Problems with 2008 GMC Acadia EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Daytime running light reflector melted on right and left side.

This is the second complaint i have made has still have not heard anything. this is sad that it has not been dealt with. i hope my family is not in a serious accident because of this car.

Headlights are burning up about every 2 months does not matter what side they are not lasting

The lights are going in and out, and the high beams as well as the taillights are doing the same. i was told there is a short in the system. the steering system is making a very loud noise any time the steering wheel is moved. the stability lights as well as others keep coming on and off but when checked shows nothing is wrong.

Known issue with daytime running lights on gmc acadia, but we were not notified. assembly can cause melting of housing and has done so to our left headlight assembly. if headlight were to burnout, we'd have to replace the entire assembly (we were quoted $1700 to do so). we cannot financially afford to do this and are concerned that this could cause a fire or melting of other parts.

I have hid lights and the low beam socket of the headlight assembly has melted to the point that the light bulbs will no longer stay in place.

Daytime running lights bulbs repeatedly burned out and now the wire harness has melted down. fuse failed to trip. damage has now been caused to the entire drl assembly (melting, see photo). additionally i am concerned that whatever caused the bulb and wiring to melt will cause a vehicle fire and endanger my family. there are many cases of the drl bulb and harness melting, but my local gm dealer said there was no recall when i called to discuss the issue. gm/saturn released a letter authorizing paid repairs, that was valid from 2011-2013, but these vehicles are still on the road, and it needs to be a recall regardless of warranty status. the replacement parts have been recalled--gm knows there is an issue with these components.

I have hid headlight and both daytime running lights have severely melted and cracked reflectors. both bulbs were melted into there sockets to the point i had to completely replace the socket. when i attempted to re insert the socket into the reflector housing i was un able to install it as the reflector was missing over half of the retaining ring due to it being melted. one socket looked extremely blackened due to excessive heat. both light are temp installed as i am unable to correctly install due to severely melted reflector.

I just replaced my left side low beam light for the second time in the past 12 months. when i pulled out the old bulb, it looked burnt on the tip of instead of the first time i treplaced it a year ago when the wires became loose and burnt out like a typical light bulb. today is the second time within a week that the speakers went out and there was no sound coming out at all. the main fuse is good and i drained the water from the connectors on all the doors. there seems to be a shortage somewhere in the system because it would take 5-10 minutes for the sound to come back on. does anyone know any solutions to fix this problem diy instead of taking it to the dealer?

The running lights burn out frequently. not at the same time. each one we've replaced at least 4 times, which is way too much. we are using good quality bulbs too. now the inside of the headlight assembly is melted where the bulb socket itself snaps in so we can't keep the socket and bulb in its place. the replacement headlight assembly is not cheap for this vehicle

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. while driving at unknown speeds, the front passenger side headlight became inoperable without warning. the vehicle was not diagnosed; however, the bulb was replaced. the contact mentioned that the failure recurred on two separate occasions. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

The daytime running lights have been replaced several times. the mechanic indicates,the holding fixtures are melting and the electrical wires are melting. this constitutes a potential fire situation. gmc must be responsible for the under-engineered assembly.

Driving the vehicle down the road - all of a sudden the low beam headlights cut off. we were able to switch to high beams and they work - but the low beam lights are both out. sounds like the same issue noticed in a recent announcement with gm vehicles like the trailblazer - but the arcadia was not listed in the recall notice.

I have a 2008 gmc acadia and my passenger low beam kept going out every 2-3 months. finally after replacing it 5 times, we found out the wiring harness was getting so hot it actually melted the harness. i've read several times that this is a normal thing, but gmc refuses to do a recall on the headlights. not only is it dangerous to only have 1 low beam working, but it is a fire hazard if you just keep replacing the bulb. my wiring harness is so bad that it disintegrated in my hand the last time i went to change a bulb. that's how i found out there's a major problem.

Driver side and passenger side headlamp went out. replaced bulb and still not light. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. the contact stated that the day time running headlights burned, melting the area surrounding the light bulb. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the headlights needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 103,000. the vin was not available. mailed out 01/13/15*lj

There is a potential fire hazard with the daylight running lights overheating before they burn out on both driver and passenger side. the bulb gets so hot that they melt the bulb socket causing an electrical fire hazard. the heat also has made the headlight housing brittle and cracked to where the socket wont stay in place inside the headlight housing thus causing the bulb to lay on the plastic causing a fire hazard. general motors knows about this fire hazard because i have called it to there attention and because they have a customer satisfaction program #13135. they have also recalled some 2007 and 2009 to 2011 vehicles but not 2008 with the same problem. *tr

I have been told a million times now that i have a headlight out. it's my daytime running light on the passenger side. so when we went to change the light bulb we noticed that it looked burnt so we cleaned it up and changed the bulb. a few weeks later the light did the same thing but would work once in a while. we took it apart again today to find the same thing that the harness was again burnt looking. this is an extremely common problems with the acadias. i think it is gm's responsibility to fix it. *tr

Right headlight gasket around daytime running light overheated and melted headlight casing causing entire headlight assembly to need to be replaced. did not discover until realizing daytime light was not coming on. unsure of how long the issue had been going on. *tr

Headlamp wiring melted the headlamp module and bulb receptacle there was no fire but there could have been i was informed there was a service directive on this that expired on 12/31 but i still had to pay $240 to have it repaired when i googled the problem i found multiple complaints about this defect. i feel it is something you should look into. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. the contact stated that the headlights failed to function properly. the contact also mentioned that the sockets were melted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 90,000.

Day time running light went out and the socket and housing melted. *tr

Passenger side headlight failed to properly function, bulb was changed and still failed to function properly. problem seems rooted in manufacturer's wire harness not properly functioning.

We purchased our 2008 acadia in 2011, it had approximately 30,000 miles on it at the time of purchase. less than thirty days after purchase we had to replace the front rotors. at 40,000 miles we had to replace the front brakes; the air conditioner backed up, which required maintenance to the blower motor; and the head lights went out, which required replacement. at 45,000 miles the rear struts went out, which required replacement; and we had to replace two tires. at 60,000 miles the water pump went out and needed to be replaced. at 55,000 miles the front struts went out, which needed replacing, along with four new tires, and a new set of headlights. at 60,000 miles the rear brakes and rotors needed to be replaced. at 70,000 miles the transmission went out, which also required replacement. the final incident happened on 6/10/13 at 74,000 miles, while i was driving with all three of my children. i was going 50 miles an hour on a highway, and the entire car shut down. the steering console locked with the keys in the ignition, i had no ability to steer the vehicle, the brakes did not function either. i had to use the parking brake to slow the vehicle down, barely avoiding a collision with another vehicle.

Daylight running lights overheat both driver and passenger sides. there is evidence that both bulb sockets have overheated and the light housing has cracked from the overheating. with the bulb and socket overheating this has the possibility of causing a fire, with evidence being the cracked lamp housing form the heat. i have replaced the bulbs on both sides always using dielectric grease. i have owned this car since 2010 and replaced the right side bulb 3 times and now on the left side 4 times. there is a factory recall on other year models but not on the 2008 gmc acadia slt-2 having every bell and whistle. it was monday, nov. 19, 2012 when this electrical system failure happened again. *tr

While it was raining outside, i was sitting in the back seat and happened to look up and saw water/ rain trickling out from around the rear interior overhead light, it was also coming in around the sensor in the overhead. the trickle eventually slowed down to a drip. in my opinion, water and electricity don't mix. *tr

The drl went out and we took it to the dealer to be replaced. they said the housing around the wiring/light had melted and we would need to replace the entire housing at a cost of $1,100. they stated it was a fire hazard. i am out of warranty and see that this is a common issue. *tr

I replaced the driver side daytime running lamp and 8 days later replaced passenger side daytime running lamp. the last bulb replaced was on the passenger side and now is burned out again less than three weeks later. there is evidence on both bulb connectors of overheating. dielectric grease has been used everytime bulbs have been changed through out the life of the vehicle. to the best of my knowledge, any time there is overheating on an electrical circuit further problems could arise. there is a factory recall on other year models but not on the 2008 gmc acadia slt-2 having every bell & whistle along with higher price tag than lesser trim packages. *tr

Low beam headlight out. have changed twice within a 2 month period. second time i changed it went out the very next day. *tr

My vehicle has an issue with the daytime driving lights and headlights. the lights have failed multiple times due to the bulb melting into, and fusing to, the headlight assembly. this created a condition where the entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced. this includes the lens piece, the bulb, and the wiring connector. this is an issue at night (no/misaligned headlights), the loss of the benefit of daytime driving lights, and i imagine a possible fire. *tr

Passenger side headlight doesn't work. connector is burnt. appears to be electrical problem and requires entire head light unit to be replaced. not covered under extended warranty. cost is ~$600. *tr

2008 acadia. low beam lights suddenly stop operating while driving. severe safety hazard. gmc forums on internet show hundreds of consumers experiencing same issue. our low beam drivers side went out. low beam passenger side two days later. due to poor engineering, the lights cannot be accessed without removing the bumper or tires. not a bulb issue. problem with melted wiring harness. there was no to way replace the wiring harness without splicing the wiring and installing an aftermarket connector part. possible fire hazard as the bulbs are too hot for the current wiring. the harness replacement will only fail again because the wiring cannot handle the heat. this issue can leave you stranded on a dark road at night with no headlamps that may just suddenly go out. this is a potentially serious and deadly problem. according to the many forums, this is a common issue on acadias and saturn outlooks. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. the contact stated the wiring for the headlights was melting and caused the headlights to shut off. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated the wiring for the headlights was not covered by the warranty. the failure and current mileage was 45,000.

I was driving my 2008 gmc acadia slt in the evening, and when i switched from high beams to low beams, everything went black. i thought maybe my bulbs had burnt out, so took it to the dealership the next day. to my surprise, they discovered that the bulbs had melted the connectors, as well as the wiring harness, and everything has to be replaced. *tr

My 2008 gmc acadia passenger side head light went out about 2 months ago. i purchased a replacement light bulb and took it to my mechanic. when he took apart the compartment where the light is he found that the wiring harness that plugs into the bulb was completely burned and melted. there was no way of replacing the wiring harness without splicing the wiring and installing an aftermarket connector part. this weekend the drivers side bulb was out and again we had it taken apart only to find the identical problem with that bulb. in addition he checked on the other one just to see how it was working and found that the bulb is again getting too hot for the wiring and will likely burn up the harness again. the vehicle has been recalled for 2 electrical issues, the most recent being a circuit that could over heat and cause a fire. in addition to the headlight issues i have had my passenger side rear window wont roll down and the power rear hatch has started to malfunction and closes at random and if not careful will smash you if you are under it. *tr

The headlight covering has melted to where the lights are not bright enough to really see well at night. car has 103,000 and the headlight assembly has let water into the inside and. the lights are on all the time and the covering is plastic. we have owned the car since new. saw and have read reports of others with the same condition.

I own a 2008 gmc acadia with melting headlights. the plastic housing is melting and the bulbs are melting into the sockets. i have had problems for many months with the electrical system including replacing 3 batteries in 1 1/2 years. i have had the vehicle checked by the dealer which finds "no problem" with the electrical system, and no explanation for the battery life. with intense heat that would be necessary to cause this socket to melt, metal and all, is of great concern, and is a potential fire hazard. this vehicle also was involved in a recent recall for possible fire with heated windshield wipers (now disconnected). hopefully, this can be investigated, so that no one gets hurt. *tr

Day time running lights burn out on gmc acadia. light gets so hot, they melted and burned the headlight assembly. this is a possible fire hazard. i have had the lamps replaced 4 times by the dealership, between both headlights assemblies. less then 60,000 miles, the headlight assembly was so badly burnt and bridle, it fell apart in the technicians hand and it would not hold a lamp anymore. the whole entire headlight assembly needs replaced. the problem is caused by heat from the halogen lamps. an easy fix could be replacing the halogen lamps with leds. these are day time lamps only and are on all the time. this is a very poor design and craftsmanship by gmc and a safety issue they are not willing to correct. i have tried addressing the issue directly with gmc with no luck. *tr

Headlight failure due to faulty wiring in headlight assembly. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. the contact stated the front driver side low beam headlight would no longer illuminate. while replacing the headlight himself, the contact noticed the wiring harness was melted. the contact stated he was able to rewire the wiring harness to repair the headlight. approximately one year later, the failure recurred on the front passenger side headlight. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the wiring harness for the passenger side headlight was melted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 60,000.

I have had multiple problems with the daytime driving lights over heating and causing the entire headlight assembly to melt. incidences on 8-1-09 8-15-09 4-8-10 and 11-15-12. and again in 2013. the fact that there is enough heat to melt the assembly to the housing tells me there is possibility of a fire. this is obviously a design and mechanical flaw of the vehicle. the consumer end of this is that along with the chance of fire, the vehicle's design requires the entire front grill to be removed in order to replace the headlight wiring harness and housing. this labor intensive method means that replacing this part can cost upward of $900. and it still does not address the initial problem of the overheating that caused the wiring harness to melt into the housing. so you are just waiting for it to happen again and hope that it is within the 30 days warranty for repairs. and wondering if my car is going to catch fire. *tr

My daughter sliced her hand on the jewel lamp inside edge of the rear taillight assembly on our 2008 gmc acadia while getting in and out of the hatchback. i will try and sand it down, but the plastic edge from the mold is very sharp. *tr

Multiple problems with this vehicle. it has been in the shop more than 10 times in the past 4 years that i have owned it, frustrating. list of repairs: timing belt, head lights, steering, camshaft, oil leak, struts, brakes and this is what i can recall mostly.this vehicle has had multiple services especially for service stability track that never gets repaired, they can't find the problem. also service air bag keeps coming on but dealership cannot do anything while the light is not on. very frustrated with this vehicle. i have never experienced so many repairs and services with any other vehicle as i have the acadia. i owned a galant car before the acadia for 5 years and only had to do one repair in those 5 years i owned it. i regret purchasing this vehicle! i am a single mother of two and i need a dependable vehicle not one that is malfunctioned! *tr

i was taking my daughter to florida for cheer leading competition; i was just outside of illinois when the check airbag light and message screen came on thankfully the light went off but came back on on our way back to chicago and kept coming on and off. took it to dealer but they only said that the harness was tight they only wiggled it and light went off but came back a couple of days later. then the power steering started making noise dealer said they didn't hear anything and didn't do anything and noise is getting louder. then suspension stared it making noise. took it to dealer and had tie rods replaced. then the service airbag problem came back and this time didn't go away. took it to the dealer and they said that the harness was to tight and they rerouted it so it wasn't tight anymore. worked for a couple of days and its on again but i didn't take it back and now is past its warranty.then head lamp went out. had to pay dealer $180 (rip off) next the other head light went out. my nephew replaced it in less than 10 min. now there is a recall for that head light problem. then wipers arm came loose from motor i had my cousin fix it for me. now i have had the check engine light on for a couple of weeks took it to autozone came back with the code to replace the canister purge solenoid now i have the transmission problem, it started to act funny shifting pretty hard some times and then a few days ago i was driving on the freeway coming home when i notice the rpms at about 45000 and it wouldn't change gears and the fuel gauge started going nuts i don't know why and had to drive it home on the same gear. took it to autozone and came back with the same code for the solenoid plus p0700/p0716/p0717 for the transmission. now my acadia is just sitting on my driveway no money to fix it and driving my 15 year old truck hoping gmc does something about this nightmare

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 gmc acadia. at night, the driver side headlight fails to illuminate properly. the light emits a shadow, which makes it difficult for the contact to see other vehicle's or objects on the driver side. the dealer stated that the alignment is correct and found no failure with the vehicle. the manufacturer stated that the headlight is correctly designed and meets factory specifications. the current mileage was 2,115 and failure mileage was 1,700. updated 04/28/08. *lj