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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I have 2019 Acadia and have this issue every time I drive it. I replaced the harness but it’s still happening. Is there anything I can do to fix it?
If you can get to the micro switch, clean it and apply a dab of dielectric grease on the contacts.
Does this fix the alarm
You have to replace the shifter as well as the harness. The main problem is in the contacts of the original shifter switch. We started wiggling snd pulling the shift handle up out of the switch when we got home then plugging it back in until we got ours into the dealer to have the shifter and harness replaced. That got it to shut off. After we got it repaired we sold it immediately and went out and bought a non-GM vehicle, very happy now, no stupid problems like that pile of crap Acadia constantly had 😏 I knew when I bought that thing there was a reason I quit buying GM products back in the mid 80’s, now I remember
I have a 2018 GMC Acadia currently at the dealership with the shift to park issue. States to put into park when the car is already in park
Let me know what happens
I have a 2019 Acadia which I have only had 1 year and already it has had to have a harness installed because of shift to park problem and just recently had a transmission control shifter replaced. Something is very wrong with this picture. I expected that GMC would back their products better than they are doing. I will never buy another GMC product again. Shame on you GMC
I have 2017 Acadia Denali and continue to have the shift to park error message issue. It was repaired once under warranty, then again after warranty expired. Now it needs to be repaired for a third time. This is a frustrating issue when GM will not or does not know how to eliminate this defect. At this time I plan to purchase a new shift control assembly and replace it myself. Hopefully this new assembly has been upgraded to eliminate future issues.
Says shift to park when I place it in park. It sometimes takes around 10 times to get it to recognize it is in park. It has drained my battery once and caused me to purchase a battery charger. Dealer won’t fix stating bumber to bumper warranty doesn’t cover that.
Am having this same issue with my 2019 Acadia Denali
Got the fix done at dealer last week on my 2017 Acadia…. new improved switch/harness. They had the parts but took hours so got “free” shuttle home and back. $600, since I am 2 yrs past warranty.. oh well
Same thing is happening to my 2018 GMC Acadia Denali with only 38,000 miles!! This is my retirement vehicle!!
My 2019 GMC Acadia has developed the same problem at about 19000 miles. I talked to the service manager, he asked me to bring the car, they will look at it. I wonder if they will really fix it!
They know exactly what the problem is. It affects numerous GMC models.
I own a 2018 GMC Acadia. My car says shift to park when it’s already in park and won’t let me start it. I’ve taken it to the dealership now 4 times they replace the shifter and it will be fine for several weeks. Then it will start all over again. Atleast the part is under warranty so when it does happen they replace the part again and it doesn’t cost me anything. It’s just ridiculous that GMC can’t figure out what the problem is.
It appears that GM will only resolve this issue if a class action lawsuit forces them to act. Meanwhile, each owner of these vehicles are forced to pay for temporary repairs out of pocket after the vehicle is out of warranty. We must find a law firm to take on this case on a contingency fee basis.
Once again, and until GM fixes this endless problem, here’s the solution to clearing the “Shift to Park” annoying message each and every time it occurs. This simple method will allow you to shut the vehicle off (or start) in a matter of seconds:
The problem lies with the shifter trigger’s “micro switch” corroded contacts that are part of that harness/shift lever assembly. GM has obviously never upgraded the switch to a higher contact quality version (or any other critical contacts in the loop). During the “repair”, they simply replace the old failed switch and/or harness, with another new, but “ready-to-fail-again“, micro switch & harness… which soon corrodes the same terminals, starting the “Shift to Park” cycle all over again.
This happens because this micro switch is obviously not controlling any high voltage (or high current) electrical loads that will blast through most any “light terminal corrosion”. The voltage being switched is only “micro volts” (or simply, “continuity”), which is quite sensitive to any contact corrosion. There must eventually be just enough oxidation on the contacts to prevent sensitive micro voltage signals (continuity) from reaching the ECM, which then sends a fault code producing that infamous, “Shift to Park” message.
Micro switch contacts in such a sensitive voltage environment (ie; computer type controls) are most always gold plated, which is so thin, it’s not at all costly, but was likely not spec’d for this specific (cheap) chinesium micro switch. Obviously, they must come up with a NEW (domestic made) micro switch with improved, gold plated metal contacts… which won’t likely happen until GM is forced by a class action law suit. Soooo, until then, here is what works 99% of the time with the first “flick” on my 2018 Acadia:
Simply use multiple flicks on the black “trigger switch” at the front (forward) underside of the shift knob with your right hand. Do this by simply using all 4 fingers extended perpendicular to the shift lever, using a brisk, upward “brushing style”, with one upward swipe, which will then provide 4 trigger “flicks”, one from each of your fingers, as they rapidly pass the trigger.
This rapid upward motion causes the “trigger switch” to be flicked multiple times, with your hand and extended fingers ending just above the shift knob (remember, your fingers are perpendicular to the shift lever). These quick, multiple finger flicks will cause the micro switch contacts to once again make a connection, telling the computer “all is well”, and the “Shift to Park” indication will extinguish. If required, perform this action one or more times to reset, but it usually works the very first time it’s tried.
Rustie….
2017 Acadia Denali 36,000mi. I started having this problem a couple months ago. Have to start/restart & move gear shift multiple times. Not happy to find this is an ongoing problem. Appt at dealer in a few weeks.
We just started having this same problem with our 2019 Acadia. Going to take it to a dealership and see what they say!!
I have a 2017 Acadia and am noticing an increase of this happening more often that I get the Shift into Park prompt when turning the vehicle off while already in park.
I have a 2019 GMC Acadia I purchased in August 2019 as a pre-owned vehicle with less than 7K miles. It currently has less than 19K miles; I don’t drive much. The warranty ran out in February 2022. Unfortunately I began experiencing these issues this month (March 2022). The dealership is charging me ~$900 to fix it which is absurd.
My 2019 GMC Acadia has started saying “shift to park” for about two weeks now off and on! Just today at work my car wouldn’t turn off and I couldn’t get it to actually go into park even thought it was on the P. So I had to turn my engine back on and take it out of park then back into park. Thankfully that worked! But this is ridiculous
I figured out a workaround!!??
2017 Acadia Denali with “shift to park” issue for several months. It happened 90% of the time. But now I am “snapping” the shifter button upon release after setting in the P position and it’s worked 100% of the time… no dash message!
2017-18 Acadia has the same drive to park issue. Some days I fiddle for 3-5 minutes trying to go into park. Eventually it will go. This should be fixed by GM
I figured out a workaround!!??
2017 Acadia Denali with “shift to park” issue for several months. It happened 90% of the time. But now I am “snapping” the shifter button upon release after setting in the P position and it’s worked 100% of the time… no dash message!