Power Train Problems of GMC Acadia - part 1

Without warning transmission overheated, blew out fluid and caught the front end of the vehicle on fire.

See all problems of the 2016 GMC Acadia 🔎.

When I shift my 2019 GMC Acadia into park, the warning message reads shift to park and there is a ding warning that plays for several mins. This has been going on for over a year. I took it to the dealership and they said they could repair it for $1000 dollars but the solenoid was only guaranteed for 30 days. There is no possible way a dealership can expect a person to pay $1000 dollars a month to keep their family and transportation safe.

See all problems of the 2019 GMC Acadia 🔎.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to release from low gear while at a stop. The transmission was backed up. The engine light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who confirmed there were no recalls. The failure mileage was approximately 213,766.

See all problems of the 2012 GMC Acadia 🔎.

The transmission kept slipping. The car continued to lose power until it just wouldn't go anymore. The mechanic said it is definitely the transmission and drive shaft but my particular VIN is not included. I am looking at $7,000 in repairs on a car I owe $13,000. 00.

See all problems of the 2018 GMC Acadia 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the shift to parking warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, however the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into park and failed to shut off. There was a shift to a park error message displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a contact issue in the transmission box. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 91,355.

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "shift to park" was displayed while the gear shifter was in park(p). The contact parked the vehicle and turned off the vehicle after several attempts. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.

Vehicle would not run due to a failed fuel pump control module. With a non-running engine, the transmission could not be placed into neutral to be able to movie vehicle out of the road. Needed tow truck to move vehicle. This condition placed many people at risk as the vehicle could not be moved out of the way until a tow truck arrived.

See all problems of the 2023 GMC Acadia 🔎.

The vehicle has a serious transmission/drivetrain defect that repeatedly occurs when accelerating from a complete stop, especially onto an incline. The vehicle sometimes does not respond at all when the accelerator is pressed and fails to move, even though acceleration is being requested. In one recent incident, it remained stopped for about one minute before finally responding. During these events, the vehicle jerks and shakes severely and fails to gain speed as expected. This creates a major safety risk at stop signs, intersections, and uphill starts because the vehicle may not move when needed and cannot keep up with traffic. The problem has worsened, and during one of these incidents the check engine light came on. I have video evidence showing the loss of response to accelerator input, severe jerking/shaking, and the check engine light illuminating during the same event. The issue has been reported to dealers and gm customer service but has not been properly resolved.

See all problems of the 2025 GMC Acadia 🔎.

The "shift to park" continues to pop up and can take as long as 20 minutes to get it to go off. From what I have seen this is a super common issues for the 2019 models and why there isn't an active recall I am not sure. Getting pretty frustrating when I have read 100s of complaints about the same thing and gm isn't doing anything about it.

I purchased this vehicle in June 2024 as a demo vehicle with approximately 7,000 miles on it. Within one month of ownership, the vehicle began experiencing serious problems that have continued to worsen. The vehicle currently has approximately 34,000 miles, and the issues have been ongoing from the time of purchase through the present. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has been in the dealership multiple times for the same recurring problems, including but not limited * powertrain issues and loss of power * reduced acceleration while driving * complete electrical failure while driving * engine and electrical warning lights repeatedly turning on * vehicle running excessively hot * water pump replacement * replacement of sensors * thermostat replacement * ongoing engine and electrical system malfunctions despite these repairs, the same problems continue to reoccur. Each time I return the vehicle for service, I am informed that it is a “different issue,” even though the symptoms remain unchanged. This strongly indicates a defective powertrain and/or electrical system that has not been properly repaired. The most serious concern occurred while I was driving on public streets, when the vehicle lost acceleration, electrical power shut off, and the vehicle completely shut down, nearly causing me to be hit by other vehicles. This incident created an extreme safety hazard for myself, my passengers, and other motorists. I have made several formal complaints directly with GMC, and more than four case numbers have already been created regarding this vehicle. Despite these complaints and repeated repair attempts, the problems persist. Given the repeated failures, numerous repair attempts, documented safety risks, and the fact that these issues began shortly after purchase, I believe this vehicle qualifies for relief under applicable lemon laws and consumer protection laws. Incident (critical)vehicle lost acceleration and electrical power and completely stalled while roads.

See all problems of the 2024 GMC Acadia 🔎.

It has the abs lights on and tire traction light on check engine light on and given signs of failed transmission slow to takeoff shuttering of transmission.

I purchased my 2025 GMC Acadia on March 26, 2025. // my vehicle began to have electrical/communication/system issues in August 2025. // I took my vehicle to the dealer to address these issues at this time. When I got to the dealership, a representative performed diagnostics, and said "I can't even get a read on this. There is no signal coming from your module. You need to contact onstar about this. " // I called onstar, and they ran a test, and stated that it is a manufacturing defect that needed to be handled with GMC. //no one informed me of the severity of the safety implications involved. // in March 2026, my vehicle was inoperable. The module controls everything, and was draining the battery at a severely high rate. I had my vehicle towed to the dealership. They tried to deny all liability and said that they weren't the dealership that sold me the vehicle. // I had my battery jumped so I could take it from the dealership have a new battery installed. My vehicle stalled and shut off while I arrived at the auto parts store. *** answer to questions: yes. My vehicle is available for inspection. It is at the dealership. // my safety and others were put at risk because the brand new batteries were constantly draining and making me stall out in mid-traffic without having any control. // yes. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer. They tried (and still are trying) to avoid responsibility. Other reports show that this is a significant safety issue with many GMC vehicles. // yes. The vehicle was inspected by the GMC dealership. This is day-16 with no solution. // yes, there were issues with the car, as stated above. But absolutely no indication that it would be safety issue. My engine was running normal the night before. No signs that the battery was low or dead and prohibit me from driving safely or that it would shut off.

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, and the engine lost automotive power. The vehicle was able to restart. During a second failure, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled in the middle of the highway, and the vehicle was unable to restart. An alert message was sent by onstar reporting a transmission or engine failure and advised that the vehicle needed immediate service. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a fuel pump module failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,749.

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while shifting into park(p), the gear shift indicator failed to display that the vehicle was in park(p) on the instrument panel, even though the vehicle was in park(p). The gear shifter was shifted continuously until the gear shift indicator recognized that the vehicle was in park(p) on the instrument panel. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 21,000.

The torque converter has been going since before I bought this vehicle. When the rpms are between one and two, the entire vehicle starts shaking and there is no acceleration. This is a huge safety concern, especially with traffic.

Transmission jerks and shakes the vehicle when shifting in certain conditions.

See all problems of the 2015 GMC Acadia 🔎.

We purchased our 2024 Acadia in June 2025. Since we have had the vehicle, it has been in the shop going on 6 times. First the sunroof seal came off, then the antenna cover fell off, the driver side rear panel had to be replaced because it was coming off. Once all this was done then the vehicle started leaking transmission fluid, took it to the dealer to get fixed, once we get it back the coolant starts leaking from the radiator hose, took it in to get repaired, now there is knocking noise coming from the engine/hood. Every time we take it in to get repaired a new problem pops up. We purchased the vehicle to have a safe way to get our kids around and it has been nothing but a headache and run around from the dealership. GMC really needs to resolve this issue. Parts seem to be on never-ending backorder with no eta.

Dear general motors customer assistance center, I am writing to formally file a complaint and request assistance regarding a serious mechanical failure with my 2018 GMC Acadia slt. I purchased this vehicle when it had approximately 7,000 miles on it after it was transported from florida. Since owning the vehicle, I have properly maintained it and had it serviced through suttle motors dealership in newport news, virginia. Recently, while driving on the highway to have tires installed, the vehicle suddenly stalled while I was in traffic. This caused a very dangerous situation, as traffic behind me was forced to abruptly slow down and I was nearly rear-ended due to the sudden loss of power. Because the vehicle was no longer drivable, I had it towed to suttle motors for inspection. After examining the vehicle, the service department informed me of the following issue: “the transmission solenoid valve is stuck and it has burnt the transmission fluid. The vehicle will require a full transmission replacement. The estimated cost is $7,769 with a 3-year/100,000-mile warranty. ” I was extremely shocked and disappointed to receive this news. My vehicle currently has only 67,000 miles, and I have taken care to maintain it properly through the dealership. Experiencing a complete transmission failure at such relatively low mileage is very concerning, especially considering the dangerous situation it created on the highway. Given the circumstances, I am requesting that general motors review this matter and advise whether any goodwill assistance, repair support, or coverage options may be available to help resolve this issue. I would greatly appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. I can provide service records and documentation from suttle motors if needed. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before slamming into gear. Additionally, the vehicle vibrated abnormally while changing gear. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

See all problems of the 2017 GMC Acadia 🔎.

The vehicle experiences a transmission/drivetrain defect involving delayed gear engagement, hesitation, and apparent slipping. When accelerating from a complete stop (especially onto an incline) the engine rpm increases but the vehicle fails to accelerate as expected. The vehicle jerks and shakes violently and is unable to gain speed. This issue is intermittent but highly repeatable and occurs almost every time when there is a slope immediately after a stop sign. It results in loss of acceleration, violent shaking, and inability to maintain or build speed, creating a serious safety risk in traffic. It first happened around 1 year (early 2026) after the new car purchase (Nov 2025). There are no warning lights or messages. The dealer claimed they were unable to reproduce the issue during a brief test drive without me present and incorrectly attributed it to a bulletin without performing a detailed diagnosis or repair or looking at the video we recorded on the issue. The issue persists and affects safe operation of the vehicle. No inspection has been done by police or insurance. In one instance, this occurred while other vehicles were approaching from behind, creating a dangerous situation where I could not accelerate to match traffic flow. This resulted in a high risk of being rear-ended due to the unexpected loss of acceleration. I am aware of other consumer reports describing similar transmission-related symptoms such as slipping, hard shifting, and hesitation in this model. Some complaints describe transmission issues occurring at low mileage without warning lights.

Dear sir/madam, for the 3rd time now, my transmission is being rebuilt. After purchasing it from the dealership and it was still under warranty GMC bakersfield rebuilt the transmission, then again in 2020 at 119,000 miles it broke down again and all automatic in bakersfield rebuilt it for $3500 and now here it is 2026 and only 60. 000 miles later again all automatic is having to rebuilt the transmission again and asking now for another $4950. I was excited to finally hear there was a recall, only to find it was only for 2014 GMC Acadia's. The transmission have failed again and yes it is available for inspection at all automation in bakersfield, CA on quantico. During the course of breaking down the my safety and the safety of my children was at risk. My vehicle was jumping, jerking the rpm's were all over the place and at one point in the course of driving on the freeway it felt like it lost power and nearly stopped. This has been an ongoing problem since the purchase of the vehicle. It has been inspected and diagnosed by all automatic. There were no warnings, messages or symptoms that were constant. It was sporadically slipping up until the time it gave out. I have spoke to several 2013 GMC Acadia owners who have the exact same problem along with the back light covers falling off and all the plastic coverings on the inside falling off.

See all problems of the 2013 GMC Acadia 🔎.

This is a very known issue that has been reoccurring with GMC Acadia. The torque converter slipping. That cost alone is over $7. 000 for the transmission. I am still making monthly payments for my 2021 Acadia. With rising cost above the board GMC could have resolved this issue before releasing this vehicle to the public for purchase. Only had this vehicle for 2 years and already a new transmission is needed. Other individuals I personally know have the same issue. From my research GMC is aware and fails to do a recall on this issue.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Acadia 🔎.

2018 GMC Acadia comes up with an error message "shift to park" and does not allow me to fully engage my car into the parked position when stopped and parking.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled unexpectedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact also stated that while coming to a stop and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle lost motive power but unexpectedly lunged forward. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 85,695.

Vehicle experiences multiple simultaneous failures including “steering assist reduced / drive with care” warning, extremely loud cooling fan operation, temperature gauge not functioning, tire pressure monitoring system failure, and widespread electrical issues (windows, mirrors, infotainment delay). Issues occurred together and are consistent with numerous owner reports for 2019 GMC Acadia models. Condition affects steering assist and engine temperature monitoring, creating a potential safety risk.

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle and attempting to shift into park, the vehicle failed to recognize that the transmission was in park(p). There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that several attempts were required to shift the vehicle into park(p) to turn off the vehicle. The contact further stated that on other occasions, the vehicle remained stuck in park(p) and failed to shift into drive(d). The contact related the failure to TSB: 19-na-205. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Gear shifter will not go into park.

Shift to park alert continues to come on when car is already shifted into park. Car will not shut off without pulling car back out of park and shifting back into park. Causing a delay in all electrical attached to power down, potentially draining the battery.

Car will not shift into park therefore I cannot turn the car off without disconnecting the battery. Dangerous bc you don’t know if the car is in park or not when you have to get out and stand in front of car to life hood and disconnect battery.

The car has over the last few years not turn off due to shift to park. This is concerning, due to we cannot turn the car off unless we strike the shifter few times assuming this is the remedy. It doesn't look like there is any type of recall but there should be.

In the process of taking my daughter to the emergency room I receive a dash notification on my recently purchased 2024 GMC Acadia "car overheating, possible engine failure". My gauges were within normal range and being that I was in an emergency I kept traveling. Leave hospital to head home the error message is gone. The following Monday, January 5th, heading in to work I receive the same error message on my dash "car overheating, possible engine failure". Drove to the nearest mechanic, left my car, and they discover a leak in the upper radiator hose. They call with bad news that the part is on nationwide back order. Gm admitted to a faulty design, in the process of redesign. A spac case with a local gm dealership was opened. Gm would expedite my case if I towed to a gm dealer. I would have to pay for the tow. And just how can my case be expedited if the part isn't available? it can't. I was told the redesigned hose is going on the new models currently being built. I have lost all faith in gm. Today is February 19th and my car is still at the mechanic with no eta on part delivery. I called every gm dealership parts department within 100 miles and get the same response, "we have two hoses with four cars needing it, we have 4 hoses with 8 cars needing it, the hose is hell to find, etc. ". Why has gm not issued a recall on the upper radiator hose. If you have a 2024 GMC Acadia, you will incur this same issue.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter failed to shift into park(p). The vehicle failed to turn off, with the message "shift to park" displayed with an audible chime. The contact was forced to move the gear shifter back and forth before it was recognized that the transmission was in park(p). A dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

I see where GMC Acadia is have a recall on transmission and if it’s the description of my two GMC Acadia’s, but when I put my VIN number in it doesn’t have a recall.

Started getting a warning indication when starting the vehicle that stated some portion of driver assist was not functioning (or some verbiage close to that). We didn't notice any difference in the operation of the vehicle and took it to a service shop after about a week. They did some testing and discovered the problem. I am not mechanical at all but they said there were several technical bulletins from the manufacturer that led them to the problem - a bent pin on one of the rocker arms. I am going to upload the technical bulletins (3) they provided me as well as the invoice (3 pages).