general problems of the 2016 GMC Yukon - part 1

While driving vehicle the vehicle appears to shut off as if someone is turning off the ignition. The steering control becomes stiff, power is lost and electronics flash and turn off and on. This has happened on multiple occasions and is intermittent during acceleration. The accessible grounds have been checked, battery checked and replaced, and alternator checked and verified to be charging appropriately. Several codes are present and have been cleared to return indicating low voltage issues with multiple systems.

We own a 2016 GMC Yukon XLT denali with the gm 6. 2 engine. On Saturday, July 26, 2025 our vehicle suddenly lost power and became undrivable in traffic. We had it towed to our gm dealership who still has the vehicle (reiselman GMC- springfield, TN) they called today and said the engine could not be repaired. They stated it had no compression in cylinder 8. The said our only option was a new engine. This is the second catastrophic failure we have had. In November 2021 we experienced another catastrophic failure when the vehicle suddenly lost power. The engine required a valve and valve spring and seal on cylinder #1. This is 2 major failures we have had which could have been dangerous had we not been able to get out of traffic. The vehicle currently has 116k miles. These types of major failures in a vehicle that has been serviced according to schedules and receives only typical local and commuter use is out of the norm. It is the first generation of gm's 6. 2l engine and the sister engine to the one currently under major recall and no-sell orders. We believe that gm knows of these issues as we have spoken with other people who have had similar problems. The problems involve the valve train and the crank and pistons much like the recall on the later models. Please advise what we need to do to move our complaint through the system to see if we can get some relief on this matter. The dealer still has the vehicle so we don't have any paperwork yet on the latest incident. I will send the November 2021 information.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph, the check engine warning light started to flash. The contact stated that the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle shook violently. The contact pulled off the highway and the vehicle stalled. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the check engine warning light was flashing with dtc: p0300 displayed. The contact stated that the engine was making an abnormal knocking sound. The contact turned off the vehicle and the vehicle towed to the residence and then to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that a bearing in the cam shaft had failed and had sent metal shavings into the engine. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.

A side detection module pin was corroded and was disrupting the electrical signals to major vehicle components, such as the dash (dic). The dic would lose communication with the rest of the vehicle while driving so no vehicle operation data was visible such as speed, alerts messages, etc. This likely also caused engine failure due to the incorrect operation of the afm which is on the same electrical circuit. No warning messages were given. The bad side detection module was diagnosed and fixed at a dealer and shortly after engine issues were noticed.

6. 2l collapsed lifter on cylnder 5. This os my second engine with the exact same problem as the first engine reason for replacement.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly shuddered before returning to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the torque converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Having to replace an engine at one hundred and three thousand miles…not something I would expect.

In June 2024 I took my vehicle to the dealership for a ticking/clacking noise. The dealership determined lifter failure and that the engine needed to be replaced because the lifters/cam were not readily available from the manufacturer due to a known issue with l87 gm motors. Long block was replaced 7/17/24. I believe this should be part of the recall issued against l87 motors and should be extended beyond the 2021-2024 years initially noted.

Check engine light came on. Immediately went to reputable local repair shop. Shop advised push rod bent due to faulty engine. Advised to call GMC because not normal wear and tear. Called GMC expressed my frustration about this being preexisting issue w this engine. GMC corp told me I had to ship to GMC dealership at my own expense then they could help me. Local Gmcs backed up 6-8 wks. Towed car 1. 5 hrs away. Mechanic told me not to worry this happens all of the time, GMC will take care of it. Pointed out a row of new trucks with my incl new escalade with same issue. I spoke to a sales rep about trading my car in for new but he said engine issue still not resolved. He advised me to lease escalade for $900 because by the time my engine blew my lease would be up; if not GMC fix under warranty!! mechanic said new engine but GMC will take care of it. I waited 3+ months for GMC to authorize repair. GMC said they did not get docs but mechanic sent me verification of conversation and repair order sent to GMC. Mechanic received an unrelated warranty from GMC that said my issue was not covered. Mechanic said docs sent made no sense bc he sent the right warranty and he was sorry and embarrassed by GMC behavior. I finally paid over 14k for new engine. Picked up my car and drive a block and car still knocking and engine light came back on. I had returned my rental and no way home. In tears dealership gave me my rental keys back still all at my expense. The mechanic calls me two days later to tell me my torque needs to be replaced. I am hysterical, 14k spent, and car still not fixed. GMC told me to pay additional funds for torque converter or pick up. Threatened to charge storage fees. When I discussed their liability GMC became very rude and antagonistic. They cut off my communication with their lead mechanic. Took care of back to local repair shop. He said this smells of a law suit so would not touch vehicle. I all communication 106 more files to share.

Like many other complaints. . When your driving and accelerating it jerks and try’s to change gears ect. Most recent issue is the temperature sensor went out and my fan was running on full speed. Well I got it fixed and within 2 months it has gone out again! lastly, the paint on the hood and roof. When I bought the dealership fixed the hood and yet again it’s failing again. .

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and jumped forward. There was a loud sound coming from the engine. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate above 5 mph. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a misfire on the lifter in cylinder #1 and #7. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the warranty coverage was declined. The manufacturer was contacted and declined a buyback. No assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 96,891.

At 90k the engine stopped working, no warning or lights went off. 6. 2l lifters and bearings. , the dealer gave us 14k for the car and we then went and bought and escalde with the 6. 2l, that has also seized at 14k miles within 13 months of purchasing. The Yukon has no reports of that on the car fax after our trade, which I found curious.

Merging onto highway and my car would not get up any speed . Was almost crushed by a tractor trailer. If I hadn’t had a long merge lane I could have been killed . Apparently my transmission failed. This is certainly a safety issue . Your car should not just quit! . Called dealer and they said the problem is known but GMC is not doing anything about it! please help 75,000 $ car should last !.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who determined that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

The engine failed and dropped down to limp mode while driving down the hwy. Had to replace the engine for a toll of approx. $10,000. Truck only had 89,000 miles on it.

My 2016 GMC Yukon denali was taken in for a tune up. When I received the vehicle back, I was told that there was possibly a microscopic pin hole in my engine because fluid (engine coolant) was under one of the injectors. I was told that I may need to trade in or get another engine. I refused both. The mileage at the time was probably 120,000. I purchased this vehicle brand new and do not see how an engine is needed so quickly. I was barely finished paying for it. I was told by a CO-worker that she had to trade hers in because it was doing the same thing. She had also investigated and had learned that many of these vehicles have the same issues around 114,000 miles and beyond. I think these issues need to be addressed.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon denali. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, the engine had failed on three separate occasions. The contact stated that prior to each failure, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel prior to the last two failures. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic after each failure, and the engine was replaced twice. Recently, the contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN for the engine. A complaint was filed with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 74,000.

After leaving a car wash on 12/19/22, the engine began sputtering and did not seem to be able to get any gas. After pressing gas pedal, the vehicle slowly moved forward, but was shifting hard. Pulled over in gas station parking lot and turned vehicle off. Checked engine. Vehicle would not restart. Vehicle was towed to dealership. They uncovered a broken valve spring, which also caused the catalytic converters to fail. Total bill was over $7500.

The contact’s wife owns a 2016 Yukon. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 5 mph, the engine hesitated and stalled. The contact stated that his wife was able to coast the vehicle into a driveway. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that a lifter in the engine block was damaged and the number two cylinder had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was scheduled an appointment. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

The fuel injectors have gone out on our vehicle. While driving the vehicle, the check engine began blinking and our vehicle went into limp mode- could feel the engine misfiring and the vehicle was shaking. We had a family of five and two dogs in the vehicle and were lucky to be in cell service. A message popped up on our dash stating “engine power reduced. ” the local dealership confirmed it is a fuel injector issue. GMC has a current recall in place, however it only includes certain states.

Engine lifter failure causing complete engine failure at 70,000 miles without any warning. All vehicle maintenance done and serviced at dealer 30 days prior. Left our family stranded on a busy 2 lane highway and were lucky to even get off the road.

In my experience of transmission failure with my 16’ GMC Yukon, there was no warning. I had not experienced any issues with the slipping or jerking feel when accelerating or braking as described in the class action law suit. My vehicle had 105k miles, I took it in for regular maintenance including having the transmission flushed as I was told to do so for preventative maintenance. The transmission failed when I was traveling on the interstate with my family and I came upon some traffic so I applied the brake and the whole vehicle bucked and jerked as it shifted into down gear. I was traveling at 30-35 mph in the traffic and the whole time I felt a slipping motion in the car. I made it to a gas station, refueled, and tried to restart my journey. As I leery the gas station accelerating to get back on the interstate, the vehicle would not accelerate above 35 mph and the rpms we’re to the max. At this point, my vehicle was in drivable. No prior warning, no issues that had been occurring over time, this all happened the same day. I towed my vehicle to a Chevrolet dealer where the problem was identified as a failed transmission in need of replacement and failed abs braking system. The cost came at $6800.

At 90500 miles my Yukon xl started shuddering and the transmission started failing and I have never used it to pull anything so this was very dissatisfying for a 75k vehicle.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle began to shudder and she noticed that the park assists, stabilitrak, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle then stalled. The contact was able to shift the vehicle to park and restarted the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that after the vehicle stalled, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become constant. Additionally, the air bag warning light and an audible chime would sound when the engine stalled. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had recurred. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The largest issue was today, 2/22/2022, when I was driving doing 56 miles per hour it felt like it wouldn't accelerate. Then all of a sudden, the wheel kind of jerked right and the car shifted down all on it's own and I was doing 25 mph. The check engine light came on immediately after the violent jerking happened. I was on a 4 lane highway and had to immediately pull over onto the shoulder. It was jerking forward and back as I was trying to pull over on a freeway where the speed limit is 70 mph!!! I had my 80-year-old mother in the car with me. And yes!! it put us both at great risk! I had to call a tow truck and they towed it to a dealership 9. 8 miles away. When I talked to the assistant manager, he said that there were 3 other GMC Yukon 2016 that had come in today - all were 2016 GMC Yukon models with 125k miles. My GMC has 124,700 miles all with transmission problems. This can't be an anomaly. So I got online and there are many, many complaints about this transmission. As a matter of fact, it appears in 2019 there was a class action lawsuit about this very thing. I will not know until tomorrow for sure what the issue is - because the dealership could not get to it today. However, something significant happened. As a side note, recently I had an electrical problem where sensors, etc are all saying need to be serviced and none of them are working. I had appt today at 10:30 am to have them check this. On the way there, the violent jerking and sudden downshift and check engine light came on. I was scared to death and so I pulled over and called a tow truck. The dealership did not tell me this is a common issue, nor was I aware. The dealership told me if it is in fact the transmission - cost is $6,000!!! I need someone to contact me to discuss this. Thank you, kish martin phone - 210-867-0701.

Experienced tapping noise front right passenger side, took vehicle to firestone diagnosed the problem - the vehicle was confirmed to have 2 broken exhaust manifold studs in the cylinder head. Mileage 85. 407- this vehicle has never been used to tow anything.

Radiator is leaking antifreeze because of excessive thermocycles within the cooling system caused by excessive cycling of the thermostat. Vehicle leaking antifreeze causing environmental hazards and possible overheating causing vehicle to shut off. Gm knows about this and posted a service bulletin but will not repair when out of warranty.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rpm gauge was high, and the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive to her residence. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be related to the transmission. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired and remained with the independent mechanic. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the next available appointment was in January 2022. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

The active fuel management system caused excessive wear and tear on the engine, causing the lifters, push rods and valves to be damaged, while under normal operation and regular maintenance intervals. The damage caused, by this failure resulted in the Yukon breaking down in the middle of the highway. Every shop/dealership we called all said the samething, this has been a common problem with vehicles equipped with this type of system and the only fix is to replace the motor. Luckily traffic was light that day or things could have been worse. Its dangerous enough to get stranded in the middle of the highway with no way to move the vehicle.

This is the second time it happened the first time I parked my car while the engine was on and I got down real quick got back on my car and when I tryed turning all of a sudden my steering wheel keept turning the opposite way and parking control light appear saying it was off and it keep moving my steering wheel I all of a sudden turned my car off and back on the second time that happened I was going in a parking when it did the samething I was turning in the parking and it started turning my steering wheel the opposite way it started saying again parking control off and the system started going crazy and my car completely turned off I was left in the middle of the parking lot had tu put my car in parking and turn my car off reall quick and turned it on and was able to park but I did get really scared and been really scared to drive my car ever since because I don’t know if it will do the same thing again while driving . I have not taken it to get checked but will be making an appointment because it is a really scary situation.

Vehicle has 125k miles and had a broken valve spring which dropped the valve into the cylinder which is requiring a new engine. I was stopped at a stop light when this occured on a city street.

2016 Yukon shuddering, had a transmission fluid change which helped with the shuddering. We've put 15k+m plus miles on it since the fluid flush, it's starting to shift hard between 1st and 2nd gear and the engine light come on intermittently.

Car keeps running rough, stuttering when switching off, smells like gas. Engine light comes on and goes off every other day. Started after fuel injector recall, dealership says it's the fuel pump leaking and unrelated to the fuel injector problem. I don't know if they changed the gaskets and the lines when fixing the injectors. It's a high pressure fuel pump with direct injectors.

Led brake lights don't work car shakes and transmission shudders while driving 35-45mph.