Home · 2018 GMC Acadia Limited · Complaints

What 389 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 GMC Acadia Limited

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (389)Crash / fire / injury (10)Transmission & drivetrain (162)Electrical system (108)Engine (32)Steering (24)Brakes (21)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (12)Fuel system (9)Lane Departure (6)Backup camera & sensors (5)Seats (5)

162 of 389 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 6 of 7

Dec 8, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

RECEVIED "ACTION REQUIRED - SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE ON INSTRUMENT PANEL SCREEN. MOTOR TURNS OFF BUT VEHICLE STAYS IN ACCESSORY MODE AND CHIMES CONTINUOUSLY. DEALER REPLACED WIRING HARNESS THAT PROMISED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WENT AWAY FOR 1 MONTH AND CAME BACK. JIGGLING THE SHIFTER OR FLICKING THE SHIFTER BUTTON IS THE ONLY WAY IT WILL GO AWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11287735

Dec 5, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

EXPERIENCED THE "VEHICLE NOT IN PARK " WHEN SHIFTER WAS IN PARK. ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OFF BECAUSE ELECTRICAL SWITCH DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. AFTER MANY TRIES I WAS ABLE TO TURN VEHICLE OFF. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AND SHIFTER WAS REPLACED (3 WEEKS AGO ). TODAY SHIFTER FROZE IN PARK YET CONSOLE INDICATED VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE. DID NOT REMOVE FOOT OFF OF BRAKE BECAUSE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE IT WAS IN GEAR. COULD NOT SHUT OFF VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS A PUSH BUTTON START/STOP AND FOOT MUST BE OFF BRAKE TO STOP ENGINE. CALLED DEALER FOR HELP. FINALLY WE PUT EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND PUSHED STOP BUTTON. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF BUT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STILL ON. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. THEY WILL ADVISE IN A WEEK OR SO THEY ARE SHORT HANDED.

NHTSA ODI 11287377

Dec 1, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

VEHICLE STATES "ACTION REQUIRED - SHIFT TO PARK" EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS IN PARK. ACCESSORIES STAY ON AND VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDS WARNING CHIME. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED TO PARK AND ENGINE IS SHUT DOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11283122

Nov 29, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

VEHICLE WILL NOT SHUT OFF DUE TO A SHIFT TO PARK MESSAGE WHEN THE SHIFTER IS ALREADY IN THE PARK POSITION.

NHTSA ODI 11282902

Nov 18, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

'ACTION REQUIRED SHIFT TO PARK' - MESSAGE. STATIONARY. THE CAR IS IN PARK! BELLS SOUND. DOORS LOCK. BATTERY DRAINS. HUNDREDS OF OTHER FOLKS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE. PLEASE RECALL THIS CAR, DANGEROUS AND I HAVE KIDS.

NHTSA ODI 11280828

Nov 11, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ALWAYS GO INTO PARK. IN ORDER TO GET IT INTO PARK YOU HAVE TO REPEATEDLY SHIFT OUT OF PARK AND BACK INTO PARK UNTIL IT WILL GO INTO PARK. IF IT IS NOT IN PARK THE VEHICLE WILL NOT LOCK AND WILL NOT POWER DOWN. SINCE IT WILL NOT GO INTO PARK IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON A HILL AND IT DID NOT GO INTO PARK THEN IT WOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO SEE IF IT WILL ROLL DOWN THE HILL NOR AM I GOING TO TRY BUT SEEING HOW IT SHOWS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL I'M SURE IT WILL ROLL IF GIVEN THE CHANCE. WHEN SHUTTING OFF THE VEHICLE AFTER YOU HAVE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK ON THE GEAR SELECTOR A MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE SCREEN THAT SAYS SHIFT TO PARK IT HAS TAKEN UP TO 20 TRIES OF SHIFTING THE VEHICLE IN AND OUT OF PARK UNTIL PARK WILL ENGAGE. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE ALL GAUGES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST POINT SHOWING NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE AND THE SHIFT INDICATOR IS IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION WITH THE MESSAGE ON THE DISPLAY READING SHIFT TO PARK.

NHTSA ODI 11279421

Nov 8, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TOOK OUR ACADIA IN ON 9/25 AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS (STARTED THE WEEK OF 8/26) OF THE SHIFT TO PARK INDICATOR LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. THE DEALERSHIP HAD IT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS (P/U 10/16) BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET THE PARTS DUE TO THE GM STRIKE. WE HAVE HAD IT BACK THREE WEEKS AND IT HAS BEGUN AGAIN WITH THE SHIFT TO PARK LIGHT. WE KEEP THE PARKING BREAK ON JUST IN CASE, DON'T TRUST IT. HAVE ANOTHER SERVICE APPOINTMENT ON 11/15. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

NHTSA ODI 11278819

Nov 7, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK, MESSAGE COMES UP ON DASHBOARD "SHIFT TO PARK." SOMETIMES TAKES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO GET VEHICLE INTO PARK SO VEHICLE CAN BE TURNED OFF. HAVE TO SHIFT BETWEEN DRIVE, REVERSE AND PARK OR WIGGLE SHIFTER AND PUMP BRAKE TO GET MESSAGE TO GO AWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11278772

Oct 24, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

WARNING MESSAGE SAYS "SHIFT TO PARK". MESSAGE DOES NOT GO OFF UNTIL YOU TURN CAR ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES; PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE, THEN DRIVE; THEN SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS BACK AND FORTH. MAY TAKE 20 MINUTES TO GET THE MESSAGE LIGHT TO GO OFF. GMC HAS TRIED REPLACING GEAR SHIFT, PART OF GEAR TOP. AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS IN TRYING TO FIX THE ISSUE, MY CAR SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN ADDITONAL 4 WEEKS WAITING FOR A HARNESS FIX (WHICH THERE IS NO PART FOR). THE CAR ALWAYS ROLLS BACKWARDS WHEN THE MESSAGE FINALLY GOES OFF. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IS THE CAR REALLY IN PARK?

NHTSA ODI 11270613

Oct 24, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

1 OUT OF 2 TIMES A DAY WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK IT GIVES ME A WARNING TO SHIFT TO PARK ON THE ELECTRONIC DASH. EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT IS SITTING IN THE PARK POSITION. SO I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR, TAKE IT OUT OF PARK AND SHIFT BACK TO PARK MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE THE WARNING GOES AWAY. THIS WARNING PREVENTS THE CAR FROM COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN

NHTSA ODI 11270904

Oct 17, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

VEHICLE ENGINE WAS RUNNING WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AND SHIFTED TO PARK. I RECEIVED AN ERROR INDICATING "ACTION REQUIRED - SHIFT TO PARK." I DID NOT LET OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE I WAS UNSURE IF THE VEHICLE HAD ACTUALLY SHIFTED INTO PARK. WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED, I ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND DRIVE, THEN SHIFT BACK TO PARK, AND RECEIVED THE SAME ERROR. WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE, I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, BUT THE ELECTRONICS WOULD NOT POWER OFF AND THE ERROR CONTINUOUSLY DISPLAYED ON THE DASH. I STARTED THE ENGINE AND REPEATED THIS PROCESS MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE BRAKE PRESSED BEFORE CHANGING GEARS AGAIN, SHIFTING INTO PARK, THEN APPLYING THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT I TURNED MY ENGINE OFF AGAIN, AND THE ERROR FINALLY NO LONGER DISPLAYED. SINCE THE ERROR WAS NO LONGER DISPLAYING, I COULD ONLY HOPE THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY IN PARK, BUT FELT REASSURED THAT THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS SAFETY CONCERN THAT SEEMS TO BE AFFECTING MANY OF THESE VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI 11269106

Oct 9, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

AFTER SHIFTING MY ACADIA INTO PARK AND SHUTTING IT OFF, "SHIFT TO PARK" WARNING COMES US SOUNDING AN ALARM THAT WON'T GO OFF UNLESS I START THE CAR AND SHIFT IN AND OUT OF PARK SEVERAL TIMES. IT GETS HARDER TO GET THE WARNING TO GO AWAY EACH TIME I DRIVE IT. I HAVE HAD TO RESULT TO NOT DRIVING IT TO AVOID THE BATTERY DRAINING OR HAVING TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 19000 MILES SO THE DEALER IS WILLING TO REPLACE IT BUT THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE. ALSO, OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM RETURNS EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11267275

Oct 9, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE GEAR SHIFT, SINCE THREE WEEKS AGO WE CAN'T TURN OFF THE ENGINE AS A NORMAL PROCEDURE BECAUSE THE SENSOR OF THE GEAR SHIFT DOESN'T DETECT THE SHIFT IS IN 'P' PARKING, WE CONTINUALLY RECEIVE A MESSAGE FROM THE SCREEN. 'PUT YOUR SHIFT IN 'P', BUT IN THIS PRECISE MOMENT THE SHIFT WAS IN PARKING MODE, SO WE CAN'T TURN OF THE ENGINE. WE RECEIVE A NOTIFICATION FROM THE MECHANICAL WORKSHOP THAT THE ISSUE COULD BE THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS, BUT THEY DOESN'T GIVE US WHEN COULD BE CHANGED, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS WITHOUT USE THE VEHICLE, THEY DO NOT RECEIVE A OFFICIAL FEEDBACK FOR THE PLANT YET.

NHTSA ODI 11267542

Oct 4, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

SHIFT TO PARK NOTICE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF VEHICLE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK, VEHICLE WILL GIVE A WARNING THAT VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK. AT THIS POINT I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK OR NOT. NOT SURE IF I AM JUST RECEIVING A FAULTY NOTICE OR IS THE VEHICLE NOT IN PARK AND COULD ROLL CAUSING INJURY! THIS IS NOT A SAFE VEHICLE. GMC UNABLE TO REPAIR DUE TO NOT HAVING THE PART AVAILABLE. THIS MAY HAPPEN FOR TWO OR THREE TIMES. IT HAS HAPPENED THAT I HAVE HAD TO TURN MY CAR OFF AND BACK ON UP TO SEVEN TIMES BEFORE IT REGISTERED AS IN PARK.

NHTSA ODI 11266194

Oct 2, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

THE SHIFTER IS IN PARK WITH THE P LIT UP, BUT I CANNOT SHUT OFF MY CAR. A MESSAGE COMES ON THE SCREEN THAT SAYS SHIFT TO PARK THEN PUSH OFF. IT CONTINUES TO RUN UNTIL I TAKE IT OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT BACK IN.

NHTSA ODI 11265639

Oct 1, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE, A WARNING MESSAGE COMES ON SAYING "SHIFT TO PARK" EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK. THE SHIFTER READS PARK AND SO DOES THE DASH. VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO BE COMPLETELY TURNED OFF OR LOCKED WITH THIS MESSAGE APPEARING. IT REQUIRES TURNING VEHICLE ON AND OFF, MOVING SHIFTER IN AND OUT OF PARK, JIGGLING SHIFTER BUTTONS, ETC. THIS CAN TAKE ONE TRY OR MULTIPLE TRIES. I JUST HAD THIS FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP (REPLACED SHIFT CONTROL) AND WAS DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AFFECTING MANY VEHICLES AND IT IS STILL THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE OWNER TO PAY FOR THE EXPENSE IF THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. THE SHIFTER RUNS THE POWER TRAIN! WHY IS THIS NOT UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AND WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL? NOW, IN RESEARCHING, I'M SEEING THAT MANY HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN AGAIN AFTER THE ISSUE HAS BEEN "FIXED". DEALER TECH NOTES TSB 19-NA-206 IN HIS REPORT.

NHTSA ODI 11265360

Sep 26, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

WHEN SHUTTING THE ACADIA OFF IT PROMPTS A MESSAGE SAYING MUST BE IN PARK. IT IS IN PARK BUT COMPUTER IS NOT RECOGNIZING IT. THIS FORCES YOU TO LEAVE CAR RUNNING. IF YOU DONT THEN YOUR BATTERY WILL GO DEAD. WHEN SPEAKING TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP THEY ARE AWARE OF ISSUE BUT DONT KNOW ANYTHING TO RESOLVE IT. CUSTOMERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SINCE IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11258361

Sep 26, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

CAR WARNS TO PUT IN PARK WHEN IT IS IN PARK. DEALER FIXED IT A YEAR AGO AND IT HAS STARTED AGAIN

NHTSA ODI 11258432

Sep 25, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

WHEN PUTTING MY VEHICLE IN PARK AND PRESSING THE ENGINE OFF BUTTON, I GET AN ERROR MESSAGE "SHIFT TO PARK", AND THE VEHICLE BEEPS AND WILL NOT TURN OFF THE ELECTRICAL, BUT THE CAR IS ALREADY IN PARK. I AM UNABLE TO TURN OFF MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY. I HAVE TO PRESS START AGAIN AND PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND BACK TO PARK, SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO REGISTER THAT IS IN PARK AND ALLOW ME TO SHUT OFF MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE IN PARK WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK. I DO NOT WANT IT TO ROLL DOWN A HILL AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TURN OFF MY CAR WITHOUT BEING CONCERNED IT WILL CONTINUE TO RUN ELECTRICAL AND KILL MY BATTERY.

NHTSA ODI 11258153

Sep 11, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

VEHICLE STATES "ACTION REQUIRED - SHIFT TO PARK" EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS IN PARK. ACCESSORIES STAY ON AND VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDS WARNING CHIME. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS SHIFTED TO PARK.

NHTSA ODI 11254619

Sep 10, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN THE CAR IS SHIFTED INTO PARK, THE DASHBOARD SHOWS A WARNING THAT THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK. THE CAR THEN WON'T TURN OFF COMPLETELY.

NHTSA ODI 11254470

Sep 7, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

THE VEHICLE SHOWS A WARNING WITH A BELL TONE 'SHIFT TO PARK' WHEN THE CAR IS ALREADY IN PARK. IT STOPS ONLY AFTER WIGGLING GEAR SHIFTER NUMEROUS TIMES.

NHTSA ODI 11253803

Sep 4, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

SHIFT TO PARK I SHIFT THE CAR INTO PARK AND TRY AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT STILL SAYS SHIFT TO PARK LIKE THE CAR ISNT IN PARK BUT IT IS. IT WONT ALLOW ME TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I HAVE TO SHIFT IT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS OR JIGGLE THE SHIFTER FOR IT TO REGISTER. I HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO REMOVING THE BATTERY CABLES OFF TO TURN IT OFF ONE TIME AS WELL. THE CAR WHEN IT DOES SHUT OFF FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION ISNT FULLY ENGAGED.

NHTSA ODI 11253242

Aug 31, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectronic Stability Control (esc)

FIRST OF ALL, THIS ISSUE IS BEING REPORTED BY HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF GMC ACADIA OWNERS. I RECEIVED THE "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE MONTHS AGO WHILE IT STILL WAS UNDER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY AND THEN IT WENT AWAY UNTIL LAST WEEK. I GOT A "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE WHEN I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR WAS IN THE SHIFT POSITION. THIS CAUSED A NUMBER OF SECONDARY ISSUES THAT ARE NOW COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE I AM ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON AFTER IT DRAINS OR KILLS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, I AM GETTING A NUMBER OF ISSUES. HOWEVER, THE ONES THAT CONCERN ME THE MOST ARE THE ROLLS EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, LOSS OF AWD, LOSS OF STABILITRACK, LOSS OF ABS, BRAKING SYSTEM ERROR AND POWER SURGES. THESE ARE THE MOST CONCERNING BUT I AM ALSO HAVING ISSUES WITH MY DASHBOARD, NAVIGATION, AND VEHICLE INSTRUMENTS. I CALLED THE GMC DEALER WHO HAD NO PROBLEM TELLING ME THE GEAR SHIFT BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WHEN THEY CAN FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER. WHAT REALLY DISTURBS ME IS THAT THERE ARE LAWSUITS GOING ON DEALING WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND THAT LITERALLY IT COMPROMISES THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND NEITHER GMC OR THE NHTSA HAVE ACTED ON THIS. I WAS DRIVING TODAY AND REALIZED HOW DANGEROUS IT WAS TO OPERATE A VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. YOU CAN LITERALLY BE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE HAVE A POWER SURGE WHICH MAKES YOU LOSE CONTROL CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION IN THE GEAR SHIFT BOX. I AM ASSUMING THAT NO ONE WILL DUE ANYTHING UNTIL SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE EITHER KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. THIS ISSUES HAS BEEN REPORTED ON MODELS GOING BACK TO 2017 AND HERE WE ARE IN 2019 AND STILL HAVE THE ISSUE. PLEASE HELP US, THIS ISSUE IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS AND IT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY THE NHTSA OR GMC. PLEASE RECALL OR STOP SELLING

NHTSA ODI 11252624

Aug 22, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

MY 2018 GMC ACADIA HAS WARNING OF SHIFT TO PARK. WHEN IT IS IN PARK. AND WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO TURN OFF THE CAR. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT IS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI 11245940

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Working with the data? Download all 389 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2018 GMC Acadia Limited verdict →