I was driving and the Engine light started blinking. the car started to lose power. i had to pull off the road. the blinking stopped and then i was able to get home. I had it towed to the dealership, where they told me this was a known issue with the AFM valve train system. this is a known issue and I was not made aware of it and continued to drive my car with my children inside of it. had i known, i could have had it assessed for the potential issue. But now, IT IS TOO LATE! I am now being told i need to pay $17,000 to replace my engine. something that could have been avoided if i had known to watch for any issue. but i was never warned. and now i have no car, still have car payment and no help from GM, GMC or anyone else. I know you cannot help me get this fixed, but maybe you can prevent this from happening to someone else.
2018 GMC Yukon XL: sudden loss of power
5 of the 57 complaints about the 2018 GMC Yukon XL describe sudden loss of power.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 9%
- recalls
- 0
Sudden loss of power by model year
What owners say
Body control Module failed causing the vehicle to lose all power. Battery shorted out to 6 volts. Required a tow.
On May 27, 2026 at around 7:30pm my 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali engined failed. I was exiting E-470 southwest bound at Gartrell Road in Aurora and the engine started knocking loudly and completely quit. As I rolled to a stop I correctly suspected that the engine seized. It would not turn over, a bad odor was present, and smoke was coming from the top of the motor. It was hard to tell exactly from where because of high wind. All belts looked fine and the Castle Rock GMC dealer I had it towed to later confirmed that the engine is seized. Fortunately I was approaching the stop light and not towing anything so the safety risk from loss of power steering and power brakes was lower than normal highway driving speeds a few seconds earlier.
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
The engine started making a ticking sound a few days after thanksgiving. I made an appointment with the dealership but they couldn’t take it in for 3 weeks. The day before my appointment I was driving on the highway and the lifter broke which caused the camshaft and a few other parts to break causing sudden lose of power and severe shaking. The parts for the repair were back ordered and it took about 5 weeks to get my vehicle back. About 7 weeks later I started the car in the driveway and it again had lose of power and severe shaking. The parts that were replaced in January failed and ruined the whole engine. There is a 6 month back order on this engine. It has been sitting at the dealership for almost 2 months already. Both incidents I believe had the potential to cause an accident if I were driving with cars close behind me.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced...
- The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle...
- This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel for new vehicles with less than 1,000...
- This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information on vehicles outside of a California...
- This bulletin advises the technician to flush the cooling system multiple times if oil has been found in...
- This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the...
- This service bulletin provides service information to technicians on guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil...
- This service bulletin advises the technician of possible coolant entering the areas of the engine, either...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2018 GMC Yukon XL loss of power
Is sudden loss of power a common problem on the 2018 GMC Yukon XL?
5 of 57 owner complaints about the 2018 GMC Yukon XL (9%) mention sudden loss of power. The model year with the most reports is 2023.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 GMC Yukon XL?
There are 0 recalls and 177 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2018 GMC Yukon XL
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2018 GMC Yukon XL?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history