2018 GMC Acadia Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO PARK, AND A MESSAGE APPEARED SAYING TO "SHIFT TO PARK" AND WOULDN'T ALLOW THE CAR TO BE TURNED OFF OR ITS DOORS LOCKED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR IS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND COULD ROLL BACK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND PLACING THE GEAR SHIFTER IN PARK, A MESSAGE DISPLAYED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THROUGH THE GEARS AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AFTER SHIFTING TO PARK AND THEN PRESSING THE START/STOP BUTTON, THE VEHICLE GIVES AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT SAYS "SHIFT TO PARK" EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION. THE ERROR MESSAGE PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM SHUTTING DOWN. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, PUT INTO PARK, AND THEN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, A WARNING BEEP SOUNDED, INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN PARK. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
SHIFTER ASSEMBLY WENT OUT, KNOWN ISSUE AND GM WON'T COVER PART
AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN PARK, "SHIFT TO PARK" IS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH. I HAVE TO SHIFT THE CAR IN AND OUT OF PARK SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RECOGNIZE BEING IN PARK.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARM, THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO SLIP WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. THE ENGINE WILL REV BETWEEN 500 TO 1000 RPM WHILE SHIFTING. DURING THIS TIME (HALF TO FULL SECOND) THE VEHICLE IS NOT ACCELERATING AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUTS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO DEALERSHIPS 4 TIMES FOR THIS COMPLAINT. AT 35000 MILES (3RD DEALER VISIT), GM REPLACED THE VALVE ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED AND GM IS ONLY OFFERING TO REPLACE THE SAME PART, OR EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION, BUT NOT BOTH. NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP OR GM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER HAS ANY IDEA WHAT IS ACTUALLY WRONG AND IS NOT TAKING ANY STEPS TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS ADMITTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, BUT GM DENIED HIM ANY HELP IN RESOLVING THE ISSUE.THEY HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING A CAR THAT MAY BECOME UNRESPONSIVE TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL INPUT FOR A FULL SECOND. NOTE THAT THIS ISSUE IS STILL COVERED BY THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AT THIS TIME.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF, AN ERROR MESSAGE IS SHOWN SAYING "SHIFT VEHICLE INTO PARK". USUALLY PUSHING THE SHIFT KNOB FORWARD AND RELEASING IT WILL MAKE THE ERROR MESSAGE DISAPPEAR BUT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED ON AND OFF MULTIPLE TIMES AS WELL AS SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO PARK MULTIPLE TIMES TO MAKE IT GO AWAY AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF.
2018 GMC ACADIA. THE CROSSOVER (AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTER) IS FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT HAS BEEN PUT INTO PARK, FLASHING A MESSAGE ON THE DASH INSTRUCTING THE DRIVER TO 'SHIFT TO PARK' EVEN WHEN THE GEAR LEVER HAVE ALREADY BEEN MOVED TO THE 'P' POSITION.
VEHICLE WILL NOT SHUT OFF DUE TO A SHIFT TO PARK MESSAGE WHEN THE SHIFTER IS ALREADY IN THE PARK POSITION.
'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.
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.
WHEN I TRY TO SHUT OFF IGNITION I GET A WARNING ON THE DASH THAT SAYS TO PUT VEHICLE INTO PARK BEFORE SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK ALREADY. I HAVE TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF PARK OR RIDE AROUND AGAIN AND THEN TRYING PARKING AGAIN TO GET IT TO SHUT OFF. ONCE I EVEN LEFT IT RUNNING AND WENT INTO THE STORE BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF DUE TO IT THINKING IT WAS NOT IN PARK AND IT WAS.
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.
CAR WARNS TO PUT IN PARK WHEN IT IS IN PARK. DEALER FIXED IT A YEAR AGO AND IT HAS STARTED AGAIN
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.
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.
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.
WHILE STATIONARY, INSTRUMENTS SHOW A SHIFT TO PARK MESSAGE, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS IN PARK. ACADIA WOULD NOT FULLY TURN OFF UNTIL THIS MESSAGE IS NOT PRESENT. THE ONLY WAY FOUND TO HAVE THE MESSAGE CLEAR IS TO CONTINUALLY SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO PARK UNTIL IT RECOGNIZES THAT THE CAR IS INDEED IN PARK. THIS HAPPENS REPEATEDLY - 8 OUT OF 10 TIMES I DRIVE MY CAR.
CANNOT LEAVE CAR. "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE APPEARS EVEN WITH CAR IS PARKED. SOMETIMES TAKES 15 MINUTES TO PUT CAR IN PARK
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.
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.
AFTER PARKING, MY ACADIA WOULD NOT SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. A MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASH, 'ACTION REQUIRED, SHIFT TO PARK'. A CONSTANT CHIME WAS SOUNDING ALSO. I RESTARTED THE CAR, SHIFTED OUT OF PARK, BACK INTO PARK, TRIED TO SHUT OFF AGAIN...SAME THING....4X'S!!! I WENT RIGHT OVER TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR AND EXPLAINED WHAT WAS HAPPENING ( COULDN'T SHUT OFF THERE EITHER). SERVICE MANAGER KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BUT SAYS THE PART (GEAR SHIFT) IS ON BACKORDER AND HAS NO IDEA FOR HOW LONG!!! WHAT??? WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL? I'VE READ QUITE A FEW OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT SO I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ISN'T A RECALL ALREADY ESPECIALLY IF THE GEAR SHIFT REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS ON BACKORDER, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A BIGGER ISSUE THEN 1 OR 2. SO FOR NOW , I JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND 'KEEP PLAYING WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER UNTIL IT GOES OFF' AS I WAS TOLD UNTIL THE PART COMES IN! HOW CRAZY IS THIS
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.
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.
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Quick Summary
The 2018 GMC Acadia has 108 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.