general problems of the 2017 GMC Acadia - part 1

51 problems related to engine and engine cooling have been reported for the 2017 GMC Acadia. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2017 GMC Acadia based on all problems reported for the 2017 Acadia.

1 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 09/13/2025

While driving at highway speeds, a warning appeared on the driver information center (dic): “steering assist is reduced – drive with care. ” simultaneously, the temperature gauge was stuck on “c,” the radiator cooling fan ran at high speed, and the air conditioning stopped blowing cold air. After researching the issue, I discovered that these symptoms are commonly linked to a failing thermostat—a known and widespread problem with gm’s 3. 6l lgx engine. Unfortunately, replacing the thermostat on this engine is not a simple repair, often requiring significant labor and cost. The most concerning aspect is the loss of steering assist, which poses a serious safety risk, especially at highway speeds. Given the frequency of this issue across many gm vehicles, it’s clear that this is a defective part and not an isolated incident. Gm should take responsibility and cover the cost of repairs for affected vehicles. This is not just a mechanical failure—it’s a safety hazard that deserves immediate attention. I'm attaching a picture of the message as well a paid repair invoice from the work the dealer performed to replace the thermostat on my vehicle.

2 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 07/01/2025

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-15 mph, the vehicle made an abnormally loud blower motor sound while accelerating, before the vehicle lost motive power. The transmission was shifted to neutral(n) and pushed to the side of the roadway. The tpms warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission clutch had failed, and the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no recall coverage or warranty coverage on the VIN for the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

3 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/16/2025

Shift to park. Vehicle does not turn off when in park. This recall is in effect on other 2017 Acadias but for some reason ours is not under the recall. Had this issue in 2020 and it was repaired at our cost. It is now doing the same thing.

4 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 01/17/2025

Oil is burning through. I have to get an oil change once a month or it goes completely empty. Spoke to multiple macanics now and all tell me that's a defect with the 2017 arcadia. I just bought this in August. I love it and don't want to get rid of it. Please fix this. I can't keep burning through oil like this. It's not safe for my kids and I.

5 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 01/03/2025

While highway driving, engine suddenly lost power and car could not exceed 5 mph. Was able to get off at next exit and get to a local garage. Mechanic inspected. Bolt connecting high pressure fuel pump to cylinder sheared off leaving bolt body in cylinder, bending fuel pump and caused oil to spray over entire engine compartment. Repair unlikely. Engine will likely need to be replaced. Car has always been maintained. No indication of failure prior to incident.

6 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/08/2024

Steering assist reduced. No parts available and vehicle is not safe to operate.

7 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 09/20/2024

Within a day of taking possession of the car, September 20, 2024, with odometer reading 76,352 , warning message in instrument cluster appears stating action required “steering assist is reduced, drive with care”. Following day, a/c stop working while driving. When park, I can hear radiator fan, running full speed (louder than normal). While driving at night, headlights are not bright, specially the high beam. On September 23, 2024, took it back to dealership I purchased the vehicle. They have the vehicle in the shop to fix the issues. Vehicle was ready for pick up September 27, 2024. September 29, 2024. Message in instrument cluster screen re-appear stating “action required, steering assist reduced drive with care”; check engine light came on, remote start key not working, a/c stop working again, radiator fan running full speed and loud , headlights are still not bright, infotainment screen glitching, will not stay in home button and making clicking sound. Went back to dealership so that they can fix it. Diagnostic code : p0128. They were able to have a/c working when I left the shop. And no messages on the instrument cluster. Following day, I have all the same issues I have before. My appointment to come back in to the shop to fix the thermostat issue I was October 10, 2024, on October 9, additional problems occur on top of the issue I am having. While driving and accelerating multiple lights on the instrument cluster screen appears on top of other issues and car decelerates. The check engine light came on, steering assist reduced drive with care , parking brake, car stability comes on and message stating engine power is reduced. This happened while driving on a highway at night on my way to work. I had to have the vehicle towed to the dealership. .

8 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 07/10/2024

I keep getting a message for shift to park when my car is already parked. My battery keeps draining for no reason even through my battery is good. I could be driving and my truck just shuts off without warning and my battery dies. Then when it shuts off all these other lights comes on. I have to let it sit for a second then it starts back up. This has been going on for months. I took it to the dealership and they ran all type of test and couldn’t figure out why it was doing it.

9 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 04/18/2024

Check engine light comes on & simultaneously the a/c will not work. When I first researched there was information stating that the grease gm used in the drive train was too thick resulting in the thermostat not working properly. Even though gm first acknowledged they caused the problem they are not issuing a recall to fix the problem. Instead they want me to take my car to a dealership & pay approx. $2400 to turn off the sensor.

10 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 04/17/2024

Bought vehicle used/as is from dealer about a month after air bag recall announced in 2023. Found out it is apparently illegal to sell a vehicle with an open recall. Dealer did not disclose the recall and I did not research unfortunately. It's been over a year now since air bag was recalled and still no fix and I live in a very hot state. Should never take this long to fix something so dangerous - fatal. Lives are possibly at stake!!! also had to replace temp sensor which cost about $1,000. A/c wasn't working properly. Mechanic said they had to replace the temp sensor. Research shows this is a known issue. Also have had to replace O2 sensors and might have catalytic convertor issue.

11 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 04/16/2024

Shift to park alert pops up when turning vehicle off. Vehicle is in park. This prohibits the vehicle from turning off. Per my investigation other GMC Acadias made in 2017 also have experienced this which results into either prohibiting them from turning their vehicle off or their battery dying. This is a safety hazard because it increases risk of being stranded due to malfunction.

12 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/01/2024

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 20 mph and accelerating to 25 mph, the vehicle jerked and downshifted and decelerated to 17-18 mph. The contact stated that the failure occurred several times while driving. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 5 mph and attempting to come to a complete stop, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle shuddered and failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal harder, and the vehicle responded. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving, causing him to shift to neutral(n) while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the diagnostic test codes: p0010, p0016, p0018, and p0507 were retrieved. The mechanic determined that the engine and an unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Two unknown dealers were notified of the failure and informed the contact the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

13 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 12/19/2023

Thermometer stop properly working. Check engine light came on. Ran fhe diagnostic code which confirms the thermometer needs replaced. This began Dec 2023 - bought the vehicle in oct 2023. Unsure if this was an issue prior. The cooling fan would kick on, and the temp gauge would stop working. Dealership was able to replace this and so far no further issues with the tempature reading.

14 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/24/2023

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when she arrived at her destination, she became aware that the engine fan was blowing abnormally loud. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed thermostat and thermostat sensor. The contact was informed that the thermostat and thermostat sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

15 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 03/06/2023

Steering assist reduced, drive with caution message displayed. Steering wheel sticks when turning. Apparently caused by a faulty thermostat and/or temperature sensor. Had both replaced several months ago. However, both the message and symptoms have returned.

16 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 03/05/2023

While driving and accelerating multiple light pop up on the dash and car decelerates. The check engine light, parking brake, car stability comes on. The engine shifts down and doesn’t drive correctly. This happened 3 times while driving on the interstate doing the speed limit 55-70mph.

17 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/18/2023

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving, the a/c unit became inoperable. The next day, while driving at a slow speed and approaching a stop sign, the start/stop system engaged, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

18 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/13/2023

Thermostat of the 3. 6l lgx engine of general motors fails. This causes systems to run radiator fan full speed and GMC certified service center said can cause the engine to over-heat and damage. GMC service center said that entire thermostat unit (box) needs replacement and due to its location in the engine, it will take 6 hours of labor. They also recommended to flush the coolant and refill. If I google for this issue, its reported numerous times on Acadia forums and seems like a very common issue. . Read more...

19 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/06/2023

Shift to park error light comes on when you are parking your car--cannot lock the car and all lights stay on--takes 5 or six tries --happens every time you move the car.

20 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/06/2023

No incident yet. Although at 68,567 miles, it should not need j0780 timing cover gasket replacement costing approximately $1847. Powertrain warranty was 5 year 65,000 miles. I purchased in April 2017, so April 2022 was 5 years. Unbelievable.

21 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 01/06/2023

At roughly 50,000 there is a transmission line leak in the vehicle. Gm has already recalled 2018-2020 model-year GMC Acadia suvs and other models for this problem due to risk of fire. Whether it is the same cause or not, such a problem leads to the same risk.

22 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 01/03/2023

Gm put out notice in April 2019 stating side blind zone alert message due to water intrusion may cause issue with driver interface functions. Do not take your vehicle to dealership unless you believe there is a problem. Reimbursement by 4/30/2020 6 years 80,000 miles. Vehicle stopped working while parked in driveway. No start, no cranking, warning lights for security lock out, side crash detection, tire monitoring service and airbags displayed. Dome light for front door did not work while second row lights did work. Lift gate would not open. When stating issues to dealer prior to service were told they had not heard of anything that would stop a cars engine from functioning. Dealership repair stated this was due to rear blind side detection module and that the module shorted out cause all other circuits to go to ground, yet no fuses were blown. Starter fuse and relays were good. I asked dealer if this could have caused my car to stop while driving and they answered yes. Have corroded module and wire loom referee to as kit. Was told no way to circumvent system other than replacement.

23 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 12/16/2022

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the camshaft and timing chain however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken back to the dealer who later replaced the transmission. After replacing the transmission, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. A diagnostic test was performed, and it was determined that the camshaft and timing chain was faulty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 78,588. The VIN was not available.

24 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/23/2022

Vehicle went on fire in or near the engine compartment - the entire front end was burned and car is a total loss. I was in the vehicle driving home with my children (a 5 min drive from their school) and we smelled what we assumed was a a fire pit or fireplace burning nearby; we got out of the vehicle, within 90 seconds there were flames coming out of the hood. Car was well maintained and received nearly all service at the rvc GMC dealership it was purchased from. Vehicle was also still under the warranty we purchased.

25 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/12/2022

I brought this car from stoops and have been having this same issue since I received this car in March of 2021. Check engine came on within two weeks of me getting this car. The intake air pressure measurement system map sensor and maf sensor on my 2017 GMC Acadia which is causing other issues. My car is only at 100k mikes and I shouldnt be having the same issue. The map sensor was replaced in July of 2021. Here it is a year later and my check engine light keeps coming on and saying the same thing which is causing all these other issues to happen such as steering power system reduced which driving. Notifications about of transmission and engine issues because of intake air pressure measurement system. Every time I take it to stoops they have it for a couple days and I’m out of a car which means no transportation for work and within 10 days after I get it back the same issue appears. The car sounds like it’s going to shut off at any given time I’m driving. It shutters while at a light or in a restaurant line. It drives smooth but when I shut the car off it makes a whiny noise sometimes. I don’t feel safe driving myself and my kids in the car when different things come up all because of this intake air pressure measurement system issue.

26 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/01/2022

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated she noticed the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnoses, but no failure was found. The computer was reset but after 60 mileage the check engine check warning light illuminated once again. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 60,000.

27 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2022

This car, 2017gmc Acadia, started showing up on many occasions; and is getting worse. I park the car and put it into park. When I try to turn off the engine, a message shows up on the display shift car into park. The car is in park, and I cannot shut off the engine, due to this message. The car is in park, and the message tells me it is not. And I cannot shut off the engine. I have to leave the car engine running until I try shifting gear shift back and forth multiple times and bingo sometimes the message goes away. Something is wrong here.

28 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2022

The contact owns 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated when he placed the vehicle on parked the warning message saying to place the vehicle on park, but the vehicle was on parked. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis and installed a jumper harness. The manufacturer was contacted, and they stated that there was not recall for that failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

29 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 06/11/2022

When vehicle is put in park (dash reads park) the vehicle is not detecting the vehicle in park and vehicle will not turn off. It takes multiple attempt moving the gearshift into other gears and then into park before the vehicle registers a "park" and able to turn off the vehicle. If you take your foot off the the break, vehicle doesn't move when park gear not detected. Safety concerns include parking in garage and not realizing the vehicle has not turn off and possibility of co2 or if a child would get in the vehicle possibly being able to engage the gearshift into reverse or drive. This happen 3 out of 4 times when placed in park.

30 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 05/11/2022

When I place car into park I get "shift to park "message . . . . I am unable to turn off or leave my vehicle . . . . I am worried that as this problem has increased over the past 3 months that I will be stuck on the road or elsewhere . . . . The dealers say they are aware of the issue but no permanent fix or recall has been issued by GMC . . . . I understand that other owners have the same problem . . . . Also with different years not just 2017 . . . . Please help me with this problem as I always travel alone & am afraid of something terrible happening while on the road . . . . Thank you in advance . . . . Laura schwalbe . . . . Laroc325@aol. Com.

31 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/11/2022

Warning on dash steering assist reduced ,drive with caution… after researching found there’s a known defect in the thermostat that causes this steering issue,, gm issued a bulletin number. . 17-na-158 dated may-2017. . No recall as of yet but serious issue. . Please look into this… gerard o’mallon 917-620-3339.

32 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 08/03/2021

My 2017 keeps having transmission issues. At the dealership the transmission fluid is burnt. The 2017 GMC Acadia limited has the same issues with the engine as the standard 2017 GMC Acadia.

33 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 01/01/2021

When the vehicle is shifted into park to turn off the engine the sensor shows it is not in park and will not let you turn the engine off.

34 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 12/28/2020

My 2017 GMC Acadia shut off lost all power for a couple mins at a busy intersection in September 2020. All power restore after several minutes and attempts to restart. I took in to the dealership however they could not duplicate. Now on the 28th of December 2020, the vehicle lost all power again at the same busy intersection! no power at all! could not even turn my hazard lights on to warn traffic that was coming up behind me on the highway! the vehicle remained like this for 10-15 minutes! couldn't even have anyone push it off the road because we couldn't shift it to neutral either. I took it back to the dealership as gm advised and they still could not duplicate. The dealership tried but cannot make sense of why this keeps occurring randomly. I had my small children in the car this time and we are lucky we did not get rear ended! I fear that my family is not safe in this vehicle.

35 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 08/17/2020

With vehicle parked I get a message of shift in park and vehicle doesn't fully turn off. It is known as an issue for gm vehicles - bulletin issued.


Other Engine And Engine Cooling related problems of the 2017 GMC Acadia

Engine And Engine Cooling problems
51
Car Stall problems
4
Engine Grinding Noise problems
1
Engine Stall problems
1

Acadia Service Bulletins
Acadia Safety Recalls
Acadia Defect Investigations