This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 GMC Acadia engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2017 GMC Acadia have filed 22 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 57,720 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
22
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Acadia | 7 |
| 2014 Acadia | 15 |
| 2015 Acadia | 4 |
| 2016 Acadia | 4 |
| 2017 Acadia (this page) | 22 |
| 2018 Acadia | 7 |
| 2019 Acadia | 22 |
| 2020 Acadia | 8 |
| 2021 Acadia | 17 |
What stands out
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
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 normal for the delay.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel for new vehicles with less than 1,000 miles that may not pass California smog inspection or smog inspection in other states.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information on vehicles outside of a California Emissions State who move to and register their vehicle in a California Emission State may be entitled to the 7 year, 70,000-mile Emission Select State Component Limited Warranty.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin advises the technician to flush the cooling system multiple times if oil has been found in the cooling system and replace the parts that may be contaminated due to oil in system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report thermostat assembly failure as the most consistent problem, with check engine lights, continuous fan operation, and A/C failure starting around 90,000 miles. GM issued a special coverage number (N252508350) and service bulletin 17-NA-158 but no recall. Replacement labor is quoted at 6 hours with total costs approaching $2,400.
Engine power loss and stalling strike without warning—one owner lost all power on the highway with a bolt shearing from the high-pressure fuel pump into the cylinder, likely requiring engine replacement. Multiple owners report rapid oil consumption requiring monthly top-offs, with oil spewing from engine sides in at least one case.
Transmission hesitation and vibration at 1,200–1,700 RPM is common; a dealer-applied fuel software update worsened the problem rather than fixing it. The shifter's "Shift to Park" malfunction traps owners, requiring multiple restarts and shifter cycling to shut the vehicle down. Check engine lights appear frequently without retrievable codes, leaving mechanics unable to diagnose root causes. A/C failures and steering assist warnings round out the pattern, some linked to the same thermostat defect.
Same GMC Acadia engine reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Thermostat assembly failure
Thermostat unit (housing/assembly) fails, causing radiator fan to run at full speed continuously and potentially leading to overheating. Check engine light illuminates. A/C may become inoperable. Some complaints link this to steering assist warning. Owners cite GM Special Coverage N252508350 and bulletin 17-NA-158.
When: 90,000–94,000 miles reported; occurs across model years
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Radiator fan running at full speed; A/C system inoperative; Fan remains activated after engine shut-off; Engine overheating potential; Steering assist reduced warning light
Codes mentioned: Check engine light (code not specified)
Repairs/costs cited: Entire thermostat unit (box) replacement required; labor quoted at 6 hours; coolant flush and refill recommended; estimated cost ~$2400 at dealership per one owner
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM Special Coverage N252508350 (Engine Coolant Thermostat); bulletin 17-NA-158 (May 2017); no recall issued; GM referred owners to NHTSA Hotline
Engine vibration and hesitation at specific RPM ranges
Engine vibration or rumble occurs in narrow RPM windows (1200–1700 and other ranges post-repair). Accompanied by hesitation during acceleration and stalling risk. Dealer-applied fuel management software upgrade via manufacturer bulletin (applies to Acadia and Cadillac XT5 on shared platform) failed to resolve and worsened condition with new RPM ranges. Complaint notes clunking sound (like transmission slipping) on takeoff from stops.
When: 1200–1700 RPM primarily; additional ranges reported after software update
Symptoms owners cite: Vibration or rumble at 1200–1700 RPM; Hesitation during acceleration; New vibration ranges post-software update; Near-stalling at 1500 RPM from stop; Clunking or sudden engagement sound on acceleration; Transmission shudder sensation
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel management software upgrade applied per manufacturer bulletin; did not resolve issue and introduced new symptoms
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer bulletin issued with fuel management software upgrade; bulletin also applied to Cadillac XT5
Engine power loss and stalling
Engine loses power suddenly while driving, vehicle stalls and cannot restart or takes multiple restarts. Check engine and traction warning lights illuminate. Conditions range from complete loss of power (unable to exceed 5 mph) to sputtering and failed restart. One complaint involved bolt shearing from high-pressure fuel pump into cylinder, bending pump and spraying oil.
When: Miles vary: 51,000 miles (stalling); 57,720 miles (misfire/stall); unspecified (sudden power loss with fuel pump bolt failure)
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine power loss while driving; Engine stall; Check engine light and traction control warning; Difficulty restarting or no restart; Sputtering on restart attempt; Engine hesitation and stall
Codes mentioned: Check engine light, Traction control warning
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer diagnosis: fuel leak, engine misfire, motor replacement needed; fuel pump regulator module replaced in another case; bolt shearing from high-pressure fuel pump suggests engine replacement likely for that failure
Shifter park-mode malfunction
Vehicle displays 'Shift to Park' warning message on console even when shifter is already in Park position. Electrical system does not shut down. Requires restarting vehicle and moving shifter multiple times between gears and back to Park to clear error and allow shut-down. Occurs at relatively low mileage.
When: 35,000 miles and 120,000 miles reported
Symptoms owners cite: 'Shift to Park' warning message on console; Electrical system remains active (fails to shut down); Repeated shifter movement required to clear error
Repairs/costs cited: Shifter assembly replacement; one owner charged $590 at dealership; another case fitted with jumper harness
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated no recall associated; warranty declined at 35,000 miles citing 36-month service elapsed
Check engine light with no diagnostic code
Check engine light illuminates but mechanic cannot retrieve a diagnostic fault code, or code clears after reset but light reappears after short driving distance. Underlying cause cannot be identified.
When: 60,000 miles reported
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; No retrievable diagnostic code; Light reappears after computer reset and 60 miles of driving
Repairs/costs cited: No diagnosis or repair possible without retrievable code
Oil consumption and internal leakage
Engine consumes or burns oil at excessive rate. Owner reports needing oil change monthly or oil level drops completely. Multiple mechanics attribute defect to 2017 Acadia engine design. No visible leak from under engine; oil spewing from sides of engine noted in another complaint with overheating and check engine light.
When: Early in ownership; one complaint within 3 months of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Rapid oil level depletion (monthly refills); Oil spewing from engine sides; Overheating (in one case with side spewing); Check engine light (in side-spewing case)
Codes mentioned: Check engine light (no readable code in side-spewing case)
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; mechanics unable to diagnose root cause in side-spewing case
A/C system failure
A/C system becomes inoperative, often concurrent with check engine light or other engine faults. Not clearly tied to a single root cause across complaints but appears linked to thermostat and fuel system issues in some cases.
When: 51,000 miles, 90,000 miles reported
Symptoms owners cite: A/C unit inoperative; Occurs alongside check engine light or engine stalling
Start/Stop system unexpected engagement
Start/Stop system engages unexpectedly at low speed while approaching a stop, causing engine to stall. Vehicle restarts but malfunction creates stall risk in traffic.
When: 51,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Unexpected Start/Stop system activation at low speed; Engine stall on approach to stop
Repairs/costs cited: No diagnosis or repair completed
Delayed or difficult cold start
After extended vehicle rest (10+ hours), engine cranks with delayed start for 4–8 seconds. Suspected fuel pump losing pressure and unable to prime engine. All electrical components tested normal.
When: After 10 hours of non-operation
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed cranking/start after extended rest; 4–8 second crank time
Repairs/costs cited: Suspected defective fuel pump due to loss of fuel pressure during rest
Multiple warning lights with loss of power and shifting issues
While accelerating, multiple warning lights illuminate (check engine, parking brake, car stability) and engine downshifts. Vehicle decelerates and does not drive correctly. Occurs repeatedly on interstate at normal highway speeds.
When: During acceleration on interstate at 55–70 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Parking brake warning light; Car stability warning light; Engine downshift and loss of driving response; Vehicle deceleration
Codes mentioned: Check engine light, Parking brake warning, Car stability control warning
Steering assist reduced warning and unavailable parts
Steering assist reduced warning illuminates with no parts available to repair. Vehicle deemed unsafe to operate. Some complaints link warning to thermostat defect (bulletin 17-NA-158), but in this case parts supply is the blocking issue.
When: Unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Steering assist reduced warning light; No replacement parts available
Repairs/costs cited: No parts available; vehicle unsafe to operate
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Bulletin 17-NA-158 (May 2017) referenced but no recall; steering assist issue linked to thermostat defect per owner research
Synthesized from 22 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
2 instances within a 2 week period. On 12/13/2017 vehicle is being driven and engine power is lost and car turns off we had to pull over side of the road when trying to restart the car it sputters and wont start.. 2nd instance on 12/24/2017 car was once car was put in gear it stalled would not restart or even turn over. Dealer replaced battery and fuel pump regulator module the 1st time.…
Had engine trouble with your 2017 GMC Acadia?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2017 GMC Acadia?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 22 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 41,000 and 90,000 miles, with the median around 57,720. A quarter of owners report trouble before 41,000; a quarter make it past 90,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/GMC/Acadia.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.