List of Suspension Issues in the GMC Acadia (11+ Pro Tips)

In this brief article we are going to discuss the different GMC Acadia Suspension problems, what the causes are, and Troubleshooting Tips.

Most common suspension issues in the GMC Acadia? 

The most common suspension issues seen in the GMC Acadia are:

  • Clunking Noise in the Front End
  • Front Shock Absorber Strut Failure
  • Rear Shock Absorber Failure
  • Front Lower Control Arm Failure
  • Front Wheel Bearing Failure
  • Rear Upper Control Arm Failure

What suspension does the GMC Acadia have?

The GMC Acadia was first launched as a Crossover SUV in 2007. The Acadia became the successor to the GMC Envoy and also replaced the 7 to 8 seater vehicles sold under the Buick-Pontiac-GMC Dealer network.

The first generation of the GMC Acadia belonged to the GM Lambda platform, shared with the Saturn Outlook, the Chevrolet Traverse, and the Buick Enclave.

Front Suspension

The GMC Acadia has a MacPherson Strut type of Front suspension with an Anti roll bar. This arrangement is mounted onto the front subframe.

Rear Suspension

The GMC Acadia has a rather Unique design 4-Link Independent rear suspension, which consists of an upper control arm(yellow), Toe-Link (green), Vertical link (white) and a Lower Control arm  (orange), all working align with a Coil Spring, Shock absorber and an anti-roll bar.

Clunking Noise from Front End

  • ‘Clunking’ noise during normal driving especially on bad and rough road patches that cause the vehicle to “Roll” more.
  • The same ‘Clunk’ noise reduces on smoother roads

Troubleshooting Clunking Noise from Front End

  • For most car suspensions, a ‘Clunk’ Noise is more related to the Anti-roll Bar assembly of the suspension
  • The two most probable causes are:
    • Anti roll bar Subframe mounting bush failure
    • Anti roll Bar End-link Ball-joint failure

Anti roll bar Subframe mounting bush failure

  • The Anti-Roll bar (ARB) bushings are the isolators between the ARB and the vehicle’s chassis. The bushings also ‘secure’ the ARB in place and restrict excessive movement so that the ARB can properly function.
  • The ARB-to-chassis bushing is a D-shaped Rubber part that is secured by a C-Clamp both in the Front as well as the rear suspension
  • The ARB is under torsional loads while the car is undergoing “Roll” motion either during cornering or Rough Roads. 
  • In these situations, when the ARB undergoes torsion, the mounting bushes also share part of the road loads.
  • Bushings that have aged, hardened, or simply worn out and become loose tend to cause noise as they allow unnecessary movement of the ARB.
  • You can easily check for Anti roll bar bush failure using a pry bar. Wedge it between the ARB and the subframe and try to lift the ARB. If it moves without much resistance and also creates a knock sound, then it means that the ARB bush needs to be changed.

Pro-Tip

  • While refitting the Antiroll bar subframe bushing use a good anti-seize paste at the contact surface between the anti roll bar and the rubber bushing
  • Anti-Seize application could be repeated periodically in order to prevent excessive wear, say, every 50K miles or so.
  • For improving handling, you could search in the aftermarket for the same bushing with harder material. The harness is generally denoted by the Shore ‘A’ hardness number.
  • The ARB-to-suspension connection is done using ARB end links. 
  • On the front axle, the end links use a sealed ball joint design that has a significant range of motion sufficient for the various movements of the front suspension. 
  • The rubber boot that protects the end link Ball-joints can tear, allowing the joint lubrication to seep out and exposing the ball joint to corrosion. The result is a clunking noise from the worn joint. 
  • If the end links’ mounting fasteners have loosened on either end, it could result in clunking noise.
  • On the rear suspension ARB end links, rubber bushings are used instead of ball joints. These end link bushings can age and then start to squeak. 
  • Use of Lubricants injected into the ball-joint by inserting a needle through the rubber boot could temporarily solve the squeaking sound problem. But it is always recommended that new end links be fitted.

Pro-Tip

  • When changing the Anti Roll Bar End Links (also called Drop Links), Jack up both sides of the car. 
  • If you jack only one side at a time, there will be a twist in the anti-roll bar because of which you would find it difficult to align the anti-roll bar and end link at the bolt hole.
  • Aftermarket End-Links with Greasable Ball-joints can be considered as an alternative. These would offer an extended life as compared to the OE sealed type of ball-joints, as they are serviceable.
  • When inspecting for suspension noises and anti-roll bars, always jack the chassis/body and let the wheels hang
  • When jacking up only one side, the anti roll bar applies downward pressure on both side wheels and it becomes difficult to check joints because they become extra tight.

Lower Control Arm Bushing

  • The rearward control Arm bush makes clunking noises going over bumps when it is completely worn out
  • The noise is similar to that made by the Anti roll bar chassis mounting bush. Hence, you can only confirm the noise source only by either
    • visually inspecting the rubber for cracks, or,
    • Using a pry bar to lift the control arm and see if you hear the noise
  • The rearward control arm bushing is a removable piece that dovetails to the lower control arm, hence it can be removed separately without replacing the lower control arm

Front Shock Absorber Strut Failure

Symptoms:

  • Rattling Noise going over any rough patches
  • Front end bouncier than normal
  • Changes in handling behaviour; Vehicle not feeling stable at high speed cornering
  • Explained as seen in 2007-2016 model years

Troubleshooting Front Shock Absorber Strut Failure

  • The Bouncy Ride symptom points to the Shock Absorber as a probable cause.
  • If your vehicle has crossed 50K miles, then it could be due for a shock replacement. Due to long-term internal wear, the shock starts becoming ineffective over time.
  • If the front strut shock has started leaking oil due to a failed oil-seal, then it means that the shock will no longer be effective.
  • One good way to tell if your shock has failed or not is to do a “Bounce Test”. Put all your weight on one of the front corners of the vehicle pushing it downwards. Keep oscillating the corner till you feel that it has reached its maximum height. Once you take your hands off the corner, observe how it settles. If it takes more than 2 oscillations to settle, that means the damper has failed.
  • In the GMC Acadia, the strut top mount bracket is located underneath the plastic shroud below the windshield wipers. These would need to be removed in order to access the strut top mount.

Rear Shock Absorber Failure

Symptoms:

  • Knocking and Popping Noises from the Rear going over bumps
  • Rear end feels bouncier
  • Explained as seen on the 2007-2016 first gen

Troubleshooting Rear Shock Failure

  • The Bouncy Ride symptom points to the Shock Absorber as a probable cause.
  • The noises coming from the rear are partly due to the failed shock absorber allowing the bump stops to contact more often. And also the noises partly come from the worn out shock mounting bushes that allow the shock to move and hit against the mounting brackets.
  • If your vehicle has crossed 40-50K miles, then it could be due for a shock absorber replacement. Due to long-term internal wear, the shock absorber starts losing its damping action over time.
  • If the rear shock has started leaking oil due to a failed oil-seal, then it means that the shock will no longer be effective.
  • One good way to tell if your shock has failed or not is to do a “Bounce Test”. Put all your weight on one of the front corners of the vehicle pushing it downwards. Keep oscillating the corner till you feel that it has reached its maximum height. Once you take your hands off the corner, observe how it settles. If it takes more than 2 oscillations to settle, that means the damper has failed.
  • Once the Strut Shock absorber has been dismantled, there is one more way to see the shock condition for yourself by way of a ‘Compression’ test. 
  • You can simply apply force on the top of the shock and compress it. If it can come back up on its own, then the shock is in fairly good condition. But if it takes too long or doesn’t expand on its own, it’s confirmed that the shock absorber has failed.
  • The Top mounting Bolts in the Rear Shocks of the GMC Acadia are located on the chassis side-rail
  • It is always recommended to either loosen or tighten the Lower mounting bolts of the rear shock absorber only when the rear axle has been supported either using a Hydraulic jack or a jack-stand.

Pro-Tips:

  • As per the Shock absorber manufacturer, a new shock absorber must always be ‘Started’ before it is fitted. To ‘Start’ a shock absorber, you must oscillate it 3-5 times by hand.
  • The reason for doing this is that when the shock absorber was stored lying down, in the fully compressed or expanded condition, the hydraulic fluid may not have flowed completely to one side of the piston. When this happens, the shock absorber will jerk during operation. ‘Starting’ will help to avoid this sort of jerky operation.
  • While fitting a new shock absorber, always, Tighten the Top mounting bolts first and then the Lower mounting bolt.

Front Lower Control Arm Failure

Symptoms:

  • Poor handling; the car seems to be drifting
  • Steering seems vague while Lane Changing
  • Uneven Tire Wear pattern
  • Knocking/Clunking Noises while going over Rough Patches
  • Explained as seen in 2007-2016 1st gen

Root Cause for Control Arm Failure:

  • Due to a Tire wear issue, it can be inferred that the alignment of the front suspension is outside of the recommended settings. But this is still a symptom.
  • The cause for alignment change points to the Upper and Lower control arm Bushings and Ball-joints that may have got worn or damaged
  • In some cases rust and corrosion would have affected the bolt as well as the inner rubber, causing the joint to have play

Troubleshooting Front Control Arm Ball-joint Failure

  • In any type of front suspension, the control arm ball-joints are subject to wear and tear
  • The deterioration is usually initiated as a crack or rupture in the rubber boot around the ball-joint
  • This leads to loss of lubrication and finally to complete wear out or, in some cases, Rust.
  • The wear out causes play or movement accompanied by knocking noise. The play in the ball-joint is one of the reasons for the vehicle steering feeling vague
  • You can easily check for Ball-joint condition by this simple procedure:
    • Get the car on a Ramp
    • Lock the steering wheel
    • Hold the front tire with both your hands in a 6 o’clock position and try to move the wheel up and down
    • If you hear a ‘Knock’ or ‘Click’, then it is very much likely that the noise is due to a play in either or both of the Ball-joints
  • Ball-joint failure could also lead to steering shake or wheel wobble at high speeds

Pro-Tips:

  • For control arm forward Bushing damage, it would always be better to change the control arm since it is complicated to press-fit new bushings
  • The control arm rearward bushing comes as a separate piece that can be easily replaced without removing the control arm

Front Wheel Bearing Failure

Symptoms:

  • Droning noise above 30 mph speeds
  • Sound is louder with increasing speed

Troubleshooting Front Wheel Bearing Failure

  • Droning noise is generally associated with one of the wheel bearings depending on where the noise is coming from
  • Wheel bearings generally have a life of 70K miles, after which, on detecting noise issues, must be replaced
  • In the GMC Acadia, the wheel bearing is housed within the Knuckle and the Wheel Spindle. It is of a single-piece design.
  • The Wheel Hub assembly comes as a unit along with the Wheel bearing press-fitted
  • Make sure to properly route the ABS sensor wire while mounting the Wheel hub assembly

Rear Upper Control Arm Failure

Symptom:

  • Rear Tire uneven wear; Cupping
  • Handling is poor; Rear end rolls more in lane changing
  • Knocking noises while driving over normal roads

Troubleshooting Rear Upper Control Arm failure

  • The rear Upper Control arm takes up part of the rolling resistance of the SUV, in effect, assisting the springs and Anti-roll bars
  • Failed or deteriorated rubber in the Upper Control arm bushes will result in lower roll resistance of the SUV and lead to poor handling
  • The Upper Control arm controls the Toe alignment of the rear wheels. When the control arm bushes fail, it the tire offers lesser resistance to road cornering loads and hence the alignment gets disturbed.
  • Out-of-alignment wheels tend to show uneven wear problems 

Conclusion

In this brief article we have discussed the different GMC Acadia Suspension problems, what the causes are, and Troubleshooting Tips.

For any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with us.