2008 GMC Acadia Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 279 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2008 GMC Acadia, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 77,400 miles. The words owners use most often: “wave plate” (23% of reports).
- 279power train complaints
- 77,400median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Wave plate: mentioned in 64 of 279 complaints (23%)
- Transmission went: mentioned in 18 of 279 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2008 GMC Acadia at $5,500, and half of them between $4,300 and $5,900.
Based on 30 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2017), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 255 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 279 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
GMC Acadia power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Acadia | 3 | 33% | 4,700 |
| 2025 Acadia | 4 | 6% | — |
| 2024 Acadia | 7 | 11% | 1,000 |
| 2023 Acadia | 12 | 27% | 24,749 |
| 2022 Acadia | 4 | 8% | — |
| 2021 Acadia | 17 | 11% | 4,063 |
| 2020 Acadia | 22 | 21% | 41,000 |
| 2019 Acadia | 154 | 40% | 49,800 |
| 2018 Acadia | 163 | 41% | 37,000 |
| 2017 Acadia | 236 | 33% | 36,000 |
| 2016 Acadia | 21 | 9% | 77,911 |
| 2015 Acadia | 18 | 7% | 69,000 |
| 2014 Acadia | 35 | 8% | 50,000 |
| 2013 Acadia | 27 | 20% | 99,250 |
| 2012 Acadia | 43 | 15% | 98,300 |
| 2011 Acadia | 33 | 12% | 71,796 |
| 2010 Acadia | 43 | 13% | 76,000 |
| 2009 Acadia | 72 | 22% | 81,453 |
| 2008 Acadia | 279 | 33% | 77,400 |
| 2007 Acadia | 184 | 43% | 79,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2008 GMC Acadia. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Transmissions will not shift out of 1st gear. And puts out a 752 code. This can happen at anytime. Vehicle will suddenly lose power at any time.
Check engine light came on for the TCM. Car has had issues shifting (very rough shifting) and the manual shift option does not work. Was told the TCM had to be replaced. Attempt was made to replace it with a refurbished TCM but that couldn't be programmed to the car. Was then told I would have to…
'service air bag' had been on my computer screen for a few days and isn't going off. I purchased this vehicle used and they told me it means something is unplugged. I took it back only to have it come back in months later. It sometimes happen as i'm driving but lately it's there when i turn the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 GMC Acadias have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 279 owner complaints about power train for the 2008 GMC Acadia (33% of the 854 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 GMC Acadia power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 77,400 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2008 GMC Acadia?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,500 (half paid between $4,300 and $5,900), from 30 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2008 GMC Acadia?
The most frequent phrase is “wave plate”, in 64 of 279 complaints, followed by “transmission went” (18).
Other 2008 GMC Acadia problems
- Electrical System problems (153)
- Air Bags problems (150)
- Steering problems (133)
- Engine problems (124)
- Structure problems (87)
- Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems (57)
See all 2008 GMC Acadia problems or power train problems across all Acadia years.