What 38 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 GMC Acadia Denali

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that with the stop/start feature activated and while attempting to park the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was slightly pressed in order to slowly move the vehicle forward. The vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove forward, over a curb, and crashed into a tree. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle sustained severe damage, but no air bags deployed. No injuries were reported, and no police report was taken. The cause of the failure was not determined. The contact indicated the failure had occurred on multiple occasions. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 5,665.

NHTSA ODI 11720724

While driving under normal conditions, the vehicle experienced a sudden, violent deceleration. The emergency braking and collision avoidance systems activated spontaneously, as if the vehicle had struck or was about to strike an object. There was no obstacle, impact, or external threat present. This uncommanded braking caused significant physical stress and injury to the occupants. Critically, multiple safety systems failed during the event: The seat belts did not lock, failing to restrain the occupants; The airbags did not deploy, despite the severity of the deceleration; no warning indicators or diagnostic alerts were present before or after the incident. These failures directly contributed to physical injuries, including TBI (concussion, spinal trauma, etc.) which required emergency medical treatment and ongoing care.

NHTSA ODI 11681063

Struck a deer traveling at 65 mph & air bags did not deploy

NHTSA ODI 11608274

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park, the brake was released, and the vehicle lunged forward and collided with a Rental Movie machine coming to a stop at a building. No safety features were activated. The air bags were deployed. The contact sustained leg, hand, stomach, breast, and chest injuries. Medical attention was sought. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 11574065

The contact’s daughter owned a 2023 GMC Acadia. The contact stated the seats were previously repaired at the local dealer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked unattended, the vehicle caught fire. The fire had extinguished on its own. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment or police reports filed. The contact called the local dealer who referred her to the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The insurance company informed her the failure was due to the electrical system and deemed it a total loss. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.

NHTSA ODI 11526947