CarComplaints.com Notes: Ahh, the ole' sophomore slump. The 2008 Acadia suffers from widespread transmission failure around 75,000 miles.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
81,929 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 GMC Acadia drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2008 GMC Acadia Owner Comments (Page 6 of 14)

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problem #164

Jul 122014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 131,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Started from a red light, car dropped in gear and jolted. Tach revved up to 3000+. finally caught a gear and slowly made my way off the road. Parked and waited for a family member to come tow my car. Reverse and 3rd gear definitely out. By looking at the other threads, seems to be the ominous 35R waveplate. Need to replace transmission now. Luckily I can do the labor myself and save some money. I'm astounded how any other people experienced the same issue. Haven't seen any injuries yet though so I doubt this will become part of the numerous amount of recalls GM is sending out.

- Greencastle, PA, USA

problem #163

Jul 072014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 63,000 miles
Transmission needs to be completely replaced. Most of my mileage is in-town driving and have under 64,000 miles. I have heard of many GMC Acadia's 2007-2009 having transmission problems.

- North Mankato, MN, USA

problem #162

Jul 032014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 43,990 miles
I went to accelerate and when I pushed on the gas the engine revved and the truck did not respond. I thought some how that it slipped in neutral but when I looked it was still in drive. After that happened the truck would not go over 20 mph. I got home and went to park and had no reverse. I called the dealer and they said it was out of warranty and there was not a recall on the transmission.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #161

Jun 092014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 83,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I pulled out to merger with on coming traffic and my 2008 GMC Acadia transmission stopped working. The only reason I didn't have a crash was because I was able to pull back on the merge lane. No warning light came on dash. I my car was towed. When I called a repair shop (GM dealer was booked with recalls) and told them I had a 2008 GMC Acadia I was told they had 4 others and this was only Tuesday ! my issue is that GM has known about this transmission issue (3,5, R wave plate) for years and not sent out any alerts. This is a safety issue. If I had been hit I am not sure anyone would have guess why I pulled out in traffic and just stop. The owner of the shop said he has called GM and ask them to send out something to GM car owners about this transmission issue for the safety of the car owners. How many cars have crashed as a resulted of this transmission issue and were not reported ? this transmission was uses 2007,2008,2009,2010,2011 and changed in 2012. GM needs to send out alert about this now.

- Gambrills, MD, USA

problem #160

Jun 222014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 127,000 miles
The car transmission slipped into neutral, the engine revved to 5000 rpms. I was traveling on interstate 91 in springfield, mass. I had to shift the gear into manual and then back to drive to get the car into gear. The car reduced speed and it was very scary. I had my son as a passenger in the car. The GM dealer told me the "wave plate cracked" on the transmission.

- Old Lyme, CT, USA

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problem #159

Jun 212014

Acadia

  • 72,000 miles
Our 08 Acadia has been one problem after another since we purchased it. The latest issue is the transmission going out while on a family vacation going 65mph down the interstate. The stability track lights start lighting, the engine light comes on and then the transmission just stops working. We get the car pulled over, shut it off, turn it back on and it resets itself. It starts going, but then goes back out again. We've had towed it to our final destination. We are now more than $4500 out of pocket and ruined our family trip, we couldn't go anywhere. A transmission shouldn't go out with only 72K miles. We see this is a very common problem with GMC Acadia and nothing is being done by GMC. This is a major safety concern and this should be addressed along with the power steering issues. Many families can't afford these major issues, and shouldn't have to after paying so much money for this vehicle. Please investigate this issue and get relief for Acadia owners!! GMC is aware of this problem and continue to ignore this problem.

- Brentwood, TN, USA

problem #158

Jun 062014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 133,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The transmission had been hard shifting from 3rd to 4th for about 200 miles. At 25 mph while turning through a very busy intersection the engine revved shifted through what felt like every gear, the car lost acceleration power; going from 25 mph to 10mph. Parked the vehicle. Restarted to find that only first and second gears worked and the check engine light illuminated. During the 200 previous miles of concern; I had heard a faint whine during acceleration. The first time any trouble occurred the vehicle was stopped behind a school bus loading and while I applied the brake (still completely stopped) the car lurched forward. I immediately shifted to neutral, not wanting to rear end the school bus.

- Grantville, GA, USA

problem #157

May 022014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 117,905 miles
I was driving through a residential area and pulled to the side of the road and left the vehicle running when I got out. A few minutes later I got back in and put it in drive and when I tried to accelerate nothing happened. I had no gears at all. I eventually got it towed back to the dealership where I bought it 4 months earlier. They said the 3-4 reverse wave plate failed and filled the transmission with debris. Had to replace the transmission cost about $4200.

- Austin, MN, USA

problem #156

Apr 212011

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 20,150 miles
Most recent incident was 5-25-2014- transmission wave plate broke. I have learned that these plates were not stress relieved on the 2008S. 02-2014 water pump cracked and had to be replaced, this caused a total system failure while driving. Vehicle has been towed at least 3 times. Vehicle currently in shop, all repair paperwork is in the vehicle. I don't remember the specifics of the first time, it was days after I got the vehicle.

- East Lansing, MI, USA

problem #155

Nov 122013

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 77,219 miles
So the window switches don"T work, when I'm trying to open the window it will open but then it won't close back, the steering wheel makes squeaking noises and most important the most costly thing to repair was the transmission. We purchased the car used with 53,000 miles on and after driving another 20,000 miles the transmission broke I had to pay out of my packet about 4,000 dollars for the repair I have two small children and when it comes for safety im not sure if we should keep the vehicle. When I'm reading all those recall issues I'm getting worried about my kids safety.

- Burbank, IL, USA

problem #154

May 152014

Acadia

  • 39,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that when servicing the vehicle, she was notified that the brake booster, rack and pinion and the wave plate failed. As a result, the transmission, brake booster, and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 39,000.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #153

Jul 302013

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 69,000 miles
We bought our 2008 GMC Acadia in January 2008. The battery died in July 2008 while vacationing in Canada leaving us stranded. After it went dead several more times the dealership replaced it. The air conditioning went out several times in 2010 and we had to pay to have the ac recharged twice since. In July 2013 we had to have the transmission replaced when it stopped shifting into gear. Our warranty had expired in January of that year. The dealership did get GM to pay half but it still cost us almost $2,000. Now it is at the dealership again and we have to replace the entire steering column as it lost power steering at low speeds. We are having it repaired at an estimate of nearly $1,800 more. This vehicle cost about $36,000 in 2008. Since then we have paid thousands of dollars just to keep it on the road and safe. This is a lemon and I would like to see a recall for both the transmission and loss of steering at low speeds. I see that both of these are common problems with this vehicle. I would like to be reimbursed for our expenses.

- Swartz Creek, MI, USA

problem #152

Jul 012013

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Bought this life altering mess of a vehicle in June 2013 with 77K miles. Since that time a wide spectrum of issues have arose and cost me for than just money. Windshield wiper quit working and needed to be fixed (I now see that was a recall) constant electric issues in using beeping, lighting up at inappropriate times, not registering a grown adult in passenger seat. Also, leaking transmission fluid. GM did cover that charge which was no help with the rear end that had to be replaced at a cost of nearly $3000. Transmission still (before leak "fixed") and after will read idle transmission hot at many times. Leaking water when we receive heavy rains. Leaking comes from drivers side airbag "label") I have been financially strapped because of this vehicle I had worked and saved so hard for just trying to keep my job! I need my vehicle to work and my life is at risk when I'm forced to get behind the wheel because of these issues that GM is aware of. With the money I've spent (I'm a single working mother with two young sons) because of GM turning a blind eye I am in dire need of the proper resolution to this year long devastation of preventable events. Please assist me in this fore I'm unable to go further with continuing to fix problems that thousands of other owners are having with the same vehicle. Thank you. In 2011 my children and myself lost our home to a devastating flood that rocked our city and as of Feb 2014 we were finally able to move out of the camper and get a home. I cannot prevent a flood and all the pain it caused myself and my children but I will not cease to fight for what it right. That is replacing my vehicle with equal, reliable safe vehicle immediately! after all, this was completely preventable and should've been fixed before now. Please help me. Thank you for your time.

- Burlington, ND, USA

problem #151

Apr 292014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 87,000 miles
I was pulling out into an intersection from a stop sign and check engine light came on and vehicle no longer moved forward when I pressed the gas pedal. Engine was running, so I put it in neutral and pushed it out of the intersection and oncoming traffic. Turns out transmission died and had to be replaced. Mechanic said it was a known problem and that the wave plate failed.

- Caseyville, IL, USA

problem #150

Mar 152012

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 52,086 miles
Vehicle failed to shift into the next gear smoothly. Gears within transmission broken. GMC replaced under warranty, but at 52,086 miles the transmission should not be breaking down.

- Livemore, CA, USA

problem #149

Apr 212014

Acadia

  • 63,458 miles
I just had the clutch wave plate break into pieces inside my transmission causing us to almost get into an accident as my kids and I were getting on the freeway. We lost our gears and had to be towed. I looked up the issue and it sounds like this is a more than common issue with the Acadia at this mileage. If this is such a well-known issue why does GM not fix this issue?

- Mead, WA, USA

problem #148

Apr 012014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
While driving the transmission would not shift out of third gear. I am told that a wave plate has failed and the transmission needs to be replaced, cost $3000+.

- Springfield, GA, USA

problem #147

Apr 172014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 67,060 miles
Transmission failure @ 67070 miles. 35R wave plate. GMC dealer service rep. Said they had never heard of this problem. Personally talked to dealer mechanic, and he states that he has replace a number of these transmissions for wave plate failure. It's bad enough that this is a know problem and GM does nothing about it, but for the dealership to lie to me right off the bat, takes the cake. No more GM products for me, ever.....

- Airville, PA, USA

problem #146

Apr 112014

Acadia

  • 48,700 miles
The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a traffic light, the vehicle failed to move. The contact stated that the check engine warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 48,700.

- Alamo, TX, USA

problem #145

Apr 012014

Acadia 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 60 mph, the vehicle suddenly failed to respond to acceleration attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. Also, the check engine light illuminated. Updated 06.19.14

- Brandon, FL, USA

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