2008 Gmc ACADIA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
854 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
82,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 705 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 266 of 854 complaints (31.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 269 | 31.5% |
| Steering behavior | 137 | 16.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 121 | 14.2% |
| Braking behavior | 62 | 7.3% |
| Engine operation | 45 | 5.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 0.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 266 |
| Electrical System | 148 |
| Air Bags | 143 |
| Steering | 127 |
| Engine | 124 |
| Unknown Or Other | 63 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 57 |
| Exterior Lighting | 44 |
Power Train: 266; Electrical System: 148; Air Bags: 143; Steering: 127; Engine: 124; Unknown Or Other: 63; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 57; Exterior Lighting: 44
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 66 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 74 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 160 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 180 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 163 |
| 150,000 and above | 62 |
Under 25,000: 66; 25,000 to 49,999: 74; 50,000 to 74,999: 160; 75,000 to 99,999: 180; 100,000 to 149,999: 163; 150,000 and above: 62
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (180). 149 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 25 |
| 2009 | 21 |
| 2010 | 27 |
| 2011 | 30 |
| 2012 | 47 |
| 2013 | 156 |
| 2014 | 169 |
| 2015 | 101 |
| 2016 | 71 |
| 2017 | 54 |
| 2018 | 38 |
| 2019 | 51 |
| 2020 | 27 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2007: 3; 2008: 25; 2009: 21; 2010: 27; 2011: 30; 2012: 47; 2013: 156; 2014: 169; 2015: 101; 2016: 71; 2017: 54; 2018: 38; 2019: 51; 2020: 27; 2021: 9; 2022: 11; 2023: 5; 2024: 5; 2025: 1; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 269 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 137 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 121 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10206899 · 2007-10-25 (October 25, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC ACADIA. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, BUT THE GEAR WAS PLACED IN DRIVE. THE CONTACT REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED IN REVERSE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACCELERATION WAS NORMAL. THE GMC AREA REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING 6 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM BEING DAMAGED, THUS THE VEHICLE DRIVING IN REVERSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT SINCE THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 127 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206899 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10233561 · 2008-07-08 (July 8, 2008)
WE PURCHASED A NEW GMC ACADIA ON 6/16/08. SINCE OUR PURCHASE, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION ISSUE. AFTER COASTING DOWNHILL, THE VEHICLE FAILS TO DOWNSHIFT WHICH CAUSES A RAPID DECELERATION WHEN TRAVELING UPHILL. THIS RAPID LOSS OF SPEED PUTS THE DRIVER IN THE HAZARDOUS SITUATION OF A REAR END/CHAIN REACTION COLLISION ON THE ROAD GMC CLAIMS TO HAVE A FIX, BUT THIS FIX CAUSES THE DOCUMENTED GAS MILEAGE TO BE REDUCED BY AT LEAST 2-3 MILES PER GALLON. THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS ISSUE TWICE IN THE LAST 4 WEEKS TO NO AVAIL. …
Owner-reported narrative. 83 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233561 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10223233 · 2008-04-03 (April 3, 2008)
2008 GMC ACADIA CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND BURNT TO NOTHING BUT THE FRAME. LUCKILY WE ALL GOT OUT OK. PRIOR TO THIS OUR CAR WAS IN THE SHOP DUE TO THE POWER STEERING HOSE COMING APART. WE FEEL THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME AS WELL BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE PULLED OFF THE ROAD WE HAD NO POWER STEERING TO THE CAR. GMC AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP WE BOUGHT IT FROM ARE DOING NOTHING AND I STILL HAVE NO CAR. I AM OUT MY DOWN PAYMENT AS WELL AS 2 ALMOST 700.00 PAYMENTS AND I LOST MY TRADE IN CAR ON TOP OF THAT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10223233 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10244531 · 2008-10-06 (October 6, 2008)
RECENTLY I HAVE NOTICED A CLICKING SOUND WHENEVER I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL VEHICLES OF THIS MODEL TYPE ARE SUFFERING FROM FAILED POWER STEERING PUMPS. SOME HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING AND HAVE EXTREME DIFFICULTY TURNING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10244531 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10214007 · 2008-01-07 (January 7, 2008)
MY COMPLAINT CONCERNS MY 2008 ACADIA DELIVERED SEPT.2007. CURRENTLY WITH LESS THAN 5,900 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP FOR FAILURE TO START FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE BATTERY IS SOMEHOW BEING DISCHANGED. OTHER THAN REPLACING THE ORIGINAL BATTERY, ON THE FIRST OCCURANCE, THE DEALER SERVICE CAN NOT SEEM TO TRACK DOWN THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY SAY THAT THE CHARGING SYSTEM CHECKS OUT OK. IT DOES SEEM TO START FINE FOR A WHILE, SEVERAL WEEKS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL HAVE A DEAD BATTERY OVER NIGHT. NOTHING IS EVER LEFT ON. I CHECK THAT …
Owner-reported narrative. 5,876 miles reported. Look up ODI 10214007 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10229896 · 2008-06-04 (June 4, 2008)
I PURCHASED A GMC ACADIA SLT2 AWD 2008 ON 5/21/08. 5/31/08 MY SUNROOF LEAKED, AND STARTED DRIPPING OUT OF THE AIRBAG HOLDER. THE WATER WENT INTO THE DASHBOARD INTO WIRING, SPEAKERS, VENTS AND THEN CONTINUED TO DRIP ONTO THE FLOOR BOARD. 6/1/08 I STARTED SMELLING A CHEMICAL, WHICH SMELLED LIKED A STRONG ODOR OF PROPANE "LIKE" SMELL. I HAVE BEEN GETTING SICK AND NAUSEATED, ALONG WITH MY THREE GIRLS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY HEALTH, MOREOVER THE HEALTH OF MY GIRLS AND HUSBAND. I ALSO, PLANNED ON SELLING REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WI…
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10229896 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212682 · 2007-12-25 (December 25, 2007)
MY 2008 GMC ACADIA SLT2 MODEL HAS WATER LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN. THE WATER LEAKS ARE COMING FROM THE SEAT BELT RETRACTION AREA ON THE PILLARS LEADING DOWN FROM THE ROOF AND ALSO ON THE PILLARS AT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHERE THE AIRBAGS ARE LOCATED. I ALSO HAVE WATER SOAKING THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER RUGS, IT APPEARS WATER IS RUNNING DOWN THE FIRE WALL FROM THE FRONT POSSIBLY DOWN THE PILLARS. THE ROOD HEADLINER IS GETTING WET AT EACH SPOT WHERE THE ROOF PILLARS MEET THE HEADLINER. I AM QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT WATER AFFECTING THE ELEC…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10212682 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10235183 · 2008-07-21 (July 21, 2008)
1. WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE'S "STABILITRAK" CONTROL ABRUPTLY SHUT DOWN, AND THE BRAKES LOCKED WITH LIGHT DEPRESSIONS OF THE PEDAL. (STABILITRAK CONTROLS THE VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, AND ROLL-PREVENTION PROGRAM.) 2. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 5 TIMES; ON ONE OCCASION, THE ENGINE STALLED IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE. CONSEQUENCES WERE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. 3. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN ON AN URGENT BASIS TO THE GMC DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO …
Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235183 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10352427 · 2010-08-27 (August 27, 2010)
ON AUG 9TH AFTER LEAVING SAN BERNARDINO CA.. I WAS DRIVING UP THE CAJON PASS TO RETURN HOME. I HAD THE CAR IN CRUISE & GAVE IT SOME GAS SO THAT I COULD GET UP THE GRADE BECAUSE THERE WAS A CAR BEHIND ME THAT WAS FAIRLY CLOSE. AS SOON AS I GAVE IT GAS THE CAR LOST ENGINE POWER & I HAD TO MOVE OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP & I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT RESTARTED. I THOUGHT IT HAD OVERHEATED BUT LOOKING BACK ON THE SITUATION. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE PROBLEM .I ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,244 miles reported. Look up ODI 10352427 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10298165 · 2010-01-04 (January 4, 2010)
SPONTANEOUS CAR FIRE STARTED INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF 2008 GMC ACADIA CAUSING TOTAL LOSS TO VEHICLE. PARKED NEXT TO 2009 GMC SIERRA AND CAUSED THIS TRUCK TO CATCH FIRE AND CAUSING TOTAL LOSS TO VEHICLE. BOTH PARKED NEXT TO HOME AND CAUSED FIRE DAMAGE TO GARAGE. 2 DAYS PRIOR CAR WOULDN'T START IN DRIVEWAY, GMC DETERMINED IT TO BE FROM GAS TANK BEING LOW. 1/4 TANK NOTED TO BE IN CAR AT THE TIME. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 32,812 miles reported. Look up ODI 10298165 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11006371 · 2017-07-19 (July 19, 2017)
I BOUGHT THE GMC ACADIA USED IN 2014. IT HAD ABOUT 80K MILES ON IT, FROM A DEALERSHIP. THEY ASSURED ME IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH MY 5 CHILDREN IN THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY. I'M A SPECIAL ED TEACHER AND DRIVE ONLY 5 MILES FROM MY HOME AND OCCASIONALLY TO LOS ANGELES TO VISIT RELATIVES. AFTER 3 WEEKS OF HAVING THE CAR, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I WAS HORRIFIED!!! THE WARRANTY COVERED THE MAJORITY OF THE PARTS. BUT THEY CHARGED ALMOST $4000 FOR A TRANSMISSION THAT THEY TOLD ME WOULD B…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11006371 at NHTSA ↗