2019 GMC Acadia Transmission & Powertrain Problems
NHTSA lists 154 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2019 GMC Acadia, 40% of all 386 complaints filed for the year. The dominant pattern is a false 'shift to park' warning that keeps the vehicle from shutting off or locking, with a median failure mileage of 49,800 miles. One related recall (20V668000) covers a separate start-stop transmission accumulator issue.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 154
- 40% of 386
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 49,800 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Vehicle displays a 'shift to park' error message even though the gear selector is already in park, preventing the engine from shutting off.
- Owners report having to shift in and out of park, or jerk the shifter, repeatedly before the car recognizes park and lets them turn it off.
- Doors will not lock and the horn or interior chime sounds continuously while the false park warning is active.
- In at least one case the vehicle failed to register park and rolled away on its own, resulting in a crash with a parked vehicle.
- Some owners say the condition recurs multiple times per week and requires a full ignition cycle to clear.
When 2019 GMC Acadia transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Apr 12, 2019, latest Sep 19, 2026.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2019 GMC Acadia
- NHTSA 20V668000Oct 29, 2020Transmission & Powertrain194,105 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Acadia model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are transmission problems on the 2019 GMC Acadia?
- NHTSA has logged 154 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2019 Acadia, which is 40% of the 386 total complaints filed for that model year.
- What is the main transmission complaint on the 2019 GMC Acadia?
- The most reported issue is a false 'shift to park' warning that prevents the engine from turning off, sometimes forcing owners to shift in and out of park multiple times to clear it.
- At what mileage do 2019 GMC Acadia transmission problems usually show up?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 49,800 miles for transmission & powertrain complaints on this model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2019 GMC Acadia transmission?
- Yes, recall 20V668000 covers certain 2019 GMC Acadia vehicles for a start-stop transmission accumulator that GM says will be inspected and replaced if bolts are affected.
- Did the 2019 GMC Acadia's transmission issue cause any crashes?
- NHTSA records one crash tied to transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2019 Acadia, with no fires or injuries reported.