Car · GMC problems

2018 GMC Acadia problems

398 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 GMC Acadia. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (41% of them). NHTSA also lists 392 service bulletins and 2 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 12. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 398 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)164 · 41%
• Other or unknown118 · 30%
• Electrical system109 · 27%
• Engine and engine cooling36 · 9%
• Steering24 · 6%
• Service brakes21 · 5%
• Stability control12 · 3%
• Fuel system10 · 3%

13 smaller areas not shown (43 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 392 repair bulletins from GMC for the 2018 GMC Acadia. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. PIT5698FReceived September 30, 2026

   This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

2. PIT5099JReceived July 29, 2026

   PI to help diagnose A/C concern.

3. PIT3271QReceived April 7, 2026

   Information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

4. 25-NA-156Received December 4, 2025

   Wheels

   Information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities.

5. 00-06-01-026RReceived December 3, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.

6. PIT5214GReceived November 28, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer's vehicles that exhibit...

7. 23-NA-153Received October 25, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is...

8. PIP6085Received September 16, 2025

   A possible issue with an engine timing chain, gear or crankshaft key.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 GMC Acadia. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer.

1. 17V516000August 22, 2017

   Power train

   The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.

2. 18V358000May 31, 2018

   Fuel system, gasoline

   The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

See all 2 recalls for the 2018 GMC Acadia, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Acadia will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 164 complaints · 41%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Electrical system 109 complaints · 27%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Engine and engine cooling 36 complaints · 9%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Steering 24 complaints · 6%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

Get quotes for your GMC Acadia

Tell us the job and your ZIP. Free, takes a minute.

Job

ZIP

WhenAs soon as possibleThis monthJust planning

Your name

Phone

Email

Add a phone, an email, or both.

Anything we should know? (optional) I agree that Fair Price and the car repair shops and lead marketplaces listed on our Partners page, or their agents, may call and email me at the number and email I provided about my request, including by automated technology, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. Ticking this box is how I give this consent. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms. Get quotes

Fair Price is not a contractor or a repair shop. Who sees your request

2018 GMC Acadia: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 GMC Acadia?

Of the 398 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 GMC Acadia, 164 (41%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 109 (27%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2018 GMC Acadia reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 8 of the 398 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 12 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 GMC Acadia have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 GMC Acadia. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 392 repair bulletins for the 2018 GMC Acadia.

More

• 2019 Acadia problems
• 2017 Acadia problems
• 2016 Acadia problems
• 2015 Acadia problems
• 2014 Acadia problems
• 2012 Acadia problems
• 2011 Acadia problems
• 2010 Acadia problems
• 2018 recalls
• All GMC recalls
• GMC problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.