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. …
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Acadia. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he used his knowledge of vehicles to depress the accelerator pedal, which raised the RPM and caused the steering wheel to become operative. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while the vehicle was idling. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel would seize while driving and steering to the left. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,300.
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
Loss of power steering at low speed. Had the entire rack replaced (prior to power steering loss), as well as the power steering pump replaced (after power steering loss and covered under the TSB) and within to weeks of having the power steering pump replaced, the exact same thing occurred. At very low speed, in a parking lot, making a right hand turn, I lost all power steering and heard a loud screeching noise as I attempted to maneuver my very heavy SUV to a safe area with no power steering. "service battery charging system" error came up on my in-dash screen and then it went away. I turned the engine off and re-started with no power steering still and then re-started again an that is when the power steering worked again. The entire time, the radio and lights were on and did not fail. …
My power steering has become increasingly loud and difficult to handle over the last couple of months. In researching this problem, I have noticed numerous similar problems other individuals with this type of vehicle have had. I am not understanding why there have not been any recalls to correct this problem if it is a common problem with the Acadia. Recently, approximately a week ago, I have noticed that my "stabilitrack" is off and my vehicle tells me to "service brake system" and is not becoming difficult to stop and shakes quite a bit when doing so. I travel from home to town and often have to travel on the interstate with multiple cars traveling in the same direction as myself in close vicinity. The power steering problem is roughly $1300 to fix and the brake system is roughly $800 to fix. Why are there not recalls on these problems if it is so common? …
GMC sent a letter out saying there is a problem with the power steering pump and that they extended the warranty on it.in my case the power steering pump would quit at times and it had no power steering felt like manual steering. But before I could bring it in to get replaced it was leaking fluid which caused the rack and pinion to go bad. I explained this to the manager and he said the rack and pinion wasn't under warranty and I had to pay for this which cost me $1372.00 I sent GMC a email to complain and they called back saying the dealer would call me which they never have I left them a message to call me and a number to reach me but now nobody wants to call me back I think they want me to forget about this.I said a rack and pinion should not go bad on a truck with just 48800 miles on it and the power steering pump caused this which they should stand behind their product.
During a recent oil change, I was notified by the technician that the steering gear/rack and pinion assembly required replacement due to power steering fluid leak. The dealership stated this would not be covered under a warranty and only the power steering pump has been recalled if steering fails while operating the vehicle. There seems to be several complaints regarding this issue with the 2011 GMC Acadia. Please consider taking the time to investigate these particular complaints. It very alarming to be informed that a recurring issue will not be resolved unless the power steering fails while operating the vehicle. It's also concerning that several consumers have experienced the same issue with power steering fluid leakage and malfunctioning steering gear/rack. This is a consistent complaint and should be addressed. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Just as others here, I was notified by the technician that the steering gear/rack and pinion assembly required replacement due to power steering fluid leak. The dealership stated this would not be covered under a warranty and only the power steering pump has been recalled if steering fails while operating the vehicle. There seems to be several complaints regarding this issue with the 2011 GMC Acadia. Please consider taking the time to investigate these particular complaints. It very alarming to be informed that a recurring issue will not be resolved unless the power steering fails while operating the vehicle. It's also concerning that several consumers have experienced the same issue with power steering fluid leakage and malfunctioning steering gear/rack. This is a obviously a consistent complaint and should be addressed.
My 2011 Acadia had a defective power steering pump and power steering rack. The pump was replaced under an extended warranty; however, the rack was not covered. The dealer advised that the rack was not covered and provided an estimate for $1700. I took the vehicle to a independent automotive repair shop to confirm the need for the repair. The independent shop advised that the entire rack needed to be replaced. They advised that the part should not have failed so quickly and it is likely a defective part. Based on research, it appears that this steering rack is a common problem with this vehicle. I had the independent shop replace the rack for $1404. Please research the possibility of making this a recall. Thank you.
My power steering has made a high pitched noise for some time now. When I took it to the dealership after receiving a letter which addressed potential power steering failure I was told that the only way it would be repaired free of charge was if I had power steering failure. I just took it to my mechanic for a separate issue and he told me that he has serviced several Acadia's with the same issue. This seems to be an engineering defect. In researching the issue I am finding multiple complaints about the same problem. Does there have to be a death or potentially multiple deaths from this defect before a recall is issued? It would seem that total loss of power steering when operating the vehicle would be a huge safety issue.
Steering complaints in other Acadia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2011 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the steering of the 2011 GMC Acadia, 24% of the model year's 269 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 GMC Acadia steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering 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 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
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.