What 137 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 GMC Acadia

My 2013 GMC ACADIA started fire on April 9, 2024 around 11PM in the driveway of our home. The vehicle was parked and off. The vehicle wasn’t used during the day. The last day of use was on April 8, 2024 around 6PM. The fire department stated it was potentially an electrical fire within the engine of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11582226

Car had sat most of the day. By approximately 2:30CST, we decided to go do a little shopping. We drove about 1 mile and the dash displayed "check battery charging system". My husband assumed it was the alternator going out so we turned around swapped vehicles. Probably 45 mins after swapping vehicles I received a call stating my vehicle was up in flames.

NHTSA ODI 11503507

THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FAILED TO PROPERLY REPAIR MY VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY SOLD MY VEHICLE TO ME WITH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF FAULTY "BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM". I WAS TOLD I JUST NEEDED A NEW BATTERY (WHICH WAS REPLACED TWICE WITHIN THE SAME WEEK). THIS PROCESS BEGAN ON 11/12/2016. I RECEIVED THE SAME ERROR ON MY DASH (BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM NEEDS SERVICING) AND MY BATTERY HAD TO BE JUMPED JUST LIKE BEFORE ON 4/12/2017. I CONTACTED ONSTAR AND MADE AN APPT.WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MCCARTHY MORSE CHEVROLET FOR THE NEXT MORNING (4/13/2017). HOWEVER I DIDN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE MY CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES IN MY GARAGE ABOUT 15MINS. AFTER ME AND MY CHILDREN GOT OUT OF IT!!!! OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE ADDRESSED DURING THIS 6MO. TIME FRAME INCLUDED: A/C REPLACEMENT, HEAD GASKETS AND HEAD BOLTS REPLACEMENT, TIMING CHAIN AND CAM SHAFT ACTUATORS REPLACEMENT, AND FLYWHEEL REPLACEMENT. I FEEL LIKE THE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THESE ISSUES AND DIDN'T CORRECT THEM BEFORE EITHER.

NHTSA ODI 11003735

AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM A SHORT 5 MILE DRIVE IN THE EVENING ON 11/19/13, I SHUT OFF MY 6 MONTH OLD CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SPARKS AND FIRE WERE COMING OUT BELOW THE ENGINE. I CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT WAS A FULL BLOWN, ROARING FIRE AND THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS CONSUMED. MY DRIVEWAY SUFFERED BURN DAMAGE AS WELL. THANKFULLY NOBODY WAS HURT. GMC HAS BEEN AWFUL TO DEAL WITH. THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED MY VEHICLE, NOT REPAIRED MY DRIVEWAY AND HAVE STOPPED RETURNING MY CALLS. THE FIRE INSPECTOR SAID IT WAS THEIR FAULT AND THINKS IT STEMMED FROM THE HEATING ELEMENT THAT HEATS THE WINDSHIELD FLUID. THEY ARE STILL DOING MORE TESTING TO GET THE FINAL RESULTS THOUGH. I FEEL HELPLESS AND TOTALLY IGNORED BY GMC. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING TO GET THROUGH TO THEM AND SIMPLY TO GET MY CAR REPLACED AND MY DRIVEWAY REPAIRED BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY PRODUCT THEY SOLD ME. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TERRIBLE AND I WILL NOW NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR FROM THEM AND WILL SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS I HAVE SHARING THIS INCIDENT WITH OTHERS CONSIDERING PURCHASING ONE OF THEIR VEHICLES. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE WHOLE THING I AM HAPPY TO SHARE.

NHTSA ODI 10567255

WHILE DROPPING OFF SOME KINDERGARTENERS AFTER A PLAYDATE, I WAS PARKED IN MY FRIENDS DRIVEWAY AND LEFT 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. AS I STOOD THERE WITH MY FRIEND NEXT TO THE CAR, I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER TIRE. WE GOT THE KIDS OUT, THE CAR WAS FILLING WITH THICK SMOKE, AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN 4 MINUTES AND WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AND DISABLE THE BATTERY. GM HAD THE CAR PICKED UP AND DROPPED US A BRAND NEW 2014 ACADIA A FEW WEEKS LATER AT NO CHARGE. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BUT I WANTED TO BE SURE THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED SINCE NO ONE ASKED FOR A FORMAL REPORT. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THIS DOESNT OCCUR TO ANY OTHER FAMILIES THAT MAY HAVE WORSE CONSEQUENCES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10553646