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2011 GMC Acadia: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
37%
81 of 217 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

37% of relevant owner complaints on the 2011 GMC Acadia are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 58% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 63 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 29%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
81
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
280
this model year
Fires reported
10
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
8 crashes · 11 injuries

Complaints by component

STEERING64 · 23%
ENGINE52 · 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM47 · 17%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING38 · 14%
POWER TRAIN33 · 12%
AIR BAGS24 · 9%

The years either side

2010
40%
122 of 348
2011
37%
81 of 280
2012
37%
91 of 302
2013
45%
46 of 140
2014
45%
94 of 467
2015
34%
44 of 261
2016
33%
32 of 236
2017
48%
286 of 702
2018
49%
187 of 392
2019
55%
202 of 382
2020
48%
46 of 100
2021
47%
64 of 148
2022
55%
23 of 48
2023
55%
21 of 42

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other midsize SUVs with no elevated signal in 2011

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE01/31/2020FIRE1 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AS IT TRIED TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE FROM A RAMP. THE CONTACT AND HER PASSENGER QUICKLY EXITED THE VEHICLE AFTER SHE PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER. THE COMPLETE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. A POLICE RE…
POWER TRAIN12/30/20131 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING, THE DRIVER SLIPPED ON AN ICE PATCH AND FELL. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS GROUNDED, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ROLLED AWAY AND OVER HER LEGS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MUSCLE AND NERVE DAMAGE TO BOTH LEGS. THE VEHICLE…
POWER TRAIN03/07/2025
Transmission shudder from torque converter

Three of 81 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (5)

AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
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 m…
SEAT BELTS
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufacture…
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse …

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2011 GMC Acadia

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.