2015 GMC Acadia Powertrain (other) Problems

Transmission jerks and shakes the vehicle when shifting in certain conditions.

NHTSA ID

11722821

Incident

Mar 1, 2026

Torque converter is bad, shudders when shifting

NHTSA ID

11708680

Incident

Jan 8, 2020

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering and vibrating while shifting gear, and vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced, and vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11657751

Incident

Apr 30, 2023

Mileage

90,000 mi

Torque converter is going bad, hard shift when going slow then speeding up, stuttering at random times, vibration, hard shifting into reverse. No check engine light. Acadia known for transmission and torque converter problems.

NHTSA ID

11656415

Incident

Mar 1, 2025

Check engine light is on. Shudder and delayed reaction after engaging the gas pedal when moving forward in gear 1 & 2 then again seems to intermittently has issue with higher gears when on the hwy. Without warning, Several times the Acadia would not engage gears and wouldn't move at all after backing into the street from driveway. I had to have someone help push the Acadia back into the driveway. The Check Engine light keeps turning on and off. Had O'Riely check th OBD with code reader. "Torque Converter Selenoid is stuck 'ON'. Was informed by Costco there was n 2020 Recall for Acadia"s of my year regarding a Transmission recall Ref #N202313440.

NHTSA ID

11631722

Incident

Jun 4, 2024

My vehicle has a severe launch shudder in 1st gear from a stop, and while driving along when I’m in 4th gear, or during the 2-3 upshift or 3-2 downshift. It shakes the entire suv so bad I have to stop accelerating. The vehicle becomes uncontrollable which is a major safety risk.

NHTSA ID

11582723

Incident

Jan 5, 2024

It was shuddering while accelerating- 30-40 mph. I took it to a local shop. They diagnosed the transmission is failing. The cost to replace it would be $8,500-9,500, more than the car is worth. Also other repairs were needed, not related to the transmission, yet pushed the total repair to over $10,000.

NHTSA ID

11574274

Incident

Feb 19, 2024

The vehicle was perfectly fine and within 2 weeks, I needed a new transmission. When speaking to multiple shops about repairing it, they all stated it was a known problem with this transmission. This issue caused the vehicle to vibrate, made loud noise, and had problems shifting.

NHTSA ID

11455287

Incident

Feb 16, 2022

I have taken the vehicle to be repaired 5 times already and GM still refuses to acknowledge the full extent of the issue. My transmission was repaired under 100k miles while under warranty coverage for a slipping 3rd gear, excessive shudder, and hesitation. After a 3 attempts for repair, the 4th involved keeping the vehicle for a number of weeks and replacing internal transmission parts. Within 2 months, the symptoms returned but was out of warranty. The service center refused to diagnose it further without a $1,500 "diagnostics fee". I have brought the vehicle multiple times to the dealership, and have contacted GM seeking assistance on the matter. While the dealership service centers continue to focus on other parts and/or smaller sub-components of the transmission, my vehicle remains UNSAFE to drive outside of my immediate locality. I suffer from stalling, failure to maintain speeds, I cannot pass vehicles, I cannot maintain or obtain highway speeds to keep up with traffic. I have taken it yet again for repair, where the service center refuses to acknowledge the problem. They blamed it on a sensor and sent me on my way, but not only 30 minutes later did the symptoms return full-force. The Check Engine Light has reappeared. Prior to the visit earlier today, it was recently tripped at P0796, Pressure Control Solenoid C stuck or closed. I was on the highway today with avg traffic going 75 MPH. I was unable to merge into traffic and almost got pushed off of the road as a result. The truck also slipped when travelling inclined over the walt whitman bridge in to Philadelphia. It resulted in a bridge closure for 45 minutes while I could get towed off of the bridge. Once i got to the service center, as always, but will not drive over 45 MPH unless its up to 4600 RPM, steadily. This has got to end. Please Help.

NHTSA ID

11427253

Incident

Jul 30, 2021

THE SUV STARTS TO PULL WHEN GEAR SWITCHES TO THE NEXT GEAR MAKING MY SUV NOT CHANGE GEAR TOOK IT TO A MECHANICAL THEY SAY IT'S THE ADJUST CLUTCHES IT SHOULD BE RECALL BUT IT'S NOT

NHTSA ID

11378231

Incident

Oct 12, 2020

TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING AND SURGING FROM TAKE OFF AND AT SHIFT POINTS. FLUID LEVEL OK AND MOTOR NEVER HAS RUN HOT. CAR RAN OK AND PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. DROVE CAR UNTIL RECENTLY AND PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. VEHICLE ACTS LIKE TRANSMISSION JERKS IN AND OUT OF GEAR AT HWY SPEEDS. ISSUE STARTED AT ABOUT 98000 MILES, MOST ALL ARE HWY MILES. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OCCURS AT ALL TEMPERATURES. TOOK CAR TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT PROBLEM WAS WITHOUT EVEN OPENING HOOD. THEY SAID WAVE PLATE IN 3-5 GEARS ARE CRACKED AND WOULD REQUIRE A COMPLETE REBUILD. GOT 2 ESTIMATES OF 3995.00 AND 4800.00 FROM TWO REPUTABLE SHOPS. DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF THIS PROBLEM STARTING AS FAR BACK AS 2007 AND IN VARIOUS GM VEHICLES THAT USE THE SAME TRANSMISSION. WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE CAR AROUND TOWN DUE TO SAFETY ISSUE. WILL BE GETTING TRANS REPLACED SOON. WITH SO MANY REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND AT TRANS SHOPS, PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND BROUGHT TO ATTENTION OF OWNERS.

NHTSA ID

11271132

Incident

Jun 7, 2019

Mileage

98,000 mi

IT HAS BEEN SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ... GAS GAUGE IS INTERMITTENT AND CROSS TRAFFIC ALERTS GO OFF RANDOMLY (WITH NO TRAFFIC OR OBSTRUCTIONS) PAINT HAS HAD TO BE REDONE LEATHER REPLACED TRIM REDONE ETC... THE CAR ALMOST KILLED ME AND MY CHILDREN, I'M DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH AND SUDDENLY I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IT SLOWED DOWN TO 49 THEN 25 LOST STEERING AND ABLE TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE BEFORE THE WHOLE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND I SHUT IT DOWN AS I BELIEVED IT WOULD EXPLODE (I WAS TERRIFIED) I CALLED A DEALER AND THEY ASKED IF I TURNED IT OFF AND ON AGAIN ? ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TRACTION CONTROL WOULD NOT RENEGADE AND MESSAGE SAID DECREASING POWER TO ENGINE WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING AND ABS LIGHT ON ... ALL FAILURES... MANAGED TO GET TO DESTINATION BUT VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH AND JUMPING GEARS FELT REALLY JERKY... 4TH START ALL LIGHTS DISAPPEARED AND ALTHOUGH CAR WAS STILL SLUGGISH FIGURED MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL FAULT MADE APPOINTMENT FOR DEALERSHIP TOLD IT WOULD COST ... PARKER CAR DROVE OTHER VEHICLE THEN HAD TO USE THIS ONE AND SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN SO TOOK TO DEALERSHIP THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE CODES WAS TOLD HAD BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT (SAID IT WAS ON BACKORDER AS IT'S BEEN HAPPENING A LOT) AND WAS SENT ON MY WAY TO SEE IF IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THAT WEEKEND IT HAPPENED AGAIN HAD FIGURED OUT BY THEN THAT 5-7 STARTS IT WOULD ACT UP. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND LEFT RUNNING SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT WAS WRONG (FAILED TRANSMISSION, STEERING COLUMN BLOCK PUMP SENSOR ETC REPLACED. WAS GIVEN A RENTAL GMC BY HERTS AND YOU GUESS IT SAME THING ON FREEWAY ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH START LIGHTING UP FAILED TRACTION EAS AND BREAKS (SUPER SCARY BRAND NEW ONLY 600 MILES ON THAT CAR) SWITCHED OUT VEHICLE FOR A SAFER CAR (TOYOTA) I'M UNABLE TO CHECK MORE BOXES BUT SPEED AND CONTROL WERE ALSO AFFECTED

NHTSA ID

11268777

Incident

Oct 2, 2019

Mileage

89,000 mi

THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. DURING DRIVING ON SLOWING THE CAR WILL BUCK RATHER THEN SMOOTHLY CHANGE TO THE LOWER GEAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM THERE WAS RE ON THE CELLENOID TO CORRECT, HOWEVER, IT IS DOING IT AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11244801

Incident

Aug 17, 2019

Mileage

49,000 mi

SINCE WE HAVE OWNED OUR VEHICLE WE HAVE HAD TO MAKE MULTIPLE REPAIRS TO THE AC. OUR TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN HAD TO BE FIXED TWICE, AND IS CURRENTLY STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

11220149

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS APPEARED (E.G. "STABILITRACK OFF", ETC.), THEN THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. PROPULSION STOPPED AND THE VEHICLE SLOWLY CAME TO A STOP. LUCKILY, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO STEER OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE DEALER HAD FIXED IT, THEN RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO US. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE IDENTICAL THING OCCURRED; SAME ERROR MESSAGES FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN, IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING IT. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER, AND A DIFFERENT PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED (WITH THE VEHICLE OUT OF SERVICE > 2 WEEKS THIS TIME). WE HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE, AND FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11022605

Incident

Jun 19, 2017

Mileage

20,000 mi

AFTER PICKING UP OUR NEW TRUCK WE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS SHORT JUMPING AT LOW SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IN TRAFFIC - AT FIRST WHEN THIS OCCURS YOU HAVE TO ALMOST ASK YOURSELF DID I HIT THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKES. AFTER ONLY A COUPLE WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP WE DROPPED OFF OUR NEW VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED. DEALER 'S GMC CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN HAD TO CONSULT WITH GMC CORPORATE TO HELP TROUBLESHOOT AND THEN DECIDED TO REPLACE THE LOWER AND UPPER ENGINE VALVE COVERS, AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE; WHICH WAS A QUICK FIX THAT LASTED A LITTLE OVER A WEEK. NOW OUR BRAND NEW VEHICLE IS ONCE AGAIN A LEMON AND REPEATING THE ORIGINAL ISSUE. AFTER CONTACTING GMC AND AFTER REQUESTING ANOTHER SAFER NEW VEHICLE SINCE ITS COMMON SENSE THAT A BRAND NEW TRUCK SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INTERNAL ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BEING THAT WE HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD, TWO YEAR OLD, AND A NEWBORN, I AM A CONCERNED FOR MY FAMILY'S SAFETY; GMC CORPORATE RESPONSE WAS "DON'T YOU THINK THAT 1 CAR IN 300,000 WOULD HAVE AN ISSUE"... AT THE END WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOOSE BELT OR WHEEL OUT OF BALANCE, BUT AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WHICH THERE TECH TOLD MY WIFE THAT HE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE CARE WAS SAFE DURING HIS TEST DRIVE. THE DEALER'S MANAGER RESPONSE WAS "THE CAR IS NOT OUR PROBLEM WHEN IT LEAVES OUR LOT", IT THEN FALLS UNDER THE MANUFACTURE WARRANTY; WHICH MAKES SENSE, BUT ONCE AGAIN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A BRAND NEW CAR, NOT A CAR THAT HAS SOME USAGE. NOW TWENTY DAYS IN THE SHOP AND ONLY 2,000 MILE ON THE VEHICLE THEY DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, BUT STILL CAN'T TELL US WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE; WHICH NOW WHEN BRAKING ON THE HIGHWAY IT DOWNSHIFTS HARD AND ALMOST FEELS LIKE SOMEBODY REAR ENDED YOU.

NHTSA ID

10759537

Incident

Jul 7, 2015

Mileage

1,622 mi

LEFT VEHICLE PARKED ON INCLINE WITH PARKING BRAKE SET. RETURNED TO VEHICLE, STARTED ENGINE, RELEASED PARKING BRAKE , PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE. THE GEAR INDICATOR ON THE DASH SHOWED THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE. THE GEAR SELECTOR IN CENTER CONSOLE INDICATED IT WAS IN DRIVE. STEPPING ON GAS RESPONDED WITH ONLY INCREASED RPM. VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL RAPIDLY IN REVERSE. THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING (ALMOST LIKE IT WAS IN PARK). THE VEHICLE WAS NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE AND ALMOST RESULTED IN SEVERE INJURY AS A COUPLE AND THEIR DOG WERE WALKING BEHIND VEHICLE ON SIDEWALK AT TIME OF INCIDENT. AFTER EXERTING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE ON THE BRAK PEDAL THE VEHICLE STOPPED. I APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE AND SHIFTED TO PARK. SHIFTED BACK TO DRIVE WITH THE SAME RESULT ROLLING BACK FURTHER NEARLY HITTING A BRICK MAILBOX. I THEN PUT TH CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF RESTARTED AND SHIFTED BACK TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE THEN PERFORMED AS EXPECTED. VERY FORTUNATE THIS INCID T WAS NOT A DEADLY ACCIDENT. THIS SAME PROBLEM EXHIBITED ITSELF ON LEVEL GROUND ON W PREVIOUS OCCASION BUT WAS DISMISSED AS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES NOW.

NHTSA ID

10717426

Incident

May 19, 2015

Mileage

1,500 mi