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 contact owns a 2011 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the steering wheel would shake uncontrollably without warning while driving at various speeds. She also stated that the steering wheel would lock in the middle of turning the steering wheel in either direction without warning. After taking the vehicle to the dealer for routine maintenance, several warning lights appeared on the instrument panel. The contact called that dealer and was informed that the vehicle would reset itself upon restart; however, the failure persisted. A few days later, the Push to Start button failed to operate after multiple attempts and the key was used to start the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed back to the dealer and she was informed that the purge valve was defective and needed to be replaced. …
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
I was driving on the freeway then my car suddenly started slowing down. I tried changing lane so i can pull over on the side of the freeway but unfortunately i couldn't get to pull over before the car completely stopped on the freeway. I called AAA. They sent a tow truck which came to the freeway to tow my car. My husband came and took me to work. The car was towed to a GMC dealership. I went to the dealership after work. I was told my car has timing chain problem and if not fixed will damage the engine. I went online to read reviews of this car only to see it was a very common problem for this year and model of GMC which if i have ever read those reviews i would not have bought a GMC. This vehicle should be recalled for this issue.
I was driving on a busy freeway, my car lost power and became very slow at only 20mph. Almost got rear ended, luckily I was able to pull over. Then check engine light came on. My engine failed and had to tow it. Mechanic said faulty timing chains destroyed my engine. Bought a used engine and is costing me over $4,000. I was lucky not to get killed. GM knows there's a timing chains issues with these engines. People have complained about this costly and dangerous problem. They should recall and pay for the repairs. There was no warning for me until it was too late.
The engine light came on. Had a mobile mechanic look at it, he ran a diagnostics, it showed a P0017 code. He advised to get another opinion on how to repair, as he said it may need a new engine. Took it to a local repair shop, was told the same thing. The Acadia runs fine, and only has 116K miles. The problem is that it will not pass the required emission test for annual registration and tag. The cost of a new engine was estimated at about $10K, which is more than the Acadia is worth. Was told that these vehicles have had a history of this same issue.
Looses power while driving. Cannot jump the battery it needs to be recharged every time. Power steering stops working while driving( low rpm and when stopped) dangerous for merging or lane changes. Engine shudders when trying to accelerate. TCM/ ECM replaced 2020. Problem still persists. Whining noise upon start of the vehicle. Auto start will not work. traction control light, check engine airbag and
Had to replace transmission. I waa sowing down to come to a stop and the car shuts off in the road while I am turning into a drive way. After getting a new gmc transmission,My speedometer is moving back and forth again. The vehicle shutters while in park. These are some of the same signs from last time.
I had issue with the timing chain an have check engine light is on I have heard other people having problems with there timing chain. It starts hard. I've had it looked at multiple times. I feel like this is a safety concern. It has low miles on it
Accordingly, the said vehicle first manifested a dangerous defect issue on July 14, 2021, while traveling out of town. A significant and abrupt reduction of power completely disabled the vehicle while parking in a parking space .Despite several attempts, the vehicle still fail to start. Only to notice the engine light illuminating and flashing repeatedly. At the same time the dashboard indicated a faulty reading of fuel and oil. This is a very serious and frightened situation because I received absolutely no warning before the vehicle shut down. Without reason of doubt, I do believe it is unsafe, extremely dangerous and is potentially a hazardous situation that should be investigated. Fortunately, I was in a parking lot went the problem occurred. Whereas, if the vehicle engine stopped abruptly in the mist of traffic it could have resulted with a different outcome. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle caught on fire as it tried to enter the interstate from a ramp. The contact and her passenger quickly exited the vehicle after she pulled off to the shoulder. The complete front of the vehicle was destroyed by the fire. A police report was filed and the contact was the only one transported to the emergency room and was given a cat scan. There were no other injuries .the contact had not spoken to the dealer or manufacturer since the incident occurred back in 10/2019. The contact just received her VIN from the insurance company since the fire destroyed all traces of the VIN on the vehicle. The insurance company did not total the vehicle since it only had liability coverage. The failure mileage was 125,000.
Engine complaints in other Acadia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2011 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2011 GMC Acadia, 21% of the model year's 269 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 GMC Acadia engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.