Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, he heard a loud pop from the steering column. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis where they advised him that the rack and pinion failed and needed to be replaced. The rack and pinion, steering shaft and the steering column were replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and offered financial assistance with the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 21,015. The current mileage was approximately 21,150. Updated 01/29/13*lj updated 01/30/2013
2008 GMC Acadia steering complaints
Page 5 of 6: complaints 101 to 130 of 133, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Power steering is failing, this a wide spread problem across the entire gm "lambda" platform and should warrant a recall. Affected parts are the power steering pump and steering rack, cause of the problem according to gm was use of incorrect fluid from the factory. The fix is to replace the pump and the rack ($2,000) and upgrade the fluid to dextron vi. For gm to expect out of warranty customers to be on the hook for the high cost of this repair is completely unfair and unacceptable.
On the first occurrence I was starting to accelerate to about 20 MPH after being stopped at a red light and my power steering went out and I could not accelerate. I was barely able to steer my car off the highway and just missed hitting a tree and going in a ditch and my 2 children were in the back seat. I had the vehicle towed to the local dealership but there were no error codes showing on their computer. I have since had this happen 4 more times and the last time almost ended in a head-on collision with my children in the car. I had the car towed again for the 5th time to the dealership and the power steering finally went out on them while they were test driving my car. However, the computer still did not show any error codes after this happened. As of today, which is 3 weeks later, I still do not have my car and the dealership doesn't know what to do because there are no error codes eventhough the power steering keeps failing on them. I am frustrated and aggravated and after reading online at how many other drivers have experienced this exact same issue I am disgusted that gm has done absolutely nothing to fix this serious issue.
At approx. 64,860 power steering started making a whining noise that kept getting louder and louder.
Driving vehicle at 30mph north bound. Started making right turn (steering became very difficult) loss of power steering.
The first time the power steering went out on this vehicle, we were attempting to make a left hand turn from a busy road crossing on-coming traffic. The immediate loss of power steering required me to use all of my arm strength to manually turn the wheel, forcing me to make an extremely wide turn onto a side street. Power steering has since come and gone at speeds lower than 25 MPH when making turns. We have taken this vehicle to our gmc dealership three times for diagnosis and expensive repairs. Despite these repeated trips and repairs to fix the problem, the power steering still goes out or is stiff. Dealership blames gm and the design of the 2008 acadia's power steering system.
Power steering will stop working for several seconds during turns especially at slow speeds or when turning in or out of parking spaces. Very difficult to steer.
On multiple occasions, after driving through puddles or in wet weather, the power steering stops working making it extremely difficult to steer, nearly causing a crash. This has happened on multiple occasions.
I have had the rack & pinion steering rack replaced 2 times since I've owned the vehicle (bought new in july 2008) dealership replaced both after getting ugly with them, now at 75,000 miles transmission went out,replaced it. Got it back from dealer and now the steering locks up when turning, usually happens when taking off from a stop and then it finally unlocks as your trying to turn with excessive force. Feels like the power steering just goes out for a few seconds and then comes back. Have just dealt with it last few weeks, but now after not able to turn and hit a curb while turning, there is obviously something defective. Doing research on this there is numerous complaints about the steering locking up, this is very dangerous if its defective. Paying 45k for a vehicle you shouldn't have to argue with the dealer on replacing this part. Is there something being done to fix this issue. I have almost come to a decision that gm doesn't stand behind their product and have about given up on them.
At approx. 62,000 power steering started making a whining noise that kept getting louder and louder. Took to the dealer and they repaired/replaced the rack that they said was starting to go bad. It was covered under the gm certified used warranty and they told me that it was a known issue with these and should be all set. Now, about a year later (warranty expired-power steering is not considered powertrain...) the same noise and high effort to turn steering wheel is happening again. They now say that the power steering pump is going and there is a blown gasket in the steering column causing a leak of steering fluid which is causing the whine. They say that the repair is going to cost me over $750. Gmc needs to announce a recall for this issue, or at least issue a notice for dealers to repair this issue when it arises. I'm one of the lucky ones that did not have the system fail when driving. I could probably recover if it did, I'm just glad my wife wasn't driving it with my children when it decided to fail!! I know of at least two other owners that had this same issue, when will gm step up and take care of this issue?!?!
Our vehicle has had the air bag service light on for a very long time, when we got the recall notice, we took it in to the dealership and they stated that our vehicle was fine and our light was caused by a different problem. As time has gone by, it has done the rest of the items listed on the recall such as on/off light remaining off with a passenger in the seat and now it actually flashes back and forth with or without a passenger. Our power steering has been making a whine sound since 2009. It has only worsened over time and now has depreciated our vehicles value for a trade-in. We are completely dissatified with the quality of vehicle we have gotten. I would not recommend an acadia based on the reliability of gmc and the lack of responsibility to fix problems that are obviously on the manufacturing end. We know several others having the same problem with 2008 acadia and have found many forums of people discussing their issues and it appears that the 2008 has the greatest amount of issues. We have been advised to seek legal action.
Car will not shut off after removing key from ignition takes a minute for car to shut off car would not start next morning intrunent panel shows multipal problems have read online consumers with same problems who is responsible for this issue.need help have had vehicle fpr three weeks was not told by dealer abought problems with electrical have printed all other complaints on line and will show to dealer I would hope that gmc does not approve with these actions.also have problem with sreering it makes a loud clunking sound when turning steering wheel this coul be a serious safety issue to my family.
Since purchase of car new it would make a loud clunking noise, which could be felt on driver side floor. Could never duplicate for tech. Everytime it in shop they checked the problem. Finally at 20,000 miles they decided to change entire rack, thought this would fix problem. It didn't. Clunk got louder and louder, but of course still could not duplicate for tech. At 45,000 they changed rack again. I guess this car has a disposable rack. Lucky for me I had a claim number with general motors and it was covered. On approx 12/22 put car in park on a flat surface. Car moved approx 4ft, had to put brake on to stop. Then a few days later it happened again. Was told by tech 1st time I it's a characteristic of acadia. When I contacted gm they say they have never heard this and the tech could not duplicate. This car is not safe. Gm offered me 2,000 for me to buy a new car buy a new car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle regained its steering function on its own a few moments later. The failure recurred on an intermittent basis. Also, the front passenger side window would not close when the button on the driver's side door panel was depressed. The passenger side window would only close if the button on the passenger side door panel was used. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
My wife was driving in the walmart parking lot and went through a puddle of water causing the power steering to stop working. I told her to stay there until I could get there to meet her. When I arrived, I drove the vehicle through about an inch of standing water in the same parking lot and the power steering stopped working again. This has happened one more time since then while driving about 25 MPH on a road near our home.
I was turning onto a four lane road from stop light with my 4 yr. Old little girl . The acadia lost power and the steering wheel locked , and could not turn at all . Stuck broadside in two directions of oncoming traffic ! Cars where veering around us ! Hazard lights do not work very well when you are stuck broadside , and they cant see them ! Lights were coming on and messages were saying check engine ! After around a minute and a half everything worked as if nothing happened . Dangerous , something should be done !
Apparently the entire line up of gm crossovers (acadia, enclave, and traverse) 2007-2010 are affected by a power steering problem. Mine has a whine in the power steering pump. It is possibly the pump, or the rack and pinion. The dealer quoted me $450-$1000 to repair. I know that they have improved the power steering pumps on these vehicles, which indicates to me that the original was defective. I feel like steering is a part of safely driving these vehicles. If the power steering goes out while I am driving our acadia, I might be able to handle it, but if my wife were driving it, the outcome may be very different.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. The contact stated when he turned the steering wheel, he heard a clicking noise. The dealer diagnosed that a ribbet in the steering column was loose. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was being repaired. The failure mileage was 37,000 and the current mileage was 42,000.
Tl* the contact owns 2008 gmc arcadia. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, a noise was heard coming from the steering column. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who inspected the steering and informed the contact that the gear bushings were extremely worn out and the steering gear box was leaking excessively. The dealer replaced the gear bushings and steering gears at the manufacturers expense. The failure recurred approximately four months later. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that she would have to replace the entire steering column at her expense. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,406 and the current mileage was 46,000. Updated 09/27/11
I took my 2008 gmc acadia to the gm dealership to find out why my power steering is stiff when I turn left or right. It just started to happen 2 weeks ago. I have approximately 44,000 miles on it and bought it brand new. The warranty is now up and the dealer said it needs the steering rack replaced for $800. This car is fairly new and I can't believe I already need to pay for this to be fixed. I found that many gmc acadia owners have had similar problems, but no recall has been set by gm.
My power steering groans and moans when turning at low speeds. Turning the wheel is very difficult even for me being a male. The noise is very annoying and may affect the steering. The car is for my family of three kids and wife --- not sure they should be driving this anymore. I called the a gmc service dealer and they said they have heard of "very similar issues" waiting back to hear if they will repair this. I've had too many repairs lately for a car with only 58k miles -- one sway bar, another sway bar, transmission issue, headlamp issue, faulty thermostat, limited life brake pads, now power steering issues! Ugh!
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. When attempting a turn at any speed, the contact could hear a grinding noise coming from the steering column. During the failure the contact also noticed that the steering wheel would not operate as smoothly as it normally would. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed and was not repaired. The failure mileage was 37,000 and the current mileage was 42,000.
I own a 2008 gmc acadia and on jan 10. 2011 the power steering fluid had completely spilled out from the front of the vehicle. The repair mechanic said it was the power steering cooler that had been defective. After researching online for common issue with this model I am wondering why gmc is doing nothing about a known problem with the power steering system with this model and year. Luckily I was not driving or we could have been in a bad accident. A car that is less than 3 years old and only 46,000 should not have powers steering issues. This problem needs to be addressed as consumers are paying alot of money for repairs that are a common issue with this vehicle. Is it going to take someone dyeing before anything is done. Unfortunately for us we are stationed in germany and it is difficult to find someone to repair our vehicle as well.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. The contact stated that there was a popping noise whenever the vehicle was turned. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where several times where the bearing plate and steering column were replaced. However the failure continued. The contact then noticed that the spring on the strut was stick up and they could hear a spring pop. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who stated that there was no record of similar failures. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000 and the current mileage was approximately 52,000.
Gmc 2008 acadia, VIN [xxx] mileage 33,893 power steering failure during highway driving, almost causing potentially fatal/injury incident. Had it "repaired" at dealer on june 21, 2010. Dealer indicated that there are frequent problems with power steering failure on the acadia. Re-occurred with nearly head-on accident at high way speeds on june 27, 2010. The federal safety agency should investigate this based upon dealer's comment that this is occurring with some frequency. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. The contact stated that the power steering locked up twice while she was driving at 40 MPH. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the power steering belt failed. The contact planned to have the vehicle repaired. The contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint; the manufacturer also stated that she would receive a call back. The current and failure mileages were approximately 32,000.
Whining while driving and clanking noise while going over bumps-was told the whining was the power steering, and needed the power steering pump to be changed. I was told the clanking noise was due to a problem with the rack and pinion. Both are directly related. I was told that many people are having problems with the rack and pinion, but gmc would not fix the problem right now, it was a problem that's "on hold."
Power and power steering failure- when it rains or I drive through puddles of water the car looses power and slows. Also when I am driving the power steering stops working and there is a loud squealing noise. I had the dealer look at my acadia and they said they could readjust the belt guard. This did not work and they said just be cautious while driving. Also the cruise control doesn't coast and the speed increases as you go down hill.
I wish to inform you of a critical steering defect in the 2008 gmc acadia. At 42,000 miles I notices a decline in power steering fluid. When questioned gmc inform me that is was low due to air pockets in the fluid system releasing over time thus causing volume loss. At 50,000 all the power steering fluid ran out on my driveway. If this would have happened on the highway it could have resulted in steering loss and potential harm to myself , passengers, or other vehicles on the roadway. When notify gmc requested me to keep driving the vehicle over a weekend (even though it purge itself of fluid as fast as it was refilled) and bring it in for repair on monday. Gmc of course charged me $420 for the said repair. When contacted again (following the repair) gmc dismissed the problem and offered me an oil change for my troubles. They did not take the problem seriously nor intimated that they would even look into the cause. Normally I would have concluded "bad product" / "bad customer service" and be appreciative that I did not lose my life. Then I saw toyota being grilled on capital hill and simply could not understand why gmc who has a critical steering problem did not have to step up to protecting its consumers. Why no recall notice, why are they allow to minimize/hide complaints, where is congress calling them to the hill? If in fact toyota is being call to task then it is time for us consumer to be protected from our own intra-country providers. Please look into gmc steering problems before someone dies. Do not allow gmc to play a numbers game on peoples life's before you finally act. Thank you for your time. Kenneth m. Graham
Power steering fails on my 2008 gmc acadia. 12/9/09- power steering fails as I get off the highway in greenwich, ct. Almost crash. 12/10/09 - drop car at local service station since my thought is that it just need steering fluid. 12/10/09- service station manager calls and tells me power steering pump shot, and rack and pinion leaking. 12/10/09- car towed to minchin gmc in stamford ct. They provide rental car from enterprise. 12/10/09- call late afternoon looking for an update. Told 'tech is looking at it now.' I ask for a call back. No call 12/12/09- call dealer. Leave detailed message. Ask for a call back. No call. 12/14/09- call dealer. Speak to service. I am told tech is looking at it. Which I thought was done. Ask for a call back. No call. 12/15/09 call dealer. Speak to service. Am told waiting for a part. Ask for a call back on part availability. No call back. Left another message with main v- mail, detailing how no one has called me back. No call back. 12/16/09- call dealer. Speak to service. Told tech is out to lunch but the part that has to come from california or canada. Finally they call back. I am told that the part that I need is on 'national back order'. Asked for a call back for a better idea when the part will be available.
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