10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,725 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 GMC Acadia electrical problems

electrical problem

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2018 GMC Acadia Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #75

Jun 302024

Acadia

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When I park the car it beeps and displays on the dash to please park the car. Even if I have it on park. Won't allow me to turn it off. Finally turned it off. Turned it back on. And it done it agian..

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #74

Jun 222024

Acadia

  • miles
Shift to park error notice comes up on dash when car it turned off and in park. Car is clearly in park, but error code -??shift to park-?? appears on screen. Beeping occurs until car is turned off and shifted to R or D and then shifted back to park and turned off. This error happens several times a week, including twice today 6/22/24. I have to restart my vehicle and shift it to R or D then back to park SEVERAL times before the error is cleared.

- Sterrett, AL, USA

problem #73

May 302024

Acadia

  • miles
GM has acknowledged that there is a "Shift to Park" problem with 2017 and 2018 GMC Acadia's. This design flaw/ part failure does not recognize that the vehicle is actually in "Park" so you cannot shut off the engine. In addition, the dash lights remain on which eventually drains the battery. Sometimes the car will roll as if it's in Neutral. GM is very aware of this problem. However, they do not have a permanent solution. GM should be required to issue a nationwide recall to correct the situation by totally disabling the electronic part. In six years of ownership, I've encountered this problem 3 times: 5-14-19, mileage 13,266, 1-27-21, mileage 29,381and most recently 5-30-24, mileage 65,057. This 3rd repair cost me $721.88.

- Stow, OH, USA

problem #72

Jul 072022

Acadia

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Seemingly at random a warning will pop up on the driver dashboard -??Steering assist is reduced at this time-??. This will lead to a engine coolant temp reading of 0 degrees, no a/c and reduced steering functionality. Through further investigation the OBD code P0128 tells us it-??s a faulty Thermostat or Thermostat sensor. Even if you get these parts replaced, the issue still comes back. I-??ve seen these exact complaints at least a thousand times across multiple years of this model/make 2016,2017,2018,2019. This is clearly a manufacturers fault and needs a recall before people get hurt.

- Spokane, WA, USA

problem #71

May 032018

Acadia

  • miles
The car needs an PCM upgrade because it-??s lit up a code in randomly situation. Causing the vehicle to lose the water temperature gage, power steering wheel assistance reduced and ac stop working, gmc is aware of the problem even issued a technical bulletin in 2018, but instead of inform the clients about the defective part, they want the client with this problem to pay to upgrade a defective PCM that came out from factory with problem. Note the power steering wheel assistance is part of the safety of the car. The problem always existed in the car, it toke me 2 years to find the problem.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #70

Oct 152023

Acadia

  • miles
I bought a used 2018 GMC Acadia in Oct. 2023. Initially the thermostat would go out and a check engine light would come on. This seems to be a common problem in GMC Acadia's and there are multiple blogs on this online (e.g. [XXX] ). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Sebastian, FL, USA

problem #69

Jan 262022

Acadia

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Thermostat fails frequently leading to reduced steering assist and temp gauge drops to below cold while fan runs on high. Along with sporadic blackout on all interior screens/instrument panel.

- Hampstead , NC, USA

problem #68

Nov 172023

Acadia

  • miles
Shift to park issue is getting worse. I couldn-??t turn my car off for hours today. The recall is still pending for this and GMC is doing nothing after thousands of class action lawsuits and complaints. Keeping my car running for hours on end while in park because it won-??t turn off is causing electrical issues and using tons of gas. I have to get with an attorney at this point because I can-??t use my car lots of the times because I can-??t leave it running and unlocked all day while I-??m at work or at the store. It-??s a MASSIVE safety issue. GMC needs to take accountability and fix these vehicles. This has been ongoing for 2 years now.

- Bartlett, TN, USA

problem #67

Jul 182023

Acadia

  • miles
Numerous occurences especially recently of shift vehicle to park when vehicle has been parked, turned off and already shifted into park position. Several occurrences where almost every time within 24 hours I use my cruise control and air conditioner at the same time my check engine light will come on as well as the stability trac indicator which then causes my air conditioner not to work and inability to start the vehicle due to having a check engine light on.

- Grand Island, NE, USA

problem #66

Jan 162023

Acadia

  • miles
The thermostat stops working and my a/c stops blowing cold air, and driving assist stops and engine light goes on. It is a rampant problem among GMC Acadias with no reason or fix. Please advise.

- Naples, FL, USA

problem #65

Mar 312022

Acadia

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

unknown

- Huntsville, AL, USA

problem #64

Oct 152022

Acadia

  • miles
2018 Acadia will display -??Shift to park-?? warning along with an audible warning when the vehicle is shut off. This happens even though the PRNDL display is in the -??Park-?? position each time. If I try to exit the vehicle, the audible warning continues (apparently indefinitely). This began at an odometer of about 59,200. Initially, the situation could be corrected by restarting the car and shifting in and out of Park or depressing the shift knob several times. Within a couple of hundred miles, it became consistent and eventually could not be corrected as described above. Unfortunately, this is not covered under warranty. I began driving for a few months without the shift knob, simply depressing the plunger on the shift rod coming up from the transmission. Doing this, the warning rarely occurs and, if it does, it-??s easily corrected with one or two presses of the plunger. Some modifications of the shift knob have allowed the knob to be used with results similar to driving without the knob. I hope there will be a software update (deployed over OnStar) to use the PRNDL information and eliminate this failed system.

- Columbiaville, MI, USA

problem #63

Feb 152023

Acadia

  • miles
For months after putting car in park it displays a "Shift to Park" message. It won't let you fully shut down vehicle. Some times I can start it again, back up a little, put it back in park for it to shut off. Not one time though. You have to do it repeatedly. Maybe 6 or 7 times before it works. Most times I just finally have to walk away from the vehicle. Problem being it won't let me lock my car - which the police in our area keep warning us to do to prevent the vehicle thefts. It also continues to 'bing', running down the battery, which could leave me stranded somewhere. I looked this up on line assuming it would be a recall because it is a 'known defect' and there are thousands of complaints on line of people having the same issues and dealer won't take care of. There are lawsuits. This should be a recall.

- West Paducah, KY, USA

problem #62

Nov 242022

Acadia

  • 200,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear liftgate warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspection, the liftgate was closed. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the liftgate failed to latch securely and a bungy was used to keep the liftgate closed. The contact stated that the dome light illuminated indicating that the doors were open; however, the doors were securely closed. The contact stated that the roof light was turned off and the radio failed to operate. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. The VIN was not included.

- Cropsey, IL, USA

problem #61

May 272022

Acadia

  • miles
When shifting the car into Park the P lights up and the car appears to be in Park, but an alarm goes off when you press the stop button to turn the car off. Action Required : Shift into Park. You have to restart the car and move the shifter or press the button on the shifter to get it to recognize that the car is in Park. This has gotten worse, last time it took over 20 minutes to get the car to recognize it. I have the car scheduled to go to the shop tomorrow. Warranty has expired due to date. Car only has 17,760 miles on it. 05/27/2022 was the last time the car was driven. I am sure they will try to charge me for this. It is a known issue and there seems to be a class action law suit over it. TSB - 19-NA-206 Dated September 2019. This should be a recall.

- Easley, SC, USA

problem #60

Jun 012021

Acadia

  • miles
Vehicle does not recognize when in park, safety issue as passenger or driver could step out of vehicle while still in reverse. Unable to shut down vehicle due to not recognizing vehicle is in park.

- Waconia, MN, USA

problem #59

Mar 012022

Acadia

  • miles
Shift to park warning when parking and shutting down vehicle. Shifter is in park but will not shut off electrical system of vehicle.

- Grand Ledge, MI, USA

problem #58

Oct 282021

Acadia

  • miles
Shift to park switch is defective. Switch will not register transmission is in park causing an alarm that runs battery dead. Car has set in my driveway 3 months unable to drive.

- Martinsville , IN, USA

problem #57

Sep 212021

Acadia

  • miles
Had to replace the shifter, harness, and parking assist module to the tune of $1569! When it was put into park the system would not acknowledge it was in park...therefore I could not lock the vehicle and an alarm kept going off. My Acadia only has 12,000 miles on it...NO excuse for having to replace those parts with or without a warranty! Dealership said I am not the only one this has happened to...they have replaced a number of them!

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #56

Nov 272021

Acadia

  • miles
Shift to park notification keeps coming on after shutting off the car. It obviously has been shifted in to park before turning off the engine, but the notification keeps popping up. I have had the shift harness replaced by a mechanic once alreafy. He says this is the GMC authorized fix. IT DID NOT FIX THe PROBLEM! Of course, he'll put another shift harness for me, but what are the odds that will solve anything. GMC needs to come up with a better solution! It is frustrating and time consuming trying to come up with whichever trick will work to make the notification to away. I am not a very happy customer!

- Marcus, IA, USA

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