Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 GMC Acadia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The relay for the fan at the top of the fuse/relay box on the right side when facing the front of the vehicle. (under the hood) Gets hot and blows the relay and melts the spot where the relay prongs plug in. Causing the need for a new fuse box and circuit problems within the fuse box connectors. The fans, specifically the a/c fan does not kick on when turning on the a/c and the low speed fan does not kick on at all until the secondary temp fan kicks on after the temperature raises past the normal operating range. Which an overheating engine is bad for all parts of the engine which can and sooner or later will lead to a catastrophic failure putting the operator and other motorists life's at risk.This time it created a small fire that was extinguished only because the fuse box cover was off and I was looking at it as it happened, putting the cover back on extinguished the fire. …
On July 27 at 400 pm I arrived home and my daughter went to take out the trash and I heard her scream daddy the car is on fire. I rushed outside and flames were 6 ft tall I called 911. After putting the fire out he stated th car was running doors locked so they couldn't open the hood
2011 gmc Acadia slt gear shift does not lock causing it to slip into neutral with slightest bump of shifter or sudden hard breaking Also passenger seat belt does not.lock at all when breaking and driver side seat belt never unlocks there are safty recalls on these issues for this model but.says mine has zero unfixed recall also defrosting and mirror defrost does not work properly causing me to have very bad visibility I had a close call when driving in Houston a week ago when I had to slam breaks due to a crazy driver who did not see me.and cut me off the lane my gear shifted into neutral causing me to not be able to accelerate after breaking to avoid the next speeding car fortunately I was lucky and was able to quickly shift back into drive and go there are electrical issues as well and there has only been one other owner and well maintained so I don't know what to do next my passenger …
DRLs melted into the housing, seems like this is possibly caused by cowls that are not properly sealed allowing moisture into headlight assembly. This is obviously a fire hazard and will be a costly repair. I am not sure if vehicle insurance covers this but I doubt it.
While driving 70 MPH, I was just about to pass a semi when the engine quit, as if I turned off the key, no power steering...nothing. I notice the "traction control" light come on for a second. I pulled to the side of the road. I attempted to restart and the "check engine" light would just flash yet the engine was not turning over. The vehicle was towed to GMC dealer and preliminary reports (incomplete) was it was computer/electrical related. I also noticed the rear lift gate would not open (although this has happened once before two years ago and GMC dealer found "fretting at the lgcm terminals." possibility related, my wife told me only the passenger door window would roll down a few days before but only happened one time. She said she turned off the car and restarted a few minutes later all windows rolled down fine...just another electrical issue with this vehicle. …
This all began at about 75000 miles. It first started with the stabilization/traction light coming on while driving once this happened you could not accelerate the car. I once was on a highway in the middle lane when it happened I could not accelerate and had to try to get over to the break down lane. This happened several times but then turned into a completely different problem. While driving the battery would start to die with no warning. When this happens you can not jump the car you have to bring the battery to be charged on a charger. Although the car won't start the other things like lights, radio, etc will still work. This happened several times but once the weather was warm it ran perfect for 4 months. The first day it was extremely cold the battery died while driving. I also had a headlight go out on the drivers side and about 3 weeks later it came back on and stayed on. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start due to water leaking in from the windshield or the firewall from the front passenger's side onto the floorboard underneath the fuse box. The contact also stated that when the key was removed from the ignition, the engine remained running. The check engine warning light illuminated indicating there was no communication with the keyfob. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The contact stated that he was a certified mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called carl black Chevrolet Buick GMC (11500 e. Colonial dr, orlando, fl 32817), and informed them of the failure. The contact was informed that a fee would be assessed for a diagnostic test to be performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
The drivers side electrical components go haywire on occasion. It happens when driving, or stationary. Happens in all conditions. Sometimes I can't move my seat, roll the windows up or down, or unlock the doors using the drivers side controls. Additionally, the passenger side window will not roll down a majority of the time. The radio also, switches itself from radio to saying there is an ac adapter plugged in so it wont play music, when there is no adapter to input music plugged in. The guard over the seat controls came unhooked about a month after purchase without anyone touching it. I have reattached it back into place numerous times, it doesn't stay. I called dealer and he was confident there would be a recall soon to cover it. Has been almost 3 years and my warranty has already been up, and the recall that was "sure to cover it" has not happened yet.
Took 2011 GMC Acadia in for regular service today and asked the dealership to change the front drivers side daytime headlight bulb since it had not been working for a few days. Was informed by the service technician that the bulb socket was corroded and melted and will need a whole new headlamp costing 995 for the headlamp and 400 for labor. I asked what could have caused this to happen and was told it seemed to be a problem with GMC Acadia's as they have seen similar problems with others of the same make and year. Obviously this is not a result of normal wear and tear and a manufacturing issue that needs to be looked into. The service technician said there's a possibility that the other side May melt and corrode as well as that is what they have been experiencing with other Acadia's recently.
2011 Acadia denali, has HID headlights for night time driving, and traditional incandescent lights for daytime running lights (drl). I noticed the driver's side drl bulb was burned out approximately a week ago (so ~5/12/2019), when I when to remove it to see what size bulb was needed part of the projector housing broke off with the bulb. I then noticed that the bulb socket was partially melted, and the dust seal around the bulb is also partially melted (brown and starting to melt). I also looked at the passengers side and, without removing the bulb, you can see that the projector housing on that side is also starting to bubble/melt. The drivers side bulb is melted enough that I cannot remove the entire bulb from the socket, only the glass wants to pull free. I feel lucky it didn't start a fire.
Electrical complaints in other Acadia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 GMC Acadia, 17% of the model year's 269 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 GMC Acadia electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2011 GMC Acadia, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2011 GMC Acadia electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.