What 280 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 GMC Acadia Limited

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH ALMOST 1/2 A TANK OF GAS, AND I LOST POWER SUDDENLY, AND HAD NO CONTROL OVER MY VEHICLE BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING AND EVERYTHING QUIT. BECAUSE I AM FAIRLY STRONG, I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO TURN OFF THE ROAD INTO A SAFE PLACE, AND NOT BE STRANDED ON A VERY BUSY TWO LANE ROAD. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO PAUL'S AUTOMOTIVE GARAGE, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF GAS.

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WHINING NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN, THUMPING AT SLOW RIGHT TURNS, NEEDED NEW RACK AND PINION, CV JOINTS REPLACED

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED DAILY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

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THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD WHINING SOUND 3 MONTH AFTER WE PURCHASED IT USED. THEN POWER STEERING STARTED TO GO IN AND OUT. TOOK THE CAR TO A AUTO CARE SHOP AND THIS IS WHAT THE BILL SAID. "REPLACE POWER STEERING PUMP, TRIED TO FLUSH SYSTEM 2 TIMES, BLEED OUT AIR, REPLACE POWER STEERING PUMP AGAIN, STILL NO POWER STEERING." SPOKE WITH GMC AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, WE ARE COVERED UNDER SPECIAL COVERAGE 14329. GOING TO DEALERSHIP THIS WEEK. WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT A LITTLE LESS THEN $1000 ON THIS PROBLEM.

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STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP DURING A TURN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THEN LAST WEEK I COULDN'T SHIFT INTO REVERSE TO GET OUT OF DRIVEWAY. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. 1500.00 LATER I HAVE NEW SHIFTER AND SOME SORT OF NEW GEARS IN STEERING WHEEL. LOOKED IT UP AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, YET STILL NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 48000 MILES ON IT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE WEREN'T SOME SORT OF DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE.

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STERRING WHEEL LOCKED DURING TURN

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RACK & PINION WAS LEAKING. WAS REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP. POWER STEERING PUMP ALSO REPLACED. GMC DID NOT MAKE THIS PUBLIC THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH PUMP. REPLACED PUMP FLUID WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE THAN WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED. MANY GMC VEH. HAVE THIS PROB. THE FACT THAT GMC CHANGED FLUIDS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ORIGINAL TO FAIL. GMC WILL NOT ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING SYSTEM. PLEASE CHECK WITH GMC AMD GET THE TRUTH.

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HAD A LOUD WHINING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE GMC DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS THE STEERING GEAR - REPLACEMENT COST ME $1840.28.

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I HAVE A 2011 GMC ACADIA AT 43,000 MILES IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER WITH A STEERING NOISE, WHICH I WAS HEARING WHEN MAKING TURNS IN THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS LEAKING FROM THE STEERING RACK AND THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $1,179 FOR IT TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE SEARCHED AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ACADIA'S.

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WHEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35 MPH, ALL SYSTEMS FAILED -- STEERING, BRAKING, ELECTRICAL. THE DEALER INDICATES THAT THIS IS A "CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE."

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AFTER A SHORT BUT HEAVY DOWN POUR, I TRAVELED THROUGH A PUDDLE AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND LOST POWER STEERING FOR 1-2 SECONDS. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND NEEDED TO BRAKE TO AVOID GOING OFF THE ROAD. FOR THE NEXT 2 MILES THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY, BUT THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN AT A SLOWER SPEED (APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH) AS I TRIED TO MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN ON TO MY STREET. I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE TURN AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THEN THE POWER STEERING KICKED IN AGAIN. CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVE HOME AND LEFT VOICE MAIL (THEY CLOSED AT 5PM). CALLED GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO KNOW ISSUE.

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I WAS JUST TOLD BY THE GMC DEALER THAT MY STEERING COLUMN IS LEAKING FLUID. APPARENTLY, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM, AS IT IS ALL OVER EVERY GMC ACADIA FORUM AS WELL AS LOGGED IN YOUR DATABASE. WHY IS A RECALL NOT BEING ISSUED FOR THIS? IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN ENGINEERING OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A CRASH, INJURY OR DEATH BEFORE YOU ARE WILLING TO ISSUE A RECALL? THIS IS ABSURD. MY FAMILY IS NOW SPENDING $1,700 FOR THIS REPAIR.

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7/12/15 CINCINNATI, OHIO JUST AS OTHERS HERE, I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE TECH 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 WOULD COST $1200 AND ONLY THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN RECALLED IF STEERING FAILS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY 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 REOCCURRING 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.

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I WAS JUST TOLD BY THE GMC DEALER THAT MY STEERING GEARS ARE NOT WORKING AND ARE LEAKING FLUID. THEY SAID IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BOOT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. APPARENTLY, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM, AS IT IS ALL OVER EVERY GMC ACADIA FORUM AS WELL AS LOGGED IN YOUR DATABASE. WHY IS A RECALL NOT BEING ISSUED FOR THIS? IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN ENGINEERING OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A CRASH, INJURY OR DEATH BEFORE YOU ARE WILLING TO ISSUE A RECALL? THIS IS REALLY FRUSTRATING. THE GMC DEALER QUOTED ME $1,700 FOR THIS REPAIR.

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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. *TR

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VEHICLE WAS SLOWING TO TURN AND AT 15MPH THE STEERING LOCKED UP MAKING THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY MEDIAN CURB AND STEERING SOMEHOW UNLOCKED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR, RACK AND PINION, AND POWER STEERING PUMP. NOW A LITTLE OVER 18MONTHS LATER THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED LOSING POWER STEERING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP IS QUOTING ME $2100 TO FIX WHEN THEY REPLACED THE LAST PART UNDER A WARRANTY/RECALL. *TR

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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. *TR

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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. *TR

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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. *TR

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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. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND VEHICLE MADE A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A DAILY BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR AND THE BUSHINGS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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VEHICLE MAKES A HIGH PITCH WHINING NOISE WHEN STARTING AND AT LOW SPEEDS. STEERING WHEEL RUBS WHEN TURNING EITHER DIRECTION. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE NOISE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, SERVICE TECH SAID WAS NORMAL. NOW THEY STATE THAT THE POWER STEERING IS LEAKING AND THERE IS A POWER STEERING GEAR LEAK. TO FIX IT WILL COST $1600 PLUS DOLLARS. SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE ACROSS THE BOARD WITH THESE VEHICLES. GMC WILL REPLACE THE STEERING PUMP UNDER A RECALL, BUT NOT THE GEAR RACK WHICH IS A MORE EXPENSIVE FIX. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS WILL IT TAKE FOR THEM TO FIX THIS ISSUE! THIS CAN CAUSE POWER STEERING TO FAIL AND IS UNSAFE! *TR

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WITH LESS THAN 58K MILES TIE ROD END OUT ALREADY! *TR

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DURING CHECK FOR OTHER WARRANTY WORK, GMC DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ALL THE POWER STEERING FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT OF THE INTERNAL GASKET BECAUSE THE GASKET FAILED AND THE POWER STEERING FLUID NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW FLUID, AND REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REQUIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. ...UPDATED 02/11/15 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED A GM TECHNICIAN VEHICLE AND NOTED FLUID LEAK FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND POWER STEERING GEAR. GM OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE PUMP REPAIR BUT, NOT THE GEAR LEAK REPAIR. UPDATED 06/9/2015 *JS

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