2017 GMC Acadia Denali
Common Problems
Ranked from 298 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
17 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Inconsistent Shifting to Park
100complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe vehicle fails to consistently shift into park, leading to the 'Shift to Park' message appearing and preventing the vehicle from being turned off.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 2
Shift to Park Warning When Already in Park
99complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle displays a 'Shift to Park' warning when already in park, preventing the engine from shutting off.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 3
Vehicle Unable to Recognize Park Position
92complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle's electronic system fails to recognize the gear shifter is in park, leading to warnings and preventing the engine from shutting off.
- 4
Transmission Shift to Park Failure
46complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe transmission fails to recognize the vehicle is in park, causing the shift to park message to appear and preventing the engine from shutting off.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 5
Shift to Park Issue
38complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe vehicle does not recognize when it is in park, causing the 'Shift to Park' message to appear and preventing the engine from shutting off.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 6
Air Bag Recall Issue
21complaintsSafety riskOtherMultiple reports of delayed or unavailable parts for the air bag recall, leading to potential safety risks.
- 7
Horn requires excessive force to activate
20complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe horn is extremely difficult to activate, requiring both hands or extreme pressure.
- 8
Horn Difficulty to Operate
14complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe horn is extremely difficult to sound, requiring excessive pressure and often two hands to operate.
- 9
Engine Performance Issues
13complaintsMedium severityEngineEngine performance issues, including check engine light, unexpected deceleration, and rough shifting, affecting overall vehicle operation.
- 10
Service Brakes Issues
13complaintsMedium severityOtherIssues with the service brakes, including sudden loss of power and unexpected behavior, leading to safety concerns.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 11
Shift to Park Error Message
9complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle displays a 'Shift to Park' error message when attempting to turn off the engine, indicating the car is not in park, despite being in that position.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 12
Shift to Park Warning and Engine Shutdown
8complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle displays a 'Shift to Park' warning and shuts down unexpectedly, preventing the engine from turning off.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 13
Transmission Shifting Issues
7complaintsMedium severityTransmissionProblems with the transmission not recognizing the park position, requiring multiple attempts to turn off the vehicle.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 14
Service Brake Issues
5complaintsHigh severityBrakesThere have been multiple reports of service brake issues, including brake failure and stopping problems.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 15
Transmission Shudder and Torque Converter Issues
5complaintsMedium severityTransmissionThe transmission shudders and torque converter malfunctions, causing the vehicle to experience jerking and shuddering during acceleration and deceleration.
$1,500–$3,000est. torque converter replacement · 6–10 hrs laborGet local quotes - 16
Excessive vibrations during automatic mode change
3complaintsMedium severityTransmissionVibrations occur when the transmission shifts between V4 and V6 modes, causing discomfort and potential loss of control.
- 17
Transmission Shuddering and Vibration
2complaintsMedium severityTransmissionThe transmission experiences sudden onset of shuddering and vibration, especially at lower speeds and on inclines.
$2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs laborGet local quotes
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.