GMC Acadia Won’t Start (Causes & How To Fix)
If your GMC Acadia won’t start, you may be looking for suggestions on what could be wrong and a solution for this problem. You’re not alone in this. Many other Acadia owners have experienced this problem at some point. This guide will take a closer look at this problem and offer you helpful suggestions on how to deal with it.
GMC Acadia won’t start can be caused by a variety of factors ranging from a weak or dead battery, bad battery connections, a failing alternator or charging system, a blown fuse, starter malfunction, ignition switch issues, or even engine failure.
This article will take you through all the common problems behind your car refusing to start and troubleshooting tips for each problem. Whether your car cranks but won’t start, starts intermittently, makes a clicking noise but won’t start, fails to start after replacing the battery, etc., this article will help you resolve the issue.
All Potential Causes Why Gmc Acadia Won’t Start
Here are all the potential causes to consider if your GMC Acadia fails to start:
Weak or dead car battery
The MOST common culprit that causes your GMC Acadia not to start is a dead car battery.
The battery produces the power required by various car electrical systems, including the starter motor, to work to make your engine start running.
If your vehicle battery is low on charge or simply dead, then you’ll have engine starting issues.
It’s not uncommon for your car batteries to drain overnight or when you park them. This can be due to leaving the lights and accessories or due to a faulty charging system.
In some cases, your battery may have become of age and therefore unable to store power anymore.
Some telltale signs of a bad battery include dimming or flickering headlights and dash lights.
Solution: The first you should do is try to jump-start your car battery using a healthy battery from another vehicle. If your car starts, then your battery was the issue and you should consider recharging or replacing it.
A more accurate way to check your battery health is by testing it with a multimeter. If the battery voltage reads less than 12V, then it’s probably defective and should be assessed further and replaced if necessary.
Poor battery connections
Sometimes the battery may be healthy but its connections are poor, thus restricting power flow to your vehicle starting system and causing starting troubles.
If you have just tested your battery and it looks alright, then the next thing you should do is examine its terminals and cables for issues.
If the terminals are corroded, there could be bad contact with the cables, thus causing poor flow of electric current.
Likewise, the cables could be loose, or damaged—further affecting current flow to the starting system components:
Solution: You’ll need to closely examine your battery terminals for signs of corrosion (it usually appears as white powdery or silver-greenish deposits around the terminals).
If present, you’ll need to clean them with a wire brush.
Afterward, you can use a mixture of water and baking soda to clean any residue or corrosion present.
Still at it, make sure you tighten the battery cable clamps on the terminals. Inspect the cables running for the battery terminals for damage or loose connection and fix/replace them as necessary.
Failing alternator
If your battery and connections check out, you probably have a bad alternator that is unable to charge the battery.
An alternator is part of your car charging system, so it directly affects your battery if it malfunctions. And as we’ve just stated above, a drained battery can’t start your car.
Alternators rarely break down, epically when it comes to modern cars that have improved performance.
But in the case of a used car, the alternator may be quite old and faulty, hence the need to consider it a as a culprit.
Solution: If you suspect you have a bad alternator, we recommend testing it with a multimeter for voltage output. If the total voltage output is low (below 12V), then you have a faulty alternator that needs to be replaced by a GMC technician.
Malfunctioning starter
Another likely culprit behind a no-start situation in your GMC Acadia is a failing starter motor. The alternator is tasked with initiating your engine combustion process.
Therefore, if it fails your engine won’t start or it may produce clicking sounds. One key symptom of a bad starter is a clicking sound whenever you turn the key in the ignition to start your car.
Solution: If you suspect you have a bad battery, you may want to listen for the clicking sound. You should also examine the starter electrical connections for corroded or loose wires. If possible, we advise you to have your vehicle starter motor tested and replaced by a qualified auto technician.
GMC Acadia ignition switch problems
A bad ignition switch may also be to blame for your Acadia starting troubles. This switch facilitates the transfer of electrical power to various components involved with starting your car, including your starter motor.
If your battery is good but your car won’t start, one of your top suspects should be a bad ignition switch. If your car dash light and accessories don’t come on when you turn the key to the ON position, then you probably have a faulty ignition system.
Solution: You can check whether your ignition switch is functioning correctly by testing it with a multimeter. Specially, you’ll need to test the resistance; if no resistance, then your ignition switch is faulty and needs a replacement. You should let a GMC technician do the replacement for you.
Bad spark plugs
You may also want to consider fouled or bad spark plugs as another cause for your check engine light not to come on.
Also, if the connections of the spark plugs to your ignition system are loose, they may affect the car starting process.
Spark plugs usually produced the spark that ignites the fuel-air mixture in your engine cylinders.
Common signs of bad spark plugs include engine misfires, poor acceleration, rough idling, poor fuel efficiency, and difficulty starting your vehicle.
Solution: Inspect your spark plugs and their connections. Replace faulty spark plugs and fix any loose connections for the plugs.
Fuel system issues
If your car is experiencing issues with the fuel delivery system, it may also affect the proper fuel supply to your engine—making it unable to start/run.
The key fuel system problems that can cause difficulty starting include insufficient fuel in the fuel tank, malfunctioning fuel pump, clogged fuel filter, and malfunctioning fuel injectors.
Solution: If you suspect your car fuel system is problematic, you can conduct simple tests such as checking if there’s enough fuel in the fuel tank.
You can also confirm if the fuel pump is working correctly by listening to a humming sound when you attempt to start your car.
Also, check if the fuel pump fuse and relay in your car fuse box are blown and replace them if necessary.
If you suspect your car has a fuel delivery problem, have a qualified auto technician or GMM dealership diagnose it for you.
Engine failure
Though this is a less likely culprit, it could also be the reason your car won’t start. If you have checked all the above factors and none have proved to be the culprit, you may be dealing with the worst-case scenario of total engine failure. In such a case, nothing on your car works anymore and you won’t get any response.
Solution: Only an experienced GMC technician or your GMC dealership should handle issues related to the engine. They’ll be able to diagnose your engine thoroughly, using specialized tools, to confirm if it’s the reason your car won’t start.
Other potential causes that could contribute to your Acadia non-starting issue include a malfunctioning anti-theft system, damaged ignition coil, wiring issues (issues with relay and fuse connections, starter wires connections, etc.) a faulty ECU (engine control unit), or weak/dead key fob battery for vehicles with remote start function.
Why Your Gmc Acadia Won’t Start And Makes A Clicking Noise
If your GMC is producing some clicking noise but won’t start, there are several potential culprits to consider as listed below:
- A weak or dead battery
- Loose or corded battery wiring connections
- Starter electrical connection problems
- Failing starter motor
- Poor main ground connection
Having a comprehensive diagnosis conducted on your car by a qualified GMC technician can help diagnose and resolving of this problem.
Why Your Gmc Acadia Won’t Start Intermittently
If you’re experiencing a GMC Acadia intermittent starting problem, the issue can also be attributed to a variety of issues as listed below:
A failing battery that’s unable to provide power to start your engine. This is epically true in cold weather, and your engine may only start sometimes while other times it fails to.
Loose or corroded battery cables that keep on disrupting power flow
Loose or corroded wiring for the starting system, including the ignition switch, starter motor, etc. These can cause intermittent power interruptions, making your car start intermittently.
A starter that’s starting to go bad may also only engage intermittently, causing your car to only start sometimes.
Bad ignition switch may also only supply power only when the connection makes contact. This results in intermittent starting problems.
Why Your Gmc Acadia Is Not Starting After Getting Gas
Your GMC Acadia may also fail to start after getting gas due to several issues. But in most cases, it’s caused by issues with the fuel system such as:
- A defective fuel cap
- Fault fuel pump
- EVAP system issue
- Clogged fuel filter
- Vapor lock
- Fuel-related sensors and components issues
- Getting contaminated fuel (which contains water, sediments, and other impurities) can also lead to starting problems in your vehicle.
However, sometimes it can just be a total coincidence that your car fails to start after refueling. The underlying issue may have nothing to do with the gas and the two events may be completely unrelated.
Therefore, if the above issues do not resolve the problem, refer to our previous list of all the common causes for your Acadia to fail to start.
Gmc Acadia Battery Saver Active Won’t Start
In most cases, the battery saver feature coming on is trying to communicate with you that your battery has a low charge, and it could be the reason your vehicle won’t start.
In this case, you should try to jump-start your car and then attempt to start your car. If the jump-starting is not successful, you could be having a dead battery that’s unable to hold a charge, so you should replace it with a new one.
If your battery is healthy, check the battery terminals for corrosion or loose connections. If they’re okay, consider other potential underlying issues such as a bad alternator, or malfunctioning battery current sensor.
While addressing the starting issues of the GMC Acadia, it’s not uncommon for car owners to encounter problems with remote start systems. If you’re dealing with such challenges, our guide on Viper remote start not working could be highly informative. Also, for those with a GMC Sierra, our troubleshooting article regarding GMC Sierra remote start not working offers valuable insights on the common issues and solutions.Conclusion
Starting problems with your GMC Acadia can be frustrating especially if you don’t know how to deal with them. This article has just discussed all the common causes behind this issue, including bad battery, poor battery connections, starter issues, failing alternator, failing ignition switch, bad spark plugs, fuel system issues, or engine failure.
We advise you to first check your battery, then its connections, as they’re the most common culprit behind starting problems. If these two check out, you can proceed to check other parts for faults and fix them as necessary. If you aren’t confident diagnosing your car for the above issues, let a reliable auto technician or the dealership do it for you.
