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GMC Acadia Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Who is arfc.org? I don't see any info about who owns the site and their domain info is hidden behind a proxy.
  • kalwinder123kalwinder123 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my vehicle about 2 years ago and I recently replaced the transmission at only 97000 km the. The dealership checked the history and it said the transmission had already been replaced at 75000 km so it's on its third transmission and I v been trying to get help but they never helped and they didn't even call and I don't have money to spend on this kind of situation.😡
  • rbarraccarbarracca Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Acadia with only 45K miles on it (I am the original owner). Starting having some issues and brought it in and I am told it needs a new valve body in the transmission. Of course I am long past warranty so I am screwed to pay out of pocket. My wife loves this car, but I get concerned when I see these forums that talk about all these mechanical problems. I could trade it in for another make/model, but at this point she would rather keep it as it is paid off and has such low miles. So I am looking at aftermarket warranty companies. Has anyone had any experience with aftermarket warranties on the Acadia (like EasyCare or anything like that)? I don't want to shell out all that money only to find out something like the wave plate (which seems to be an all too common and costly problem) is not covered.

    Thanks,
    Bob
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Seems like the gotchas always get you.

    Check out the Extended Warranties discussion; there's a few success stories in there.
  • cinnic2000cinnic2000 Member Posts: 5
    GMC initially told me it was the valve body that needed replacement. The Customer Service Manager said the only way they could know for sure if it was the wave plate would be to take the transmission apart. They said it would cost $1500 to replace the valve body but wouldn't guarantee the transmission wouldn't fail.

    I asked if it was not the valve body that was the issue, would they fix the wave plate and charge me the difference. He said no. So if you do replace the valve body, you in essence will be paying upwards of $6000 for a wave plate issue.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    probably makes more sense to dump the vehicle before the 5/100 powertrain warranty expires. One thing I noticed about aftermarket warranties is it never seems to cover what goes wrong with the vehicle. Course YMMV.

    I'm starting my search for a new replacement for my 2010 Acadia. One of the most notable problem I'm finding is that on the Asian makes you need to order their limited or whatever their top of the line model is to get a power liftgate. That sucks.
  • gmcnohelpgmcnohelp Member Posts: 2
    I also called GMC about my Transimission issue. I had it fixed at the GM Dealership. I have 70,000 miles on the car and I am LESS then 1 month over the 5 year warranty date. The dealership did provide a "discount" for the repair. They would not tell me how the discount was calculated they said GMC - calculates it. I called GMC they told me to call the dealership to find out how it was calculated. GMC is unwilling to do anythig to help. The first phone call they sympathize with you. When they call you back for the followup regarding reimbursement it is a different story. The women I spoke to at GMC said over 5 times, "GMC's decision is final" as they were completely unwilling to pay for it. I have had the Water pump go, the battery go, the transmission go and it failed emissions testing at the DMV all in the last 4 months. Somehow GMC needs to be held responsible for this. I will file a complaint as well. How do you force a company to have a recall and have them fix it?
  • arbrumleyarbrumley Member Posts: 3
    We also just had ours go out...it was the wave plate as so many of us are experiencing; GM of course refused to take any portion of the repair. $2400.00 dollars later, I only have a one year warranty on the repair. I would be willing to file anything that will get GM to fix this issue. I think a class action is desperately needed in this situation... I requested time and time again to speak with the decision maker at GM, but they were too busy to even return my call. At least some of you have gotten some assistance.
  • chrisfloydchrisfloyd Member Posts: 17
    Good luck with customer service but I will go ahead and warn you they are a joke. GMC has been aware of this issue with the wave plate since day1 and have yet to own up to it. You would be better off filing a complaint with DOT. If enough people do this then GMC will be forced to issue a recall and fix these vehicles or take them off the roads. GMC is a joke.

    Go here to file a complaint. Maybe they will take us serious if enough people file on the site below. spread the word
    URL https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
  • ewalker3ewalker3 Member Posts: 1
    According to the NHTSA they only have 97 complaints regarding the 2008 Acadia "transmission" so please file a report! This should have been a recall. GMC has known about the issue and are still putting our safety at risk to save money. My Acadia is in for a second time for a complete transmission re-build.
  • scottmay3scottmay3 Member Posts: 17
    What about 2007 or the Acadia in general?
  • kjv3kjv3 Member Posts: 1
    I bought myself a "new" car 2 1/2 months ago - fully loaded 2008 GMC Acadia SLT 2 that I had been drooling over for quite some time. I was ecstatic! That lasted about two weeks. Since I bought it, it has been in the shop four times. First, it was the an air intake valve, then a CV boot, then an oil gasket... Now, for the last three weeks, its been sitting there waiting on a new transmission. When the extended warranty finally approved replacement with a rebuilt transmission, and the mechanic pulled the transmission out, he found that there was an oil leak and a coolant hose leaking which was another $1100 and now the warranty people have to come out again to give the okay to fix that stuff. Another week. Then today, I get another call. The brake master cylinder is bad and needs to be replaced. REALLY!?!! I'm a little scared. I'm paying a whole lot of money for this car and its been in the shop for the majority of the time I've owned it, while I'm driving some little joke of a rental I hate....and still making the payment for my dream car! And who is to say that the problems stop here? What will happen next? My kids and I drive hours every day.I'm concerened for our safety. at do I do? At what point does a car qualify as a lemon? and what are my options??
  • rer1rer1 Member Posts: 1
    Couldn't believe all these comments. I have a 2007 Acadia. My wave plate broke also. My Acadia has 84,000 miles on it but its's 6 yrs old so you guessed it. It's on me to pay up. I did file a complaint with the NHTSA. My wife and grand babies were in the car when it broke on her. She luckily was able to veer off the road out of the way. Had it been rush hour who knows. Unfortunately it will take a major tragedy perhaps several major tragedies before they recall these. My dealership knew of the problem and agreed to help offset some of the costs. I bought my car here so they want repeat business. As these Acadias start getting mileage on them they will fail. It's not a matter of if but when. If you call GM it will fall on deafs ear. But call them anyway. We need to pound this problem until we get action. Save all your posts and letters. When this makes 60 minutes and GM denies they knew.
  • jpfjpf Member Posts: 496
    As soon as the transmission is fixed you'll be better off getting rid of the Acadia. Besides the transmission, the timing belts tend to stretch on these vehicles leading to catastrophic engine failure. Check out the Cadillac CTS message boards for engine problems as the CTS has the same engine as the Acadia. Good luck.
  • kesharbkesharb Member Posts: 1
    Like so many others posting on this board....I am fed up.

    I have had my 2007 GMC Acadia SLT-2 for a little over 2 years. It only had around 30,000 miles on it when I purchased it. I have replaced the struts out of my pocket. Warranty has fixed the steering wheel issue, flooding by the sunroof (twice), got an outstanding recall for the water pump but will not fix it unless it goes out before blah blah blah miles (then its my problem), and then at 46,000 miles I was out of town for the weekend in Atlanta on the interstate Friday afternoon at around 5 and it went out going around 65 miles an hour. I managed to get over to the far right and crawl to my exit which was several miles away. Once I parked it there was no forward only reverse. I was within my 5yr/100,000 by about 25 days. The service I received at this time was great from GM as I got a tow on Monday, a rental car, and drove back home and the dealership met me halfway on the following Friday (I did however miss work Monday,Tuesday and part of the day Friday).

    Now at 68,500, have 22,000ish miles on this "rebuilt" transmission and last night it slipped while turning left from a red light and now it will not shift out of 1st gear. I am so frustrated right now. I have always been a firm believer in American made products.... but I am fed UP! I can't believe I am paying this much for a car and can't rely on it. It is a shame that we spend our hard earned money on a product we believe to be of quality, to only find out the company knows about these issues and rather than be proactive about fixing the issue only does what they have to in order to "get by" until it can be deemed your problem. I have tried both sides of the fence and I am going back. NISSAN here I come.
  • tlane87tlane87 Member Posts: 1
    My 2009 Acadia that just passed 100K miles did the same exact thing. My daughter was driving when she lost power and couldn't accelerate. Thankfully, she was able to safely pull off the road. It's hard to believe that GMC has not fixed this issue since this is a major liability if someone died as a result of this issue.
  • heybeerman95heybeerman95 Member Posts: 1
    Purchased and '07 Acadia in 2010 with 13000 miles on it. For the last 3 years for the most part it was problem free. Early this summer it developed a vibration problem. I naturally though it was the tires and had them balanced, balanced and balanced again to no avail. Tires were 2 years old so not much else I could do. Had a local garage look at it to see if there was another problem and found nothing. I said screw it and just drove it because I didn’t want to drop another $800 or so for a new set of tires. Last Wednesday my wife was on her way home and the transmission started slipping and making a squealing sound. She got it home and we took it for a ride to the local Aamco. Was told torque converter was going and wave plate was what was squealing. Was told $3000 to fix with a partial overhaul and if the wave plate broke another $1000. Also took it to local GMC dealer and they told me basically same thing. This vehicle had a grand total of 44,000 miles on it and the transmission is shot and of course it is out of warranty. Needless to say I was pissed. This car was not abused and it is just insane for that to happen with only 44,000 miles on it. Decided I was not going to fix it and took it to a local dealer and explained the problem. Worked a deal to trade it and now have a 2011 4Runner. Don’t know if GM reads these forums but I can tell you this I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. What a load of bull.
  • gmcnohelpgmcnohelp Member Posts: 2
    I called GMC and the dealership about my issue with the transmission. I had less then 80,000 miles and was less then a month over the warranty. The dealership and GMC could both care less. We had it fixed because I needed my car. After getting it back it still was not right. Dumped the car and bought a different brand. I will never buy a GMC again, people at both GMC and the dealership could not give a crap about the fact that you needed a car and what the issue was or that you had a nightmare when it happend to you and left you with no car for atleast a week. Customer Satisfaction and quality s NOT a priority or thought to them. How many people has this happend to that do not know about this forum or to issue a complaint or were "lucky" enough to have it fall under the warranty? I would like to see the president of GMC driving this nightmare!
  • bharris7088bharris7088 Member Posts: 1
    Well you can add me to the list of dissatisfied GM customers. My transmission went without warning while I had my family with me returning from NYC after marching in the veterans day parade. I was 400+ miles from home and had to leave my Acadia in a parking lot, rent a van to get home and then return to get it at a later date. After calling GM and filing a complaint that went nowhere I was told that they would cover half of a diagnostic cost ($400, while I pay the other $400) at a GM dealer. I advised them I didn't need a diagnostic because I knew the issue and they knew the issue. Well $5,000 down and six weeks later it is fixed. My Acadia was a 2008 and I was three months past my five years and at 86,000 miles. GM has been no help, so everyone PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT with the NHTSA URL https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
    it will only take about five minutes at the most and we may save others from the headache.
  • mtaireymtairey Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2013
    Hi All,

    I found this thread quickly after deciding to do a little Googl'ing while my wife's 08 Acadia is in the shop for a transmission issue. My dealer has always been very good about helping us with issues even when we're past warranty. Our warranty expired in May on powertrain. Figures. On this they claim that GMC will only participate @ %60. The current estimate for a rebuild has our responsibility at $1200. I guess we're lucky that we made it to about 90k before needing a transmission rebuild. We buy new cars and expect to keep them 10 years before replacing them. I am rethinking that policy with our Acadia. I'll go through the motions of contacting GMC, and will likely file a complaint. I agree with all I've read here. If so many are having this problem, it IS known, GMC should do a recall. Especially when this is a a real safety concern.

    Thanks for letting me rant.

    Mark

    Amber, if you want a shot at saving a customer who otherwise loves his Acadia, and would be on schedule to replace it in 3-5 years, you can get me at [non-permissible content removed]
  • andrewk2004andrewk2004 Member Posts: 1

    I have a 2007 Acadia with 114K miles that when the Check Engine light comes on you can only go up to 30mph at best! When I went to a local repair shop, (of which I knew a close friend) to reset or clear the Check Engine light for me, the vehicle runs fine. My friend told me that error codes indicated 1st and 2nd gear transmission solenoid which is the reason it will not shift into 3rd gear to accelerate above 30mph.

    I've been told by two different mechanic shops that it will be at least $2000 to fix. THAT'S RIDICULOUS! We've owned the 2007 Acadia now for 4mos and we have only put about 4,000 miles on it, just had the oil changed as I do anyways every 3,000 miles. I feel like we've been screwed!

    I have not taken it yet to see for sure the issue and cost, as it is my family's only vehicle. I am super disappointed!

  • kvali79kvali79 Member Posts: 1

    Only have had my 2007 gmc for a little over a year. Just dropped $1200.00 into having the ac redone front and back quit working. Now at only 77000 miles I'm told the transmission needs to be rebuilt. Shift solenoid A is stuck on, And the transmission shift module is bad? I've been stuck on the side of the road a few times now. As your driving and you go to accelerate the truck jumps forward and you loose power. The Rpm rise out of control as you try to get off the hwy and to the side of the rd so your not killed. Also when you first start the car and your letting it warm up the car will jerk forward wether your in park or with your foot on the brake. It sounds like its going to stall out. This was actually the first sign of the problem I think. But when I brought it back to coastal Cadillac in port richey fl they told me there was nothing wrong with it. Also told them the ac was having problems and they asked me if I knew how to turn it on? Also said the ac was perfectly fine? Im really upset I have a payment on this truck and have to keep making such major repairs that cost a lot of money that I don't have. I'm a single mother of two and bought this car to be in a safe dependable vehicle. That was a joke. What a piece of junk car! It
    Looks pretty common that these transmissions go out around 70,000 miles. Gmc needs to evaluate the vehicles they are putting out. Satisfaction guarantee my big toe!

  • swooshzswooshz Member Posts: 1

    I'm finally done with my fully loaded 2009 Acadia. My transmission just went out 2 weeks ago at 76K miles, just 4K miles over and 3 days prior to the end of my (miles or date, which ever comes first) extended warranty. Are you kidding me?? It cost $4200 to fix it. My husband asked the dealership why the transmission would go out so early. They asked if I drove in traffic, took it to the mountains (I live in Denver), went on road trips, etc... So in other words, they asked if i DROVE the car! I have had nothing but issues with this car since I bought it brand new. A list of SOME of my issues: Daytime headlights constantly burning out for 4 years before a recall was issued. Water pump died before recall was issued. Issues with seatbelts before recall was issued. Issues with shifting before flash update was issued. Heated seats stopped working 3 times. Cooled seats stopped working. Third row A/C stopped working last summer. Heat stopped working during a negative 0 cold snap a few months ago. DVD player stopped working. Power outlet stopped working. Power liftgate stopped working. And EVERYTHING was fixed at the same dealership I purchased it from. GMC has all the records. With all the stuff going on in the news, and seeing other forums stating that the Acadia engine randomly turned off on the highway, my husband and I don't feel safe with me and our kids in the car. We're looking for a new one this weekend. And it won't be a GM.

  • rok4rok4 Member Posts: 3

    My wife and I own a 2009 GMC Acadia SLT. The Vin # is 1GKEV33D39J134133. It was delivered July 10, 2009. My wife loves the vehicle as do I. I have been a GM customer since receiving my driver license many years ago. This vehicle has had a troublesome history since our purchase. We have had numerous recalls which were taken care of by GMC to include the water pump and heater for the wiper fluid. The dealer also had to fix a clip that caused the dash to rattle on the drivers side. I recently had to replace a throttle body gone bad which caused quite a bit of commotion for my wife when it decided to fail, such as racing engine rpm.
    On Monday March 24, 2014 my wife was returning from work. The Acadia started acting up with very low power versus throttle input. Then the engine started racing and surging when taking off from a stoplight. She called me to express concern for her safety and I recommended she drive it straight to the dealership on the way home. She explained everything to the Tech writer and he said he's get back with us. I picked her up and it wasn't long before the tech called to say the transmission was terminal. He explained that the "reverse wave plate broken, vehicle will not go into reverse".
    The vehicle only had 81,453 miles when this occurred. We picked it up Wednesday after paying a ransom of $3,906.54. This is absolutely unbelievable to us considering the price we paid for the vehicle and the purported high quality built in by GMC. So besides the 5Year/100K warranty, why should we be concerned going forward. We are not destitute but the $4K hit at tax time and with all the other things going on in the world, this sort of issue is unfathomable.

  • rok4rok4 Member Posts: 3

    I filed with NHTSA also. Everybody needs to do that.

  • alexm82alexm82 Member Posts: 1

    We bought a 2009 Acadia new in May of 2009. The transmission leakage is just one of MANY significant issues we've had with this vehicle.

    This vehicle has had the following failures:
    -Rear DVD entertainment system whines at high pitch like the system is poorly grounded or has wires crossed: replaced under warranty, 8500 miles
    -Steering system "lubricated" at 8500 miles under warranty due to high pitch whine and popping while turning at low speed
    -ECU reflashed due to poor gas mileage performance: under warranty at 9900 miles
    -Shift cable connector recall: shift cable and connector pin replaced under recall
    -Failed (explosive failure) water pump: replaced under warranty, later returned for them to double check new pump and seal per recall published after failure
    -Failed Break Master Cylinder and Sump: at less than 42,000 miles; bumper-to-bumper warranty expired so I had to pay full price for repairs
    -Leaking Transmission casing seal: 49,000 miles replaced under power train warranty
    -Failed Shock absorber: replaced with "GM assistance" minus $200 deductible - not sure why I had to pay a dime for this since it was done while the transmission was dropped.
    -Recall on passenger side-impact airbag system. Replaced sensor: 49,000 miles under recall service.

    We have had a popping noise and a whirring sound (sort of like a steering system low on fluid) in our suspension/steering since the day we bought it. We had the dealership we bought it from check the system before we left the day we purchased it and they said there was nothing "wrong" with the vehicle. It was checked again at approximately 8300 miles. Now, at 49,000 miles, we are having to pay a "deductible" to have the right front shock replaced - it failed due to the steering issue causing the popping, but because it is out of bumper-to-bumper warranty they are only providing "assistance" on the repair even though they removed the transmission and replaced a failing seal gasket under warranty during the same visit to the dealership. AND, I just found out there is a pending class action lawsuit in California for this steering issue - the court denied GM's request to throw out the case without trial!

    I will NEVER buy another GM vehicle after this experience!

  • kathyaddkathyadd Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2014

    We purchased a 2007 Acadia in April of 2010. The first week I had it the drive shaft came off the front of the vehicle. Thankfully I was driving up to a stop light so was going less than 10 mph. That was covered under warranty. We had to have the water pump replaced last year right before GM sent the customer satisfaction letter regarding the pumps failing. We did get reimbursed for it. Two weeks ago the transmission went. The Wave plate disintegrated and totally destroyed gears 3, 4, 5, and 6. $3,800 later I have my car back. Went to turn A/C on Sunday and no cold air and hissing sound. I'm so disgusted with this vehicle! My husband used to LOVE GMC but we will never purchase another. We filed with NHTSA.

  • vmarkervmarker Member Posts: 1

    Purchased my 2009 Acadia in October 2011 as I am a foster mom and we needed to upsize due to having more kids placed with us. Right off the lot I had issues. First a Coil, that took over 6 months to diagnose cause the service tech informed me I just didn't understand what it was like to drive a truck. I said WTF ever and left. Six months later check engine light comes on, Coil is the issue and they replaced it on their dime cause I said it was BS that I should have to when I complained about the problem right after I purchased the car. Within the 2 1/2 years I have owned I have now replaced 4 Coil/Spark combos. A week and half ago my Oil Pressure Low light comes on, I take it in and am told its a sensor, I get that repaired with new tires (I get tires are part of maintenance but this trip is now 1,000 dollars). Coils ranged from 350 to 800 and the oil sensor 250. At that time I was also told I had a bad tire rod but could wait till after my upcoming trip. A week and half later on vacation we are stopped at a stop light and all of a sudden we can't go. Car revs up, but won't move. Have it towed to a local dealership where I am told it is 4200 dollars to replace the transmission. I mention the rotors need turned or replaced as normal issues and they said that was up to 300, then I mention the Rod, figuring why not get it fixed while here. That was last Friday and I was told I would not get the car back for a week. So I came home with a rental that I am also paying 325 bucks for the week for and they just called me this afternoon to say that it was not the tire rod, it is a steer gear boot...to the tune of almost another 1,000 dollars. I am soooooo upside down in this car that I can't afford to junk it and get a new one. The only blessing is that once the transmission is replaced I do have a 3 year 100,000 mile warranty on that part. But I don't love this car I despise it and will NEVER buy another GMC again in my life. Which means I will also try to steer clear of any and all other models made by the same company.

  • dragonfly95dragonfly95 Member Posts: 1

    Well I have had enough. We own a 2007 GMC Acadia. We have had issue after issue and now it is starting to kill us with the costs. New exhaust system, new tires for the third time, new wiper motor and now new transmission. And yes, all after EXTENDED warranty expired. We only have 70,000km on the vehicle. And this is only the list after warranty expired. New steering column, wiper washer problems, heated seats issues, tire monitoring system issues (which still are not resolved). When does it end? This transmission issue is the last straw. $4500 that we just don't have. Our dealer won't do much and neither will GM customer care. This is an issue with so many 2007s. Why isn't there a recall? Why won't they at least pay for the part and we will pay for installation. But no. And we were just discussing buying the Denali in a couple of years. You can bet that won't happen after the way GM has just treated us. I will never buy another GM vehicle again.

  • et_austinet_austin Guest Posts: 11

    I own a GMC Acadia 2008. This is the list of repairs I've been told my Acadia needs since I bought it in 2009:

    • Water pump failed in 2011

    • Transmission failed and had to be rebuilt (broken wave plate) in 2012 (covered by warranty)

    • Roof leak (water started POURING inside the car every time it rained, I don't mean a few drops, I'm talking streams of water) in 2013 (Covert Buick GMC Austin quoted me $380, but in the end they charged me $495 for the repair)

    • Master cylinder leaking break fluid (a $700 repair)

    • Engine oil leak / oil leak on front cover (timing gear cover) (a $2000 repair)

    • Transmission failed again and needs to be rebuilt (May 2014, a $5000 repair). Other reputable auto repair shops give you a 3-year warranty on rebuilt transmissions, GMC only gives you a 12-month warranty, probably because they know that their rebuilt transmission won't last much longer than that)

    Based on my research on the Internet, the next thing that is going to fail in my Acadia is the A/C and heating system.

    I called Covert Buick GMC again yesterday (they had previously offered to tow my Acadia and take a look at it, but my husband and I have had such terrible experiences with them in the past that we decided to have it checked at a different place with excellent customer reviews). Well, when I called the GMC dealership to let them know that my transmission had to be rebuilt AGAIN, and I asked how was it possible that a rebuilt transmission lasted less than 2 years, a guy named Tom told me: "I have no idea, I don't know how you are driving your vehicle (WOW), there is nothing I can do to help you since your warranty has expired."

    GMC doesn't care at all for its customers, that's why 13 people have died so far due to the faulty ignition switch problem that's been all over the news recently. In 2013 I asked a Service Advisor at Covert Buick GMC Austin how was it possible for a car that was just a few years old to have so many problems, this is what she replied, I quote: "It is completely normal for a newly introduced car to have these kind of problems during the first years of production".

    My husband and I are buying a new car very soon, and you can bet it won't be a GMC car. I just can't believe that GMC can get away with this!

  • et_austinet_austin Guest Posts: 11

    I sold my GMC Acadia 2008 a couple of days ago, and I can tell you it was one of the happiest days of my life. I finally got rid of that piece of junk! I bought a Hyundai Santa Fe instead, beautiful and with a 10-year warranty on the power train. I've been telling everyone I know to stay away from GMC cars: coworkers, family, friends, other moms in my daughter's Girl Scouts troop, people at church, etc. I'll keep telling my story about all the problems I had with my GMC Acadia to anyone who listens for a very, very long time.

  • chaninaychaninay Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Acadia with 73000 miles on it and my transmission went out. I have been very pleased with the car to this point. I bought it in 2012 with 149008 miles on it. It is now costing me $27050 for my transmission to be rebuilt because it's 6 years old which is past the warranty. After reading some of the comments on here I don't think I will be buying GMC again in this lifetime.
  • wannagreatcarwannagreatcar Member Posts: 1

    I have a 2008 Acadia currently at the dealer with a transmission issue. The dealer told me it more than likely needs a trans replacement and then after contacting customer service, they tell me that is very likely that it can just be repaired and rare that they need to be replaced. This was their way of 'discounting' or helping to cover the expense of the repair... by changing the diagnosis- yet, the car has not even had 'tear down' to discover what the real problem is. I see that GM responds actively here so I have emailed socialmedia@gm.com already and posting here to hopefully get quick action since the deceitfulness of the dealer and my distrust and dissatisfaction has me in a state of not knowing what to do. As a customer who bought the vehicle brand new, addressing the poor transmission from the first week of ownership that was never addressed by the dealer while under warranty, I do believe that they should compensate by covering a good percentage of the CORRECT repair!

  • dissatifiedrbbdissatifiedrbb Member Posts: 1
    I have had nothing but problems with my 07 Acadia. I bought it in Aug 2012 from a Chevy dealer. I thought that by getting it at a Chevy dealer I would get a good quality car. I have always been a big Chevy owner and never wanted anything else. I have owned the x brand new Chevy vehicles and always a good experience. I have even owned a few very very used GM vehicles, but this by far is my worst experience. I bought my car at the beginning of August on a Saturday evening, but it was a recent trade in so it still needed it's dealer inspection so my wife took it back to the dealer the following Monday and they gave her a nice loaner as it would take a few days before we could pick it up. Three weeks later we were able to pick it up because it had a bad wheel sensor that was apparently hard to get. I picked it up on the Friday before Memorial Day. On Memorial Day I was stuck on the side of the interstate waiting on the tow truck because the transmission stopped and the car wouldn't go in any gear. The dealer gave me another nice loaner to use while it was repaired. Another 3 weeks and it was repaired. Over the next 3 months it was towed back to the dealer 3 or 4 times because it was sticking in gear. Every time it went to the dealer they said there was no codes showing and the check engine light wasn't on. Only one time did they find a problem with a bad speed sensor and because it wasn't the one that they already had replaced I had to pay for this one for 365.00. I finally took it to a transmission shop and they checked it out and had to replace the solenoid at a cost of 1100.00. The mechanic was surprised when I told him that the transmission had just been rebuilt and the solenoid was not replaced at that time and the same with the torque converter. I called the dealer and talked to several people including the service manager, the general manager and one of the supposed owners of the dealership. They finally told me that if I was that unhappy with the car I could bring it back and they would take it back in trade on a KIA Sedona. Wow what a deal now I could trade it in losing a lot of money because I drove it off the lot and they knew it was a piece of crap, and refinance me into another vehicle that wasn't of equal value to my Acaidia and get me an even higher car payment. Somebody might call me stupid but I wasn't going to let them prove that I'm stupid so I passed on their wonderful deal. Now that I have had this wonderful car for 18 months when driving it and it is shifting out of 3rd gear it feels like you are rolling over the ridges on the side the road. I took it back to the transmission shop and they said it is the torque converter. I called the dealership that I bought it at and they said it is no longer under warranty because it has 105k miles on it now and that the torque converter was not replaced so I would have to pay for the repairs. I know that GM has not always been this way but I wonder why would they change their business model from one where they sell a quality product and they take pride in their product and follow it with superior service to one where once you drive it off the lot its your problem. I bought a Chevy Suburban from a smaller buy here pay here dealer and and when I found several problems with the vehicle they told me to bring it back and they fixed every problem at no cost to me. When I got my next vehicle I bought it from them because they stood behind what they sold. I currently own 4 vehicles and only one is a Chevy (the Acaidia) My two very used Toyota Camry have a combined 500k miles on them and they are much more reliable than my newest vehicle and also the only one that I have à payment on. I would like to know what General Motors would do to keep me as a loyal return customer or is their new business model "One and Done". Because they don't need repeat customers because there is almost 3 billion potential car buyers out there. I will patiently wait for an answer fro GM at least for 32 months unless I decide to trade it in sooner.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252

    @wannagreatcar said:
    I have a 2008 Acadia currently at the dealer with a transmission issue. The dealer told me it more than likely needs a trans replacement and then after contacting customer service, they tell me that is very likely that it can just be repaired and rare that they need to be replaced. This was their way of 'discounting' or helping to cover the expense of the repair... by changing the diagnosis- yet, the car has not even had 'tear down' to discover what the real problem is. I see that GM responds actively here so I have emailed socialmedia@gm.com already and posting here to hopefully get quick action since the deceitfulness of the dealer and my distrust and dissatisfaction has me in a state of not knowing what to do. As a customer who bought the vehicle brand new, addressing the poor transmission from the first week of ownership that was never addressed by the dealer while under warranty, I do believe that they should compensate by covering a good percentage of the CORRECT repair!

    Hello wannagreatcar,

    I am sorry to hear of your concerns with your transmission. I'm glad to know you've been in touch with us via email. Please let me know if any additional assistance is needed.

    Andraya
    GM Customer Care

  • davidpotterdavidpotter Member Posts: 7

    We have a 2008 Acadia with 27,000 miles. It's the wife's car so we do not drive it long distances. Last night while on the freeway I hit the gas to pass another car. There was a brief pause then if felt like I was rear ended. It was so sudden that I still feel the effects today. Then this morning it did the same when I accelerated after a stop. Any ideas what it might be? We have already delt with the leaky water pump and headlamp covers that melted.

  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252

    Hi davidpotter,

    Have you been in communication with a certified GMC dealership about this matter? Can you please private message us your VIN and contact information so we can look closer into this for you? Sorry for any trouble this has caused, however we're here to assist in whatever way possible.

    Amber N.
    GM Customer Care

    @davidpotter said:
    We have a 2008 Acadia with 27,000 miles. It's the wife's car so we do not drive it long distances. Last night while on the freeway I hit the gas to pass another car. There was a brief pause then if felt like I was rear ended. It was so sudden that I still feel the effects today. Then this morning it did the same when I accelerated after a stop. Any ideas what it might be? We have already delt with the leaky water pump and headlamp covers that melted.

  • burkeysuscburkeysusc Member Posts: 1

    Have a 2008 GMC Acadia. Had first transmission replaced at about 120,000 miles. Now the car has 178,000 and it needs another transmission. Quoted $3,500 for one year warranty and $4,500 for longer term warranty. Unfortunately trying to support GM but after I get it fixed I will be trading it in and buying a new car from another manufacturer.

  • geri9geri9 Member Posts: 2

    Hello I have the 2007 Outlook that has experienced the notorious transmission failure. My car was taken in soon after I purchased it with 40,000 miles and told them the car would roll back while on a hill in gear. They said it was inherent with this transmission and sent me on my way. As dangerous as this was to send a customer away with a car that rolls backwards. Today the transmission failed without notice. I backed out off a parking spot in the Lowes parking lot and the car shuttered violently. I made it to the corner about a half made away before the car simply would not move. I had it towed to Lunghamer at 5825 Highland Road in Waterford Michigan.
    I pulled the engine code myself and had P2723, P0700
    I am finding everywhere on the web through hundreds of forums that this transmission is a real issue due to the defective china made Wave Plate.
    I'm asking what can GM am or will GM do to help repair this transmission? I have filed a complaint with NHTSA today. I feel the only way to push GM to begin a transmission recall is if EVERYONE files a complaint. Please to file the complaint.

    Sedona here we come

  • mnoble3mnoble3 Member Posts: 1
    Looks great, drives like a dream, enough space for everything including the kitchen sink.... however, once you have put 60,000 miles on it, the transmission may force you to drink! We purchased our '08 Acadia brand new and have loved driving it for nearly 7 years... until last week when the transmission quit with JUST A LITTLE OVER 60,000 miles on it, and of course, our warranty has expired. VERY DISAPPOINTED in GM after reading all of the reviews on this forum. And, I know that the same problems are occurring in the Chevy Traverse. WHERE'S THE RECALL? I understand that transmission repairs require considerable money... but we spent considerable money on a car that was only reliable to 60,000 miles. I called the dealership where the Acadia was purchased. They told me that they would need to diagnose it and send info to GM to see if we could get some "participation". So, I would spend $100 for the dealership to tell me something that I already know and most likely receive next to nothing from GM? A local mechanic diagnosed it and only charged me for the fluid they put in it.

    My grandfather worked for GM and my family has always been very loyal. I have owned an Olds, a Pontiac Grand Am and then Grand Prix (which had to have its engine replaced also because of a defect GM knew about and failed to recall) and now own a GMC that I cannot drive unless we spend considerable hard-earned money to fix. Mark my word, I will NEVER buy another GM vehicle. Went to the local Ford dealership today!
  • wizardmarkwizardmark Member Posts: 1
    2008 Acadia with around 70k miles. Dealer just told us blown transmission ("metall all over the place"). 5k Estimate. Seriously, how does any decent vehicle today blow a transmission that early, and cost that much to replace? How do you retain a client base with this kind of quality. Was my first GMC - made the concious decision to buy American over imports, and now I am regretting it.

    Sad to see a lot of other folks with the same issue. Shame, too, the Acadia has been over-all a good vehicle (and anyone who owns one knows the cargo space is awesome).
  • 07acadia07acadia Member Posts: 1
    2007 Acadia. I had the transmission rebuilt last year and thought that would be the end of my transmission problems with it. Now the check engine light is on and is pointing to transmission problems again. The car stalled on me last week and I turned it off and started back up again just fine. I have contacted GM about taking the car in to be looked at for possible transmission issues again. I'm waiting to hear back from them.

    If I have to pay again for the transmission, I'm going to contact my state's attorney general. GM's profits are in the billions. When making that much, they should absolutely admit there is a problem and stand behind their product. This vehicle is not safe.

    Next week is our spring break and there's no way I'm taking this vehicle anywhere out of my city limits.
  • wlbrown9wlbrown9 Member Posts: 867
    I have a Saturn Outlook, 2008. I just got a letter from Saturn yesterday stating coverage for the Wave Plate transmission issue for 10 years, 120,000 miles. I forgot to bring the letter so I don't have any more details. So, there might be hope for those whose tranny has blown. there was a form to file from repayment if you had already had the problem and paid for a repair.

    Bill
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    wlbrown9 said:

    I have a Saturn Outlook, 2008. I just got a letter from Saturn yesterday stating coverage for the Wave Plate transmission issue for 10 years, 120,000 miles. I forgot to bring the letter so I don't have any more details. So, there might be hope for those whose tranny has blown. there was a form to file from repayment if you had already had the problem and paid for a repair.

    Bill

    Hi Bill,

    Glad to see you got the letter! Feel free to send us an e-mail at socialmedia@gm.com if you have questions or need any additional assistance.

    Patsy G
    GM Customer Care
  • bmlockbmlock Member Posts: 5
    edited April 2015
    My turn to get bit by the transmission bug. Code P752 shift solenoid, shift issue from second to third, goes into limp mode and have to put around to get home from base at 25mph, reverse does not sound good either. 2007 Model 107K. Always been Pontiac until they shutdown. Traded into the Acadia right after getting back from Afghanistan. Really love it, like the GMC style, interior lighting colors and whatnot. Figured I'd be sticking with GMC from here on out, but reading the transmission issues brings that into question. Sounds like a recall of sorts might be available right now, I hope so. Can't afford a new one and 4-5K for a new tranny leaves me wondering how I'll pay for that. To make matters worse, our Chevy, Buick, GMC dealer here is overpriced and I bet the quote comes in over 5K. I've bought several parts over the years, and none but our local here charged full MSRP. Haven't had any other major issues, every car has bugs, but this one is exceptional and looks like it should be recalled. I guess I will do my due diligence and report to NHATSA as I think many are not reporting and just getting rid of the vehicle.
  • bmlockbmlock Member Posts: 5
    Update: I called GMC customer care and they were very helpful and told me about the extended warranty on the wave plate to 120K. The got me an appointment at my local dealer and my Acadia is still there. The initially said it was the TCM (valve body) and that was $1800ish bucks, but what choice did I have. The did that and during the test drive heard some clicking and shot down the 3-5-R wave plate. The Service Manager was gone Friday and the tech said the TCM looked like it got hot on the outside and the inside melted a bit due to heat from the slipping transmission. He said they were unrelated, but the transmission slip is surely caused by the wave plate or else something else is amiss in the tranny. I think they are going to still try to soak me for the $1800 TCM. We'll find out this afternoon-hopefully.
  • munchesmunches Member Posts: 1
    I have the same problem with my acadia 2007 and i just bought it. It goes backwards while on a hill. 
    It really scares me because the first time it happened. I took it back to the dealer and they said that that is normal because "the car is heavy"
    which i dont buy. I don't kkow what to do. Please if someone here had the same problem tell me what you did. Thank you. 
  • bmlockbmlock Member Posts: 5
    Update: Week 3 in the shop. The waveplate had to be ordered from Detroit I'm told, obviously a backlog due to high demand. The waveplate was replaced this week and on the test drive the transmission wouldn't shift into 5th gear. They pulled the TCM and tore it apart and cleaned it up due to debris in it. The put it back in and it's still messed up. After talking with some other techs somewhere, apparently my tech did something wrong on the installation and the transmission and engine must come out again and be torn apart to see what he did wrong. It' looking like a month in the shop, this is unacceptable-and they still want to charge me for the TCM which is obviously failed due to the waveplate going out. Might not only have to report to NHATSA, but go to court because this just isn't right.

    To munches: does it go backwards in park or what? If you are in drive and you're on a hill like at a stop sign, it will roll back due to the weight. Need more info to give you my formerly professional opinion.
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,745
    bmlock said:

    The waveplate was replaced this week and on the test drive the transmission wouldn't shift into 5th gear. They pulled the TCM and tore it apart and cleaned it up due to debris in it. The put it back in and it's still messed up. After talking with some other techs somewhere, apparently my tech did something wrong on the installation and the transmission and engine must come out again and be torn apart to see what he did wrong.

    Need more info to give you my formerly professional opinion.

    Tough place to be for that tech right now. Beyond the labor for the initial repair of the TCM he/she probably isn't getting paid for any of the additional work. The P0752, Shift solenoid #1 performance, stuck on, would not be related to the other known issue with these transmissions, the 35R wave plate failure and the associated wear of the transmission case that it can cause. The tests that would generate codes that could be set by the failure of that plate would be blocked by the solenoid sticking so there would be no evidence of other issues until after the TCM/valve body replacement. It's these kinds of problems that have many shops not even consider attempting to do internal repairs and only sell remanufactured units.

    The toughest part of transmission repair like this is the tech didn't have to do something wrong to have this kind of a problem occur. Some things just happen and what is important is what needs to be done to make it right, not who or what is to blame. The fact that the tech isn't getting paid to now work even harder only serves to eventually chase him/her from the trade and into any other job (career). Some try to argue that events like this teach the techs to be more careful and precise ignoring the bigger lesson that is actually being taught. Once the real lessons are learned by these events, the tech leaves the trade taking that education with him/her resulting in the whole scenario having to be repeated at further expense for all of the parties then involved.

    The one last part of this that doesn't add up is losing only fifth gear. Losing 3, 5 and R makes sense, and losing 4th, 5th and 6th makes sense. Only losing 5th does not, is there information that was omitted here? Is the shift being commanded? Is a code setting and the shift being blocked? Will the transmission shift if commanded by the scan tool? What does the data from the TFP switches show?

  • bmlockbmlock Member Posts: 5
    All I was told was that he went for the test drive after replacing the wave plate and it would not shift into 5th. He took out the TCM and was cleaning solenoids, later they something about him putting something in there wrong or that should not be in there with the planetary gears, this was after they called some other techs somewhere. There's probably more to the story, but that is what I was told. I think the $1,899 quote for TCM replacement is crazy. I looked up flat rate on that and its 3.8 hrs. Even with the part at MSRP, it shouldn't cost more than $1,000 for that part of the repair even at $100 per hour labor.
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