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What 137 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 GMC Acadia

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (137)Crash / fire / injury (13)Electrical system (38)Airbags (31)Transmission & drivetrain (27)Engine (21)Lights (10)Steering (8)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (6)Speed control (6)Body & structure (5)Fuel system (5)

4 of 137 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Apr 10, 2024Electrical systemEngineFire

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

Aug 18, 2020EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN FOR SERVICE THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE ODOR OF SMOKE AND FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. LATER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A FIRE HAD STARTED FROM WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER STEP ON GMC (5651 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505) WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT COMPANY WHO WAS ALSO UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.*DT CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAD ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11350108

Jul 7, 2017Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFire

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

Dec 12, 2014Speed controlEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT TIRES SPUN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE MOVING. THE ENGINE STABILITY AND TRACTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800.

NHTSA ODI 10663966

Working with the data? Download all 137 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 GMC Acadia verdict →