2018 GMC Acadia Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2018 GMC Acadia, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 37,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “shift park” (67% of reports).
- 163power train complaints
- 37,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $570typical repair cost reported by owners
- 15%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.
- Shift park: mentioned in 109 of 163 complaints (67%)
- Turn off: mentioned in 45 of 163 complaints (28%)
- Gear shifter: mentioned in 22 of 163 complaints (13%)
- Action required: mentioned in 9 of 163 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 2018 GMC Acadia at $570, and half of them between $570 and $720.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2022–2025), 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 92 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 163 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 3 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 | 13 | 28% | 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 (1)
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.
Risk: If the front right intermediate drive shaft assembly separates while driving, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. If the assembly separates while parked on a grade, without the park brake engaged, the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a vehicle roll-away.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right front intermediate drive shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17329.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park(P); however, the message âShift to Parkâ was displayed. The gear shifter was moved back and forth, then shifted into park (P) before the proper gear was recognized. The…
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that after parking and then attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message " Shift to Park" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to be parked and turned off successfully after various attempts, which included restarting…
Gear shifter is not registering that the vehicle is in park. Because of this issue I have to sit in the vehicle for up to 15 mins trying to get it to register that it is in fact in park and can turn off. If I didn't take the time to do this, it would kill my battery. Unfortunately with the heat…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 GMC Acadias have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 163 owner complaints about power train for the 2018 GMC Acadia (41% of the 396 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 2018 GMC Acadia power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 37,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2018 GMC Acadia?
Owners report a typical cost of $570 (half paid between $570 and $720), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2018 GMC Acadia?
The most frequent phrase is “shift park”, in 109 of 163 complaints, followed by “turn off” (45).
Other 2018 GMC Acadia problems
See all 2018 GMC Acadia problems or power train problems across all Acadia years.