2011 GMC Acadia: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
280 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Acadia is the Traverse's sibling, and its record has the same first-generation timing-chain and steering complaints, with the 2014 year the worst. The second generation launched for 2017 on a smaller platform with a new transmission, and that year has 1,340 complaints, most of them the shift-to-park fault in which the vehicle cannot recognise that the shifter is in Park; General Motors extended the warranty on the shifter after a class action. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: a year the record favours — 280 complaints, score 79/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave: the years to avoid, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 280 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 18.67
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
We purchased the vehicle on August 20, 2025. At which time we paid over $4,800 for the vehicle. I will be trying to submit all files pertaining to the vehicle. We are both disabled and on the fixed income from ssi. However, a week after purchasing the vehicle all issues began to rise up. There was no transmission fluid, the oil need changed, catalytic converter showed up on AutoZone print out, wheels to make a sound…
My air bag light keeps coming on saying to service it. I saw the recalled issues before with the other Acadias and was thinking maybe my year model would need to be looked into as well. I haven't ever had a wreck for them to come out but the light comes on frequently.
Tailgate system has failed causing tailgate to force closed after opening halfway. Risk of being pinned between the car and tailgate. Similar to previous recall POWER LIFTGATE PROP ROD RECOVERY, gate is not being controlled or caught.
Recalls: 5 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V246000 | 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 may not be properly attached. |
| 12V151000 | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages | GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, BUICK ENCLAVE, AND GMC ACADIA VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO,… |
| 14V118000 | Air Bags:Side/Window | 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… |
| 14V266000 | 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 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… |
| 15V415000 | 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 vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,250
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Steering64 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Engine52 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System47 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Exterior Lighting38 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Power Train33 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Air Bags24 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
Other GMC Acadia years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 GMC Acadia?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (64 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 GMC Acadia a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 79/100, computed from 280 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 GMC Acadia's most common problem?
64 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 GMC Acadia sit in the Steering group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement: about 5.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,020–$2,500 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 GMC Acadia cost to run per year?
About $6,094 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $30,472 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 GMC Acadia have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 GMC Acadia, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 08/04/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2011 GMC Acadia really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 280 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 280 NHTSA complaints on record (18.7/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (23.7/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems