2009 GMC ACADIA Complaints

WHILE TURNING LEFT FROM A STOP SIGN, MY 2009 GMC SLT HAD AN RPM INCREASE AND FAILED TO CHANGE INTO A HIGHER GEAR. I WAS ALMOST STRUCK BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE BECAUSE MY VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. I PARKED AT THE POST OFFICE AND WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE AND TRIED TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED TO CARMAX AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. IT IS STILL AT CARMAX AND HAS TO HAVE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. LUCKILY I HAVE AN EXTENDED MAINTENANCE PLAN SO I ONLY HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE INSTEAD OF THE ENTIRE AMOUNT. I FEEL THAT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF SAME COMPLAINTS AND SAFETY ISSUES THAT GMC SHOULD HAVE TO ISSUE A RECALL TO HAVE ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED VERSUS THE INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE OWNERS HAVING TO PAY. IF RESEARCHED IT IS EVIDENT THAT THIS IS AN ENGINEERING FLAW WHICH STARTED WITH THIS TRANSMISSION IN 2007. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 ACADIA SLT2. I WAS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATING WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT INCREASE IN SPEED AS I WAS MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I WAS NEARLY HIT BY A SEMI-TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THIS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD BY A GM AUTHORIZED DEALER THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE AND THEY REPLACE A COIL. THE CAR STILL DOES THE SAME THING INTERMITTENTLY. THIS CAR HAS HAD OTHER SAFETY ISSUES, LIKE WATER LEAKING INTO THE CABIN AND NEARLY SHOCKING ME WHILE TRYING TO DRIVE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. WHILE HER CHILD WAS SEATED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT, THE CONTACT COULD NOT UNLATCH THE REAR SEAT BELT RESTRAINT. AFTER MANY FAILED ATTEMPTS, THE SEAT BELT BEGAN TO TIGHTEN ACROSS THE CHILD CAUSING HIM TO BECOME PRESSED UP AGAINST THE SEAT AND UNABLE TO MOVE HIS CHEST. THE CHILD BEGAN TO LOSE OXYGEN, WHICH PROMPTED THE CONTACT TO CUT THE SEAT BELT FROM THE CHILD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V266000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE SHE EXPERIENCED WAS NOT IDENTICAL TO THE ONE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

AS MY WIFE PULLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, SHE HEARD A "CLUNK" NOISE, AND SHE HAD TO APPLY A LOT OF EFFORT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE HAS STATED THAT THIS IS ALMOST A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE STEERING AND MANY TIMES SHE HAS TO USE A LOT OF FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND THAT IT WOULD COST $400 TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. WE DECLINED THE REPAIR AND FELT THAT THIS WAS AS SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED WITHOUT ANY COSTS TO US. WE HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY HOWEVER WE HAVE ONLY RECEIVED A FORM TYPE E-MAIL INDICATING THAT OUR COMPLAINT IS IN THEIR FILES. WE HAVE ALSO INFORMATION FROM OTHER WEB SITES THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE, HOWEVER NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AT A FEDERAL LEVEL. WE ONLY HAVE 35,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND NOW WE ARE REALLY AFRAID TO TAKE ANY KIND OF LONG HIGHWAY TRIPS FOR FEAR THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THAT THIS MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY AND OR DEATH OF OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO WHAT OTHER ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE TO RESOLVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 1.5 YEARS, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF PARKING SPOTS OR EVEN TURN AT A LIGHT. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, THE IGNITION WENT BAD, THE STEERING COLUMN WENT OUT. THE CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED 6 TIMES & IN THE SHOP COUNTLESS MORE. SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH ACADIAS. *TR

WHILE EMPTYING OUT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, THE LIFT GATE PROCEEDED TO DESCEND WHILE I WAS TAKING OUT OUR SUITCASES. I WAS UNAWARE THIS WAS HAPPENING AND MY HAND WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HATCH. THE LIFT GATE DID NOT STOP WHEN IT HIT MY HAND AND I IMMEDIATELY PULLED AWAY FROM IT CATCHING MY FINGER ON THE SHARP SIDE OF THE MECHANISM. IT RIPPED OPEN MY MIDDLE FINGER, CUTTING IT TO THE TENDON, REQUIRING A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. I HAD TO GET ELEVEN STITCHES TO CLOSE THE WOUND AND A TETANUS SHOT. AFTER WE ARRIVED HOME AND INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM, WE DISCOVERED THE STRUTS ON THE LIFT GATE MUST HAVE BEEN WEAK TO LET THE HATCH DESCEND. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS NO FAIL SAFE WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO STOP THE DESCENT! MY BROTHER-IN-LAW ALSO GOT CAUGHT AND IT TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF MUSCLE TO PUSH IT UP. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A CHILD GOT CAUGHT IN IT? I HATE TO THINK OF THE OUTCOME. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT THIS DEFAULT WOULD BE A PRIORITY ISSUE TO CONSIDER. THE FAIL SAFE SHOULD WORK NO MATTER WHAT. I AM CONCERNED THIS COULD BE A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. APPRECIATE ANY COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE ON THE ABOVE INCIDENT. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS SLOWLY BECOME HARDER AND HARDER TO STEER AT LOW SPEEDS AND LOW RPM. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, THE POWER STEERING ON THE ACADIA SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. I FEAR THAT IF THIS ISSUE GETS WORSE AND STARTS HAPPENING AT HIGHER SPEEDS, AN ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR. CURRENTLY, THE PROBLEM IS ONLY OBVIOUS AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 0-25 MPH. *TR

THE POWER STEERING QUITS AT SLOW SPEEDS OR SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. BECOMES LIKE A MANUAL STEERING THAT SUDDENLY BECOMES HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. HAPPENS IN BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE. MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF PARKING SPACES. ALSO DIFFICULT TO STAY IN PROPER LANE WHEN MAKING A CORNER TURN, HAVE TO FIGHT THE WHEEL. *TR

INCIDENT (FIRST BIG SYMPTOM): BRAKING AND SLOWING TO YIELD SIGN FROM OFFRAMP/ STEERING FELT AS IF IGNITION TURNED OFF AND CAR BECAME MUCH LESS STABLE IN STEERING WITH A STIFFENING AND RATTLING/TAPPING NOISE SOMEWHERE JUST LEFT TO THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. ONCE TRYING TO TURN REALIZED THERE WAS NO POWER, THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED RUNNING AND THEN HITTING THE GAS THE STEERING SUDDENLY POPS BACK INTO ASSIST. THIS IS A VERY UNSETTLING FIRST OCCURRENCE THAT I SEE ON MULTIPLE INTERNET SITES HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE AT LEAST 2011 IN MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS CHASSIS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE KNOWN THIS BEFORE TWO THINGS: 1. BEFORE I HAD MY FOUR DAUGHTERS AND THE NEIGHBORS KID IN MY CAR TO PUT AT RISK OF KILLING THEM ( GM SHAME ON YOU AS YOU THIS PROBLEM EXISTS FOR 4 YEARS) 2. BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF CONTRACT. THE DEALER STATES THIS IS "UNUSUAL TO THEM', THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF IT HAPPENING AND DO NOT THINK IT IS UNUSUAL THAT A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 58000 MILES ON IT HAS THE ENTIRE STEERING PUMP, GEAR, AND RACK ASSEMBLY BLOW SEALS. REPAIR COSTS ARE QUOTED AT 2000.00. NEED TO REPLACE RACK, PUMP AND SOMETHING ELSE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE 56 POSTS RELATING TO STEERING ALONE. SOME OF US DRIVING THESE VEHICLES FEEL THAT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A CHANCE OF PILOTING THE CAR SAFELY MAY BE IMPORTANT. I USED TO THINK MY DAD WAS SILLY WHEN HE WOULD SAY SOMETHING IS A POOR DESIGN, BUT DID THE ENGINEERS ACTUALLY DO ANY TESTING ON THESE VEHICLES? DO YOU TEST THE PROBLEM OR JUST KEEP SAYING IT'S NOT HAPPENING? THANK GOODNESS THIS IS ALL LOW SPEED AND NO ONE HAS DIED YET ( AT LEAST THAT WE KNOW OF). *TR

I WAS MAKING A TURN AT A CURVE AND THE STEERING SEEMED TO LOCK UP. I BRAKED HARD TO STOP BEFORE RUNNING OFF ROAD. STEERING WHEEL KICKED AS I TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS, THEN STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THE STEERING HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS MAKING TURNING DIFFICULT AT ALMOST ANY SPEED. IT IS INTERMITTENT AND COMES ESPECIALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALER YET. *JS