2017 GMC Acadia transmission and drivetrain problems
237 of the 704 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Acadia name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 112 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database4 of the 237 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 11 · 2019: 49 · 2020: 62 · 2021: 16 · 2022: 14 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 30 · 2025: 28 · 2026: 8
Half of the 156 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 25,000 and 53,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
704 complaints in all about the 2017 GMC Acadia, 8 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: GMC Acadia transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
When the car is parked on a flat surface (inside the garage, parking garage, parking lot), the car will display "shift to park" when it is already in park. The accessories stay on until the driver is able to get the car's computer to notice the car is in park
Placed the vehicle in park, it was stationary and it rolled forward. Message in the info center said "shift to park". I was parking in a mall parking lot. This has occurred 5 times. I can push the gearshift back and forth and then it can be turned off and the message will disappear.
The contact owns a 2017 Gmc Acadia. While the vehicle was engaged in park with the engine running, it inadvertently rolled away. As a result, the occupant was struck by the door and the vehicle ran over the occupant's foot. Medical attention was required. The vehicle continued to roll away and rear ended another vehicle.
When the vehicle is in park and you try to turn it off with the start/stop button an on dash error code of "shift to park" appears even though the vehicle is clearly in park. You are not able to turn the vehicle off.
A message shift to park kept appearing when the car was in park and shut off. Then I put the car in reverse and the entire care locked up. (a message from Gmc -general motors llc (GM) is recalling certain 2018 chevrolet equinox and Gmc terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 Gmc Acadia vehicles.
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 17V516000 HighAug 22, 2017 · 2,905 vehicles
- 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 may fracture and separate while driving.
112 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2017 GMC Acadia names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2017 GMC Acadia
Source: the same files- electrical problems 194 complaints
- airbag problems 76 complaints
- engine problems 63 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2017 GMC Acadia?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 237 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (34% of everything owners filed about it), and 112 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2017 GMC Acadia?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 17V516000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2017 GMC Acadia?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 36,128 miles; half of them between 25,000 and 53,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.