9.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,520
Average Mileage:
103,950 miles
Total Complaints:
6 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace transmission (6 reports)
2009 GMC Acadia transmission problems

transmission problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2009 GMC Acadia:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2009 GMC Acadia Owner Comments

problem #6

Mar 012019

Acadia SLT 3.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 84,000 miles

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

I have a 2009 GMC Acadia with 84000 miles and have always followed the dealers recommendation for service. About 500 miles ago, I noticed that the it was like "chugging" when I put it in reverse gear and this would continue until I put it back in a forward gear or neutral. There were no check engine lights or any other issues.

I took the vehicle to my local GMC dealer and speaking to the gentleman at the service desk he mentioned the wave plates may be defective and asked if I still had 3 and 5 gear. I stated that I believe I do. He then said it would be $150.00 to look at it to see what the issue was. I left it with the dealer and they said indeed it was the transmission and that they wanted $500 to tear it down and see what was the issue. This $500 could be applied to the total cost of the overall repair. He would not even begin to give an estimate for the overall cost.

I went back and retrieved my vehicle from the dealer and at the bottom of my receipt it had an estimate of $4300 for repairs. It just seems strange that in this day and age that a $45,000 dollar vehicle can not go 100,000 miles without having a power train failure.

This past week I took it to a local transmission shop who gave me an estimate of $3200 to completely rebuild the transmission and offered a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty on the rebuild. I am having this done at this time, but with the next quarter I will be trading this vehicle in for a newer SUV.

As a GM retiree, who worked for GMC truck and who currently owns 4 GM vehicles, I am finally done with them and will no longer be purchasing their products.

- vetset01, Latrobe, US

problem #5

Sep 012014

Acadia SLT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 130,000 miles

GM has issued a recall since I replaced our transmission but we were 10,000 miles over the coverage amount.

- S K., Saint Louis, MO, US

problem #4

Jun 042015

Acadia SLT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,995 miles

First problem: the vehicle would not start. Took it to GMC dealer and they told me it was a low fuel problem. I told the dealer it might be the transmission but they told me it wasn't. I paid for a diagnostic, and two weeks later, while driving they vehicle stalled and I couldn't reverse. I had it towed back to the dealership and was told it would take $4,000 to fix. I took it to a transmission shop after paying the dealer $200, and the other shop rebuilt the transmission for $1750. The warranty paid $200. This was the first major issue I'd had with the truck after purchasing it less than a year before this with less than 100,000 miles. The car is less than 10 years old, why would I need a new transmission??

- pavao, Virginia Beach, VA, US

problem #3

Jun 252015

Acadia LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 101,000 miles

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

Piece of crap is broken again. Nobody will own up and repair, even though GM is aware of the wave plate issue. It's in their hands at this point.

- Steve F., Phoenix, AZ, US

problem #2

Jan 302015

Acadia SLY 1 3.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

Vehicle's purchase price $42,000. Reconditioned transmission $4800. Certainly not worth it! Buyers beware!

- Angie F., St. Louis, MO, US

problem #1

Jul 052014

Acadia SLT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 102,490 miles

Less than thirty days ago the '09 Acadia was in the dealership repair due to power steering failure. My problem is not so much with the mechanical issues. My problem(s) is the fact that GM is sitting idly by and doing nothing to repair its image, mistakes, or take responsibility and get the repairs done. In the last year we will have spent over $6000.00 on repairs to this vehicle that isn't even paid off yet nor has it even gotten to 150,000 miles....sad...give me back my TOYOTA!!!

- Erica S., Chesapeake, VA, US

Not what you are looking for?