YearToAvoid

2018 GMC Acadia Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 38 engine-related complaints for the 2018 GMC Acadia, 10% of that year's 395 total complaints. Owners most often report a false or delayed "shift to park" warning that keeps the engine running and stalling during acceleration, with a median failure mileage of 25,000. No related recalls are listed.

Engine complaints
38
10% of 395
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
9
Median mileage
25,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine stalls or hesitates during acceleration, often reported around 40-50 mph when trying to reach highway speed.
  • Vehicle displays a "shift to park" warning even though the gear selector is already in park, sometimes taking multiple attempts or several minutes to clear.
  • Because the park position is not recognized, the engine and dashboard stay on and drain the battery, with some owners needing to shift between drive and park repeatedly to get it to register.
  • Some owners describe shuddering or a full loss of power while driving, with no check engine light coming on.
  • One owner reported the air compressor failing along with the shift-to-park issue at 44,000 miles.

When 2018 GMC Acadia engine complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 18, 2019, latest Sep 11, 2026.

2018 GMC Acadia engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Feb 2019Oct 2019Jun 2020Nov 2023Jun 2024Mar 2025Dec 2025Sep 2026
38 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2019 to Sep 2026; peak Mar 2025 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2018 GMC Acadia

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Acadia model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200770 (16%)
  2. 2008167 (20%)
  3. 200982 (25%)
  4. 201091 (27%)
  5. 201162 (23%)
  6. 201245 (15%)
  7. 201325 (19%)
  8. 201453 (11%)
  9. 201522 (9%)
  10. 201615 (6%)
  11. 201771 (10%)
  12. 201838 (10%)
  13. 201961 (16%)
  14. 202033 (32%)
  15. 202137 (25%)
  16. 202215 (31%)
  17. 202313 (30%)
  18. 202412 (20%)
  19. 20257 (11%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2018 GMC Acadia have?
NHTSA lists 38 engine-related complaints for the 2018 Acadia, which is 10% of the 395 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2018 GMC Acadia engine problems?
No. The JSON shows no related recalls listed for the engine problem area on the 2018 Acadia.
At what mileage do 2018 Acadia engine problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2018 Acadia is 25,000 miles.
What is the most common engine complaint on the 2018 GMC Acadia?
Owners most frequently describe a "shift to park" error message that appears even when the vehicle is already in park, along with stalling or hesitation during acceleration.
Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
Across all complaint areas for the 2018 Acadia there were 5 crashes and 9 injuries reported, though these span multiple components, not only engine.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.