Steering Problems of GMC Acadia - part 1

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”.

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

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"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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

I have a 2021 GMC Acadia that keeps saying steering assist not available. But when it does this, the temperature gage stops working and so does the ac. After you turn the car off the fan still runs for at least 10 minutes.

Vehicle keeps intermittently coming up with "power steering reduced: drive with care," during this my steering is perfectly fine, however my a/c stops blowing cold air, the temperature gauge stops working and my engine fan is running constantly. This is obviously a well known issue since googling that warning and my vehicle it comes up with the issue and what the cause is. Which the cause is from the thermostat remaining open and allowing coolant to run through the system, even when the vehicle is not overheating. I just bought this vehicle used from my local dealership and am surprised that gm has not recognized this is an issue affecting numerous vehicle. This should at the very least be put as a warranty covered issue!.

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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.

Bought new 2025 GMC Acadia in March of same year. At ~4500 miles I started getting brake assist, forward collision and electronic stability control warning messages on dash. Upon researching, this is an increasingly common issue with this vehicle that can render the brakes unusable. I no longer feel safe in the vehicle and want it refunded. Car is now in the shop. Taken in on 9/11. Problem has been confirmed by dealer.

I have had multiple sensor issues with my Acadia since reaching 60000 miles. Currently, there is a thermostat sensor causing hard shifting, no cold air blowing from the ac, stabilitrack, traction control, steering assist reduced and fan running after turning off. I would not report it but I am in a facebook group where multiple people are reporting having the same issue in their Acadia's.

The warning light for a steering assist needs service came on the dash. The dealer had a code (po128) that pertained to a bad thermostat and coolant temp. Sensor. The steering assist could have failed, along with possible engine damage. The dealer replaced the thermostat and the coolant temp sensor. Their were no police or insurance reports needed.

Due to negligence of GMC wright of wexford during the replacement of 3rd new transmission they did not clamp a hose together causing coolant to leak and my thermostat to come on n off. Causing further damage to my vehicle.

The contact owned a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at 20 mph and attempting to adjust the steering wheel, the steering column and the steering wheel detached and fell in the contact’s lap. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the steering column and steering wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,298.

Upon starting the vehicle the vehicle immediately starting moving while foot on brake and moved from park to reverse or drive. Unable to stop the vehicle in idle gear and no gas pedal applied. Power steering warning and no brake assist warning on the dash. Unable to stop vehicle within 20ft while traveling at idle speed. Vehicle lights and warnings have been reproduced and is currently at a dealership awaiting further inspection. Vehicle is available for third party inspection if needed. Vehicle at barker Buick GMC, 6444 w main st, houma, la 70360 on 8/4/25.

Last week, the coolant gauge , on our 2019 GMC Acadia, was reading below "c". . . . The "steering assist" warning was disabled on the on-screen display and the air conditioning stopped working. Took the car to a mechanic, who read the codes. . . . Mechanic stated that all symptoms were based on a defective gm thermostat. The thermostat was "stuck-open" causing the "steering assist" to be disabled as well as the a/c from being disabled as well. It seems gm has updated the part since when the series of Acadia were manufactured. After getting it repaired, at of our pockets, we researched and noticed that thousands of other gm Acadia owners had the same exact 3 symptoms: (1) malfunctioning coolant reading (2) "steering assist" disabled (3) a defective ("stuck-open") thermostat. . . . . Symptoms were exactly the same for all parties involved. We have owned many vehicles never had a thermostat fail before 65k miles. . . . It became a safety issue since the car disables the "steering assist" based on the thermostat being stuck open. Contacted gm corporate which stated unless a recall, there would be no compensation. Gm needs to make it right for the thousands of gm owners whose car has the 3. 6l engine in short, this is a major issue since the car's steering system is not working correctly we would like a recall to be initiated. Thank you.

Battery saver ignited comes on and and the entire dash flickers and turns off ! this happened in a middle of an intersection and I could move my car. We jumped it and went to the nearest auto zone replaced the battery . It was pulling 89 amps . The next day it popped up again and we replaced the alternator. Upon replacing this there was oil everywhere! and we don’t know where it is coming from . Now shift into part light comes on !.

Car driven off the lot 06/14/2025 on Sunday 07/06/25 (21 days from purchase) while driving home from a 30 minutes away from home trip with 3 young children with me, the car gave multiple alerts and service warnings. "service brake assist" and "service ecs" lights / symbols related to the following were also displayed: traction control system (tcs)/ electronic control stability light, anti-lock brakey system (abs); brake system warning light, forward collision alert and break light I stopped the car immediately and pulled to the side of the road. After restarting vehicle, lights were still displayed and service alerts still on. Power steering was very diminished and the breaks were struggle to break. Acceleration was also impacted and every time I breaked it appeared as though the car was trying to accelerate. I was able to drive the car home slowly following back roads. On Monday 07/07/25 I called the dealership and arranged a tow to their facility. On Tuesday 07/08/25 after multiple "unavailable to take your calls" I was finally able to connect with a service technician who indicated the break master cylinder needed to be replaced. I was not given an eta on the completion of this repair. I have owned the car for 21 days. It has 1073 miles on it!!! I have 3 young children! the original route home was via a very heavy interstate! what if the brakes failed me while driving an interstate! I praise god I was able to get home safely with my children.

About a month ago when I shifted my vehicle into park and shut the vehicle off, "shift to park" appeared on dash display for which I had to restart the vehicle, shift it into another gear and attempt to shutoff the vehicle again. Occasionally this would work but not all the time. Other times when shifting into other gears did not work I had to restart the vehicle, press the shifter button multiple times and then was able to shut the car off with no "shift to park" appearing. On 7/11/25, arrived to work and had to performed the shifting the vehicle into another gear and was able to shut the vehicle off. When I went to leave for lunch, the car would not start at all, check the gm app and it stated "critically low battery". A CO-worker helped jump the battery and I was able to start the vehicle. When I went to leave work for the day, the vehicle would not start again with no notification as to why. My CO-worker jumped the battery again and vehicle started now with all the system lights on dash staying on and warnings displayed. 7/12/25 vehicle struggled to start and all system lights were still on. Later in the day, the vehicle would not start and all overhead, dash, display, taillights would not shut off. We jumped the battery and took the vehicle to our local dealer.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that shortly after purchasing the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who discovered that the catalytic convertor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The mechanic also inspected the vehicle and determined that the steering rack, front struts, and suspension control arms were also faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.

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An error pops on the dash that says steering assist is reduced-drive with care, and the thermostat gauge does not work, nor does the air conditioner and the vehicle fan under the hood is extremely loud. This has been happening intermittently since September 2024. Basic research on the internet is showing many people have the same issue with these vehicles. Further research suggests possible vehicle computer system issues. I don't know why there isn't a recall already.

Often times, on the heads-up display I would get "steering assist is reduced drive with care" and my temp gauge will stop working and when I stop, my fan continues to run until I disconnect the battery for 20 secs.

The thermostat failed which cause the steering system to fail and car to not read temperature.

Power steering system fails intermittently. Power steering goes and comes back on without warning, causing the driver to oversteer the vehicle. Mechanic performed software update, which did not fix the problem and told me the power steering module needs to be replaced, which would be over $1,000 for the part, plus labor and re-alignment. Additionally, the replacement power steering module is not currently available - it is on backorder.

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the steering wheel was inoperable, with the message “steering assist reduced” displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was loosened and became difficult to turn. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the thermostat coolant sensor had failed and 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 80,510.

Im a travel nurse and I was working in vermont. As I was driving on the highway in new york on my way back home a shift to park light came on, a stabilitrak light came on, power steering light came on, abs light came on, and my check engine light also came on. My vehicle started slowing down as I was driving and my lights on my dashboard were turning on and off and my speedometer was not working. I was able to pull to the side off the highway so I could get out of harms way. I made a call to onstar for help and they asked to if I made it to a safe location. As the car was still on I was able to take the next exit and ended up in an auto zone parking lot. As I made it in the parking lot I turned the vehicle off but only the engine turned off but everything else stayed on and the shift to park light kept coming on when the vehicle was in park. I was in the parking lot for 3-4 hours freezing in my vehicle until onstar came to tow my vehicle. By the time onstar came my battery in my car had drained and it was a new battery. I was told that I would have to contact auto transport to transport my vehicle to louisiana at the dealership where the vehicle was purchased. I paid $1600 to transport my vehicle back home and I had to find a way to make it back to louisiana. I didn’t have a credit card so a friend of mine was able to rent me a vehicle to get home and I paid a total of $1700 on a rental because the dealership in louisiana couldn’t give me a time or date the vehicle would have been finished. I have been to the dealership 3 times now for the same problem in less than a week. I have paid $1500 altogether to fix damages on my car that I noticed other vehicles with the same make and model had the same issues. I never had a problem with my vehicle before everything just started happening all at once. I’m currently having to pay for car rentals to get to and from work and to make sure my kids get back and forth to school. My vehicle in at the dealership again for the 3rd t.

When it rains(or car wash) my power locks don't work. I get locked out of my car. My car reset itself in the middle of an intersection(like I turned it off and back on again). One of my gauges is always not working. The sunroof doesn't work right. Water is getting in the electrical area somehow. I've taken it to two Chevrolet dealerships, but no help.

Steering assist reduced drive with care message. This is an extremely common issue and should be a recall. Alot of people including my dealer service advisor has this issue with their vehicle this message comes up fans kick on high a/c stops working and temp gauge stops working. It can be reset by unplugging battery or clearing the code.

"steering assist reduced. Drive with care" message, fan runs nonstop, even after the vehicle is off. Sounds like a plane taking off. This seems to be extremely common after doing my research. Please consider turning this into a recall!.

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while shifting the gear shifter into park(p), the "shift to park” message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact was forced to shift from drive(d) to park(p) repeatedly before the failure was corrected. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel would become sticky with the "steering assist reduced - drive with care," message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the infotainment system glitched and performed independent functions, causing the driver to be distracted. The contact stated that the infotainment system was replaced when the vehicle was purchased due to the failure; however, the failure recently recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of several failures and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

See attached document for complaint.

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