A 3.6 V6

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ALL WHEEL DRIVE TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING UP STRAIGHT UP A HILL WITH 2-3 FEET OF SNOW. COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO MOVE IN ANY GEAR EXCEPT REVERSE. IF THERE HAD BEEN UPHILL TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED BECAUSE IT STOPPED MOVING.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

22 complaints

12%

• AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM A SHORT 5 MILE DRIVE IN THE EVENING ON 11/19/13, I SHUT OFF MY 6 MONTH OLD CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SPARKS AND FIRE WERE COMING OUT BELOW THE ENGINE. I CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT WAS A FULL BLOWN
• POOR OUTGOING CALL QUALITY WHEN USING HANDSFREE BLUETOOTH MICROPHONE CONNECTION. WHEN USING THE BUILT-IN BLUETOOTH CONNECTION TO MAKE PHONE CALLS, THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END OF THE CALL CAN NOT CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PERSON IS SAYING. CALL QUALITY IS MUFFLED WITH SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND NOISE
• I AM NOT RECEIVING COOPERATION FROM SOUTHTOWN MOTORS GMC DEALERSHIP AT 695 HIGHWAY 34 E, NEWNAN, GA 30265 IN REFERENCE TO GETTING MY RECALL FIXED. MY RECALL NOTICES 10085 AND 14187 REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN WITHOUT BEING FIXED. I AM CURRENTLY IN A LEASE WITH ALLY THAT RE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM A SHORT 5 MILE DRIVE IN THE EVENING ON 11/19/13, I SHUT OFF MY 6 MONTH OLD CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SPARKS AND FIRE WERE COMING OUT BELOW THE ENGINE. I CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT WAS A FULL BLOWN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

21 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT TIRES SPUN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE MOVING. THE ENGINE STABILITY AND TRACTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECUR
• MY VEHICLE HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS WHILE DRIVING, THANK GOD THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. ALSO MY POWER DOOR LOCKS HAVE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED REPEATEDLY BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT PRESSING ANY BUTTON IN VEHICLE OR KEY FOB. THE LOCKS WILL GO UP AND DOWN UNTIL I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THEN
• WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT LOST POWER, ALL THE DASH LIGHT WENT OFF, THEN THE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN, WHILE DRIVING 45 MILES AN HR. ONCE ABLE TO PULL OVER, THE CAR SHUT DOWN AND COULD NOT START BACK UP. THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER THE CAR WAS BOUGHT FROM.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT TIRES SPUN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE MOVING. THE ENGINE STABILITY AND TRACTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECUR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 191 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: WHILE DROPPING OFF SOME KINDERGARTENERS AFTER A PLAYDATE, I WAS PARKED IN MY FRIENDS DRIVEWAY AND LEFT 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. AS I STOOD THERE WITH MY FRIEND NEXT TO THE CAR, I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER TIRE. WE GOT THE KIDS OUT, THE CAR WAS FILLING W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: MASSIVE AIR BAG FAILURE, NOTICE THAT ALL AIR BAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. TWO FRIENDS THAT HAVE SAME VEHICLE HAVE SAME FAILURE. TOLD THAT PASSENGER WEIGHT SENSOR OR WIRING FAILURE WILL CAUSE MASSIVE FAILURE OF AIR BAGS. THIS SEAMS TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED., 2 OUT OF 3 HAVING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: ALL WHEEL DRIVE TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING UP STRAIGHT UP A HILL WITH 2-3 FEET OF SNOW. COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO MOVE IN ANY GEAR EXCEPT REVERSE. IF THERE HAD BEEN UPHILL TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED BECAUSE IT STOPPED MOVING.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM A SHORT 5 MILE DRIVE IN THE EVENING ON 11/19/13, I SHUT OFF MY 6 MONTH OLD CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SPARKS AND FIRE WERE COMING OUT BELOW THE ENGINE. I CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT WAS A FULL BLOWN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)