Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 GMC Acadia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The wire harness corroded , and it caused everything in my car to stop working my back passenger window won't go down , my back driver side cannot be put up or down from the back , my airbag light is now on and now my car will not shift while driving to allow me to drive it over 30mph .. I've paid the dealer almost $1400 to fix wiring. I've owned the car exactly a year now
The stabilizer/traction control keeps going off and it will stay off.i can turn,hit a bump or start it up and the traction control/stabilizer system is off.i almost had a accident on the freeway in the rain because it turned off out of nowhere and I almost lost control
The stabilizer/traction control keeps going off and it will stay off.i can turn,hit a bump or start it up and the traction control/stabilizer system is off.i almost had a accident on the freeway in the rain because it turned off out of nowhere and I almost lost control. Also I was going down the road and all of a sudden my vehicle died and I had little control over vehicle. Once it came to stop it would not start again and when attempting it sounded like something was stuck in my fan or something because of the way it rattled and sounded and was rough sounding. Vehicle was inoperable and had to be towed. Upon investigating it was the timing chain kit that had failed suddenly for no apparent reason. Vehicle was well maintained and kept accordance with running policies and practices required and suggested by manufacturer. …
I was leaving work and noticed a shudder in the vehicle. Didn't think much of it at the time. When I got about 2 miles from my home the vehicle seemed to loose power. Engine would rev but could not get much speed out of it. Made it home and had vehicle towed to dealer next day. Dealer diagnosed issue as 3-5-r wave plate in the transmission broke. Ended up costing over $5,300 to replace transmission. After repairs I did some research and saw that there were hundreds (from the few websites I visited..there are probably many more) of complaints by consumers who owned 2008 through 2011 acadias as well as other general motor corporation (GMC) vehicles that had the same issue with the wave plate failing. Called GMC and they told me since the repair work was already done there was nothing they could do. Apparently from reading all the posts GM is aware of the issue but did nothing about it. …
I was experiencing problems driving my vehicle. It was riding rough and making a loud noise when I accelerated, so I took it to my mechanic and I got spark plugs and an oil change-still was riding rough. I went back and got a cam shaft position replaced-still nothing changed. I took it to another mechanic. He said it was an o2 censor. Changed it and nothing changed. No one could tell me what was wrong or what the noise was. Finally one morning on my way to work I had to pull over on the highway bc the car wouldn't accelerate. Got it towed to a different mechanic and that's when I found out it was the timing chain. After doing some research I was getting quotes for $2000-$2500. Finally one place told me to see if there was a recall. I called GMC. They said there is a recall on the timing chain. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Acadia. While driving approximately 65 MPH, there was a sudden loss of engine power and the vehicle was unable to be driven over 40 MPH. The stability traction control warning indicator illuminated. The dealer was unable to replicate and diagnose the failure. In addition, while driving highway speeds, "engine hot" and "A/C off" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact noticed smoke under the hood. The vehicle was coasted over to the shoulder of the road and turned off. The vehicle was unable to be driven due to the failure and was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the part. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and indicated that they also had campaigns that needed to be addressed. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Acadia. While driving 30 MPH, a loud whining noise occurred when attempting to shift gears. The vehicle failed to shift and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and powered off the engine. The contact stated that the shifter would take a while to shift into drive. The vehicle was taken to d'arcy Buick GMC (2022 essington rd, joliet, il 60435, [phone]) to be test driven, but no failure was found. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced a few years ago per bulletin number: 14404a (power train) at the same dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided case number: 95450230066. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
The vehicle started giving us problems. While driving at normal speeds (25 - 30 MPH) the motor will start to shutter or jump around. After taking it ot a local dealership we found that the issue is a the timing chain. I also did some research and found this to be a common problem between 120,000 and 200,000 miles. GM only offered an extension up to 120,000 miles. This is a costly repair that we can not afford. GM knows this is a continous problem but refuses to take responsability for it. I am getting a p0007 code and the check engine light stays on all the time! I have been a loyal GM customer for 20 plus years. Most recently I have been considering leaving them for another manufacturer since this is not the first time being screwed over by them in the past 3 - 4 years.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Acadia. While driving 40 MPH, the gear shifted out of second into first gear on its own and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact also stated that, when in reverse, the vehicle seized. An independent mechanic test drove the vehicle and determined that the transmission failed. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to nelson hall Chevrolet (1811 s frontage rd, meridian, ms 39301, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 123,499.
Brought it to the GMC dealer to replace the power steering pump which was on recall notice only if there were problems. Loss of power steering at low speed so I took it to dealer. As a result, pump was replaced as well as rack and pinion. Pump covered, rack and pinion not, $1700. The day after I picked up the car, the transmission failed. As I got on the highway, motor revved but transmission did not engage. Was able to make it into the breakdown lane. Had to have a flatbed pick it up and bring it to the transmission shop recommended by the dealer. Transmission replaced...$3,140.00. I feel that I was lucky to have been in the lane closest to the breakdown lane when this happened. Dealer offered no assistance. Eight months past warranty.
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift
General motors is recalling 276,729 my 2009 Buick enclave, Chevrolet cobalt, hhr, malibu, traverse, GMC acadia, Pontiac g5, g6 and Saturn aura and outlook passenger vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicles safety standard 102, "transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and ensure that the shift cable adjustment clip is fully engaged. In the event that the clip does not engage, the shift cable will be replaced free of charge.
Transmission complaints in other Acadia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2009 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA has 72 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2009 GMC Acadia, 22% of the model year's 331 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 GMC Acadia transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 09V-073 (column shift, Mar 6, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 GMC Acadia transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.