2017 GMC Acadia engine problems

ENGINE

My Acadia went into limp Mode displaying low power mode on the screen and wouldn’t start for a couple days after. Lights started illuminating on the dash as abs, traction control, and stanilitrack, then check engine light came on and my gmc app displayed code p2138. I have had since low power and extremely high gas consumption.

NHTSA complaint #11751463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Steering assist is reduced Brake assist reduced Seems to be a defective thermostat and sensor .temp gauge is below Normal operating temperature this needs to be addressed by GM should be a recall as this can be a costly repair.Many reports of same issue

NHTSA complaint #11738919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the A/C system became inoperable. Additionally, the engine fan activated and remained activated even after the vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that the failure had recurred while driving. The contact related the failure to GM Special Coverage Number: N252508350 (Engine Coolant Thermostat). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA complaint #11726780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The engine is spewing oil from the sides of the engine. This is causing overheating and check engine light to come on. Mechanics cannot get an error read on it. There is no oil leak coming from under the engine.

NHTSA complaint #11719617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Thermostat Issue (Steering Assist is Reduced Drive with Care) have changed this sensor 3 times in the past 3 years, there is no excuse for that. The emergency braking almost cause me and my daughter to be hit by a train when my car emergency braked while going over train tracks. this is unexcusable

NHTSA complaint #11717322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The Car has over the last few years not turn off due to shift to park. This is concerning, due to we cannot turn the car off unless we strike the shifter few times assuming this is the remedy. It doesn't look like there is any type of recall but there should be.

NHTSA complaint #11711466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

My car will not park. I get a shift to park error message. I tried restarting and shutting it off. Didn't work. I ended up putting it in neutral turning on the emergency brake and then shutting the car off. I have had no problems with this car to this point, I am a single car owner and my car must be reliable. I can't spend a half hour trying to get the car to shut off.

NHTSA complaint #11709123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

When I’m driving a warning comes on my DIC screen that says “ACTION REQUIRED STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE”. The AC does not work and the temp gauge goes to cold with the radiator fan blowing at full speed. My car has done this since I purchased it used in 2019 and when I call dealer they say there is no recall and $1200-1800 to replace a sensor and thermostate. I have not had the issue fixed yet.

NHTSA complaint #11701107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

While driving at highway speeds, a warning appeared on the Driver Information Center (DIC): “Steering Assist is Reduced – Drive with Care.” Simultaneously, the temperature gauge was stuck on “C,” the radiator cooling fan ran at high speed, and the air conditioning stopped blowing cold air. After researching the issue, I discovered that these symptoms are commonly linked to a failing thermostat—a known and widespread problem with GM’s 3.6L LGX engine. Unfortunately, replacing the thermostat on this engine is not a simple repair, often requiring significant labor and cost. The most concerning aspect is the loss of steering assist, which poses a serious safety risk, especially at highway speeds. Given the frequency of this issue across many GM vehicles, it’s clear that this is a defective part and not an isolated incident. GM should take responsibility and cover the cost of repairs for affected vehicles. This is not just a mechanical failure—it’s a safety hazard that deserves immediate attention. I'm attaching a picture of the message as well a paid repair invoice from the work the dealer performed to replace the thermostat on my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11688629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-15 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormally loud blower motor sound while accelerating, before the vehicle lost motive power. The transmission was shifted to neutral(N) and pushed to the side of the roadway. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission clutch had failed, and the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no recall coverage or warranty coverage on the VIN for the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

NHTSA complaint #11671086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Shift to park. Vehicle does not turn off when in park. This recall is in effect on other 2017 Acadias but for some reason ours is not under the recall. Had this issue in 2020 and it was repaired at our cost. It is now doing the same thing.

NHTSA complaint #11643329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Oil is burning through. I have to get an oil change once a month or it goes completely empty. Spoke to multiple macanics now and all tell me that's a defect with the 2017 arcadia. I just bought this in August. I love it and don't want to get rid of it. Please fix this. I can't keep burning through oil like this. It's not safe for my kids and I

NHTSA complaint #11636499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

While highway driving, engine suddenly lost power and car could not exceed 5 mph. Was able to get off at next exit and get to a local garage. Mechanic inspected. Bolt connecting high pressure fuel pump to cylinder sheared off leaving bolt body in cylinder, bending fuel pump and caused oil to spray over entire engine compartment. Repair unlikely. Engine will likely need to be replaced. Car has always been maintained. No indication of failure prior to incident.

NHTSA complaint #11634036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Steering assist reduced. No parts available and vehicle is not safe to operate.

NHTSA complaint #11624161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Within a day of taking possession of the car, September 20, 2024, with odometer reading 76,352 , warning message in instrument cluster appears stating action required “steering assist is reduced, drive with care”. Following day, A/C stop working while driving. When park, I can hear radiator fan, running full speed (louder than normal). While driving at night, headlights are not bright, specially the high beam. On September 23, 2024, took it back to dealership I purchased the vehicle. They have the vehicle in the shop to fix the issues. Vehicle was ready for pick up September 27, 2024. September 29, 2024. Message in instrument cluster screen re-appear stating “Action required, steering assist reduced drive with care”; check engine light came on, remote start key not working, A/C stop working again, radiator fan running full speed and loud , Headlights are still not bright, Infotainment screen glitching, will not stay in home button and making clicking sound. Went back to dealership so that they can fix it. Diagnostic code : P0128. They were able to have A/C working when I left the shop. and no messages on the instrument cluster. Following day, I have all the same issues I have before. My appointment to come back in to the shop to fix the thermostat issue I was October 10, 2024, on October 9, additional problems occur on top of the issue I am having. While driving and accelerating multiple lights on the instrument cluster screen appears on top of other issues and car decelerates. The check engine light came on, steering assist reduced drive with care , parking brake, car stability comes on and message stating engine power is reduced. This happened while driving on a highway at night on my way to work. I had to have the vehicle towed to the dealership..

NHTSA complaint #11623544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Bought vehicle used/as is from dealer about a month after air bag recall announced in 2023. Found out it is apparently illegal to sell a vehicle with an open recall. Dealer did not disclose the recall and I did not research unfortunately. It's been over a year now since air bag was recalled and still no fix and I live in a very hot state. Should never take this long to fix something so dangerous - FATAL. Lives are possibly at stake!!! Also had to replace temp sensor which cost about $1,000. A/C wasn't working properly. Mechanic said they had to replace the temp sensor. Research shows this is a known issue. Also have had to replace O2 sensors and might have catalytic convertor issue.

NHTSA complaint #11608840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I keep getting a message for Shift to Park when my car is already parked. My battery keeps draining for no reason even through my battery is good. I could be driving and my truck just shuts off without warning and my battery dies. Then when it shuts off all these other lights comes on. I have to let it sit for a second then it starts back up. This has been going on for months. I took it to the dealership and they ran all type of test and couldn’t figure out why it was doing it.

NHTSA complaint #11600792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

check engine light comes on & simultaneously the A/C will not work. when I first researched there was information stating that the grease GM used in the drive train was too thick resulting in the thermostat not working properly. even though GM first acknowledged they caused the problem they are not issuing a recall to fix the problem. instead they want me to take my car to a dealership & pay approx. $2400 to turn off the sensor

NHTSA complaint #11583857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Shift to park alert pops up when turning vehicle off. Vehicle is in park. This prohibits the vehicle from turning off. Per my investigation other gmc acadias made in 2017 also have experienced this which results into either prohibiting them from turning their vehicle off or their battery dying. This is a safety hazard because it increases risk of being stranded due to malfunction.

NHTSA complaint #11583724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Thermometer stop properly working. Check engine light came on. Ran fhe diagnostic code which confirms the Thermometer needs replaced. This began Dec 2023 - bought the vehicle in Oct 2023. Unsure if this was an issue prior. The cooling fan would kick on, and the temp gauge would stop working. Dealership was able to replace this and so far no further issues with the tempature reading.

NHTSA complaint #11583726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and accelerating to 25 MPH, the vehicle jerked and downshifted, and decelerated to 17-18 MPH. The contact stated that the failure occurred several times while driving. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 5 MPH and attempting to come to a complete stop, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle shuddered and failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal harder, and the vehicle responded. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving, causing him to shift to neutral(N) while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the diagnostic test codes: P0010, P0016, P0018, and P0507 were retrieved. The mechanic determined that the engine and an unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Two unknown dealers were notified of the failure and informed the contact the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA complaint #11569314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when she arrived at her destination, she became aware that the engine fan was blowing abnormally loud. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed thermostat and thermostat sensor. The contact was informed that the thermostat and thermostat sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA complaint #11551823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the camshaft and timing chain however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken back to the dealer who later replaced the transmission. After replacing the transmission, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. A diagnostic test was performed, and it was determined that the camshaft and timing chain was faulty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 78,588. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA complaint #11526943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Shift to park error light comes on when you are parking your car--cannot lock the car and all lights stay on--takes 5 or six tries --happens every time you move the car

NHTSA complaint #11516270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Steering assist reduced, drive with caution message displayed. Steering wheel sticks when turning. Apparently caused by a faulty thermostat and/or temperature sensor. Had both replaced several months ago. however, both the message and symptoms have returned.

NHTSA complaint #11510391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

While driving and accelerating multiple light pop up on the dash and car decelerates. The check engine light, parking brake, car stability comes on. The engine shifts down and doesn’t drive correctly. This happened 3 times while driving on the interstate doing the speed limit 55-70mph

NHTSA complaint #11510474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving, the A/C unit became inoperable. The next day, while driving at a slow speed and approaching a stop sign, the START/STOP system engaged, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

NHTSA complaint #11509525 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Thermostat of the 3.6L LGX engine of General Motors fails. This causes systems to run radiator fan full speed and GMC Certified Service Center said can cause the engine to over-heat and damage. GMC Service center said that entire Thermostat unit (box) needs replacement and due to its location in the engine, it will take 6 hours of labor. They also recommended to flush the coolant and refill. If I google for this issue, its reported numerous times on Acadia forums and seems like a very common issue. Forum : https://www.acadiaforum.net/threads/steering-assist-is-reduced-drive-with-care.35790/#post-350364 https://www.acadiaforum.net/threads/2017-acadia-steering-assist-reduced-drive-with-care-message.32084/#post-321301 https://www.acadiaforum.net/threads/electric-power-steering-assist-warning.35258/#post-341562 Considering its happening on all years of GM models using 3.6 LGX engine and it can potentially cause engine to overheat and blow , I am requesting NHTSA to investigate this problem and work with GM to get a recall issued for this. Please have GM also cover costs of folks who have already fixed this issue with their own money, since the cost of fix is very very high. Thanks

NHTSA complaint #11507111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

No incident yet. Although at 68,567 miles, it should not need J0780 Timing Cover Gasket replacement costing approximately $1847. Powertrain warranty was 5 year 65,000 miles. I purchased in April 2017, so April 2022 was 5 years. Unbelievable.

NHTSA complaint #11505849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

GM put out notice in April 2019 stating side blind zone alert message due to water intrusion May cause issue with driver interface functions. Do not take your vehicle to dealership unless you believe there is a problem. Reimbursement by 4/30/2020 6 years 80,000 miles. Vehicle stopped working while parked in driveway. No start, no cranking, warning lights for security lock out, side crash detection, tire monitoring service and airbags displayed. Dome light for front door did not work while second row lights did work. Lift gate would not open. When stating issues to dealer prior to service were told they had not heard of anything that would stop a cars engine from functioning. Dealership repair stated this was due to rear blind side detection module and that the module shorted out cause all other circuits to go to ground, yet no fuses were blown. Starter fuse and relays were good. I asked dealer if this could have caused my car to stop while driving and they answered yes. Have corroded module and wire loom referee to as kit. Was told no way to circumvent system other than replacement.

NHTSA complaint #11501399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.