What 247 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 GMC Acadia Denali

I was curious about recalls because I totaled my 15 Acadia SLT2 and when I hit the impact didn’t deploy airbags and I had no idea until after my accident that they were recalled!!! This incident totaled my Acadia caused my face to be slammed into my steering wheel, cutting me in 2 places and shattering my eye glasses. I now have a scar that looks like a 2nd chin from my impact to hitting the steering column! What should I do? I wasn’t or hadn’t received anything from GMC about this recall until recently and damage has already been done and I’m at a loss of tremendous amounts because my air bags could have saved $300+ glasses and doctors appointments etc…

NHTSA ODI 11611112

Drivers side door caught on fire overnight. Burned up the interior of the vehicle and smoldered out. Windows were up, car was completely closed and locked. Still starts and drives. Door, seat, steering, ceiling , visor all burnt and melted to some degree. Seems to have been electrical.

NHTSA ODI 11599551

Was in a car accident in my Acadia. Someone hit me going 55 miles an hour on my front passenger side. My airbag never deployed and my seat belt did not lock causing me to fly around. I didn’t see a recall for either of those things

NHTSA ODI 11567076

No airbags deployed in the event of an accident. As a result of hydroplaning, my vehicle's drivers' side slammed into the concrete median on the highway before spinning out across the highway. I would have expected side/curtain airbags to deploy which would have prevented my children from hitting their heads on the windows during impact.

NHTSA ODI 11536515

Vehicle was destroyed by electrical fire on December 21, 2022. It caught on fire after ‘SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM’ warning light displayed.

NHTSA ODI 11509273

The electrical wiring started a fire that destroyed the engine compartment. I was in the vehicle and barely escaped injury while pedestrians were walking by and could have been injured when an explosion occurred. GEICO is now investigating the incident. A Service Battery Charging System warning light displayed on the dashboard and heavy smoke began to emit from the engine compartment then, a small fire started and escalated to a full and life threatening condition.

NHTSA ODI 11498836

Power liftgate suddenly fell about 3 ft, hitting the back of my head. The liftgate then forcibly closed, pinning my hand. There was a recall for 2008-2012 vehicles to due faulty Stabilus struts that cause failure. This is a serious defect that has already caused numerous head injuries, fractured hands, neck pain, etc. This recall needs extended and consumers need to know of the possibility. Lastly, the warning mechanism that GM claims is the presence of flashing rear brake lights and a chime to warn when liftgate failure occurs only happens AFTER the gate fails, not before. The warning is of NO use. Another consumer posted an exact same complaint in July 2021 for an Acadia outside of the current recall dates.

NHTSA ODI 11428162

VEHICLE HIT OTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED AT INTERSECTION AT 50 MPH AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY

NHTSA ODI 11407980

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 GMC DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THEIR HUSBAND WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, WHEN THE TRAFFIC CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP CAUSING THE CONTACT TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKING PEDAL EXCESSIVELY, HOWEVER, THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP AND THE BRAKES WERE FLOORED. THE VEHICLE ENDED UP REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE PASSENGER RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE CHEST AND LOWER ABDOMEN AREA. THE ONLY MEDICAL ATTENTION RECEIVED WAS BY EMT AT TIME OF THE CRASH. THE DEALER (CARDINALE GMC 2 HEITZINGER PLAZA, SEASIDE, CA 93955, (831) 322-4112) WAS MADE AWARE. THE CONTACT STATED THEY RECEIVED A NOTICE REGARDING THEIR VEHICLE HAVING ANTI-LOCK BRAKING ISSUES AFTER THE CRASH HAD OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *LN*DT*DT*JB THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PHOTOS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11365222

ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 I WAS GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER. THE OFFICER COULD NOT TURN MY STEERING WHEEL AND THE REPAIR ESTIMATE GUY SAID THAT WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE TO TEST THE STEERING THE POWER WOULD COME AND GO. THE STEERING WOULD BE SOFT AND WHEN TRYING TO TURN, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. MOST OF THE REVIEWS THAT I READ HAVE THE SAME ISSUE BUT THEIR MODELS ARE OLDER THAN MINE. MY ACADIA IS A 2015 WHEN IS THIS SAFETY HAZARD GOING TO BE CORRECTED? IT HAS BEEN 8 YEARS (2007) SINCE THIS STEERING MALFUNCTION WAS DISCOVERED AND MY VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO PRODUCTION AND GMC IS STILL PUTTING PEOPLE AT RISK WITH THEIR CONTINUED USE OF THE SAME STEERING DESIGN, MATERIALS, ASSEMBLY OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT CAUSES THIS MALFUNCTION. SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE IN ORDER TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

NHTSA ODI 11128775

ON OCTOBER 8, 2015, OUR FAMILY WAS DRIVING ON I-85 NEAR HUNTERSVILLE, NC. WE WERE IN OUR 2015 GMC ACADIA, WHICH WE'D BOUGHT NEW IN AUGUST. WE WERE IN STEADY, MOVING TRAFFIC. THE CABIN WAS QUIET; I WAS DRIVING, MY WIFE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND OUR TWO CHILDREN (AGES 9 AND 7) WERE IN THE SECOND ROW CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS. BOTH CHILDREN WERE WATCHING THEIR IPADS. SUDDENLY WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A PISTOL BEING FIRED INSIDE THE CABIN, FOLLOWED INSTANTLY BY OUR 7 YR OLD SON ('SON') SCREAMING AND YELLING, 'IT HURTS, IT HURTS.' MY WIFE AND I BOTH TURNED AROUND AND SAW SON CLUTCHING HIS LOWER BACK. I NEGOTIATED THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER AND SAW THAT THE ENTIRE HOUSING/CASING OF HIS SEATBELT BUCKLE HAD SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. THE BUCKLE WOULDN'T UNLATCH, BUT MY WIFE GOT HIM OUT OF THE SEAT AND EXAMINED HIM. HE HAD A PUNCTURE/GASH IN HIS LOWER BACK, WHERE SOME OF THE SHRAPNEL HAD HIT HIM. WE FOUND BOTH PLASTIC AND METAL SHARDS IN THE CAR. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE FORCE THE EXPLOSION CAUSED, THERE WAS ALSO A 2-4 INCH HOLE IN THE INTERIOR DOOR'S PANELING. ONLINE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT A PRETENSIONER MAY HAVE MALFUNCTIONED; A GMC SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THE SECOND-ROW CAPTAIN CHAIR SHOULD NOT HAVE A PRETENSIONER.

NHTSA ODI 10786048