2018 GMC Acadia: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
49%
187 of 392 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
49% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 GMC Acadia are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 62% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE03/22/2019CRASH4 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2018 GMC ACADIA. WHILE THE CONTACT'S FRIEND WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH A PARTITION AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS IN THE VE…
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SY09/24/20252 INJURED
Shifting to park and vehicle stating the vehicle is not in park, won't let me turn the vehicle off. Transmission going out, brought to many shops letting me know that the transmission is not working properly but won't give an engine light if anything is wrong with vehicle, Wont show on readers what is wrong with vehicl…
On July 26, 2024, I was driving my 2018 Acadia, with my cruise control set to 48 in a 45 MHP zone. Nearing a bad curve, I sneezed. When this happened, I tapped the brakes to disengage the cruise control, my passengers side tires exited the road and with both hands on the wheel I tried to slowly bring my tires back to t…
Three of 187 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (2)
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaC…
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft …
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2018 GMC Acadia
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
2 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.