What 280 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 GMC Acadia Denali

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY MELTED AND CRACKED, WHICH CAUSING THE RUNNING LIGHT TO MALFUNCTION. THE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED BUT THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT WATER WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE ENGINE AND THE NUMBER FIVE COIL WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000. ...UPDATED 05/14/15 *BF

NHTSA ODI 10705403

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED 8 TIMES IN 35316 MILES (CURRENT MILEAGE ON VEHICLE). THE INTERNET HAS MANY PEOPLE STATING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MELTED WIRING HARNESS, MELTED HOUSING AND MORE. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GM AND THEY REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE IT AS AN ISSUE. THIS IS SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND CONSTANT FAILURE IS NOT A SAFE CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10683787

WE JUST BOUGHT A 2011 ACADIA DENALI AT THE END OF AUGUST 2014. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR TWO RECALLS AND ASKED THEM TO FIX THE BURNT OUT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE BULB BY ITSELF BUT NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE HOUSING AND CONNECTORS BEING MELTED. THE DEALER ALSO LOOKED AT THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SAID IT WAS MELTED THERE AS WELL, POTENTIALLY FROM THE HEAT OF THE BULB. WE WERE QUOTED A PRICE CLOSE TO $2000 FOR THE FIX. THE END RESULT IS WE STILL HAVE A BURNT OUT RUNNING LIGHT. I WOULD ASSUME THIS WOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE RISK OF FIRE CREATED BY THE EXTREME HEAT WHICH IS MELTING THE HEADLAMP HOUSING. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS NOT A RECALL AT THIS TIME. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND HAVE COME ACROSS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10658723

I OWN A 2011 GMC ACADIA DENALI WITH ~58,800 MILES. I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP (DRL) WAS NOT WORKING/REFLECTING AS IT SHOULD. WHEN REVIEWING THE ISSUE, I NOTICED THE DRL HAD MELTED THE LIGHT HOUSING AND APPEARED TO DEFORM THE BULB SOCKET AND THE WIRING CONNECTED TO THE BULB SOCKET. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER TO LOOK AT AND GOT AN INITIAL ESTIMATED PRICE OF ~$1,100 TO FIX. ALL PARTS DISCUSSED ARE THE ORIGINAL PARTS INSTALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I GOT BOTH A GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT AND THE LOCAL DEALER SERVICE MANAGER INVOLVED. BOTH PARTIES AGREED TO STEP UP AND COVER A MAJORITY OF THE COST. AFTER READING OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE AND OTHER WEBSITES, GMC SHOULD CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING A RECALL FOR SAFETY CONCERNS OF A FIRE STARTING. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANY MONEY FOR THE REPAIR; THE REPAIR SHOULD BE 100% COVERED BY GMC. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10651782

I NOTICED HEADLIGHT WASN'T WORKING AND WENT TO AUTO PARTS STORE TO REPLACE BULB. ATTENDANT LOOKED AT IT AND SAID PLASTIC ASSEMBLY HOLDING HEADLIGHT BULB WAS MELTED AND DISCOLORED AS IF THE BULB WAS OVERHEATED.. WE WORRIED THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE SO TOOK IT TO SANDOVAL GMC WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. LEFT IT TO HAVE REPLACED AND THEY CALLED AND SAID THE OTHER HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY HAS MELTED AS WELL. BOTH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED TO INSURE NO DANGER OF FIRE. THE QUOTE TO REPLACE $1,917.01 YES THAT'S RIGHT ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND ONE CENT. THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO GET A BETTER PRICE AND THEY DID. WHEN WE PICKED UP THE CAR THEY TOOK AN "INSURANCE" DISCOUNT OFF IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,150.20. STILL OUR COST OF $824.32 WAS BEYOND BELIEF. IF THIS HAPPENED TO TWO OF TWO OEM PARTS THINK HOW MANY ARE ON THE ROAD. DO I HEAR "RECALL"? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10648388

I OWN A 2011 GMC ACADIA DENALI. I PLACED MY ORDER FOR THIS VEHICLE BEFORE THEY WERE IN PRODUCTION WHICH MAKE THIS ONE OF THE FIRST TO ROLL OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB NEEDED REPLACING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB SOCKET HAD MELTED AND THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH THE LENS OF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS YOU CAN SEE ABOUT A THREE INCH AREA OF CHROME COATING CRACKED AND PEELING OFF THE INTERIOR OF THE LIGHT HOUSING ON THE DRIVER?S SIDE AND ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF AREA ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE PASSENGER SIDE SOCKET MELTS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER?S DESIGN PROBLEM OR INAPPROPRIATE PARTS PROBLEM. EITHER THE BULB IS TOO HIGH WATTAGE, WHICH GIVE OFF TOO MUCH HEAT, OR THE CHROME COATING IS NOT HEAT RESISTANT ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT. I SAY THIS BECAUSE I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN ELECTRONICS. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1144.00 FOR THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY PLUS LABOR. I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURER?S DESIGN OR INAPPROPRIATE PARTS INSTALLED DURING THE PRODUCTION OF THESE VEHICLES. I FEEL IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR GMC TO REPLACE THESE LIGHT FIXTURES AT NO COST TO THE VEHICLE OWNER. I HAVE ROUTINELY TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND NO ONE HAS EVER MENTIONED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. I RECENTLY HAD A SAFETY INSPECTION DONE ON MY VEHICLE AND A FEW DAYS LATER I NOTICED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB NEEDED REPLACING. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10643566

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE WERE CRACKED AND THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS OVERHEATED AND MALFUNCTIONED. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

NHTSA ODI 10632090

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT HOUSING AND WIRING MELTED. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX AND WANTS $1000 TO REPAIR WHAT IS NOW A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD AND WILL REOCCUR AFTER REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10604320

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD LIGHT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD OVERHEATED, MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

NHTSA ODI 10566442

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE BULB HAD GOTTEN TOO HOT AND MELTED THE CASING, LIGHT BULB, AND HOUSING UNIT. THE COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR BOTH HEAD LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 10559682

HEAD LIGHT MOUNTS HAVE MELTED DUE TO HEAT FROM THE DAYTIME HEADLIGHT BULBS. NOW I CANNOT MAINTAIN FUNCTIONING DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. BULBS BURN OUT IN JUST A FEW DAYS USE. GM CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEREFORE WILL NOT REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT UNITS. *TR

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HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR WAS OVERHEATING AND MELTED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10533112

PASSENGER SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT STOPPED WORKING. TOOK TO DEALER AND BULB WAS REPLACED. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, BULB WAS OUT AGAIN. RETURNED TO DEALER IN JUNE 2013 AND DISCOVERED PART OF THE FIXTURE WIRING HAD MELTED. DEALER REPAIRED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE SAME DAY WE PICKED IT UP, THE DRIVER SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT WENT OUT. RETURNED TO DEALER ON JUNE 21, 2013 AND DISCOVERED MELTED WIRING AGAIN. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THREE BULBS AND HAD TO REPLACE THE MELTED WIRING COMPONENTS ON BOTH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. ALSO HAVE AN UNSOLVED ISSUE OF HIGH BEAMS WORKING OFF AND ON. THERE IS DEFINITELY A SERIOUS WIRING/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THIS COULD POSE A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD. THERE IS NO WAY THIS IS NOT SOME TYPE OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT! *TR

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