There are 30 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2011 GMC Acadiain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Hi, I think the 2011 Acadia Denali should be in the recall along with the Terrain. The reason being that I always get flashed at night and every night as though I have the high lights on which I don’t. That’s every night. Please check into this. With all this road rage going on I worry I might come across one angry person or cause someone to wreck. Please I’m worried. Thank you.
I HAVE A 2011 ACADIA DENALI WITH FACTORY XENON HID LIGHTS. BOTH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT HOUSINGS AND CONNECTORS HAVE MELTED. THE PASSENGER SIDE BULB HAS MELTED ITSELF TO THE SOCKET ITSELF. THE HOUSING HAS MELTED AND CRACKED. BOTH ARE NO LONGER REFLECTIVE OR FUNCTIONAL AS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A ISSUE FOR ALL ACADIAS. A FIRE IS INEVITABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE MELTED AND INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STARLING CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (1001 E IRLO BRONSON MEMORIAL HWY, ST CLOUD, FL 34769) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS INFORMED ON THE FIRST VISIT THAT A BRACKET NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED TO PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGES TO THE HEADLIGHTS. THE BRACKET WAS INSTALLED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,572.
HEADLIGHT BULB AND ASSEMBLY SYSTEM COMPLETELY MELTED! WENT TO REPLACE THE BULBS THAT I THOUGHT WERE JUST BLOWN OUT BUT THE BULBS EXPLODED AND MELTED EVERYTHING. TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO FIX AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $2500.00 TO FIX IN ORDERING NEW ASSEMBLY. THEY SAID THEY HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN ON ACADIAS BEFORE. I WENT ONLINE AND SURE ENOUGH MELTED HEADLIGHTS AND WIRING WERE A COMMON PROBLEM. WHEN I CALLED THE HEADQUARTERS CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE TO ASK IF A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED A FOREIGN GENTLEMAN WROTE DOWN MY INFORMATION AND SAID SOMEONE WILL GET BACK WITH YOU BUT THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON IT MELTED UNLESS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING HAPPENED TO IT. I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK EVER. I ASKED THE GUY WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THIS FIXED ME OR ONE OF MY KIDS DYING IN A WRECK AND IS SUING YOU TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T APPRECIATE HIS I DON'T CARE ATTITUDE TOWARDS MY FEELINGS OF HAVING SMALL CHILDREN IN A CAR THAT HAS A PART THAT IS COMMON AND KNOWN TO MELT AND NOT GET FIXED.
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE OVERHEATED ON BOTH SIDES AND HAVE MELTED THE PLASTIC HOUSING. THE LIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY HOT IN A CONFINED SPACE AND ARE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A FLAMMABLE MATERIAL. I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HEADLIGHT AND SAW THAT IT HAS MELTED THE HOUSING TO THE POINT WHERE THE BULB IS NOW SITTING DIRECTLY ON THE MELTED PLASTIC HOUSING. THESE ARE THE RUNNING LIGHTS....NOT THE MAIN HEADLIGHTS.
I HAVE A 2011 GMC ACADIA. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN LATE 2013. THIS IS THE 6TH TIME I HAVE NEEDED TO REPLACE MY LOWBEAMS. LAST NIGHT HEADING HOME FROM WORK AROUND DUSK I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND SOMEONE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING HIM. I LOST DRIVERS SIDE TWO DAYS AGO AND LOST THE PASSENGERS HEADLIGHT AS I STARTED UP MY VEHICLE LEAVING WORK. IT WAS APPARENT THAT HE DID NOT SEE MY VEHICLE AS ALL THE OTHER VEHICLES HAD THEIR LIGHTS ON. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN ISSUE THAT IF ALLOWED TO CONTINUE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT WHICH PUTS MY FAMILY IN DANGER. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS INCREASED RISK TO MY FAMILY AND OTHER FAMILIES THAT ARE ON THE ROAD WITH THESE VEHICLES.
THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP ON THE DRIVER SIDE COMPLETELY MELTED AND BEGAN MELTING THE SURROUNDING CASING. THE OTHER DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP IS BEGINNING TO DO THE SAME THING. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL LAMPS WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW.
WE BOUGHT THIS CAR IN FEB. 2016 USED WITH ONLY 66,000 MILES. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER WE PURCHASED IT, THE PASSENGER LOW BEAM LIGHT WENT OUT. I PURCHASED A BULB TO REPLACE, BUT IT PROVED TO BE DIFFICULT. I HAD 3 OPEN RECALLS SO I BROUGHT CAR IN TO DEALER. THE NIGHT BEFORE BRINGING IT IN, DRIVER LOW BEAM LIGHT WENT OUT. I ASKED DEALER TO REPLACE BULBS WHILE VEHICLE WAS THERE. RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE DEALER THAT THE BULBS COULD NOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE HEADLIGHT HOUSING WAS MELTED!!!! THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH ACADIAS AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED!!!!
THE DAYTIME LIGHTS, THE BULBS KEEP BURNING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE LO BEAM LIGHTS 4 TTIME NOW. THIS TENDS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THE GMC ACADIA AND SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON IT TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. MANY APPEAR TO HAVE THE ACTUAL SOCKETS MELTED I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCE THAT BUT WITHIN THE LAT 12 MONTHS I HAVE REPLACED THE LO BEAM LIGHTS 4 TIMES THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS THIS TIME THEY BOTH WENT OUT WITHIN THE SAME DRIVE AND I WAS LEFT WITH ONLY HI BEAM BUT LUCKILY I WAS CLOSE TO HOME.
WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE ON MARCH 11, 2015. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLAMP TWICE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE ONCE. I TOO HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THE SAME ISSUE WITH MANY OF THE SAME VEHICLES. THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS ARE A SAFETY ITEM THAT IS REQUIRED TO DRIVE AT NIGHT SO THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING DONE BY GM. I WOULD INVITE ANY OF THE CUSTOMER CARE MANAGERS AT GM TO CONTACT ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
THE DAYTIME LIGHTS, THE BULB HAS MELTED ITSELF INTO THE SOCKET. YOU CANNOT JUST REPLACE THE BULB, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE SOCKET ALSO. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE. I DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BULBS BEING TOO HOT UNTIL I WAS GOING TO REPLACE A BURNED OUT BULB. THE I REALIZED THE BULB HAD MELTED INTO THE SOCKET. THIS TENDS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THE GMC ACADIA AND SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON IT TO CORRECT THE ISSUE.
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BULB MELTING, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE, RESULTING IN BURNING OF HEADLIGHT HOUSING. BULB CAN NO LONGER BE HELD IN PLACE BECAUSE MOUNTING FIXTURE IS MELTED AWAY. THE EXISTING BULBS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. I BELIEVE THE FILAMENT IS OVERHEATING THE PLASTIC BULB AND CAUSING A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY 2011 GMC ACADIA DENALI HAD A DRL GO OUT. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND A NEW BULB WAS REPLACED. THEY INFORMED ME IT STILL DID NOT WORK WITH JUST A NEW BULB. THE ACADIA WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS LOOKED AT AGAIN AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE LIGHT AND GET IT RUNNING. I GOT HOME A WEEK LATER AND NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE BULB WAS NOW OUT. AS I LOOKED INTO THE HOUSING I CAN SEE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING WAS SLIGHTLY MELTED AND BECOMING SEVERELY CRACKED WHERE THE BULB IS NO LONGER BEING SECURED BY THE LIGHT. AFTER SEEING THAT I PROCEEDED TO LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL LIGHT THAT WAS OUT AND THAT HOUSING WAS THE SAME WITH A LARGE PIECE OF THE CHROME LIGHT HOUSING MISSING, AND AGAIN THE LIGHT WAS JUST HANGING INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT AND NOT SECURED TO THE HOUSING. LOOKING AT THIS THREAD AND OTHER FORUMS, THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH GMC ACADIA'S. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT CERTAINLY IF THIS IS HAPPENING LIKE THIS IT WAS A POOR DESIGN BY GM AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP AT NO COST. I HOPE ENOUGH PEOPLE BRING THIS UP AS A FIRE HAZARD, TO MAKE IT BECOME A COMPANY RECALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY THE DEALER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LIGHT BULB MELTED INSIDE THE HEAD LAMP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE LIGHT BULB BECAUSE THE BULB MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT HAD BURNED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
WE PURCHASED OUR VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2014. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT 4 TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. SINCE THE TIRE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND THE WHEEL WELL COVER NEEDS TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE LIGHT, WE HAVE TO PAY $80 EACH TIME WE CHANGE THE BULB. 4 TIMES IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS IS RIDICULOUS. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING OVERHEATING BULBS, SO I WILL HAVE THAT LOOKED AT NEXT.
I OWN A 2011 GMC ACADIA DENALI. I PLACED MY ORDER FOR THIS VEHICLE BEFORE THEY WERE IN PRODUCTION WHICH MAKE THIS ONE OF THE FIRST TO ROLL OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB NEEDED REPLACING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB SOCKET HAD MELTED AND THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH THE LENS OF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS YOU CAN SEE ABOUT A THREE INCH AREA OF CHROME COATING CRACKED AND PEELING OFF THE INTERIOR OF THE LIGHT HOUSING ON THE DRIVER?S SIDE AND ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF AREA ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE PASSENGER SIDE SOCKET MELTS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER?S DESIGN PROBLEM OR INAPPROPRIATE PARTS PROBLEM. EITHER THE BULB IS TOO HIGH WATTAGE, WHICH GIVE OFF TOO MUCH HEAT, OR THE CHROME COATING IS NOT HEAT RESISTANT ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT. I SAY THIS BECAUSE I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN ELECTRONICS. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1144.00 FOR THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY PLUS LABOR. I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURER?S DESIGN OR INAPPROPRIATE PARTS INSTALLED DURING THE PRODUCTION OF THESE VEHICLES. I FEEL IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR GMC TO REPLACE THESE LIGHT FIXTURES AT NO COST TO THE VEHICLE OWNER. I HAVE ROUTINELY TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND NO ONE HAS EVER MENTIONED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. I RECENTLY HAD A SAFETY INSPECTION DONE ON MY VEHICLE AND A FEW DAYS LATER I NOTICED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB NEEDED REPLACING. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SITUATION. *TR
WE JUST BOUGHT A 2011 ACADIA DENALI AT THE END OF AUGUST 2014. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR TWO RECALLS AND ASKED THEM TO FIX THE BURNT OUT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE BULB BY ITSELF BUT NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE HOUSING AND CONNECTORS BEING MELTED. THE DEALER ALSO LOOKED AT THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SAID IT WAS MELTED THERE AS WELL, POTENTIALLY FROM THE HEAT OF THE BULB. WE WERE QUOTED A PRICE CLOSE TO $2000 FOR THE FIX. THE END RESULT IS WE STILL HAVE A BURNT OUT RUNNING LIGHT. I WOULD ASSUME THIS WOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE RISK OF FIRE CREATED BY THE EXTREME HEAT WHICH IS MELTING THE HEADLAMP HOUSING. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS NOT A RECALL AT THIS TIME. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND HAVE COME ACROSS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 30 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026