Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 GMC Acadia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that after shifting to the park position and attempting to turn the vehicle off, the engine shut off but the headlights and dashboard lights remained illuminated. Also, on multiple occasions, the battery had drained and the vehicle had to be jump-started. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the floor shifter harness was faulty and needed to be replaced. The floor shifter harness was replaced and the failure was remedied, but approximately two years later the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer. The contact was informed of the manufacturer's TSB to repair the failure and a new and improved floor shifter harness was installed which corrected the failure. The contact indicated that the manufacturer was aware of the faulty harness but no assistance was offered. …
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while attempting to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact shifted from park (P) to drive(D) and was eventually able to turn off the vehicle. The contact stated that the letter P(park) was outlined in yellow and was illuminated on the instrument panel. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to close and lock the driver's side door, the door failed to lock securely. The contact stated that the failures occurred simultaneously. The contact stated that the failures were intermittent. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the key fob was inoperable. The vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the vehicle spontaneously locked. The contact was able to start the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was taken four times to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the side blind spot module needed to be repaired. Additionally, the inter system malfunctioned. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 38,538.
Vehicle went on fire in or near the engine compartment - the entire front end was burned and car is a total loss. I was in the vehicle driving home with my children (a 5 min drive from their school) and we smelled what we assumed was a a fire pit or fireplace burning nearby; we got out of the vehicle, within 90 seconds there were flames coming out of the hood. Car was well maintained and received nearly all service at the RVC GMC dealership it was purchased from. Vehicle was also still under the warranty we purchased.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the radio independently switched to different settings. Due to the failure, the speedometer was no longer be visible. The contact stated that the failure caused the driver to be distracted while driving. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Vehicle was purchased used in June 2020 ISSUE #1 After shifting car into park, display will indicate P for PARK , but also says vehicle is not in park. Since you are not sure if it actually in PARK and to eliminate this display, you need to restart the vehicle, go thru the gears again and then back into PARK. This happens several times a week with having to restart and PARK again up to 10 TIMES before the vehicle will register it is in park. I have read there is a Technical Service Bulletin on this issue as well as a case to get GMC to issue a RECALL. This is a serious issue because you are unaware if the vehicle transmission is actually in PARK. Having to restart and continually shift to park is time consuming and quite frankly a nuisance. …
Previous complaint of Shift to Park on 06/13/19 VOQ 11219862 at mileage 36270. On 12/5/21, approx miles 62099 same problem with Shift to Park. Was scheduled for service on 12/06/21 at Adams Buick GMC in Richmond, KY and mentioned the problem and previous complaint. Was told that it had been over a year ago but that they could fix it and charge me $152 for part & $315 for labor. It was less that 26000 miles driven since the last issue. After last complaint, the dealer contacted GMC and the part was replaced at no cost under bulletin for concern # 5 145420 and they replaced the transmission control assembly. This is an ongoing problem with GMC and I don't think that every 26000 miles I should have to pay to replace the same part when GMC knows it is a problem by the numerous complaints. …
I brought this car from STOOPS and have been having this same issue since I received this car in March of 2021. Check engine came on within two weeks of me getting this car. The Intake air pressure measurement system MAP sensor and MAF sensor on my 2017 GMC Acadia which is causing other issues. My car is only at 100k mikes and I shouldnt be having the same issue. The MAP sensor was replaced in July of 2021. Here it is a year later and my check engine light keeps coming on and saying the same thing which is causing all these other issues to happen such as steering power system reduced which driving. Notifications about of transmission and engine issues because of Intake Air Pressure Measurement System. Every time I take it to stoops they have it for a couple days and I'm out of a car which means no transportation for work and within 10 days after I get it back the same issue appears. …
My vehicle has serious issues that from my research seem to be a common problem/manufacturer defect experienced by other owners of this model. I believe the defect/issue is an electrical problem. While driving, the vehicle will often have problems using it's automatic transmission. It ranges from "rough" shifting (where the car jerks while shifting gears) to situation where the vehicle fails to shift gears completely leading to the RPMs shooting up. The cars power steering and traction control system also simultaneously fail. This leads to a dangerous situation when on highways etc This issue simultaneously causes all of the warning lights on the dashboard to light up while displaying the following messages on screen "Service stabilitrak" & "steering assist reduced -drive with care" & "service brake assist" & "service parking brake". …
Vehicle frequently shows the error "Shift to Park" when I attempt to turn off the car after it is placed in park - which is confirmable via the instrument panel. The vehicle electronics will not turn off until the error is cleared. At times I cannot clear the error and I've had to set my parking brake and leave the car electronics running while I go into a store, which leaves car unsecured and drains the battery. The car has gone into my local GMC dealer for repairs. The first time I took it in (August 2020), I was 365 miles outside my warranty and GMC refused to pay for the repairs. The dealership felt certain a recall would be issued and suggested I have harness switched which they admitted was a band-aid fix and that it wouldn't fix the issue, but it would allow a period where the error disappears (which it did) - until a recall is issued. …
Electrical complaints in other Acadia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2017 GMC Acadia?
NHTSA has 193 complaints about the electrical system of the 2017 GMC Acadia, 27% of the model year's 705 complaints. The component named most often is horn (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 GMC Acadia electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2017 GMC Acadia, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 GMC Acadia electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 35,000 miles, and 36% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.