Multiple GMC Acadia Owners Report ‘Shift To Park’ Issue
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Multiple GMC Acadia owners have reported a similar problem with the crossover’s transmission.
Columbus ABC affiliate ABC6 recently spoke to a Westerville, Ohio family who had been experiencing problems with their 2018 GMC Acadia. They claim the crossover will sometimes fail to recognize that it has been put into park, flashing a message on the dash instructing the driver to “shift to park” even when the gear lever have already been moved to the ‘P’ position.
This sounds like the same problem experienced by a number of other GMC Acadia owners currently involved in a class action lawsuit against GM. The plaintiffs in the class action suit, which is being led by Connecticut attorney Sergei Lemberg, say their 2017 and 2018 model GMC Acadia crossovers will instruct them to “shift to park” even when the vehicle is already in park. As a safety measure, the vehicle will refuse to fully shut off or lock when it is not in park, leaving the owner stranded. One plaintiff in the suit took their vehicle to a GM service center, where mechanics were able to confirm the problem, but told her there was no fix available at this time.
The problem may also lead to the vehicles rolling away. The Ohio family ABC6 spoke to said their GMC Acadia once displayed the “shift to park” message when the vehicle was already in park, but when they got out of the vehicle, it rolled down the driveway with one of their children still inside. They have also taken their car into a GM service center, where employees identified a sensor problem and replaced the faulty part, but they claim the problems persisted.
GM has posted a technical service bulletin acknowledging the shift to park problem, though there is still no fix available. ABC6 was also able to track down other GMC Acadia owners who experienced this problem when they voiced their concerns through online forums.
Limberg, the attorney leading the class action case over the problem, says GM’s position on the matter is that there is “no legal claim for the reasons,” his clients maintain in the lawsuit. He said that GM also argues “the problem is small and insignificant,” and it can therefore not be held responsible for it. The automaker has already sought to have the suit thrown out.
Notably, the refreshed 2020 GMC Acadia ditches its traditional gear select lever for the Electronic Precision Shift system, which uses buttons to change gears instead.
Have you experienced this issue with your 2017 or 2018 model year GMC Acadia? You can let us know in the comment section below.
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Source: ABC6/Car Complaints
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My 2017 Acadia just started doing this. So frustrating
Just started having the Shift problem.
Very frustrating ,especially with GM not accepting any responsibility.
My shifter in my 2017 Acadia has now been replaced for the 2nd time.
I had the shift to park issue a year or two ago and the dealership replaced the shifter.
Lo and behold the same thing started happening recently and once again they replaced my shifter. At least they aren’t charging me for it.
Are you under warranty? I have been told by a dealer that even if your 3 year warranty has expired there is a GM warranty of 12 months/12,000 miles for the part. I had the harness replaced in July and now the shifter in November 2020.
I purchased my Acadia in November 2017.
I believe it was still under warranty.
2017. Just bought it and have this problem. Please add me to the list!
2017 Acadia doing this same thing. Dealer will be calling me back to let me know how much I’ll have to pay to have the issue fixed. They claim their technicians know how to fix the problem but gmc won’t pay for it.
Can you find out why they know how to fix the problem and no one else in GMC knows how?
Our 2019 Acadia has this problem too. It has been fixed once already and dropped it off today for the same problem.
Our 2019 Acadia has this problem too. 2nd time already taking it in for the same reason. Definitely not worth the money I spent on this.
Having same issue as everyone else. 2017 Acadia with 50,000 miles. Wife got stranded at mall not being able to shut vehicle off. I had to Uber there and repeatedly put it in reverse and park until it finally recognized that it was in park. To learn that GM wants to take no responsibility will definitely make us never buy their product again! Thank you for all of the helpful comments.
This’s what I did often: engine turned off, press the trigger 2-3 times, press the + sign on top the shifter, press the brake pedal to make sure it bounced back (when the car is in Park, the brake pedal should be hard when you press the foot on it). It worked; but of course the switch inside the gear shifter should be fixed.
Yep bought my Acadia brand new in 2017 and it started doing this a few months back. Over time it began happening more frequently. My GM dealer had no way they said of completely fixing it. Needless to say a month ago I traded it in for a Honda Pilot! I’m very happy to be rid of that Acadia.
My 2018 just started doing
I have a 2018 GMC Acadia Denali and have been having this issue intermittently for months now. I haven’t had it roll when in park position but it will continue to beep until I can get it to register it is in park by pressing on the shift button sometimes for minutes. Sometimes I need to restart the car as well. It is very frustrating and hope that GM can do the right thing and figure out how to fix the issue.
Our 2018 Acadia has this problem. 29000 miles.
2017 GMC Acadia Denaoi shift to park issue o have as well just got the car used with 52k miles. Scarey seems like a major safety issue
2017 Acadia Denali and have had the issue from day one. Just recently the dealership swapped out the shifter and last week it gave me the warning to shift into park and couldn’t get it to do anything. Shifter wouldn’t move and couldn’t completely turn it off. Got out to eat lunch and the Acadia rolled into the vehicle in front of me. Called the dealership and had them tow it in immediately and take care of damage to both vehicles.
Please report this to the Dept. of Safety and Vehicle Services Division in your state and also to GMC directly. I feel that is the only way anything will get done is if enough of us bring it to the attention of government agencies. Does that accident count against you for your auto insurance? Thank you!
I had similar problem with a JEEP we traded in for Acadia. Little did I know..
With JEEP, it rolled back into neighbor’s home. JEEP dealer tried to recreate situation and of course didn’t occur for them. Therefore, our insurance premium increased because of damages. Tried to get somone to listen to no avail. Just weeks later the film star was killed when JEEP rolled and pinned him. JEEP knew there was issue because they had literature with warning ready to send shortly after. GRRRRR Good luck getting their attention.
The vehicle only rolled a couple of feet. The accident was very minor damage which only required buffing and was in a public lot where police would not write it up. I spoke with my auto insurance but never had to use them because the GMC dealership agreed to take care of both vehicles. I will follow your 2 recommendations.
My 2019 Acadia was showing shift to park while I was park, it would not turn off the car until I was able to make the warning go away. Had it fixed a month ago and now am taking it back this week for the same shift to park error.
Same issue. Less than 30,000 miles… No fix yet or recall? GMC needs to get it together
I have a 2019 GMC Acadia SLT, I bought brand new two years ago in November. I am not able to use my car at all, without it giving me the “shift to park” message. I am a Home Health Nurse, and see about 6/7 patients a days. I am in and out of my car that many times a day, if not more. I’ve found that if I use my emergency brake, it overrides the message. I’m doing this until I can get it into the dealership next Tuesday. Since they felt it is not an emergency. My Acadia has 44500 miles on it.
Mine is a 2019 SLT model too and mine started less than 20,000 miles on it. They replaced the entire shifter hasn’t done it again but according to this site it will happen again.