Home · 2015 GMC Acadia Limited · Complaints

What 260 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 GMC Acadia Limited

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 (260)Crash / fire / injury (11)Airbags (108)Steering (33)Electrical system (31)Transmission & drivetrain (22)Engine (18)Lights (16)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (13)Fuel system (9)Seat belts (9)Speed control (8)

16 of 260 complaints match · Lights · clear filters

Oct 29, 2025Lights

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the center taillight was inoperable. The halo light was working as designed and then ceased operating. The headlights also became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the bulbs and the headlight assembly. The rear signal light was blinking fast, and the light became inoperable. The message that the hood was ajar was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 196,448.

NHTSA ODI 11696393

May 15, 2023Lights

*Headlamp *Hard to see at night; risk of being pulled over *yes *no *no Week of May 1st 2023...headlamp works...then turns orange...the goes out. Repeats this process consistantly ** Currently there is a notice from NHTSA that GM Extended Headlamp Module Warrant Unfortunately Dealership is unaware of that...and also GMAC Warranty Customer service The initial recall was for defective low-beam headlights and daytime running lights on certain GM makes and models that were prone to failure on more than 300, 000 vehicles. More complaints were received after the re-call, NHTSA opened an investigation on April 2017. One year later the recall was expanded to include an additional 180,000. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module may overheat, which could melt the module under the hood and result in failing headlight and daytime running lights.

NHTSA ODI 11522051

Nov 9, 2022Lights

Both headlights failed at same time during night driving resulting in very low visibility with only the daytime running lights working. My safety as well as others driving on the road were put at risk as my visibility of the road was impacted and my vehicles visibility to other drivers was impaired. This problem has occurred twice within in the last year making the vehicle unsafe to drive. The first time we just replaced both headlights thinking it was a fluke but having occurred a second time within a short period of time is very concerning. There were no warning lamps and at this time has not been inspected by dealer as there is not a recall and is an expensive repair. This is a serious safety hazard and could have easily caused a bad accident.

NHTSA ODI 11492984

Nov 5, 2021LightsBrakesLane Departure

2015, GMC, Acadia SLT. Rear brake calipers had to be replaced out of my pocket after rear brake calipers froze and locked the brakes in the middle of traffic. This almost caused a major accident in which lives may have been lost or severe injury sustained. The rear brake calipers were inspected by a mechanic. ABS, Traction Control and Stabiltrak warning lights illuminated. Had to have the vehicle towed four times due to rear brakes seizing. Vehicle was sold to me by Posner Park Chrysler, Highway 27, Davenport, FL who did not fulfill the promised repairs and lied to BBB but researching their submitted Used Car Inspection Sheet, they destroyed the rear brake calipers when installing rear rotors and pads and never did install the passenger side fog light assembly as promised after they claimed they had ordered it and held up vehicle delivery until the evening before my departure from Florida back to New York. They were deliver the vehicle by 11:30 am, August 17, 2021 but I did not drive away with it until 5:00pm, the clock-out time for all mechanics in Florida.

NHTSA ODI 11439546

Jan 5, 2021Electrical systemLights

THE ISSUE STARTED WITH MY BACK HATCH OPENING ON ITS OWN AT RANDOM TIMES. FOUND OUT THIS WAS CAUSED BY WATER ENTERING THE LIFT SWITCH. THAT PROBLEM LEAD TO THE BATTERY EVENTUALLY GOING BAD AND THEN THE HEADLIGHTS BEING BLOWN DUE THE BAD BATTERY. NOT SURE HOW WATER GOT IN THE BACK HATCH RUINING THE SENSOR BUT THIS IS COSTING ME ABOUT $1000 TO FIX.

NHTSA ODI 11386658

Sep 9, 2020Lights

MY HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING DIM, AND WOULD GO COMPLETELY OFF. I HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND OFF TO KEEP THEM WORKING. THIS WOULD HAPPEN EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 11353997

May 12, 2019Lights

BOTH BACK BRAKE LIGHT WORK INCONSISTANTLY. WHILE MOVING AND AT A COMPLETE STOP. LOCAL DEALERSHIP CHARGES AT MIN 1200 PER LIGHT TO FIX. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DENALI'S.

NHTSA ODI 11207084

May 6, 2019Lights

BOTH BREAKLIGHTS NO LONGER WORK DUE TO FAULTY ELECTRICAL PANEL.

NHTSA ODI 11205797

Jan 28, 2019Lights

WE BOUGHT OUR 2015 DENALI 1 YEAR AGO AND HAVE APPROX 50,000 MILES AND THE PASSENGERS SIDE TAIL LIGHT IS OUT. AFTER RESEARCHING TAILLIGHT PROBLEMS FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A RECALL BUT WHEN LOOKED INTO, I SEE IT IS NOT. ITS A SHAME TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON A VEHICLE TO HAVE THE TAIL LIGHT OUT AT 3 YEARS (AFTER FACTORY WARRANTY IS ALREADY OUT) AND YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TAIL LIGHT INSTEAD OF ONE PIECE.

NHTSA ODI 11172670

Jul 29, 2018Electrical systemLightsVisibility & wipers

BOTH LED BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED. IF YOU TAP THEM THEY WOK FOR A MINUTE BUT WHEN DRIVING THEY GO OUT AGAIN. THE SEAT VIBRATES TO ALERT YOU OF OBSTACLES BUT THE MOTOR IN THE SEAT ONLY WORK PERIODICALLY. THE REAR WINDOW WIPER HAS FAILED. THE YUKON HAS BEEN DRIVEN 3 YEARS AND 50K MI AND NOW NEEDS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE PARTS USED.

NHTSA ODI 11114352

Jul 10, 2018Lights

RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT IS OUT

NHTSA ODI 11110636

Dec 16, 2017SteeringLights

MY FIRST INCIDENT ON MY 2015 GMC ACADIA SLE FWD PURCHASED BRAND NEW WAS THIS YEAR AT 40000 MILES. ONE HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT AND THEN THE OTHER IN WHICH THE DEALER WANTED 400+ BUCKS TO REPLACE. THE LIGHTING IS ACTUALLY BAD FROM THE HEADLAMPS. THEY LIGHTS DO NOT EXTENDED IN FRONT OF YOU TO SEE IF YOU WILL BE COMING UPON ANYTHING AND CAN POSSIBLY RUN IT OVER. MY SECOND ISSUE AT 41000 WAS THE POWER STEERING. ONE DAY I HEARD A LOUD WHINING AS I TURNED THE CORNER ON A CITY STREET AND SUDDENLY THE POWER STEERING STOPPED. I LOOKED IN THE MANUAL AND IT SAYS TO PUT A CERTAIN TYPE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THERE, BUT I HAD JUST HAD A FREE OIL CHANGE AT THE DEALER ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO AND THEY DO NOT TOP OFF ANY OTHER FLUIDS. AFTER PUTTING THE FLUID IN THE POWER STEERING PLACE, I NOTICED A LEAK. COME TO FIND OUT THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS LEAKING ON MY CAR WITH ONLY 41000 MILES. A BRAND NEW CAR PRACTICALLY THAT COST 30,000 SHOULD NOT HAVE ISSUES SO SOON. TODAY, DRIVING TO WORK I ALMOST LOST IT BECAUSE MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED JUMPING CODES "SERVICE STABILITRAK; SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL; TRACTION CONTROL OFF; ENGINE POWER IS REDUCE' AND MY SPEED WENT FROM ABOUT 40 TO 30 INSTANTLY. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET TRAFFIC WHILE THIS HAPPENED AND WAS UNAWARE. JUST THINK, IF I DID NOT PUT ON BRAKES AND WAS GOING AT A CERTAIN SPEED AND THE PERSON BEHIND ME IS AS WELL, AND MY CAR'S SPEED JUST DROP DRAMATICALLY, WHAT TYPE OF INJURIES COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I AM VERY PERTURBED BECAUSE THIS IS THE SECOND GM CAR THAT I PURCHASED WITH DEFECTS AND MY CAR JUST SO HAPPEN TO BE OMIITED FROM ANY RECALLS. I OWN A 2010 CHEVY MALIBU AS WELL AND THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING IN 2015 AND I HAD TO PAY 1300 TO GET IT FIXED, WHILE OTHER CARS WHERE ON RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I'M SO DONE WITH GM!!

NHTSA ODI 11055051

Apr 15, 2017Lights

REAR TAILLIGHTS HAVE MOISTURE IN THEM. THE MOISTURE IS CONSTANT IN ONE AND INTERMITTENT IN THE OTHER. BOTH HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE BY DEALER 3 MONTHS AGO. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS

NHTSA ODI 10978631

Nov 25, 2016Lights

WE HAVE A 2015 GMC ACADIA SLE-2 WITH PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS. WE CAN ONLY SEE ABOUT 50-75 FT. AHEAD WITH LOW BEAMS, THERE IS A DARK LINE AT HOOD LEVEL WHERE THE LIGHT CUTS OF INTO DARKNESS. THE LIGHT BOUNCES UP AND DOWN WHEN DRIVING THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING AND DANGEROUS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, I DID NOT SEE A PEDESTRIAN UNTIL HE WAS RIGHT BESIDE ME. THE HIGH BEAMS ARE ABOUT THE SAME AS THE LOW BEAMS IN OUR PREVIOUS VEHICLE (2010 GMC TERRAIN). I CONTACTED OUR DEALER WHO SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL OR TSB REGARDING OUR PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WILL TRY TO ADJUST THE AIM OF THE HEADLIGHTS. HE STATED HE HAD DONE THIS WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS BUT IT WAS NOT A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM IT MAY ONLY HELP A LITTLE. I SAW SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM. WE FEEL THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. WE FEEL SOMEONE SHOULD DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN A DARK RURAL AREA (WHERE WE LIVE AND DRIVE MOST OFTEN) AND THEY WOULD SEE THE PROBLEM!!!

NHTSA ODI 10927798

Jul 30, 2015Lights

MY RECENT TRIP FROM CONNECTICUT TO ATLANTA,GA AND THEN TO VERO BEACH ,FL WAS DRIVEN AT NIGHT.I FOUND MYSELF HAVING TROUBLE SEEING ANY ROAD SIGN HANGING HIGH, AND MOST ROAD SIGNS IN GENERAL UNLESS I USED MY HIGH BEAM LIGHTING. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE GMC DEALERSHIP IN BOTH VERO BEACH,FL AND WATERTOWN, CT WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE A VERY SHARP CUT OFF OF LIGHT AND WITH IN THE DESIGN TOLERANCE. BOTH DEALERS HAVE NO CLUE AS IT IS IN GMC TOLERANCE AND THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT LIGHT BULB FOR THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THEY BOTH AGREE THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A NEW CAR THAT HAS BAD LIGHTING AND WILL NEED ADDITIONAL LIGHTING OR GET A NEW CAR FROM SOMEONE OTHER THAN GMC. I DID CONTACT GMC AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH THEY COULD DO AS IT WAS PER DESIGN.MY CAR HAS NO ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, NOT EVEN A FOG LIGHT. JUST RECEIVED A CALL FROM GMC. THE CAR IS OK BY ITS DESIGN, AND AS OF NOW I HAVE NO MORE OPTIONS.

NHTSA ODI 10745006

Jul 15, 2015Lights

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS EXTREMELY DIM. DURING EVENING HOURS, THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE HIGH BEAMS BECAUSE THE VISIBILITY WAS POOR. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE LOW BEAMS MET THE MANUFACTURER'S STANDARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY OR MODIFICATION TO IMPROVE THE VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 09/21/15*LJ UPDATED 3/29/2016*JS UPDATED 11/22/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10734220

Working with the data? Download all 260 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 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 2015 GMC Acadia Limited verdict →