There are 22 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2017 GMC Acadiain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated after parking and turning off the vehicle, the brake lights remained illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The dealer the vehicle was purchased from, was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would be charged for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact an unknown recall that was related to the failure had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
HEAD LIGHTS ARE VERY DIM MAKING DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT VERY UNSAFE. TOOK VEHICLE TO GMC DEALER, TECH SAID THAT HEAD LIGHTS ARE WITHIN GMC SPECS. TOO INSANE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH CAN OCCUR.
EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS ARE INEFFECTIVE AND UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. POOR LIGHTING ON MY VEHICLE HAS CAUSED NEAR ACCIDENTS ON THE FREEWAY WITH DEER AND STALLED VEHICLES ON THE ON THE ROAD.
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE ARE TOTALLY INADEQUATE FOR NIGHT DRIVING THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT'S A COMMON COMPLAINT BUT GENERAL MOTORS HAS NO FIX FOR IT. IT IS DANGEROUS AND SOMEONE COULD GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE.
FROM PURCHASE TO DATE, THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TERRIBLE IN GOOD WEATHER. IN BAD WEATHER ITS VERY HARD TO DRIVE SAFELY IN THIS VEHICLE. VISIBILITY IS SEVERELY LIMITED FOR THE DRIVER AT NIGHT.
AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE VEHICLE AS A WHOLE, IT UNFORTUNATELY HAS THE WORST HEADLIGHTS I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ANY VEHICLE THAT I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS PERFECT VISION, I OFTEN FIND MYSELF SQUINTING TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD OF ME AND VARIOUS SIGNS. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE RESORTED TO DRIVING WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON, JUST SO I CAN SEE WHERE I'M GOING IN CITY STREETS, HIGHWAY DRIVING, AND MAKING TURNS. I'VE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE THAT I HAVE DRIVEN AND THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS THAT MY FATHER HAS NEARLY THE SAME IDENTICAL VEHICLE AS ME AND IS EQUALLY DISSATISFIED WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. I WOULD CONSIDER THESE AS DANGEROUS AS ANYTHING TO DRIVER, PEDESTRIAN, AND PROPERTY RELATED SAFETY. I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THAT IF GM DOES NOT STEP UP AND CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS OBSTACLE TO MY LIFE, THEN I WOULD STRONGLY URGE AN INVESTIGATION AND AN IMMEDIATE RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE BY THIS ORGANIZATION.
I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN WALKING ACROSS THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY CAR AT NIGHT AS I DID NOT SEE HIM DUE TO,THE HEADLIGHTS BEING TOTALLY INADEQUATE TO SEE IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS HAVE A BLIND SPOT WHEN ILLUMINATED AS THE DO NOT SHINE HIGH ENOUGH. THERE IS LIKE A SHELF EFFECT THAT WON'T ILLUMINATE ABOVE FOUR FEET OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU. ALSO THE LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD ENOUGH ESPECIALLY IN WET CONDITIONS. IT IS LIKE HAVING NO,LIGHT AT ALL.
MY 2017 GMC ACADIA HAS SUCH POOR HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION THAT I CANNOT SEE ADEQUATELY TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I CAN BARELY SEE TO GET UP-AND-DOWN THE HILL TO OUR DRIVEWAY. EVEN ON BRIGHT ILLUMINATION, THE HEADLIGHTS ARE INADEQUATE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHTS. OTHERWISE, THERE WILL BE ACCIDENTS. PEOPLE WILL GET HURT OR KILLED AND THERE WILL BE LAWSUITS.
THE HEADLIGHT HIGH BEAM LIGHT PATTERN IS A VERY DIM AND NARROW FOCUSED BEAM AND DOES NOT ALLOW ENOUGH SIDE TO SIDE ILLUMINATION. THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE LIGHTING IS VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT ON WET ROADS WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE ON. THE HIGH BEAMS ALSO CONVERGE TO A SMALL NARROW SPOT ON THE ROADWAY. THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE ROAD LIGHTING IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE PEOPLE OR OBJECTS.ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALSO, THE LOW BEAMS LACK SUFFICIENT.BRIGHTNESS ALTHOUGH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE LIGHT PATTERN IS SUFFICIENT. ALTHOUGH MY COMPLAINT WAS ESCALATED TO A GMC SENIOR ADVISOR, NO ACTION WAS TAKEN BY GMC. THE ADVISOR STATED, "WORKS AS DESIGNED". NO ALTERNATIVE BULB OR AFTER MARKET LIGHTING WAS RECOMMENDED BY GMC AS I WAS TOLD THIS WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY. THE SAFETY CONCERNS MY FAMILY AND I FEEL ABOUT THE VEHICLES HEADLIGHTS WERE DISMISSED BY THE COMPANY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE UP TO STANDARDS. THE LOCAL DEALER (TODD WENZEL BUICK GMC OF GRAND RAPIDS, 2727 28TH ST SE, GRAND RAPIDS, MI, 49512) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,200.
HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. ESPECIALLY WHEN ROADS ARE WET. WHEN THE ROADS ARE DRY THERE STILL ISN'T THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE. DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE MYSELF HARM IF NOT CORRECTED.
LOW BEAMS ARE TOO LOW....POOR ILLUMINATION....HIGH BEAMS ILLUMINATE THE TOP OF TREES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO PRODUCE ADEQUATE LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KING BUICK GMC (16200 FREDERICK RD, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20877), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,600. *TT *JS
THE RADIO IS DANGEROUSLY BRIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE BRIGHTNESS IS AFFECTED BY THE BACKUP CAMERA; ONCE THE BACKUP CAMERA IS ACTIVATED THE RADIO BRIGHTNESS IS INCREASED AND WILL NOT DIM UNTIL YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF. THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO SHUT THE DISPLAY OFF WITHOUT NAVIGATING THROUGH THE TOUCHSCREEN MENUS, AND IF YOU ADJUST ANYTHING WITH THE RADIO OR HVAC THE DISPLAY COMES BACK ON AT FULL BRIGHTNESS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES, WITH GM ENGINEER VISITING TO SEE THE ISSUE. THERE ARE SOME ACADIAS WITH THE SAME RADIO THAT ISN'T AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. WAS TOLD BY THE ENGINEER THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AND I HAVE TO JUST GET USED TO THE EXTRA BRIGHTNESS. THIS "EXTRA BRIGHTNESS" IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE AT NIGHT, AS IT IMPAIRS MY VISION. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A $32000 VEHICLE THAT I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AT NIGHT.
2017 GMC ACADIAS EQUIPPED WITH HID HEADLAMPS WITH LOW BEAMS ACTIVATED ARE BLINDING TO ONCOMING DRIVERS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS FAILED TO ADEQUATELY PROVIDE ILLUMINATION FOR SAFE DRIVING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLAMPS OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,200.
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE INADEQUATE. VERTICAL AIM IS OK BUT LUMINOUS LUX IS LOW, AND LATERAL COVERAGE DURING LOW SPEED TURNING IS INSUFFICIENT. IF THIS VEHICLE MEETS THE FMVSS STANDARD FOR LIGHTING, CONSIDER RAISING THE MINIMUM STANDARDS. LIGHTING IS A SAFETY ISSUE NHTSA NOW TESTS FOR. UNLESS THE CUSTOMER DOES A TEST DRIVE AT NIGHT (CAN BE IMPOSSIBLE DURING THE SUMMER), THERE IS NO WAY TO LEARN OF A DEFICIENCY BEFORE PURCHASING.
HEADLIGHTS ARE DIM TO THE POINT OF BEING DANGEROUS. DEALER CONFIRMS THAT ALL 2017 ACADIA ARE LIKE THIS. THIS IS BY NO MEANS THE FIRST COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.
SLT-2 WITH HALOGEN PROJECTOR BEAM HEADLIGHTS. VERY VERY POOR HIGH & LOW BEAM PERFORMANCE. THE 6YR OLD EQUINOX I TRADED IN DID A BETTER JOB OF LIGHTING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU. HAD THE DEALER CHECKED THEM OUT AND SAID THEY WERE OK. I HAD THEM ADJUST THE LOW BEAM DOWN TO PROVIDE BETTER ROAD VISIBILITY BUT FORWARD ILLUMINATION DISTANCE IS LESS. THE SALES & SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BUT I COULD LOOK INTO AFTER MARKET HEADLIGHTS. CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE (CASE # 8-2826579557), THEIR DESIGN TEAM REVIEWED MY CONCERN AND THEY HAVE NO PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE THEIR HEADLIGHTS. IF THESE LIGHTS PASS ANY FEDERAL LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS, THE TESTING MUST HAVE BEEN DONE IN A LAB AND NOT OUT IN THE REAL WORLD. GM DID A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT ON THIS NEW DESIGNED ACADIA BUT THE HEADLIGHTS IS NOT ONE OF THEM. NEXT STEP IS TO LOOK FOR AFTER MARKET LIGHTS.
NIGHT DRIVING, HAS BECOME DANGEROUS. HEADLIGHTS ARE EITHER A POOR TECHNOLOGY OR ARE NOT AIMED PROPERLY. I AM MAKING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT THE MANY OTHERS WILL COME FORWARD TO LET GM KNOW HOW SERIOUS THIS IS. I KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY COMPLAINT. I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER OF MANY DIFFERENT VEHICLES. THIS IS BAD!
Showing 1–20 of 22 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