Steering Problems of GMC Acadia - part 1

See attached file.

See all problems of the 2019 GMC Acadia 🔎.

No incident but steering assisted reduced could cause an issue. Also the fix is to reset the computer by detaching the negative pole on the battery. This could be an issue due to the heat in the car someone could get burned.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Acadia 🔎.

?? p0128 code, thermostat-related symptoms, steering assist reduced warnings, increased steering effort, or other safety concerns while driving.

See all problems of the 2017 GMC Acadia 🔎.

This is the second time I am having to replace gear shift with under 160000 miles. Turn the car off and it tells me the car is not in park when it is. It can not tell what gear it is in or when. Again. This is the second repair.

See all problems of the 2018 GMC Acadia 🔎.

I am submitting this complaint to request that NHTSA investigate a potential safety defect involving the engine coolant temperature monitoring system, thermostat/engine coolant temperature sensor system, and its relationship to reduced steering assist in 2019 GMC Acadia vehicles. My 2019 GMC Acadia, currently at approximately 61,500 miles, has experienced the following symptoms: • the engine temperature gauge remains flat or reads abnormally low/cold. • the cooling fans run continuously at extremely high speed, creating a loud "screaming" fan noise. • the vehicle displays the warning message "steering assist is reduced — drive with care. " • the vehicle has a history of diagnostic trouble code p0128, "engine coolant temperature below thermostat regulating temperature. " I am concerned that these symptoms are related and represent a potential safety defect rather than an isolated thermostat or cooling-system repair. Gm has issued bulletin pit5967, "service steering message with p0128," which applies to GMC Acadia vehicles from model years 2017 through 2023. The bulletin states that when p0128 is present, the ecm may be reading coolant temperature incorrectly and that a "service steering message" may be displayed to protect the steering gear in the event of an undetected overheating condition. Gm instructs technicians to diagnose and repair p0128 first. Gm bulletin 17-na-158 also describes a relationship between p0128, an invalid coolant-temperature signal, and the "steering assist reduced, drive with care" warning. The bulletin explains that the steering module relies on valid coolant-temperature information to provide additional steering assistance under cold conditions. When the coolant-temperature signal becomes invalid, this function can become inoperative, potentially resulting in a heavier-than-normal steering feel.

I keep getting this warning "action required steering assist is reduced drive with care" . This warning has occurred randomly for several years. Recently, after getting this warning the check engine light came on and the engine temp gauge stopped indicating. I have seen a bulletin from gm that this condition is covered under a 'special warranty extension' for a single model year, but it is common over at least 5 model years. This should be a recall because of the steering assist issue.

When I’m driving on the highway, I get a message on my dashboard saying steering assist reduced, drive with care. I have taken to the GMC dealership and they will not cover this repair even though it would be covered for 2021 GMC. When this happens, my car makes a loud noise and my steering wheel does not feel right. I do not feel safe.

My check engine light is on there is a note that says steering assist is reduced. I took it to o’reilly’s to get it scanned. The code that comes up is p0128 indicating that the coolant thermostat has a fault. There are other GMC‘s that have a recall for this, but apparently not mine.

Steering assist reduced is the warning. The ac will no longer work and the fan runs constantly. From what I’ve read, it is a popular problem for Acadia owners and the thermostat and sensor has to be replaced. We have not been able to replace ours yet because of the cost.

See all problems of the 2020 GMC Acadia 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speed, the steering assist reduced warning light illuminated. The contact's husband attached a portable diagnostic tester to the vehicle, and p0128 was the failure code. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. 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 approximately 78,000.

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle, it stalled after initially adding fuel. Even though the reading indicated there was 1/8 of a tank of fuel. The fuel gauge failed to move. The thermostat was stuck open. The electric steering was not working properly. The engine light was illuminated. The traction control was turned off. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 20v639000 (fuel system, gasoline). The contact stated that he was a master mechanic. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called two other local dealers, tadd jenkins chevy 409 farnsworth way, rigby, id 83442, and smith Chevrolet. Address: 3477 pioneer dr suite 200, idaho falls, id 83402. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 61,699.

The warning steering assist reduced, drive with caution appears. Shift to park appears. Temperature gauge drops to zero. Fan runs on high. A/c & heater don’t not work when this happens. We certainly do not feel safe driving our Acadia like this. Can’t trust that it won’t start on fire.

[symptom & safety hazard] while driving my 2020 GMC Acadia 3. 6l v6, the driver information center displayed the warning: "steering assist reduced, drive with care" (sardwc). Steering effort increased abruptly, the engine temperature gauge dropped to cold/zero, and the hvac system lost air-conditioning function. The warning and reduction in steering assist presented a safety hazard and increased the risk of a crash. [diagnostic findings] vehicle diagnostics identified dtc p0128 - engine coolant temperature below thermostat regulating temperature. A GMC certified dealer technician diagnosed a failed engine coolant thermostat housing assembly. [manufacturer information] gm documentation links dtc p0128 and invalid engine coolant temperature signals to the "sardwc" condition. Gm bulletin 17-na-158 states the “sardwc” condition is caused by an invalid coolant temperature signal and the steering module relies on coolant temperature information for steering-assist compensation. Gm bulletin pit5967 directs technicians to diagnose and repair dtc p0128 when the warning message is present. In oct 2025, gm issued n252508350 for 2021 Acadia vehicles equipped with the 3. 6l lgx engine due to an engine coolant thermostat condition. My 2020 Acadia is part of the same generation vehicle platform and is equipped with the same 3. 6l lgx engine. It experienced the same thermostat-related failure symptoms, including dtc p0128 and the "sardwc” warning. [reason for complaint] I am filing this complaint because a thermostat-related cooling-system failure resulted in a steering-assist warning and reduction in steering assist while the vehicle was being driven. Moreover, gm issued n252508350 for 2021 Acadia vehicles equipped with the 3. 6l lgx engine due to the same engine coolant thermostat condition, yet similarly affected 2020 Acadia vehicles are not included. Nhtsa should investigate whether additional 2020 vehicles are experiencing the same failure sequence and resulting safety risk.

I am getting the known p0128 code. My engine says it's cold when it's not, my ac isn't working, and I am getting a message that says "steer assist reduced. Drive with care". This is a known problem and complaint of the GMC Acadia.

Steering assist is reduced.

Display suddenly says "steering assistance reduced, drive with care" temp gauge goes to c and stays there. Radiator fans speed up and stay on after the car has been turned off. Dealer unable to find a diagnostic code for the problem.

I bought the car at the end of October 2025, so it was always cold till last month. Last month the first day it’s warm I get a warning saying my steering assist has been limited with a code saying the thermostat needs replacing as well as the sensor. This is a known issue with these vehicles and now I have to pay $1500 out of pocket to have fixed because my limited warranty expired 2 weeks before it was warm enough to trip the codes. This is ridiculous especially seeing as I am disabled and can’t afford an extra $1500 after spending $7000 for the down payment!.

My vehicle’s steering became dangerously stiff while driving on the highway, nearly causing my wife to be involved in a serious accident. While she was traveling on I-95 in miami, florida, the steering suddenly got so hard that she could barely control the vehicle and was unable to turn the wheel properly. This created an extremely dangerous situation and put her life, as well as the lives of others on the road, at risk. She was thankfully able to get off the highway, and I had to come take over the vehicle to make sure she got home safely. This was terrifying and completely unacceptable. A failure like this should never happen while a vehicle is in motion. When I took the vehicle to the dealership, I was told I would have to pay over $3,500 for the repair. That is outrageous for such a serious safety issue. I also found information online showing recalls for similar steering problems in GMC yukons, yet GMC arcadias do not appear to be included. That is deeply concerning, especially since this same dangerous defect is clearly affecting my vehicle. This issue could have caused a major crash, severe injuries, or even death. GMC needs to take responsibility for this problem instead of forcing customers to pay thousands of dollars for a dangerous defect that should be addressed as a safety recall.

My 2020 GMC Acadia slt has a a warning message that pops up on the dash display which reads power steering operating at reduced assistance. Please proceed with extreme caution. At high speeds the wheel kinda pulls and is loose for handling. It also atfff conley Buick out by the conley Buick sericexx2020 Acadias. I don't not54? lower rates of speed becomes extremely hard to maneuver . Almost zero ability to turn the steering wheel. I'm disabled and really can't afford the costly repair. It seems to be a very dangerous problem and well known to compromise ones ability to control the 2020 Acadia danalis. I had my SUV ckd out at conley Buick the results were power steering module needs to be replaced. When driving down the road the steering becomes dangerously loose especially.

Reduced steering assist came up on screen then as we went a few more miles the tire pressure on right front dropping like crazy for no reason on screen in vehicle stopped looked at tire no issues.

While operating my vehicle, the power steering suddenly failed without adequate warning. The steering became extremely difficult, creating a significant safety hazard for myself, my passengers, and other drivers on the road. A sudden loss of steering assist increases the risk of collision, especially at lower speeds, during turns, or in emergency maneuvers.

See all problems of the 2016 GMC Acadia 🔎.

"steering assist is reduced – drive with care" warning appeared while the vehicle is in motion. This may require increased steering effort and could affect a driver's ability to respond to changing traffic conditions. Any steering-related warning that appears unexpectedly while driving deserves serious attention. P0128 code was shown. The cause was a faulty thermostat housing assembly and needed to be repaired. This is an extremely common issue in this vehicle across many years and needs to be investigated.

On [xxx] my 2017 Acadia denali started driving poorly and a steering assist reduced message appeared. I had o'reilly scan for error messages and they were: p0128 and p0826-00. The dealership confirmed that they would need to replace the thermostat. The Buick GMC beaverton technician made a video of my vehicle: [xxx] my safety was put at risk due to the risk of my steering going out. My car intermittently was having trouble engaging in driving (it randomly acted like it was not firing, it was "jerking"), I heard my cooling fan come on immediately the next day when started my car to drive it to the GMC dealership. I feared that my car would just die going over a mountain pass without cell coverage. On [xxx] I had the same steering assist reduced message and then replaced my thermostat at 39,228 miles. I will need to replace this again, 37,638 miles later. The GMC service technician mentioned that this is a typical problem for my car, and I have discovered a 2022 Acadia recall for their thermostats. Please extend this recall to include the 2017 Acadia. The component was not inspected by the police or insurance rep (yet), but it was inspected by the GMC dealership and o'reilly veri scan. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

New vehicle. At 935 miles on odometer, displayed “service power steering” “no assist soon” message on dash. Contacted onstar and was advised of potential loss of power steering & advised to take car to dealership. Car spent 10 days in service to have a new steering gear installed at GMC dealership.

See all problems of the 2025 GMC Acadia 🔎.

For the 3rd time of ownership the cooling fan stays on after vehicle is turned off and the display “steering assist is reduced, drive with caution”.

The “steering assist reduced” message came on and, when shut off, the fan blows very hard and loud.

See all problems of the 2022 GMC Acadia 🔎.

"steering assist is reduced" this message appears on the instrument panel once in a while, and I have to get a mechanic to reset it. Many other people who drive the 2018 GMC Acadia, are reporting the same problem. This occurs so frequently on this model, that it obviously was a manufacturing design flaw.

The "steering assist is reduced" warning came on the same time the engine thermostat display stopped working. Then the check engine light came on the same time the ac stopped working. At first I thought maybe it was just the battery, so I had that changed out. But the "steering assist" warning continued and the engine thermostat display was still stuck on "cold" no matter what (note: the oil temp display still worked fine). Looking in to the problem, apparently a defective engine thermostat is a pretty common issue with this vehicle. Why isn't there already a recall on this? the risk of engine overheating is huge and dangerous. I called GMC and they want to charge and arm and a leg to fix it (the car has 47000 miles so is just out of warranty). I don't want to wait until there is an accident to have something done about this.

Temperature gauge dropped to zero or no reading, message displayed on screen "steering assist reduced, drive with care", continued to drive speed limit, when parked fan runs after car is shut off, in a few days the temperature gauge started working again, then the cycle repeats about once every 2 weeks for a couple months before engine light came on last week & when checked at a local parts place was told temperature sensor malfunction. Read multiple accounts of this same issue online.

See all problems of the 2023 GMC Acadia 🔎.

I was driving home and about 10 minutes into my drive I got a notification about my steering assistance being disabled. When I arrived home about 10 minutes or so later and went to shut my car off I noticed that a very loud fan sound from the hood of my vehicle began roaring. I restarted my car and it went away. I looked at my temperature gauge and it was all the way on c. I tried shutting my car off again and the loud electrical fan sound picked right back up again. I stayed in my vehicle while it was turned off waiting to see if it would stop while trying to call for answers. I couldn’t risk having a dead battery for work tomorrow morning. After what was about 6-7 minutes the electrical fan finally shut off. Turns out my aunt just had this exact same issue with her 2021 GMC Acadia as well. According to reddit many people are having this issue yet there is still no recall for this problem. My car is only at 85k miles, has always been dealership maintained and has never had any issues like this until now. If this is a wide spread make and model issue a recall should have been issued.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "steering assist fault - drive with caution" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved dtc: p0128 (engine coolant temperature below thermostat regulating temperature) and replaced the engine coolant thermostat. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was 55,114.

While driving, error popped up stating steering assist is reduced; drive with caution. Heat was no longer working. Engine temp was reading cold even though vehicle had been running for half hour and temp outside was 65 f. After vehicle was stopped, engine fan ran very loudly for at least 15 minutes. Took vehicle in to have diagnostics ran, and received error p0128 pointing to faulty engine coolant thermostat and sensor. Also received u0401 indicating insufficient data coming from ecm/pcm. I was told that together with u0401 and p0128 together indicate a communication problem between control modules. Check engine light was never on.

1. Shift to park failure, p0700/p187e internal sensor, causing me to have to get a rebuilt transmission. 10/2025 2. Transmission shudder/hard-shifting ongoing 2022-2025 3. Coolant/thermostat issues. Steering assist reduced" message, fans stay on high, no ac, engine temp on zero ongoing since 2024 3. Start/stop button failure multiple times (replaced 3 times) 4. Rack and pinion/steering gear (would not return/ got stuck while turning) got new rack and pinion 2023 5. Water pump leaking, replaced 4/2024 6. Since 2023, have had ongoing “timing over advanced”, warning issues since 2023. This is too much for a new car!!! I’ve owned many cars and never had this many issues!!! there appears to be multiple design flaws with this model and similar models!.

Recently took vehicle for alignment for a pull to the right. After 3 alignments at the dealership I was told the rack and pinion gear sensor shorted out causing the vehicle to pull to the right. Also the exhaust has a rattle in the resonator confirmed by 2 sources. I asked the dealer to fix years ago under bumper to bumper and TSB pit5863. I was told not enough techs and not enough time so now the warranty is expired and the issue isn't fixed.

The steering assist message comes on and off whenever the weather gets cold in the fall and winter. This causes my air conditioning and/or heater to not work. I have done research and the temperature sensor needs to get replaced because there is a malfunction of the temperature not reading the coolant. Everything is fine with fluids and driving. This happened when I turned on the heater.