- The problem
- 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 August 17, 2006, to March 18, 2010. The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power liftgate up when open. These struts may prematurely wear and the open liftgate may suddenly fall.
- The risk
- If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
Vehicle safety record
2008 GMC Acadia Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 858 complaints about the 2008 GMC Acadia with NHTSA, most often about the transmission & drivetrain (279) and the electrical system (154). Those complaints describe 22 crashes, 13 fires and 38 injuries. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in June 2015 for the hatchback / liftgate. For comparison, the 2007 has 431 and the 2009 has 333.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Acadia year, for its age
#18 most complained-about 2008 vehicle
- Complaints
- 858
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 22
- Fires
- 13
- Injuries
- 38
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2008 GMC Acadia problems
Share of all 858 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2008 GMC Acadia recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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 deploying in the event of a crash.
- The risk
- Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.
- The problem
- Gm is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 buick, lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; model year 2008-2009 buick enclave; cadillac cts; model year 2007-2009 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; gmc acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl; saturn outlook; and model year 2009 chevrolet traverse vehicles equipped with a heated washer fluid system (hwfs). A recall was implemented in 2008 to add a fuse to the control circuit harness to address the potential consequences of a printed circuit board (pcb) electrical short. However, there have been new reports of thermal incidents on hwfs modules after this improvement was installed. These incidents resulted from a new failure mode attributed to the device's thermal protection feature. The significance varies from minor distortion to considerable melting of the plastic around the hwfs fluid chamber.
- The risk
- It is possible for the heated washer module to ignite and a fire may occur.
- The fix
- Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently disabled and removed from the vehicle. The safety recall began on june 11, 2010. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 and hummer at 1-800-732-5493 or at the owner center at www.Gmownercenter.Com.
- The problem
- Gm is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 buick lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; my 2007-2008 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; gmc acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, saturn outlook; and my 2008 buick enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire.
- The risk
- This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on september 12, 2008. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.Cadillac.Com; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; saturn at 1-800-972-8876 or http://www.Saturn.Com, gmc at 1-866-996-9436; or hummer at 1-800-732-5493; or through their website at <a href=http://www.Gmownercenter.Com>http://www.Gmownercenter.Com</a> .
- The problem
- Gm is recalling 88,809 my 2008 buick enclave, and my 2007-2008 gmc acadia and saturn outlook vehicles currently or previously registered in the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north dakota, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, utah, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming, and the district of columbia. If a buildup of snow or ice on the windshield or on the wipers restricts the movement of the wiper arm, the windshield wiper linkage may become detached from the motor shaft and the wipers may become inoperative.
- The risk
- If this were to occur, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a new wiper crank arm, driver's side link, and a crank arm nut. The recall began o october 13, 2008. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or through their website at <a href=http://www.Gmownercenter.Com>http://www.Gmownercenter.Com</a> .
What owners say
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858 complaints about the 2008 GMC Acadia
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 35.
The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side air bags deployed; however, the vehicle was not involved in a crash. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to start the vehicle and the starter was inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle remained at the residence, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Lifegate wont open all the way airbag light is on and truck shimmering when I drive it
The car would not shift causing me to pull over on the side of a highway to restart the car this happened 5 times in a row b4 the car would shift into proper gear
Lift gate closes by itself I have to put a pole to hold it up and it won't hit me, it says the air bags needs to be serviced, stabilitrak keeps going off, ball bearing needs work. Radio won't turn on no sound on air signals, the body chasis something popped while driving, the tracking control keeps turning off, the seats move while driving, catalytic converter are moving car only go 12 mpg.
The traction control turns on and then the shifts don't work and I can't drive since there is no speed also the rpm and the gas the speed and the battery gages start flickering up and down then I turn off the truck and it continues to work fine but after 40 miles or so it does it all again
The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while her daughter-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made a popping sound, and then the fuse box near the passenger's side headlight caught fire. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's daughter-in-law was able to exit the vehicle. There were no injuries, and medical attention was not received. Bystanders called the police and fire departments. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. Police and fire department...
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reports were filed. The fire chief informed the contact that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not yet been deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Transmissions will not shift out of 1st gear. And puts out a 752 code. This can happen at anytime. Vehicle will suddenly lose power at any time.
The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the battery had previously been replaced; however, the battery failed to retain a charge. The contact had to recharge the battery every day to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that water had leaked from the windshield and cowl to behind the glovebox, causing the battery to fail; however, no repair was recommended. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Deer hit me on the highway at 2am on December 26th. No air bags deployed.
UNKNOWN 2008 GMC ACADIA back lift starts to open and then shuts right back down. try to raise it manually and it falls right back down. It can really hurt someone. would like to know what causes it to do that and if there is a recall.
Check engine light came on for the TCM. Car has had issues shifting (very rough shifting) and the manual shift option does not work. Was told the TCM had to be replaced. Attempt was made to replace it with a refurbished TCM but that couldn't be programmed to the car. Was then told I would have to buy a brand new one, which is very expensive, and that there was no guarantee that would fix the problem. Car can not be driven over 20mph without risking burning up the transmission. Car also jerks forward very hard when trying to gently accelerate.
Airbag light on 24/7, ABS malfunction traction control system turns off randomly, wiper blade fluid not spraying (front, rear) engine misfire on idle, clear/white smoke from hood and burning smell.
The contact owned a 2008 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, a grayish-colored smoke as well as an abnormal sound emit from the engine without warning. The contact pulled over and exited the vehicle as the vehicle was quickly engulfed in flames. The contact called the fire department and they extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed(#23-046145) and no injuries were reported. The contact stated that the highway barrier was damaged as a result of the fire. The vehicle was then towed to...
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an independent mechanic where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Started losing power and had problems cranking. Now won't cranking at all. P0123 error code.
Head gaskets and engine default and ground wire system defaulted.
Turned key to start,it did not.mechanic said timing chain failed.
The air bags light came on with no reason truck never being in a crash, the abs and the off road light is on too, the break lights are on while you don't step on the pedal and they go off when you step on it...
Liftgate Malfunction: When rear liftgate is manually opened on vehicle, it continues to make a noise after it is completely opened. This noise sounds as though the liftgate is still in the process of opening. There is also an issue when closing the liftgate. Although it is properly closed, it will show a warning sign moments later in the car saying it is opened. When the car is put back in park to check, the liftgate is closed, but the latch has released. So the liftgate is able to be opened without pressing the...
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button to open it. Sometimes it can take a few times of closing the liftgate for it to stay latched and properly closed. The automatic opening function of the liftgate does not work as well.
Warning message appears on dash showing windshield wiper fluid is low/empty when it doesn't need it. This warning message remains lit even when the fluid has just been refilled.
Passenger Airbag warning light has been showing on my dash since I purchased the vehicle in October of 2021. I brought the vehicle to an auto repair shop to have it checked, and was told that the airbags would malfunction if I were to get into an accident that called for them to deploy.
It was in a front end Collision the airbags didn't deploy my insurance said they totaled the car out due to needing a lot of money to fix it and I contacted gm about it they said there was no recalls and no repairs were don't to it
The headlights don't work even after replacing. It rains in the vehicle from the sunroof. The gas tank isn't registering even after fixing it. So the engine doesn't know how much to put out etc etc and it makes the car jerk horribly. This vehicle is a fire hazard due to raining inside on everything upfront. I have kids I pray nothing happens!!
Well my back trunk doesnt worrk well i open it but it closes half way it almost closed on me and its done that more then 3 times and im not sure why its scary cause my child almost got hit with it not opening right.
The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The vehicle had previously been serviced at the dealer under NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V118000 (Air Bags) and 15V415000 (Structure) however, after the recall repairs were performed, the rear springs fractured. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed that a section of the rear spring was on the ground. After inspecting underneath the vehicle, he noticed that the rear springs were fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer informed the contact that the rear springs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,572.
Vehicle has a sunroof drainage issue. Water leaks in through the corners of the sunroof and spills into the dashboard and under the carpeting. The vehicle has suffered electrical damage, corrosion, and mold because of the sunroof drainage issue. I have seen forums with hundreds of other owners who have suffered the same exact sunroof drainage problem with their 2007-2008 GMC Acadias. GMC says my vehicle is not listed in the recall, but I find that laughable. There are way too many Acadia owners that have this exact issue for it not to be a problem with all Acadias.
GMC Acadia: every year compared
All Acadia years2008 GMC Acadia vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 GMC Acadia | 858 | 5 | F | |
| 2008 Ford Edge | 1,120 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee | 734 | 5 | B | Compare |
| 2008 Hyundai Santa FE | 541 | 6 | D | Compare |
| 2008 Buick Enclave | 536 | 6 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Toyota Highlander | 406 | 13 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Nissan Pathfinder | 328 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Subaru Outback | 230 | 8 | C | Compare |
| 2008 Kia Sorento | 217 | 3 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2008 GMC Acadia
Does the 2008 GMC Acadia have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2008 GMC Acadia: hatchback / liftgate (June 2015); side / window (March 2014); electrical system (June 2010); electrical system (August 2008) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 GMC Acadia?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the transmission & drivetrain (279), electrical system (154), airbags (154).
How many complaints has the 2008 GMC Acadia had?
858 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 25, 2007 and the latest on July 27, 2026. Of these, 22 describe a crash and 13 a fire, and together they report 38 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2008 GMC Acadia a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 17 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical GMC Acadia year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which GMC Acadia years have the most complaints?
2008 (858), 2017 (707), 2014 (468). See every GMC Acadia year compared.
What should I do if my 2008 GMC Acadia has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data