2019 GMC Acadia transmission and drivetrain problems
154 of the 386 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2019 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: 90 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 database1 of the 154 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 15 · 2023: 29 · 2024: 35 · 2025: 37 · 2026: 23
Half of the 48 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 32,000 and 61,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
386 complaints in all about the 2019 GMC Acadia, 23 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.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed however the vehicle failed to increase in speed and started to jerk. The “service stability track” warning message was displayed. The failure was intermittent.
Occasionally my vehicle will say "Shift to Park" when I turn off the vehicle, but the vehicle is clearly in Park. It has been happening more frequently lately. I have researched this problem and it appears it has been a problem with several other GMC Acadia's as well
When I got to work this morning, I put my 2019 Acadia in park and tried to turn off the car. An alert popped up that said, "shift to park," but the car was already in park. I turned the car off and then back on and it corrected, but this is the second time in two days this has happened
When I shift the car into park and turn the car off, the car indicates "shift to park" and dings until I move the gear shift around for several minutes, and then the indicator statement and sound stop. This happens approximately half the times I park and turn the car off
Put vehicle on park and message appeared saying that it's not parked I got to back up and pull forward a couple times until it recognizes that vehicle is on park then I can turn the engine off
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 20V668000 HighOct 29, 2020 · 194,105 vehicles
- 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.
90 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.
Other systems with a record on the 2019 GMC Acadia
Source: the same files- electrical problems 105 complaints
- engine problems 58 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2019 GMC Acadia?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 154 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (40% of everything owners filed about it), and 90 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 2019 GMC Acadia?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 20V668000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2019 GMC Acadia?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 50,000 miles; half of them between 32,000 and 61,000. 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.