How common are electrical problems in the 2011 GMC Acadia?

NHTSA lists 77 Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Acadia, which is 29% of the 269 total complaints filed for that model year.

Is there a recall for the 2011 GMC Acadia electrical system?

No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this component on the 2011 Acadia.

Did the electrical issues cause any fires?

NHTSA records 7 fires among the Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Acadia, with no crashes or injuries reported.

At what mileage do electrical failures typically show up?

The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2011 Acadia is 70,669.

What is the most common electrical complaint?

Owners most often describe daytime running light bulbs overheating and melting the headlight housing, sometimes recurring after dealer repair.

2011 GMC Acadia Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 77 Electrical System complaints for the 2011 GMC Acadia, 29% of all complaints for that year, including 7 fires. The median failure mileage is 70,669. No related recall is listed for this component.

Electrical System complaints: 77; 29% of 269
Crashes reported: 0
Fires reported: 7
Injuries reported: 0
Median mileage: 70,670 mi
Related recalls: 0

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

Daytime running light bulbs overheat and melt the plastic headlight housing, sometimes on both sides.
Melted headlight housings make the bulb impossible to remove or reseat, requiring full headlight assembly replacement.
Some owners report smoke coming from the headlight area after the housing melts around the bulb.
A relay near the fuse/relay box under the hood overheats and melts its mounting spot, causing circuit and fuse box problems and disabling the A/C fan.
Power door lock, window, and rear hatch functions work intermittently, sometimes requiring door module replacement and reprogramming.
Power window controls intermittently fail to close passenger windows from the driver-side control panel.

When 2011 GMC Acadia electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 20, 2012, latest May 10, 2026.

77 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q3 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q3 (6).

Electrical System recalls for the 2011 GMC Acadia

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Electrical System complaints by Acadia model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

201059 (17%)
201177 (29%)
201257 (19%)
201346 (34%)
2014101 (22%)
201537 (15%)
201626 (11%)
2017216 (31%)
2018109 (28%)
2019114 (30%)
202028 (27%)
202138 (26%)
202215 (31%)
202310 (23%)
202412 (20%)
20257 (11%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are electrical problems in the 2011 GMC Acadia?: NHTSA lists 77 Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Acadia, which is 29% of the 269 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2011 GMC Acadia electrical system?: No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this component on the 2011 Acadia.
Did the electrical issues cause any fires?: NHTSA records 7 fires among the Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Acadia, with no crashes or injuries reported.
At what mileage do electrical failures typically show up?: The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2011 Acadia is 70,669.
What is the most common electrical complaint?: Owners most often describe daytime running light bulbs overheating and melting the headlight housing, sometimes recurring after dealer repair.