2018 GMC ACADIA Steering Problems

The warning light for a steering assist needs service came on the dash. The dealer had a code (po128) that pertained to a bad thermostat and coolant temp. sensor. The steering assist could have failed, along with possible engine damage. The dealer replaced the thermostat and the coolant temp sensor. Their were no police or insurance reports needed.

"STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED" This message appears on the instrument panel once in a while, and I have to get a mechanic to reset it. Many other people who drive the 2018 GMC Acadia, are reporting the same problem. This occurs so frequently on this model, that it obviously was a manufacturing design flaw.

Battery saver ignited comes on and and the entire dash flickers and turns off ! This happened in a middle of an intersection and I could move my car. We jumped it and went to the nearest auto zone replaced the battery . It was pulling 89 amps . The next day it popped up again and we replaced the alternator. Upon replacing this there was oil everywhere! And we don’t know where it is coming from . Now shift into part light comes on !

All of this has been going on for a while but it's gotten to the point of dangerous. The Shift to Park keeps coming on preventing me from shutting the vehicle off even though it's, in fact, in Park. Then, "Steering Assist Reduced Drive With Care" keeps coming on. This will come on and off. Preventing the engine from heating up like it needs to be. Then the transmission keeps slipping. Was nearly rear-ended on the highway with my child in the car when it decided to start driving really rough and wouldn't allow me to shift to the next gear. This is also an ongoing issue. Another time I was almost hit in the side when this randomly happened on crossing the highway. This is absolutely absurd! I have had MUCH older vehicles without all these issues with many many more miles! I can't count the amount of times this has caused us serious hazards not to mention almost costing me my JOB! Interestingly enough, the same year/make/model has been recalled for the exact same issues yet for whatever reason GMC says MY model "was not affected by the recall". Funny how it's having the EXACT same issues as the ones on the recall list! GMC needs to fix this before they cause people to die! I'm a healthcare worker and this is disgusting!

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while shifting the gear shifter into park(P), the "Shift to Park” message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact was forced to shift from drive(D) to Park(P) repeatedly before the failure was corrected. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel would become sticky with the "Steering Assist Reduced - Drive with Care," message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the infotainment system glitched and performed independent functions, causing the driver to be distracted. The contact stated that the infotainment system was replaced when the vehicle was purchased due to the failure; however, the failure recently recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of several failures and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

Mileage: 105,000

My steering assist is coming on an the thermostat play apart in this. The thermostat need to be change. 2018-GMC-Acadia are having problems with these parts.

Steering Assist is Reduced Drive with care. Everyone is have a problem with the 2018-GMC-Acadia thermostat is bad.

" steering assistant reduced, drive care" " power steering ,drive with care". My car has been properly maintained, and has no issues, but this messages that keep coming up out of nowhere. And when it comes out my steering wheel gets very hard and stiff, causing me to almost get in accident in highway. This is definitely a factory defect that needs to be recalled and taken care of.

I purchased this car in May 2024 and it has done this since the day I bought it. When I shift into park and turn the car off it alerts me that I need to shift into park but it already is, I have to squeeze/jiggle the button on the shifter to make it stop. I feel this could cause some serious problems

On July 26, 2024, I was driving my 2018 Acadia, with my cruise control set to 48 in a 45 MHP zone. Nearing a bad curve, I sneezed. When this happened, I tapped the brakes to disengage the cruise control, my passengers side tires exited the road and with both hands on the wheel I tried to slowly bring my tires back to the road. However, I was unable to gain control and totaled the vehicle. A witness stated that she heard a loud pop coming from the vehicle before the wreck happened. I later learned from my insurance that the vehicle had a Recall 17V516000 on it and I was never made aware of it. I believe that this was a factor in me not being able to control the vehicle.

Seemingly at random a warning will pop up on the driver dashboard “Steering assist is reduced at this time”. This will lead to a engine coolant temp reading of 0 degrees, no a/c and reduced steering functionality. Through further investigation the OBD code P0128 tells us it’s a faulty Thermostat or Thermostat sensor. Even if you get these parts replaced, the issue still comes back. I’ve seen these exact complaints at least a thousand times across multiple years of this model/make 2016,2017,2018,2019. This is clearly a manufacturers fault and needs a recall before people get hurt.

The “steering assist reduced. Drive with care” A/C turns off and fan kicks on high. Transmission temp flatlines. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Power steering reduces and the temperature gage wont work and the fan is extremely loud so it decreases the steering and increases the fan so it can cool down the engine. Others have submitted a recall form for this same problem

While driving I got the alert in my cluster that “power steering assist reduced”. I also noticed there were many other individuals in gmc forums that have had the same issue.

Numerous occurences especially recently of shift vehicle to park when vehicle has been parked, turned off and already shifted into park position. Several occurrences where almost every time within 24 hours I use my cruise control and air conditioner at the same time my check engine light will come on as well as the stability trac indicator which then causes my air conditioner not to work and inability to start the vehicle due to having a check engine light on.

I have numerous warnings, shift to park, steering, cross traffic, this endangers myself and anyone else around me, i have read several class action suits involving these problems and it could cause my vehicle to pose a danger, I have taken my vehicle in to a certified dealer and they state there is no known recalls associated with my vehicle which is strange because GMC knows that there are thousands of vehicles having the same problem, did I buy a lemon? These problems are clearly manufacture related and in no way normal wear and tare. I should not have to compensate these issues when I paid near 40,000 for it

THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS SINCE WE BOUGHT IT GAVE US TREMENDOUS PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING DURING A SNOWY DAY. BRAKES TYPICALLY DO NOT WORK, AT TIMES EVEN GOING THROUGH A RED LIGHT AND THANKFULLY NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. RECENTLY, THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING WHILE UNDER A SNOW STORM. UNFORTUNATELY, WE TOOK IT TO THE NEAREST DELEARSHIP TO GET IT FIXED AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE SNOW, BUT AFTER THE SNOW EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A VEHICLE AND HAVE IT PARKED DURING THE WINTER, THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING TO US. BECAUSE NOR THE DEALERSHIP OR GMC HAS DONE ANYTHING TO HELP. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED SINCE DECEMBER 2018, THE VEHICLE HAS 34500 MILES ON IT AND IS RELATIVELY NEW NOW, BUT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES. IT IS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. IT WOULD BE GOOD IF THEY ACCEPT THESE VEHICLES HAVE ISSUES AND CORRECT THEM PRIOR TO PROMOTING AND SELLING TO CUSTOMERS. SINCE THEY DID NOT CORRECT THESE ISSUES PRIOR TO SOME INDIVIDUALS TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, THEY SHOULD WORK ON A SOLUTION VIA A RE-CALL TO AVOID ANY INJURIES TO FAMILIES OF THEIR VEHICLE'S OWNERS.

Mileage: 34,300

SHIFT TO PARK KNOWN ISSUE HAS STARTED. I'VE HAD THE CAR FOR 1 YR. 5 MONTHS. I KNOW THERE ARE LAWSUITS ON THIS ISSUE. CONTINUOUS ISSUE AND GETTING WORSE. THIS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY GM. IT IS EPIDEMIC IN THEIR ACADIAS. STATIONARY AND PUTTING IT INTO PARK. IT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE IT'S IN PARK! IT'S BEEN OCCURRING OFF AND ON OVER A WEEK, NOT TODAY, EVERY TIME I TRY TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 49,300

ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BOTH PARKED TURNED OFF AND RUNNING DOWN HIGHWAY, THE DASH LIGHTS LIT UP AND ALARMS CHIMED. CAR WOULDN'T START, NO COLD A/C. THE "SERVICE POWER STEERING" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. CAR DIDN'T TURN AS WELL. COULDN'T SHIFT. AFTER DOING SO FOR A ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES IT WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL. THE ATTACHED PHOTO WAS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD YOU'LL NOTICE IT DOESN'T MEASURE ANY RPM'S HOWEVER THE CAR IS MOVING ABOUT 40MPH

Mileage: 6,900

IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY 401 NORTH ONTARIO CANADA, THE VEHICLE ERRATICALLY INCREASED SPEED AND BRAKES WERE NOIR EFFECTIVE, LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSED A MASSIVE ACCIDENT INVOLVING MULTIPLE CARS AND RESULTED IN MULTIPLE INJURIES. *DT