GMC Yukon XL Complaints

2,896 consumer complaints on file.

#11697347November 4, 2025
ENGINE
While traveling on the interstate my vehicle shuttered and lost power we went to a friend’s neighborhood and the vehicle stalled when we pulled in no lights had come on until then and a knock had started. With no where to pull over I finally got the vehicle started and drove it straight to our friends house and left in on the side of the street. I had to take there vehicle home and called ONSTAR to tow it to the dealership. I have to pay for the over mileage because I was out of town when it happened.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697078November 2, 2025
ENGINE
The vehicle underwent a recall inspection on September 8, but on October 2, the vehicle still experienced a serious engine failure. The vehicle was undrivable, and the dealer inspected it and opened a TCA case. However, General Motors stated that it had passed the recall test and was not covered under special warranty, and asked me to pay $5,000 for vehicle repairs. I believe this is an engine malfunction related to the recall, and the manufacturer should replace the engine for me free of charge and refund my 5,000 .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697077November 2, 2025
ENGINE
The vehicle has experienced numerous losses of power, it has nearly stalled during normal operation, there is a horrible knocking noise coming from the engine. I have had the vehicle into the dealership who state they are unable to recreate the issue, and since the vehicle has been turned off the recorder shows noting either. They have performed an inspection and changed the oil, but the vehicle still has the issue. It knocks and shudders like it's cold, it comes very close to stalling and then seems to recover, this has happend twice while making left hand turns, it has completly lost power even while depressing the gas, but again they indicate they can't recreate it, so there is nothing they can do. I am scared for my safety, and that of the child I drive daily. There have been several instances in the last few months.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696961November 1, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
This issue affects all vehicles in the GMC lineup. The forward collision alert system is so sensitive that it gives false positives constantly which causes 2 major safety issues with the vehicle. First is that it brakes without warning and when completely unnecessary. The 2nd is that vehicles like mine with a heads up display, have the entire display flash a very bright yellow blocking the field of vision to the front of the vehicle. The system is not able to be disengaged permanently and can cause rear end collisions by braking when no obstacle exists and blocks the ability to see in front of you via the heads up display warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696789October 31, 2025
ENGINE
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine (6.2L L87 V8) failed completely. The engine experienced knocking and rattling noises prior to the failure and then stopped functioning altogether while driving. The engine was replaced by Village Auto in Bellmore, and the failed engine is no longer available for inspection, as it was removed and replaced during the repair process. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The engine failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion, creating a dangerous situation where the vehicle suddenly started shaking and could not be driven. This posed a serious safety risk to me, my passengers, and other drivers on the road due to the loss of engine power, steering, and acceleration control in traffic conditions. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue was confirmed by an independent service center, Village Auto in Bellmore, which diagnosed the engine as irreparably damaged and requiring a full replacement. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle was not inspected by General Motors, police, or insurance representatives. Insurance would not cover this issue and General Motors failed to take responsibility for a fault in the engine. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No - all happened at once - engine light and complete failure
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696843October 31, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car started to have issues shifting when driving- automatic transmission. It would jolt or shudder to try to shift. I was at a light intersection attempting to turn left to go on the on ramp of a highway, it attempted to shift as I sped up from a stop and it got stuck and started making a sound as if you were to press the brake and gas at the same time, similar to that, a car was coming in my direction at the same time and it finally clicked into gear. Absolutely terrified me, my father in law came and switched me vehicles and took mine to the dealership where it stayed for 3 days and they diagnosed it saying it needed a new transmission, quoting us at $11,000. Obviously we can’t afford that. We had all the filters and lines of the transmission cleaned. And now it’s just gotten worse and worse. That was the first time it happened. Now it’ll shudder like that any time it’s switching gears at any speed. Another time since then, it got stuck in the same situation after pulling out of my kids school driveway, it got stuck and wouldn’t click, when it finally did it started shaking uncontrollably in the street and thankfully I live two streets over and made it to my street before it just shut off on its own. I coasted it right into the front of our house and then it would not come back on, at this time we searched the internet over and over to find try to find an easy fix. We let it sit before it came back on. This is our family vehicle. I’ve seen that many many people have this exact issue with this exact same year and model. Its not coincidental and It’s extremely unsafe. Especially with kids in these vehicles. I’m terrified one day when it gets stuck or shuts off we will get hit.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696722October 31, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
On May 23, 2025, I purchased a 2023 GMC Yukon XL VIN: [XXX] from the GMC dealership.  At the time of sale, I specifically asked about the active GM engine recall. They assured me the vehicle had been inspected and was unaffected. On October 30, 2025, the engine catastrophically failed on a highway while my family — including my two small children — were in the vehicle. This created a dangerous emergency situation as I had to avoid high-speed traffic. 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
#11696515October 30, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall inspection test was performed, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer had initially ordered the wrong engine. The dealer then ordered the correct engine; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696245October 29, 2025
ENGINE
The engine had catastrophic failure McCluskey Chevrolet Kings Auto Mall said it needs an engine replacement that has a blown engine. There is currently a recall on this particular 6.2 l87 engine from 2019 to 2024 but my vehicle for some reason isn't included but it's got the same problems as all the other ones
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696448October 29, 2025
ENGINE
GM's 2021/2024 6.2 engine recall began with vehicle production March 1st, 2021. My Yukon XL Denali was produced Feb 26, 2021, THREE days before the recall start. The engine was replaced by GM approximately 6/21/2023 (previous owner), the replacement engine was built the 129th week of 2023. With my recent call to GM, they only reference the original vehicle's build date. If my vehicle missed that by three days, and now has another engine built during this recall period (2023), they have no help for me, it is NOT covered in this safety recall. Neither GM or my dealer has been able to tell me which oil to run 0w20 or 0w40. This vehicle's engine failed just outside of the current recall dates. With the expansion of dates, I can have my motor inspected and be covered under the extended year and milage warranty given to other owners. I am requesting NHTSA to expand the existing recall date. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696431October 29, 2025
ENGINE
Misfiring, blue smoke and black smoke coming out the tail fight engine problem 6.2 L87 engine
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696106October 28, 2025
ENGINE
Engine failure 6.2L cylinder failure. Recall already in effect for other years. But it seems that it is needed to be expanded. I had to do a complete engine replacement and all oil related components. Metal was found easily in the oil and oil filter. I was luckily in a parking ramp when it happened so I did not crash. I was already driving for 45 minutes prior on the interstate. Could have been very dangerous at high rate of speed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696231October 28, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Service Trailer Braking System alert intermittent & ongoing for months. Electrical fault? Possible fuse problem? Stranded with kids because car wouldn’t start. Later conducted diagnostics on battery and starter, both normal.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696119October 28, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ChatGPT said: There is a design flaw with the automatic light function. When you turn the knob to disable the automatic lights to avoid blinding someone while parked, the knob returns to the auto position as expected. This is a good system to ensure that the next time you start the car, the lights are in auto again. The issue is with the way the system indicates what is happening to the driver. When the lights are set to auto, the “auto” indicator on the knob is illuminated. If you turn the knob to running lights or full lights, the corresponding indicator lights up as expected. However, when you turn the lights off, the indicator light returns to “auto” even though the lights are actually off. While the physical knob should return to auto to make sure the system resets properly at the next startup, the indicator should switch to the “off” position so the driver knows the lights are off. I drove off in the city and assumed my lights were on because the knob said auto, but I later realized they were off. This creates a serious safety hazard. There is no way to know in that situation if your lights are actually on by looking at the knob unless you cycle the lights again. A recall should be issued to change the software or replace the button to make sure that this is clear to the driver.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695942October 27, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Vehicle Information Make: GMC Model: Yukon XL Denali Year: 2021 VIN: [XXX] 1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine failed due to defective lifters and camshaft components, along with excessive oil consumption. These issues rendered the vehicle inoperable and required over $10,000 in repairs. The failed components are available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The engine failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion, creating a dangerous situation for my family and other drivers. Sudden loss of engine power could have led to a collision or left us stranded in unsafe conditions. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by DeFouw GMC in Lafayette, Indiana. GMC has acknowledged the defect and agreed to cover all but $2,000 of the repair costs. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by DeFouw GMC. GMC is aware of the issue under Case #[XXX]. No inspections have been conducted by police or insurance representatives. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, it all happened at once. The vehicle was extremely well cared for, and GM has all of the oil change records. Additional Comments: We have been without our family vehicle since [XXX], and GMC has not provided an estimated arrival date for the replacement engine. We are now entering month four without a vehicle, which has severely impacted our family’s mobility and safety. This delay is unacceptable and reflects poorly on GMC’s commitment to customer safety and service. Has also cost us over $10,000 out of pocket, which I will seek reimbursement for legally, if I must. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695679October 26, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear differential needs replaced
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695228October 23, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated. The contact was able to coast over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with crankshaft and rod bearing failure. The vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, it was determined that the engine was not defective and did not need to be replaced. The vehicle was scheduled for engine replacement, but had not yet been repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695148October 22, 2025
ENGINE
Took the car to the dealer after getting alert from my GMC app saying it needed emission serviced, engine light came on, antilock brakes needing serviced. The dealership said that the engine is blown at just over 71200 miles. This car has only had service done at the dealership except for a tire change.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694623October 20, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The transmission shifts hard in low gears. I have done research, and it seems like this is a common problem that a vast amount of these vehicles have. I honestly think that this is has to be looked into for a recall. There is countless information on the web with videos, other owners, and transmission businesses explaining about it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693474October 14, 2025
ENGINE
We have owned the car for five years. We bought it new in 2020. Now, the engine has completely failed. It has the same problems all the recalled GMC Yukon Denali XL 6.2L V8 engines have; lifters are not functioning, cam shaft is destroyed, rods are bent, oil is pooling and the aluminum engine has melted. The engine light suddenly went off and we didn’t have acceleration. The vehicle started “puttering” and didn’t drive well. No warning at all. This is a known issue with GMC (which I just found out about) and I find it absurd I have to pay $26,000 for a new engine which will most likely have the same problem. Luckily nothing happened, but if that happened on the highway with my wife and three young kids in the car it could have been a nightmare situation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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