2019 GMC Acadia
Common Problems
Ranked from 191 federal NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
11 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
Shift to Park Warning When in Park
119complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle displays a 'Shift to Park' warning even when in park, preventing the engine from shutting off.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 2
Battery Drain Due to Persistent Alerts
43complaintsMedium severityElectricalPersistent 'Shift to Park' alerts prevent the engine from shutting off, leading to battery drain.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 3
Battery Drain When Engine Off
37complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe vehicle's battery drains when the engine is turned off due to the 'Shift to Park' warning message repeatedly appearing.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 20V668000
- 4
Steering Assist Malfunction
28complaintsMedium severitySteeringThe steering assist system malfunctions, displaying warnings such as 'Steering Assist Fault - Drive with Caution'.
- 5
Inability to Lock Doors Safely
22complaintsLow severityOtherThe 'Shift to Park' message prevents the doors from locking properly, posing a minor inconvenience.
- 6
Vehicle Not Recognizing Park Position
22complaintsMedium severityTransmissionThe vehicle fails to recognize the gear shift is in park, leading to difficulty in shutting off the engine.
Related recall: 20V668000
- 7
Thermostat Malfunction
19complaintsHigh severityEngineThe thermostat repeatedly malfunctions, causing the 'Steering Assist Reduced' message and affecting the engine cooling system.
$200–$600est. thermostat replacement · 1–3 hrs laborGet local quotes - 8
Shift to Park Error When Car is Already in Park
10complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe vehicle displays an error message to shift to park even when the car is already in park, preventing the car from shutting off or locking the doors.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 9
Electrical System Glitches
5complaintsLow severityElectricalThe vehicle's electrical system experiences glitches, such as the touch display constantly changing settings and the entertainment center malfunctioning.
- 10
Faulty Microswitch in Shifter Assembly
5complaintsMedium severityElectricalA faulty microswitch in the shifter assembly fails to signal the body control module correctly, leading to a persistent 'Shift to Park' warning.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 11
Steering Assist Reduced Warning
3complaintsLow severitySteeringThe 'Steering Assist Reduced' warning appears along with a malfunctioning thermostat and affects the power steering and air conditioning.
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.