Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 GMC Acadia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the driveway and the contact and his wife were taking groceries out of the vehicle, the rear liftgate suddenly fell and hit the contact's wife on the back of the head. The contact's wife had a severe headache with dizziness. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the liftgate struts failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the liftgate lamp detached from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the adhesive had severely deteriorated. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 175,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, after pressing the liftgate button the liftgate raised and crashed down independently after several seconds. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle remained at the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 189,352.
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the liftgate independently unlatched and fell midway down, and then independently closed and latched. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while reversing, the liftgate unexpectedly opened, even though the liftgate was properly closed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated the rear hatch door would close independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.
The power liftgate suddenly collapsed while I was standing underneath it. It dropped on top of my head pretty hard as it was a sudden drop of the liftgate. My safety was/is at risk and has caused injury to my head. Currently experiencing headaches. As condition progresses, I will be seeking medical attention. It is available for inspection. I have recorded a video of the problem. The problem is recurring and reproducing. I have not taken it to a dealer or independent service center today (9/13/2021 date of incident) as the weather is bad in my area (experiencing high rain and winds from a tropical storm). I will have it taken in on 9/14/2021. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone. There were no warning indicators or other symptoms prior to the initial collapse.
The back seat driver's side door shut with such impact as to amputate the finger from an adult. Vehicle was parked on incline when front driver's side door shut, the back door also shut. There were no safety features to protect fingers from the hinge side of back door. The force of the door slamming and lack of any space between the hinge side of the door and its frame caused my middle finger from the top knuckle up to be cut off completely thus amputated from hand.
The vehicle was in motion near an intersection and approaching the light to turn. ( near airport in raleigh nc) the front and side airbags failed to deploy during the crash. The other vehicle has been declared total loss and mine has significant damage and could be classified as total loss. There are personal injuries. I am attaching pictures of the vehicle and accident report.
Back in January 2017 I took my car in to have the power liftgate recall work done at my dealer. On 3/1/17 in the evening, while loading groceries in the back of my car the power liftgate fell full-force right onto my head and pushed down onto my neck (and it is a very heavy liftgate!). Thankfully I did not pass out. I immediately called my service guy to let him know what had happened. I also brought the car in to the dealer the very next day. After not feeling well the night before, I went urgent care, who in turn sent me to the er for a ct scan of my head. I suffered a concussion. I do not believe that the problem with the liftgate has been solved and think it is a very dangerous situation since there was no indication or signs of a failure. I contacted GM who has opened a case and said they will be contacting me. Quite frankly I want to get rid of the car because of this situation. …
Related recalls
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge.
Body complaints in other Acadia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2012 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the body & structure of the 2012 GMC Acadia, 14% of the model year's 296 complaints. The component named most often is body (24 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 GMC Acadia body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-415 (hatchback/liftgate, Jun 30, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2012 GMC Acadia body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 11 injuries to body & structure 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.