Acceleration complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 | 7 | 5% | 28,000 miles |
| 2020 | 4 | 4% | 16,000 miles |
| 2019 | 3 | 1% | 86,000 miles |
| 2018 | 5 | 1% | 94,000 miles |
| 2017 | 9 | 1% | 27,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2015 | 7 | 3% | 70,000 miles |
| 2014 | 8 | 2% | 24,000 miles |
| 2013 | 6 | 4% | 58,000 miles |
| 2012 | 10 | 3% | 60,000 miles |
| 2011 | 13 | 5% | 64,000 miles |
| 2010 | 8 | 2% | 83,000 miles |
| 2009 | 11 | 3% | 61,000 miles |
| 2008 | 36 | 4% | 84,000 miles |
| 2007 | 19 | 4% | 77,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The vehicle experiences a transmission/drivetrain defect involving delayed gear engagement, hesitation, and apparent slipping. When accelerating from a complete stop (especially onto an incline) the engine RPM increases but the vehicle fails to accelerate as expected. The vehicle jerks and shakes violently and is unable to gain speed. This issue is intermittent but highly repeatable and occurs almost every time when there is a slope immediately after a stop sign. It results in loss of acceleration, violent shaking, and inability to maintain or build speed, creating a serious safety risk in traffic. It first happened around 1 year (early 2026) after the new car purchase (Nov 2025). There are no warning lights or messages. …
The vehicle has a serious transmission/drivetrain defect that repeatedly occurs when accelerating from a complete stop, especially onto an incline. The vehicle sometimes does not respond at all when the accelerator is pressed and fails to move, even though acceleration is being requested. In one recent incident, it remained stopped for about one minute before finally responding. During these events, the vehicle jerks and shakes severely and fails to gain speed as expected. This creates a major safety risk at stop signs, intersections, and uphill starts because the vehicle may not move when needed and cannot keep up with traffic. The problem has worsened, and during one of these incidents the check engine light came on. I have video evidence showing the loss of response to accelerator input, severe jerking/shaking, and the check engine light illuminating during the same event. …
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while his wife was reversing the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was stuck to the floorboard and the vehicle crashed into the garage wall. No medical attention was received. No police report was filed. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to tow the vehicle to their location to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was awaiting a tow truck and had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,500.
As I was stopped in line behind a car at the ATM, my foot slipped from the brake, I quickly placed it back only to find that I ended up going forward. I quickly moved my foot more to the left for the brake only to end up going forward even faster hitting the car in front of me. I then put my left foot firmly on the brake. Now with both feet on the brake the car is climbing up the car in front of me and not braking. Finally, I put it in park and cut the engine. The whole front end of my car is crushed. Now 5 days earlier my husband had a similar incident when he was parking the car and thankfully only hitting the curb. Looking at the brake pedal you will find that there is a rubber edge hanging down on the right side. IF YOUR FOOT SLIPS BELOW IT while crossing from the accelerator going right to left, YOU WILL NOT hit the brake but will continue to press the accelerator. …
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake was applied independently. The contact mentioned that the brake was operating when there was nothing in front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the cause of the failure was undetermined. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was not repaired. in addition, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle started slowing inadvertently. The contact stated that the vehicle was locked and needed to be in the park to operate however, once the accelerator pedal was depressed the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic experienced the failure with the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, a diagnostic test was not performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. …
The ACADIA 2020 while in slow motion approaching my private condominium parking spot, accelerated autonomously and then slammed into the cement wall. Airbags deployed, no warning of collision, seriously damaged both car and cement wall. No bodily injuries. I researched the possible cause coded P2138 which involves the drive by wire sensors which connect the throttle pedal and the CPU that controls the mechanical throttle gas system. That might be the cause of the autonomous acceleration like explained about the P2138 sensors issues.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled unexpectedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact also stated that while coming to a stop and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle lost motive power but unexpectedly lunged forward. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 85,695.
Im a travel nurse and I was working in Vermont. As I was driving on the highway in New York on my way back home a shift to park light came on, a stabilitrak light came on, power steering light came on, ABS light came on, and my check engine light also came on. My vehicle started slowing down as I was driving and my lights on my dashboard were turning on and off and my speedometer was not working. I was able to pull to the side off the highway so I could get out of harms way. I made a call to OnStar for help and they asked to if I made it to a safe location. As the car was still on I was able to take the next exit and ended up in an auto zone parking lot. As I made it in the parking lot I turned the vehicle off but only the engine turned off but everything else stayed on and the shift to park light kept coming on when the vehicle was in park. …
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Acadia years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (36), 2007 (19), 2011 (13), 2009 (11) and 2012 (10) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 4% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for GMC Acadia acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any GMC Acadia model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do GMC Acadia acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (5 mentions), followed by the cruise control (2).
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.