2009 GMC Acadia: sudden loss of power

Filed Feb 20, 2020 · Engine · 134,000 miles · MO

Check engine light came on and engine lost power during rush hour coming home. Lost at least 50% power, very little acceleration and quite the challenge to merge over 4 lanes to get to the sholder of the highway. Code was checked and code was for timing. Mechanic pulled timing chain cover and found that it was stretched. He told me the 3.6 engine was well known for this. Two freaking months after we paid it off. Will not purchase another acadia and will stay away from encave and traverse as well as they have same engine in many. Very discouraged they would knowingly allow this issue to go on without being addressed.

Filed Oct 23, 2019 · Steering · 135,000 miles · IN

Steering wheel making a whining/rubbing noise. Fluid leaking under the car. Took to the dealer and was found to have tack and pinion is bad spraying out power steering fluid everywhere. Was told that the steering will lose power and become either hard to turn or not turn at all causing danger to ourselves and others. This is a known issue that has not been recalled by gm.

Filed Apr 30, 2018 · Body, Brakes · MI

2009 gmc acadia. Consumer writes in regards to loss of engine power, steering wheel power and faulty brakes. *ld the consumer the liftgate and lamp were repaied under recall, but the failure continued. The consumer did not recieve notification for the recalls concerning the engine, transmission, and timing chain.

Filed Apr 6, 2018 · Steering · KY · crash

Bought a 2009 gmc acadia in february had it for 2 weeks and was pulling out of a fast food restaurant getting my 3 year old daughter some food as I was pulling out I lost all power steering. I could not get my SUV to turn I barely bumped a car thank goodness it did not do any damage and no one was injured but this is definitely something gm needs to fix!! I am a single mother and can not afford to have this fixed especially after spend 10,900 on purchasing the vehicle.

Filed Sep 30, 2016 · Driver assistance, Engine · 78,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 gmc acadia. While driving approximately 65 MPH, there was a sudden loss of engine power and the vehicle was unable to be driven over 40 MPH. The stability traction control warning indicator illuminated. The dealer was unable to replicate and diagnose the failure. In addition, while driving highway speeds, "engine hot" and "A/C off" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact noticed smoke under the hood. The vehicle was coasted over to the shoulder of the road and turned off. The vehicle was unable to be driven due to the failure and was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the part. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and indicated that they also had campaigns that needed to be addressed. The timing chain needed to be replaced, there was a loss of power steering assist, and the transmission cutlet leave plate failed. There were no recalls. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

Filed Sep 20, 2016 · Steering · 80,000 miles · NY

There is an ongoing and unresolved issue concerning the power steering rack and pump on gm lambda chassis vehicles. The vehicle will intermittently and unpredictably lose power steering assist creating an incredibly dangerous situation. While under warranty the factory quietly supported multiple repairs of the same components- rather than recall this situation gm chose to continue to use their supply of deficient components while they seemed to "wait out" the warranty and thus no longer be liable.

Filed May 9, 2016 · Steering · 90,827 miles · NM

April 26, 2016 - my wife was at a gas station and said the wheels on the gmc were very hard to turn either way. Shortly thereafter, she started to hear a whining noise when she would turn left or right. A day later, the noise was more pronounced so I went out for a test drive. The steering seemed ok and the whining noise didn't seem that bad too me. April 28, 2016 - my wife said the noise was louder so I test drove it again, this time, I experienced a momentary loss of steering power on low speed. One time I overcompensated when it was hard to turn the wheel but avoided having an accident. I performed the owner's manual checks, power steering fluid level was good. I then goggled for more information online about steering issues and how to resolve on gmc 2009 acadia and then I ran into the gmc service bulletin sb-10056459-3388 online. The bulletin described the intermittent power loss we experienced. The condition is described as follows "vehicles may develop a power steering pump wear condition that can cause an intermittent drop of power steering hydraulic pressure that will cause reduced or loss of steering assist. The vehicle may revert to manual steering which requires greater driver effort, particularly at low vehicle speeds". I called our local gm's service department for an evaluation but have not received a callback yet. I am concerned because I believe, if not resolved, may turn out to be a safety issue for us.

Filed Feb 6, 2016 · Electrical, Engine · MI

2 months after I bought my vehicle used I have had to replace ignitions coils, so many recalls and only had some replaced cuz of being told they don't have the part in store at the dealerships. The electrical system for heat and A/C don't match up when turning the knob and the defrost doesn't work 3/4 of the times. I get flashes of loss power and my tire monitoring system keeps acting up. Now my engine and transmission are failing and no one can tell me exactly what it is without paying $5000 for them to diagnostic it and take it apart!! Where do I have that kind of money?? This vehicle was the worst $16000 I have ever invested in and have only had it less that 2 years!! I am scared on a daily basis to drive my kids anywhere in it let alone myself to work. I so wish I would've kept my jeep grand cherokee but we need more room for travel. Well you can't travel in something that's unsafe and unreliable. Gmc won't call or respond back and either will the dealership. Lemon law in michigan is for new vehicles only so I am basically paying for something I can't drive and I can't afford to fix. What do I do??

Filed Jan 13, 2016 · Engine · 105,000 miles · TX

I was driving my car at about 70 mphs on the interstate and the car began to slow down and check engine light starting flashing. I almost got hit by the drivers beside and behind me. While honking my horn and putting on the emergency lights I was able to get over to the side of the highway. Towed my car into the dealership and they keep it for about 8 days saying they were very behind. Notified them that my car was coming in for service and was never told they was behind. Finally about 7 days later the dealership is saying they don't know what is wrong with my car. Then on the 9 day the service guy calls me and says they think its the motor but they would have to take it out to see. Possible cost would be any where from $4,000 to $7,000 to fix the problem. There are several special coverage open on my car such as timing chain , water pump shaft seal, loss of power steering and throttle body. After reading other gmc customer complaints I feel it is the throttle body that needs to be replaced. Dealership states they don't know whats exactly wrong with my car but can't figure it out till they take out my engine.

Filed May 14, 2015 · Steering · 56,496 miles · NY

Last june during a routine inspection the dealer told me I had a slight leak in the rack and pinion. I questioned him on why a vehicle with approx 48k miles could have a problem. I was told that gm allows some leakage. Shortly there after I noticed an occasional ratcheting feel in the steering wheel. I then would experience several occasions where I momentarily would lose power steering,the beginning of this year I received a letter from gm stating that there may be a problem with the power steering pump and to bring it to the dealer.I brought it to the dealer and was told there is a charge of $130 to determine if it is the pump and no charge if it was bad. I was told the pump was in fact bad and that the rack also needed to be replaced at a cost of $1400. I politely told them that the rack should not leak at 56k miles and the pump caused the problem and that gm should pay the entire bill after I was told that a certain amount of leakage was ok. They said gm would only cover the cost of pump. I also replaced 4 low beam head lights in the past year.

Filed Feb 24, 2015 · Driver assistance · 101,576 miles · IN

Vehicle had a slight misfiring when climbing incline. We replaced two spark plugs. Misfiring calmed down. A couple days later misfiring resumed. Husband was driving daughter to daycare when car had multiple dts codes appeared (stability track, check engine, reduced power) with car suddenly stalling while on a highway leaving barely enough time to coast off the road and out of the way of traffic traveling 60mph. Gmc refused to assist us on this issue until we found online a tsb about the timing chain which had broken. Due to the constant misfiring (direct result of the timing chain) two of my catalytic converter became clogged. Those have now been replaced out of my pocket however when driving vehicle home while it does run smoother it now misfires all the time even when not going up hills and idling very low and misfiring while idling. I am scared that while driving my vehicle this may happen again because the issue has become worse.

Filed Jan 14, 2015 · Steering, Transmission · 92,000 miles · MA

Brought it to the gmc dealer to replace the power steering pump which was on recall notice only if there were problems. Loss of power steering at low speed so I took it to dealer. As a result, pump was replaced as well as rack and pinion. Pump covered, rack and pinion not, $1700. The day after I picked up the car, the transmission failed. As I got on the highway, motor revved but transmission did not engage. Was able to make it into the breakdown lane. Had to have a flatbed pick it up and bring it to the transmission shop recommended by the dealer. Transmission replaced...$3,140.00. I feel that I was lucky to have been in the lane closest to the breakdown lane when this happened. Dealer offered no assistance. Eight months past warranty.