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U.S. public vehicle records

2013 Gmc ACADIA: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

135 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

83,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 91 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 38 of 135 complaints (28.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Electrical and battery issues3324.4%
Transmission and shifting2216.3%
Engine operation139.6%
Steering behavior139.6%
Braking behavior75.2%
Fuel system concerns21.5%

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.

Electrical System
38
Air Bags
29
Power Train
27
Engine
21
Unknown Or Other
21
Exterior Lighting
9
Steering
8
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
6
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System38
Air Bags29
Power Train27
Engine21
Unknown Or Other21
Exterior Lighting9
Steering8
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)6

Electrical System: 38; Air Bags: 29; Power Train: 27; Engine: 21; Unknown Or Other: 21; Exterior Lighting: 9; Steering: 8; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
11
25,000 to 49,999
12
50,000 to 74,999
19
75,000 to 99,999
20
100,000 to 149,999
27
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00011
25,000 to 49,99912
50,000 to 74,99919
75,000 to 99,99920
100,000 to 149,99927
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 27; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (27). 44 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.

2013
2
2014
6
2015
4
2016
4
2017
15
2018
20
2019
25
2020
15
2021
11
2022
12
2023
8
2024
3
2025
4
2026
6
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20132
20146
20154
20164
201715
201820
201925
202015
202111
202212
20238
20243
20254
20266

2013: 2; 2014: 6; 2015: 4; 2016: 4; 2017: 15; 2018: 20; 2019: 25; 2020: 15; 2021: 11; 2022: 12; 2023: 8; 2024: 3; 2025: 4; 2026: 6

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 33 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 22 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 13 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10521333 · 2013-06-24 (June 24, 2013)

2013 GMC ACADIA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE SWITCHED THE HEADLIGHTS FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM, HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO SEE THE LOW PART OF THE ROAD, AND NOTHING BEYOND ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10521333 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10553646 · 2013-11-24 (November 24, 2013)

WHILE DROPPING OFF SOME KINDERGARTENERS AFTER A PLAYDATE, I WAS PARKED IN MY FRIENDS DRIVEWAY AND LEFT 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. AS I STOOD THERE WITH MY FRIEND NEXT TO THE CAR, I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER TIRE. WE GOT THE KIDS OUT, THE CAR WAS FILLING WITH THICK SMOKE, AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN 4 MINUTES AND WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AND DISABLE THE BATTERY. GM HAD THE CAR PICKED UP AND DROPPED US A BRAND NEW 2014 ACADIA A FEW WEEKS LATER …

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10553646 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10567255 · 2014-02-27 (February 27, 2014)

AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM A SHORT 5 MILE DRIVE IN THE EVENING ON 11/19/13, I SHUT OFF MY 6 MONTH OLD CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SPARKS AND FIRE WERE COMING OUT BELOW THE ENGINE. I CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT WAS A FULL BLOWN, ROARING FIRE AND THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS CONSUMED. MY DRIVEWAY SUFFERED BURN DAMAGE AS WELL. THANKFULLY NOBODY WAS HURT. GMC HAS BEEN AWFUL TO DEAL WITH. THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED MY VEHICLE, NOT REPAIRED MY DRIVEWAY AND HAVE STOPPED RETURNING MY…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567255 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10568762 · 2014-03-12 (March 12, 2014)

POOR OUTGOING CALL QUALITY WHEN USING HANDSFREE BLUETOOTH MICROPHONE CONNECTION. WHEN USING THE BUILT-IN BLUETOOTH CONNECTION TO MAKE PHONE CALLS, THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END OF THE CALL CAN NOT CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PERSON IS SAYING. CALL QUALITY IS MUFFLED WITH SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND NOISE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10568762 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10572530 · 2014-03-15 (March 15, 2014)

2013 GMC ACADIA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE SWITCHED THE HEADLIGHTS FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM, HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO SEE THE LOW PART OF THE ROAD, AND NOTHING BEYOND ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LOW BEAM HAS A BLOCK WALL IT DOES NOT EXTEN OUT TO SEE BEYOND WHEN YOU GO IN A DIP IN ROAD YOU CAN NOT SEE WHATS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU THIS IS A SAFETY IF A PERSON WALKING ALONG THE ROAD YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM . THIS DOES NEED TO BE CORRECTED. RON WALOCHIK MECHANIC & AUTOBODY I OWN A 2013 GMC ACADIA THAT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10572530 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10610885 · 2014-07-16 (July 16, 2014)

I AM NOT RECEIVING COOPERATION FROM SOUTHTOWN MOTORS GMC DEALERSHIP AT 695 HIGHWAY 34 E, NEWNAN, GA 30265 IN REFERENCE TO GETTING MY RECALL FIXED. MY RECALL NOTICES 10085 AND 14187 REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN WITHOUT BEING FIXED. I AM CURRENTLY IN A LEASE WITH ALLY THAT REQUIRES 18 MORE MONTHS LEASE PAYMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE MY LEASE AND RETURN THIS VEHICLE AS I DO NOT FEEL SAFE HAVING MY WIFE, MY INFANT, MY 3 YEAR OLD, AND MY 10 YEAR OLD RIDING IN THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I CONTACTED ALLY AND THEY STATED I…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10610885 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10637524 · 2014-09-19 (September 19, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC ACADIA. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL FLUTTERING SOUND NEAR THE FRONT END. THE NOISE WAS HEARD DAILY FOR SIX MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10637524 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10663966 · 2014-12-12 (December 12, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT TIRES SPUN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE MOVING. THE ENGINE STABILITY AND TRACTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10663966 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

14V118000 · Air Bags:Side/Window

Reported: 2014-03-17 (March 17, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.

Consequence: Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
14V266000 · Seat Belts

Reported: 2014-05-20 (May 20, 2014)

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.

Consequence: If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V246000 · Air Bags:Critical Fasteners

Reported: 2021-04-08 (April 8, 2021)

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.

Consequence: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.

NHTSA campaign record ↗