2024 GMC Acadia: What to check before buying

Loud, constant brake squeal is the most common report, often starting between 6,500 and 18,000 miles. Dealers usually call it normal for the pad material, and cleanings or new pads rarely stop it for long. Some owners also report early front pad wear, dragging brakes, and false pad-life warnings that needed a module reprogram. More serious reports describe a pedal that sinks to the floor with ESC and ABS warnings, a front caliper that locked up and overheated, and rear brakes that grab on their own while reversing. Some owners say replacement parts were backordered.

The instrument cluster or infotainment screen goes blank, sometimes at startup and sometimes while driving. In some reports the blackout comes with a brake pedal that drops to the floor, leaving little or no braking. Other complaints describe a dead battery with no clear cause, rear turn-signal warnings, and tire pressure sensors that keep dropping out even after the dealer reprogrammed them under a service bulletin. Rear automatic braking that keeps engaging when reversing in rain also appears. Dealers often cannot duplicate the faults, and several owners were told no fix exists yet.

Coolant and transmission fluid leaks lead these complaints. Upper radiator hose leaks set off overheating and possible engine failure warnings, and owners say the replacement hose was on nationwide backorder. Several owners find transmission fluid puddled under the car with no clear source. Other reports describe low oil pressure warnings from an oil pump failure at very low mileage, loss of power, reduced acceleration, running hot, and a knocking noise from the engine. Some vehicles return to the dealer repeatedly as new problems keep appearing.

A sudden "no oil pressure" warning at highway speed, followed by a seized engine, is the dominant pattern. These failures happen early, between roughly 3,076 and 6,400 miles, and strand owners on the shoulder of busy roads. Dealers have called for full engine replacement, and one owner was told no replacement engines were available, with no repair timeline. Repairs and warranty decisions can take weeks. Cracked or leaking radiator hoses that hurt coolant circulation also show up here and raise the risk of engine damage.

Rear tail lamps fail, taking the brake light and turn signal with them. One failure came after only 90 miles, and some owners have replaced the same lamp more than once. The first sign is often a fast-flashing turn signal or a "check tail lamp" message when signaling. Replacement parts are commonly backordered for weeks, so owners drive without a working rear brake light or turn signal while they wait, which raises rear-end collision risk.

Third-row headrests will not fold forward, so the third-row seats cannot be lowered flat and cargo space is lost. A separate complaint describes a front headrest set so far forward that it pushes the driver's head down and makes watching the road uncomfortable. Lowering it out of the way would leave it in an unsafe position in a crash. Owners report that dealers have no alternate parts or fix to offer.

Automatic braking slams on while backing up with nothing behind the car, sometimes several times in one maneuver and starting in the first week of ownership. Owners say dealers acknowledge the problem but have no repair, so some turn the feature off entirely. Super Cruise also brakes suddenly when passing a car in the next lane, which can look like brake-checking and invites a rear-end crash. In other reports, adaptive cruise does not detect the car directly ahead and does not slow down.

Adaptive cruise control brakes hard at highway speeds of 55+ mph with no vehicle or obstacle ahead, and this happens repeatedly. Super Cruise disengages without warning, sometimes in the middle of a lane change or while cresting a hill, and in one report the car drifted toward oncoming traffic. Owners describe several dealer visits and long shop stays with no diagnosis. They say GM has told them no fix is available yet.