GMC Yukon XL Complaints

2,896 consumer complaints on file.

#11716206February 6, 2026
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, a second vehicle traveling approximately 65 MPH crashed into the front drivers side of the vehicle. During the crash, the vehicle sustained severe front-end damage, but no airbags in the vehicle deployed. The contact sustained injuries that included fractured ribs and a fractured left hip, and a sternum contusion. The contact was air-lifted to the hospital. Two occupants in the second vehicle were transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. A police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed away. The contact indicated that the vehicle was destroyed during the crash. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11716144February 6, 2026
SEATS
Seat emblem (Denali) pulls and rips out hair while sitting in seat.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716134February 6, 2026
ENGINE
Vehicle was taken to dealership and test was run. Service manager notified me it passed and told us about change of oil. Then recently engine stopped on us twice on the interstate with no power. We finally got it to the dealer and while they were test driving it lost power and they had to have it towed. Now we have been told we are needing a new engine and have not been given any time line. We have also read that many time the solution even on the new engine is not fixing all issues. We just want a safe vehicle returned to us.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715684February 4, 2026
ENGINE
Right as I was coming up on my powertrain warranty, I began to have lifter issues. I had two repairs of the original lifters that ultimately were not successful. I ended up replacing all lifters with the updated version that apparently repaired previous lifter issues. That repair cost around ~$6K. After six weeks of reasonable driving, I noticed engine oil notices for low engine oil. I was told today at a local dealership that the vehicle now needs engine replacement at $14K-16K. Both the dealer and corporate confirmed my vehicle VIN didn't qualify for the propulsion recall. GMC corporate also said nothing can be done now that the vehicle is out of drive train warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715518February 4, 2026
STEERING, POWER TRAIN
After a dealership repair to the rear differential, my 2022 GMC Yukon XL experienced a sudden driveline failure. A component detached underneath the vehicle, resulting in loss of control and immediate disablement. This occurred shortly after service and without warning. The vehicle is routinely driven at highway speeds while transporting multiple minor children. This appears to be a serious post-repair safety defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715415February 3, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
About 4 weeks ago my vehicle began shaking uncontrollably while driving. The check engine light illuminated and multiple warnings appeared including emissions system, variable valve timing system, engine and transmission failures shown on the GMC app. I contacted the selling dealership and was given an appointment 4 days later. Later that day I drove less than 5 miles to pick up my children from school. During that drive the vehicle filled with a strong gasoline odor and exhaust fumes were overwhelming. I feared the vehicle could catch fire. I contacted the dealership again, stated the vehicle was unsafe, dropped it off at approximately 8:00 PM and was required to obtain my own rental vehicle. After one week I was told the engine required a camshaft and lifter replacement. Inspected & approved by extended warranty, parts were ordered and installed. I retrieved the vehicle on 23 days after the initial failure. The following morning (24th day) while driving approximately 75 mph on a major interstate with my children the vehicle suddenly shifted into neutral and would not re-engage. I was unable to shift into any gear and coasted to a narrow shoulder inches from traffic and guardrail.The dashboard stated the vehicle could not shift into gear and instructed me to push the start button. The engine would not restart. We were stranded approximately two hours in 10-degree weather on a major interstate with heavy semi-truck traffic. Roadside assistance was required. 3 days later the dealership stated the failure was a fuse block. After replacement the vehicle was test driven and stated to be operating normally. A second dealership employee test drove the vehicle, it died again and had to be towed back to the dealership. The battery was replaced after draining while disabled. Repeated mechanical and electrical failures resulted in complete loss of power at highway speeds and placed my children and me in immediate danger. I no longer believe this vehicle is safe to operate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715252February 3, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Catastrophic brake system failure. When leaving my home in Baltimore County, MD, at approx. 10:00am on February 3rd, my vehicle started up normally. As I descended down a hill in our neighborhood the brake system failed and the vehicle would not stop. By standing on the brake pedal I slowed enough to put the vehicle in park as I entered an intersection with the main road. I have since learned this is the 3rd GMC Yukon (years 2023-2024) that has had the same brake failure in 24 hours in our community.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714859February 1, 2026
ENGINE
I suddenly noticed a noise coming from the engine that sounded like a noisy lifter and stopped using the car after hearing it. The next day I called Circle Chevrolet to check and verify if they could check the car and do any work required under the CPO Warranty. They advised that they could since they were part of the GM Family and could do any work required under the CPO Warranty. I then arranged to have the car towed to Circle Chevrolet to prevent any further damage, that was on Oct 20, 2025. The CPO Warranty was due to expire on Oct 27, 2025 due to time, not mileage. The dealership advised that the vehicle would need to be examined by one of only 3 qualified mechanics in their shop who could do this evaluation and determination if the issue(s) were covered under the CPO Warranty and it would be about 3 days before they could have one of their 3 qualified technicians check the car. The Service Adviser called me back on October 22nd, 2025, and advised that Cylinder 5 had noisy lifters and that they would be changing out the engine with a newly rebuilt engine, all under the CPO Warranty. The Service Adviser said it would take 3-5 days to get the replacement engine in and then about 2-3 days to replace the engine. However, less then 24 hours after getting my car back, the check engine light came on, which was not on when I had the car towed to the dealer. They said the catalytic converter needed to be replaced and said it would be ~$6000. They refused to cover the replacement even though the catalytic converter was damaged due to a combination of the engine problem/defect and the testing and installation work performed by the dealer. I reached out to the dealer and GMC and they refused to address the issue and would not provide an itemized estimate to replace the catalytic converter and refused to return my phone calls I made to both the Service Adviser and Service Manager. The GMC representative I spoke to refused to address the issue as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714813February 1, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
On January 19, 2026, Recall 25V274 was performed on my vehicle, and this was not disclosed to me when I picked up the vehicle from the dealership, Courtesy Buick GMC in Louisville, KY. I only found out when I got home and read through all the service notes. I contacted the dealer on January 19 after I got home, asking for explanation and have not heard back. The Recall Remedy failed. Since the service, symptoms of hesitation, lack of propulsion and low MPG persisted. As of Feb 1, the vehicle has suffered a transmission failure and is unsafe. The dealer told me verbally everything was fine, and in the service notes from Jan 19, they noted vehicle as 'Operating as Designed and Within Spec' despite performing safety recall work."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714655January 31, 2026
ENGINE
We had the L87 engine recall completed at 14,318 miles on Nov 20, 2025 on our 2023 Yukon XL Denali with the 6.2L engine. Engine passed all tests by dealer and we were sent on our way with 0W-40 and a new oil cap. Fast forward to Jan 21, 2026.... My wife pulled the vehicle out of driveway and noticed a deep pitched, knocking sound. She slowly started to drive down the street a bit and then the vehicle shut off and displayed a warning message on the dash (this was on a cold engine, not due to the absurd auto start/stop feature). She was able to restart and get vehicle back to the garage. We had just rolled 15,000 miles on the odometer the day before. Immediately called our dealer and had an appointment set for the next day. We were able to drive vehicle to dealer with knocking and reduced power during the drive. Dealer confirmed next day that an excessive amount of metal was found in oil and on oil filter element then supplied us with video evidence. A complete teardown has been ordered but no cause has yet been identified as of Jan 29, 2026. Service tech stated as we walked back into the dealer that "you are getting a new engine based on the amount of metal found in the oil sample". I asked about timeline for engine replacement and was told that we are looking at a month if not longer until we will get the vehicle back. We know that we are VERY fortunate to not have had the engine shutdown happen on a highway as my wife would have most certainly panicked in the situation possibly leading to a catastrophic event.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714632January 31, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
Vehicle has 2200 miles, equipped with the Diesel engine and failed at a red light. GM has to install a new engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714316January 29, 2026
ENGINE
The vehicle was running perfectly fine. We pulled into a service station to fill up the gas tank, and suddenly it wouldn’t start at all. We had no choice but to have it towed to McKenzie GMC in Milton, Florida. After several days of waiting, we were told we now “need another engine.” Yes—another engine. This is completely unacceptable. This same vehicle already had its engine replaced in 2025 under recall 25V274000. It passed the PICO test, and the oil was changed to the updated 0W‑40 viscosity exactly as required. There is absolutely no reason a vehicle with a recently replaced, recall‑compliant engine should be failing like this. Something is seriously wrong with this vehicle, and it needs to be addressed immediately. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714151January 29, 2026
ENGINE
Traveling at 70MPH the engine failed. There were no warning lights or alerts prior to the engine failing. No power at all after failure. Was able to coast to the shoulder of the busy highway without getting into an accident but was then left stranded as the engine would not restart. Upon inspection at GMC dealer I was informed there was a "catastrophic engine failure" and the entire engine would need to be replaced. Note this vehicle was subject a recall for similar engine failures and deemed not to be at risk after inspection by a GMC dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714099January 29, 2026
ENGINE
Engine was replaced pursuant to Recall 25V-274. We have driven approximately 4,000 miles since the engine was replaced and all of the oil in the car is “gone”. This match’s with other consumers grouped in investigation RQ26001.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714036January 28, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Two weeks ago I heard a faint ticking sound. I had a professional look at it and they said that I had a cylinder sticking and to add an additive the next oil change. I still had 1,500 miles until then and so I did not do that. That noise stopped a day later. Last Friday, it started to tick again, and then it got very loud. I live rurally and was 45 minutes from home. The engine went from ticking to full clunking and very low power in just a moment. I luckily found a small engine shop to check the codes, but as I was parked there, the car would not go in reverse! He had to clear the codes to get it to go into reverse. I had to then slowly drive 45 minutes back to our small town. I drove to and immediately parked it at our local repair shop. It can not be driven now. The lights that came on were the Rear axle system off, forward collision system, service traction control, engine light flashing, and service ESC light. Not to forget that it would not go into reverse. Also the suspension system seemed to malfunction and not lift or lower the car.It seemed to clunk and try, but nothing happened. The whole car basically went down. I see there is a recall for this year or car, but my VIN is not included. I am hoping that it will be included as the repair shop is telling me it will be close to $10,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713954January 28, 2026
POWER TRAIN, SUSPENSION, STEERING
I am filing this complaint regarding a serious and ongoing safety issue with my GMC Yukon Denali that began with a complete engine failure while driving on the highway with my entire family in the vehicle. While driving at highway speed (about 60–70 mph), the vehicle suddenly lost power and shifted into neutral on its own. While still moving, I tried multiple times to shift back into Drive so I could safely get off the road, but it would not engage. I was only able to coast partially onto the shoulder before the vehicle came to a complete stop, still partly exposed to traffic. The engine shut off and would not restart at all. It would not go into Drive or Neutral, and the vehicle was completely dead. And it had to be towed. The dealer later told me the engine had failed and that a new engine was installed. About a week later, I picked the vehicle up. Less than 20 minutes after leaving the dealership and getting back on the highway, smoke started coming from the vehicle and warnings appeared, messages that the engine was overheating and that I needed to stop the engine immediately. The vehicle was not drivable again and had to be towed back. I again had to arrange transportation home. A few days later, I picked the vehicle up again. Since then, I have had serious four-wheel-drive and drivetrain issues. The vehicle became stuck in 4 Low and I could not get it out for over a day. When it finally came out, the drive mode buttons stopped working correctly. Selecting 2 High sometimes puts it into 4 High, selecting Auto puts it into 2 High, and Auto mode no longer appears. Even when it shows 4 High, the steering is restricted cannot steer 100% to the right or left and the vehicle binds, pops, and jumps when turning. I believe this vehicle is unsafe and poses a serious risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713643January 27, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Yukon XL. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the oil warning light illuminated, and after 15 seconds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over to the side of the road; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that there was no oil in the engine, causing the engine to seize. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but declined to repair the vehicle because the failure was not associated with the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713384January 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Gear slippage, loss of power
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713468January 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The infotainment and instrumentation cluster will reboot while driving. This has happened multiple times while on the express way and while using super cruise. When the event happens the infotainment and instrument cluster will turn black for multiple minutes rebooting. At times they do not successfully reboot and forces the vehicle to pull over stop and force a system reset.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713448January 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Transmission appears to be lunging and shuttering. Dealer has indicated that the valve body need to be replaced or the vehicle could leave me stranded or without propulsion while driving. From my research this appears to be related to other safety recall and service campaigns for this type of vehicle and the transmission that I have in my vehicle. Also the camera system doesn't work correctly as it relates to parking assist and collision control. My repair dealership has stated they are having trouble getting GM to cover this repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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