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2013 Gmc Acadia Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2013 Gmc Acadia carries 3 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering seat belts and side/window. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Service air bag warning light and wiring recall repeat.” GMC trucks and SUVs use the GM Oil Life System (OLS) — the same algorithm as Chevrolet. Because GMC's lineup is exclusively trucks and SUVs, severe-service intervals apply to most owners (towing, hauling, off-roading). The schedule below surfaces the items most relevant to GMC's truck-focused buyer.

3 Open Recalls

Source: NHTSA

SEAT BELTS

Campaign #14V266000 · May 20, 2014

Issue: 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 March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.

Risk: If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.

Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Campaign #14V118000 · Mar 17, 2014

Issue: 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.

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.

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.

AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Campaign #21V246000 · Aug 4, 2021

Issue: 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.

Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.

Recall data refreshed Sep 6, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2013 Gmc Acadia.

Reported to NHTSA

Service air bag warning light and wiring recall repeat

AIR BAGS

18 NHTSA complaints · 2015-09 → 2026-07

“Light “Service Air Bag” came on and will not go off going at speed of 10 mph”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11498067
“A MESSAGE APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD STATING "SERVICE AIR BAG". I BROUGHT MY 2013 GMC ACADIA TO KING O'ROURKE DEALERSHIP IN SMITHTOWN, NY. THEY INFORMED ME "THERE IS A FAULTY SENSOR WHICH CONTROLS THE AIRBAGS. SINCE THE SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE, MY AIRBAGS WILL NO LONGER WORK"”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11482030
“AIRBAG WIRING SHORT REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA RECALL 14V118 ON SEPT 30, 2014. THEN SEPT 13, 2019 AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AGAIN AND DEALER HAD TO REPAIR SAME AIRBAG WIRING. DEALER AND GMC REFUSED TO HONOR ORIGINAL RECALL AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR ONE REPAIR OF THIS WIRING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11255609

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Side blind zone sensor failure from water intrusion

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

7 NHTSA complaints · 2018-04 → 2020-02

“SERVICE SIDE DETECTION SENSORS . SENSORS FAILED 3 TIMES.SENSORS FILL WITH WATER FREEZE AND SHORT OUT. CABLE HARNESS ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT MELTED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11310157
“THE SIDE BLIND ZONE DETECTION SYSTEM BECAME DEFECTIVE, FROM DEFECTIVE MODULES DAMAGED FROM THE ELEMENTS. THIS CAUSES MANY ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO BECOME DISABLED AND EVEN DISABLES THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THERE IS A SPECIAL WARRANTY BUT ONLY UP TO 80,000 MILES. MY VEHICLE IS BEYOND”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11309080
“SIDE DETECTION MODULE IS A WARRANTY RECALL BY GM AND THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE PART DUE TO MILEAGE. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THE RECALL BY GM SO THEY SHOULD HONOR THEIR RECALL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11220626

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Transmission shudder and torque converter failure

POWER TRAIN

11 NHTSA complaints · 2017-01 → 2025-04

“SHUDDER IN TRANSMISSION. HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT FOUND OUT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND ALMOST SHATTERED. OVER $5000 FIX”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11320731
“THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT BAD WITHIN 5 YEARS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF WHEN STOPPED AND SHUTTERING WHEN ACCELERATING. THE REPAIRS COST ME $1500”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11157029
“HAVE VIBRATION WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP DUE TO DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER WITH ONLY 95500 MILES ON VEHICLE HAD TO REPLACE AND REBUILD TRANSMISSION”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11173501

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Headlight failure and low-beam visibility

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

7 NHTSA complaints · 2013-06 → 2022-05

“2013 GMC Acadia left brake light, tail light, turn signal bulb is burned out. There is no way to purchase another bulb. Retail stores don't have it. General Motors Corporation discontinued it. 2013 to 2017 GMC Acadia all affected”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11463626
“THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE HORRIBLE , IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD . WHEN DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS ONLY LIGHT UP THE ROAD ABOUT 6 FT IN FEONT OF YOU ON LOW BEAM AND THERE IS A DISTINCT LINE WHERE THEY STOP SHINING UPWARDS WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT 4 FT UP INTO THE SKY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11230189
“FRONT HEADLAMP COLLECTS WATER. LIGHT IS DISTORTED AND BLURRY TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. BOUGHT CAR DURING A DRY SPELL FROM DEALER. AFTER A DAY OF RAIN HEADLAMP POOLS WATER AND CONDENSATION AND HASN'T BEEN DRY SINCE (6 WEEKS)”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10947941

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stall and piston connecting rod failure

ENGINE

6 NHTSA complaints · 2018-09 → 2025-07

“PISTON CONNECTOR ROD PUT A WHOLE IN THE ENGINE AT ONLY 62700 (2700 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE THAT WAS ALWAYS CHANGED AFTER OIL CHANGE LIGHT CAME ON AROUND EVERY 4500 TO 5000 MILES)MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE WERE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON MAJOR HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY STOP RESPONDING AND”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11166589
“PISTON PUT A WHOLE IN THE ENGINE AT ONLY 40,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE WERE DRIVING AT 70MPH ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE - DRIVERS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11129912
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC ARCADIA. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED. ALSO, THE STABILITRAK DISABLE AND TRACTION CONTROL DISABLE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11268736

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Vehicle fire originating in engine or electrical system

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE

5 NHTSA complaints · 2013-11 → 2024-04

“AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM A SHORT 5 MILE DRIVE IN THE EVENING ON 11/19/13, I SHUT OFF MY 6 MONTH OLD CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SPARKS AND FIRE WERE COMING OUT BELOW THE ENGINE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10567255
“WHILE DROPPING OFF SOME KINDERGARTENERS AFTER A PLAYDATE, I WAS PARKED IN MY FRIENDS DRIVEWAY AND LEFT 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. AS I STOOD THERE WITH MY FRIEND NEXT TO THE CAR, I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER TIRE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10553646
“My 2013 GMC ACADIA started fire on April 9, 2024 around 11PM in the driveway of our home. The vehicle was parked and off. The vehicle wasn’t used during the day. The last day of use was on April 8, 2024 around 6PM. The fire department stated it was potentially an electrical fire”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11582226

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Note: NHTSA also opened 2 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (per Oil Life System)

Every 7,500 mi

Change oil when OLS reaches 0% or every 12 months. dexos1-approved synthetic required on Sierra 1500 5.3L/6.2L; dexos2 specified on Duramax diesel.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate tires every 7,500 miles. Sierra and Yukon owners running 4x4 should rotate every 5,000-7,500 miles to even out drivetrain wear.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Towing accelerates pad wear by 30-50%; check more often if towing regularly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

DOT 3 brake fluid: test annually, replace when moisture exceeds 3% or fluid is darker than copper.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 45,000 mi

Long-life cellulose filter rated 45,000 miles. Trucks driven on unpaved roads or construction sites should inspect at every oil change.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

Severe service (towing 5,000+ lbs regularly, heavy stop-and-go): every 45,000 miles. Normal: 97,500 miles. Use Dexron-VI for 6L80/6L90, Mobil 1 LV ATF HP for 10L80/10L1000.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Transfer Case Fluid (4WD)

Every 45,000 mi

Sierra and Yukon 4WD: replace every 45,000 miles. Use GM Auto-Trak II for active 4WD; GM 9986115 for selectable 4WD.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Differential Fluid (front + rear)

Every 50,000 mi

Replace front and rear axle fluid every 50,000 miles, or 25,000 miles if towing. G80 limited-slip rear axles require GM friction-modifier additive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Spark Plugs

Every 100,000 mi

Iridium spark plugs on the L83/L84 5.3L and L86/L87 6.2L V8 are rated 100,000 miles. AFM/DFM cylinder deactivation can cause uneven plug wear — check at 75,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Dex-Cool Engine Coolant

Every 50,000 mi

Dex-Cool (orange): first change at 150,000 miles or 5 years, then every 50,000. Duramax diesel uses ELC (red) — different chemistry, do not mix.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 22,500 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 22,500 miles. Sierra HD and Yukon XL owners in dusty work environments should replace at 15,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

19 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

5

complaints mentioning a crash

8

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2013 Gmc Acadia reflects GMC's published service intervals and the Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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