With no warning, the engine died in my vehicle. I was in the middle of a busy intersection at red light with my children. No sensors ever indicated there was a problem. The car could not be put into neutral so it couldn’t be moved until a tow truck came.
2021 GMC Yukon XL engine complaints
Page 6 of 7: complaints 131 to 160 of 166, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving approximately 3-5 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly shifted to neutral, and the vehicle stalled immediately. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the engine was on backorder. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer opened a case for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Driving on the highway going 65 mph the engine started making a ticking noise and all of the sudden the car died and barely made it to the shoulder and after that the car wouldn’t start or nothing. Now the dealership had the car for a couple weeks already and still no update on when it’s getting fixed
The engine failed, specifically the internal engine rod, which apparently came unhinged and caused extensive internal damage. This led to a complete engine failure. The failure was sudden and extreme. The vehicle is currently located at a GMC dealership and remains available for inspection if needed. The dealership also provided oil samples and internal findings to GM for further review.This failure put my safety and my children’s safety at serious risk. I regularly drive this vehicle alone with my children to remote areas—one of the main reasons I purchased this vehicle was because it is marketed as safe, reliable, and built for families. The engine shut off twice while driving before I could get it to a shop, and I was very fortunate it didn't happen on the highway or in a location where I couldn’t pull over safely. Had this occurred at high speeds or in heavy traffic, it could have resulted in a crash or left us stranded in a dangerous situation.Yes. The issue was first diagnosed as catastrophic engine failure by an independent auto shop. They advised me to take the vehicle directly to the GMC dealer. Once inspected, the GMC dealership confirmed full engine failure, radiator failure, and additional issues. They explicitly told me not to drive the vehicle again due to the severity of the internal engine damage. The vehicle is still at their shop- three weeks later. I’m not sure if the manufacturer (GM) has physically inspected the vehicle. However, the dealership has submitted documentation and internal engine testing results—including oil samples—to GM on my behalf. To my knowledge, there has been no inspection by police or insurance representatives.There were no warning lamps, error messages, or dashboard alerts before or during the failure. The only symptom was a very subtle and barely audible noise that appeared shortly before the failure. Within approximately 40 miles, that sound escalated dramatically into a loud rattling. The engine shut off on its own twi
On [XXX], my wife and our children were driving back home from Barstow when the vehicle stalled on the [XXX] freeway near Colton, CA. While driving at approximately 50–65 mph, we heard a clanking noise coming from the engine, followed by multiple warning and maintenance lights illuminating on the dash. The vehicle then lost all acceleration power and shut off, leaving my wife and children stranded in the middle lane of moving traffic. All of this happened in a matter of seconds. This situation quickly became a life-threatening incident. Vehicles, including large semi-trucks, were swerving and honking to avoid colliding with our stalled Yukon. Fearing for my family’s safety, I was forced to exit the vehicle in the middle of traffic and physically push the Yukon to the side of the freeway, while trying to keep my wife and children calm inside the vehicle. The panic and distress this caused my family—especially my wife, whose anxiety skyrocketed—is beyond unacceptable. Highway law enforcement arrived and remained there until we were able to get a safety tow off the freeway and out to a service shop with GMC. Just before that, we had received our vehicle back on February 20th, 2025 after being with the GMC dealership since January 3rd, 2025, for engine replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the lifters had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that only one side of the engine lifters replacement was covered. The vehicle was repaired accordingly. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 55-60 MPH, the engine started shuddering. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The messages "Service ESC", "Forward Collision System Unavailable", "System Failure", and other unknown messages were displayed. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Action Number: PE25001 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Complete engine failure due to lifters going bad in return had to replace the entire thing
Months after a bought the car brand new my engine failed, GMC took months to replace the engine leaving me without a car for months, while paid out of pocket for a rental. Further I’ve had numerous transmission issues that and other issues leaving the car in the dealership shop for months.
Driving on a highway at 70 MPH then vehicle shut off / lost all power (with my kids in the car!!). Luckily we made it across three lanes of traffic to the shoulder. Got the vehicle to the dealership where they said they found large amounts of metal shavings in my engine. The engine was replaced but I am still nervous when office that it could happen again. I’m in a Facebook group where people are continually reporting the same thing happening to them. I bought this large vehicle to transport my kids and this is an extreme safety hazard (not only for us but those driving around us). This happened when I only had approximately 18,000 miles on the vehicle. Pretty much still brand new. Since then, I recently had to have the belt replaced again and the rear differentials flushed for loud grinding noises.
We purchased our 2021 GMC Yukon used from a dealership 1 year ago with zero issues. 3 days ago out of no where there is a very loud squeaking sound in the front under the hood. No engine or warning lights just the sound. We had a mechanic check it and a part inside the tansmission is broke. NOT fixable, MUST be replaced.......
Our family of 6 were traveling home on the Freeway, from a family road trip going about 75 mph. The engine revved up and then the entire car all electronics went black. And then flashed back on. A warning told me to "Start Engine" I attempted to, and it would not turn over. I was able to get to the shoulder to get us out of the hi-speed traffic. I put our hazards on, and the "Start Engine" warning popped up again. I attempted to start the engine again and it wouldn't turn over. All the warnings started to flash things like "check transmission, check battery.." etc. We asked our kids to stay buckled, because of the hi-speed traffic, and that it was dark outside, and we were in more of rural area. We called the nearest tow company, and had to wait about 30-40 minutes for him to get to us. The tow truck operator was not able to get the car in neutral to be able to get the Yukon on to the tow truck, he eventually got it on. The next morning the Service Tech called and said the car was completely dead when he got to it. Then, he called me later in the day and said he was able to look at the vehicle and run diagnostics and said the engine had seized. My car is less than 4 years old and had 66k miles. I had it serviced right before our family road trip at 64k miles. We have been the only owners and have always serviced it through GMC Service Centers Only. *Note*We had complained multiple times of a squeaking/chirping noise coming from the engine. Since we first received it. The service center kept the vehicle a couple of times overnight to try and diagnose. We had to pay for a new belt replacement, and the squeaking/chirping noise was never resolved. We wonder if this was a preexisting issue.
My wife was driving down the road with my Daughter and the engine simply stopped running without warning. She was able to coast to a stop on the side of the road and engage her hazard lights. When she tried to restart the engine it just cranked but never started. We had it towed to a mechanic and the mechanic told us that the engine is seized and we likely need a new engine, total cost of over $20,000. This vehicle should not be having this type of issue at 70,000 miles. If they were on a busy highway in the middle of rush hour it would have been a very dangerous situation.
Car shutdown and shifted on its own down to neutral from drive. Was driving on highway. Never was able to shift to another gear after pulling over. Computer board was completely blank. Engine would never restart. This is the second engine to go out in this vehicle.
On [XXX] while driving my 2021 GMC Yukon Denali to work, the vehicle suddenly lost power without warning. I had it towed to the dealership, where I was informed that the fuse pack needed replacement. Less than 36 hours after getting my vehicle back, I experienced another critical failure—while driving, the traction control light and check engine light came on, and the engine began making a loud clacking noise. Upon returning it to the dealership, I was told that the vehicle required a complete engine replacement. Prior to this incident, my Yukon had no known mechanical issues. However, despite the vehicle being only three years old and under GMC’s 5-year/60,000-mile PowerTrain warranty, the failure occurred at 65,722 miles—just over the coverage limit. GMC has acknowledged nearly 900,000 reported issues related to this engine defect, yet instead of issuing a full recall, I was only offered 60% coverage, leaving me with over $5,000 in out-of-pocket costs for an issue that is clearly a widespread manufacturing defect. I purchased this vehicle for its reputation of reliability and safety, especially as the primary mode of transportation for my family of five, with no nearby relatives to rely on. Given the known defects, it is unacceptable that GMC has failed to take full responsibility. I am formally requesting that GMC cover the full cost of the engine replacement and issue a recall to prevent other consumers from experiencing the same failure. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Car shakes in drive, car shakes when accelerating, transmission issues, rear differential had to be replaced.
I was driving down the highway when the engine started making a very loud rattling noise. I was able to almost get out of the travel lane. The engine does not restart and is seized. The temperature was 10°f and the closest two was 3 hours away and the vehicle was partially blocking the 2 lane highway on the right side. Unknown inspection status by manufacturer. There was no warning light at any time even after the shutdown. The symptom of the intense loud rattling occurred approximately 60 seconds before complete failure. Just enough time to get to a pull out off a bridge.
On or about September 28 while traveling N on US 67 it was necessary to stop at a construction stop light. As I started to accelerate a pinging started. I continued roughly 10 miles, to my daughters house. The truck was flat bedded back to Jones Auto Center in Monmouth Ill. The found a bent push rod and bad lifter in the #1 Cyl. Repairs were done per the attached Invoice. Milage was 103,000. On 11/5/2024 while traveling on US 116 @ 65+-MPH the engine froze, with instant stoppage. Flatbedded to Myler Automotive where the engine was replaced per the attached Invoices. Milage was 105907.
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle shut off with the message to restart the vehicle displayed. The contact was able to pull over and restart the vehicle after several attempts; however, the failure reoccurred soon after the vehicle was restarted. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to a dealer but was later towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic performed a diagnostic test and diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The vehicle remained in the possession of the independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
We purchased a new 2021 GMC Yukon Denali in July 2021.We have had continuous issues with the truck starting almost immediately after we purchased it and ending with a catastrophic engine failure despite only have ~81,000 miles on it. Even more concerning is that the engine failed while my two of my children were driving with 3 of their friends. The car seized up in the middle of a busy road while driving 55 mph. The kids had to coast to the side of a busy road where they exited the vehicle and waited for a tow truck. Despite regular oil changes and maintenance, we have experienced non-stop problems with the truck * Aug 2022 (29,470 miles): Engine wire chaffing relating to the fuel pressure sensor. Transmission slipping. * Oct 2022 (34,220 miles): “Grinding noises” related to brakes. Faulty brake sensor and brake replacement. * Nov 2022 (35,954 miles): Continued “grinding noises” * May 2023 (51,163 miles): Continued “grinding noises” which were again “shrugged off” by the dealership despite us bringing in the truck for the 3rd time related to this issue. Transmission slipping (transmission torn down, clutch assembly replaced, etc.) * Oct 2023 (62,365 miles): Continued “grinding noises” (4th time bringing the truck in for this reason). * Sep 2024 (81,000 miles): Catastrophic engine failure while driving on a busy road at 55 mph. Based on discussions with a wide range of mechanics, dealerships, shops, individuals within the automative industry, we have come to understand that the issues we have been facing with our truck are not unique. To be clear, we have experienced: i) the same problem repeatedly over a short period of time; ii) repeated unsuccessful attempts to fix the same issues; iii) a prolonged period for repairs where we did not have the vehicle; and iv) significant value loss due to catastrophic engine failure. Further, these problems compromised the safety of my family and has significantly disrupted our life.
Engine is consuming 3qt oil every 1,000 miles. Has been consuming oil since 34,000 mile mark and the transmission has been slipping where it revs very high before downshifting. GM has asked for an oil consumption test to be done and now we are 9,000 plus miles into it and they still say it's fine. This car is not worth the price. I can't even take it out of town due to needing the oil consumption every thousand miles by GM request. Complained about engine knocking at 22,000 miles and they said it was normal and I know it's not
On Friday, [XXX] at approximately [XXX], my family was traveling on [XXX] at [XXX} in Colorado. Our 2021 Yukon Denali XL all of a sudden shut down without warning while going up the mountain at a spot where there was no shoulder. The car would not restart despite multiple attempts. We called 911 several times and waited in the lane of interstate traffic for approximately 45 minutes for emergency vehicles to arrive to block the lane. It was one of the most harrowing experiences of our lives. Our car was nearly hit five times by semi-trucks and cars that could not change lanes fast enough, and all we could do was put our flashers on, honk the horn at incoming cars, and tell our four children to lean back in the seat and prepare for impact. When the tow truck arrived, they could not get the car in neutral and the tow truck had to winch the Yukon on the flatbed to tow it. The car was towed to Raton, New Mexico. The mechanic said that he tried to put a bar on the engine and turn it over but it would not move. The vehicle is still at the mechanic’s shop in Raton, New Mexico. I am in the process of trying to get it towed to a GMC dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
We were driving on the interstate outside of Chattanooga TN when our car went into neutral while we were in the left hand lane next to a 18 wheeler. My husband was driving and we have our four children and dog in the car. We lost acceleration. My husband was successful in getting us off the highway and onto the shoulder. The car started again and we tried to make it to the next exit when it went into neutral again and lost power. This was on [XXX]. We had it towed to the nearest dealer, Integrity Motors. They called us and said that it threw a rod and that the engine was broken and the whole engine would need to be replaced. After replacing the engine (it took 2 months) we picked the car up only to have the engine light come on. I took it to Autozone where they ran the codes and told me that the fuel injectors were bad and possibly the intake manifold gasket. I called Chattanooga and they told me that I should take it to the nearest GMC dealer. Parks GMC in Greenville inspected the car and we had to put in 8 fuel injectors. I have documentation of all of these issues. There was no warning light or any warning that our engine was about to shut down. We could have been in a serious wreck with the 18 wheeler with possible loss of life or injury. We have had significant financial loss. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Our 6.2L failed unexpectedly after regular maintenance. No warning, just the sound of knocking in the engine then loss of power and bad sounds from the engine. Stranded on side of road. GM wants to replace the entire engine without opening engine, claiming lower engine damage. Technicians say this is spun rod bearing problem that is very common. Dangerous and poor quality.
Engine failure of lifters and piston rings at 58000 miles. Engine failure at highway speeds causing complete loss of power on highway. It is completely unacceptable to have such catastrophic engine failure on such a new vehicle.
Our 2021 GMC Yukon XL for the third time now has shifted from Drive to Neutral and then turned off on us on the highway. The first time GM changed the motor (at approximately 35,000 miles), the second time was about a month ago we were at the White Mountains and it shut off on a highway, the third time was yesterday [XXX] (with 61,057 miles), my wife and I were driving on [XXX] in Massachusetts and when I accelerated the vehicle shifted from Drive to Neutral and then shut off on me. This vehicle is not safe and on all of these three occasions I have been lucky not to be hit and have been the driver. I am a trained and professional driver and I must state that this vehicle is not safe at all. I need to find a solution to this with General Motors. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) message was displayed. During the failure the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the NOX sensor, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 16,448.
I was driving on a normal local highway and my car started to slow and an indicator to 'press start' to restart the engine came up. I tried to do that and the engine wouldn't turn over. My car sputtered to a stop during rush hour traffic as I was able to drift over to side of the road. The car wouldn't start after that, waiting for 10-20 minutes and re-trying wouldn't work either. I had to have it towed and am now awaiting a fuel pump module that is on back order. No warnings to me that it would happen and I fear that this could have happened on the highway at high speeds, causing a crash. My car is a large SUV that takes a lot to stop, the car just sputtering and dying is unacceptable. I see my car wasn't included in the recall of this issue back in 2021, but I believe it was manufactured during the impacted window and I took deliver in May of 2021 of the new car. I think more cars should be recalled to prevent this from happening to other people. Very scary when it happens and the alternative situations it can happen in, especially for such a large vehicle that typically is carrying multiple passengers.
My family and I were on a road trip to go camping. We were approximately 30 minutes out of town when the engine blew. Lost all electronics and had to drive off to the side of the road. GM roadside would not tow it back to my dealer of choice even though it was approximately the same distance driving it to another state. The dealer in bullhead city, Arizona, installed a new engine and after 10 minutes of running, the new engine seized as well. My vehicle has been down for over 30 days and I still do not have it back. GM is having issues with the 6.2L engines and I have tried to have it repurchased by GM to no avail. What happens when we eventually get this vehicle back, the engine blows and my wife is in traffic as she uses this vehicle as a daily commuter and gets into an accident because the vehicles engine blows again?
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL Denali. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into neutral (N). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a test drive was performed and the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal engine failure and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,204.Â
Auto stalled in the middle of the road without any warning light causing life threatening incident auto only has 8000 miles
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