general problems of the 2021 GMC Yukon - part 1

Engine failure causing vehicle to be unsafe to drive. Our vehicle was not included in the l-87 loss of propulsion GMC recall even though it is a 2021 Yukon 6. 2l. The engine failure is same as those being recalled. Vehicle is currently at cardinale GMC in seaside CA waiting repair. The only warning of the impending failure was loud noises coming from engine compartment while driving on the freeway. Cardinale confirmed the problem and our extended warranty is covering repair costs. It seems that GMC should have included our VIN in the recall.

I bought the vehicle used with 40,000 miles it’s has 100,856 now the engine shot off while I was driving and brought it to the GMC dealer that gm instructed me to the dealer had me pay 284. 95 for inspection and then try to charge me 1284. 95 for a complete tar down of the engine because of misfiring and esc error codes.

Took my vehicle in for general maintenance upkeep (oil change, tire rotation, vehicle inspection) and was notified my engine is already showing signs persistent with the recall on the 6. 2l l87, specifically not holding oil. The dipstick was not showing signs of any fluid being in the vehicle.

Check engine light comes on and an alert says "acceleration reduced" dealer says the coolant control valve is bad but the engine never overheats but the fans are running max speed 100% of the time.

Engine overheated and performed an emergency shutdown while driving through atlanta on my way to vacation with my family. We lost propulsion and had to cross 5 lanes of traffic to find a shoulder to pull over to. The engine shut down and we were left stranded 500 miles from home with our 3 children in a boiling car. The vehicle was inspected and passed the recall test 6 weeks prior to this incident. After the first failure we attempted to extend our power train warranty to which we were told it had too many miles by gm. The gm dealership and service center where the vehicle was towed confirmed the engine needed to be replaced and gm confirmed it falls under their extended warranty. However, gm refuses to cover any additional expenses incurred from their engine failure.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately driving 45 mph and turning onto an exit the vehicle suddenly reduce speed and lost power and the message "press start" had displayed. The contact stopped the vehicle and eventually restarted the engine and the vehicle operated as normal. The next day the vehicle was driven to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the problem and determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contact regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would independently activate limp mode and would not accelerate past 30 mph. In addition, the vehicle would not shift into the reverse gear as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with error codes: p0777 and p18a1. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts being on backorder. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA campaign; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

On may 27, 2026, I was on my way home from work when I went to accelerate the vehicle and all the sudden it started shaking and the check engine light came on with the ebs. I was able to get the vehicle to a repair shop local the next day, who took the car apart. What was thought to be an easy fix of spark plugs and fuel injector, became even more after they put back together and the cylinder was still misfiring. After several hours of taking apart the engine, the mechanic determined that the hydraulic valve lifters had failed. This has been an ongoing issue with with the 5. 8l v8. Due to a recall not being under the VIN yet, I have now incured a $16k expense to add an engine to it after I purchased it in Nov of 25 at $97,000. This is a saftey issue and luckily no one was hurt when the car started shaking and couldn't go over a certain speed. I want this reviewed and looked at for possible reimbursement as there have been several other vehicles with the same known issue.

I am filing a complaint regarding my 2021 GMC Yukon due to a serious engine failure involving the camshaft, lifters, and crankshaft. The vehicle began exhibiting engine ticking and knocking noises, rough idle, loss of power, and reduced performance. These symptoms progressively worsened and ultimately resulted in major engine damage. The vehicle was diagnosed with failed lifters and camshaft damage, which required extensive repairs. In addition, the crankshaft failed, resulting in catastrophic engine damage and making the vehicle unsafe to operate. These are critical engine components that should not fail prematurely under normal driving and maintenance conditions. The most serious concern is safety. The engine's loss of power and deteriorating performance created the risk of sudden failure while driving. A vehicle that loses power in traffic, while merging, crossing intersections, or traveling at highway speeds can create a dangerous situation and increase the risk of a crash. Occupants and other motorists could be placed at risk if the engine fails without warning. My vehicle has been properly maintained and serviced. Despite regular maintenance, these major engine components failed unexpectedly. I am aware that other owners of GMC and Chevrolet vehicles equipped with similar engines have reported comparable camshaft and lifter failures, suggesting a potential defect rather than an isolated incident. The failure resulted in significant repair costs, loss of vehicle use, and concerns about the long-term reliability and safety of the vehicle. I believe these engine failures may indicate a manufacturing or design defect affecting 2021 GMC Yukon vehicles. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate camshaft, lifter, and crankshaft failures in the 2021 GMC Yukon and determine whether a safety-related defect exists that warrants corrective action or a recall.

I was driving in the left lane on [xxx] , a 4 lane interstate just outside of cleveland when I lost engine propulsion. Engine rpms dropped to under 1000rpm, and quit responding to throttle. I had to change lanes and coast until there was a shoulder available to stall out at while I awaited a tow. No warning lamps until I tried to restart vehicle. Engine cranked but wouldnt start. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My 2021 GMC Yukon at4 with a 5. 3l engine failed as I was driving down a highway going to my child's ballgame. It put me at risk of wrecking on the highway with other traffic around me as I needed to get my vehicle off the road way. Thankfully, I was able to get the vehicle to a safe spot to get it towed. After having the vehicle towed to my local GMC dealer, they determined my lifters in my engine failed and my camshaft had irreparable damage. Gm has a lawsuit going on right now against their faulty lifters in their engines. The dealership told me they recalled the 6. 2l engine, but not the others. It is shameful that they haven't recalled the other engines that also have the same lifters with the same active fuel management system. My power trained warranty has just expired and they want to charge me over 15,000 to replace the engine and radiator. I am now fighting with gm to help cover this expense that I feel a recall should take care of. These vehicles are not safe on the road with these faulty engine systems specifically the lifters inside them that are known to fail and gm is aware of this and not doing anything. Please help me and other gm owners get these vehicles recalled and make gm replace these engines at no cost to the owner due to their faulty engine components. My daughter and I could have been seriously been injured or died that day in the highway due to the abrupt engine failure on the highway going 70mph. Thank you for your time and god bless.

Vehicle had lifter failure. This could’ve have caused a devastating accident to myself or family which includes my 8 year old daughter. GMC has knowledge of this problem with this motor.

Motor started knocking my safety and my family safety was put at risk because we were driving down the street. The car is now at woody dealership in naperville, IL. Being inspected as we speak. No symptoms prior to failing.

I took my GMC Yukon in for a recall. They changed the oil, programmed my module, changed the cap, and tested the engine, saying it was good. I took it on a trip, 7000 miles later engine locked up.

Engine is misfiring. Took it into local mechanic who mentioned he has seen many similar issues and knew there was a recall for similar 2021 Yukon engine issues but for some reason this model was not included. He encouraged me to trade in the vehicle because most likely the engine would need to be replaced (or a $10,000 repair) and it was not save to continue to drive in this condition. I call GMC and they suggested I contact the NHTSA to request that this year and model be added to the recall listing for other similar Yukon engines.

The vehicle suddenly began vibrating noticeably when idling and at low speeds. About 30 minutes after this started happening a warning lamp lit up. We drove the vehicle about 2 miles to a local auto parts store to get an initial computer diagnosis of the issue. The test resulted in a code of "p0304" which detected a cylinder #4 misfire and recommended a fuel injector replacement. We brought the vehicle to a local mechanic to get the issue further evaluated. After this evaluation, it was determined that the cylinder #4 misfire was related to a lifter failure. The mechanic explained that this situation could possibly have caused more damage, specifically to the camshaft, but that job was bigger than he was willing to take on. He recommended we get the vehicle towed to the dealership for further evaluation. He also informed us that this situation was common with the engine in this vehicle and GMC is aware of it. He directed us to some articles online that elaborated on the potential known issues related to the automatic fuel management (afm) system and the related engine damage. The vehicle was towed to a local GMC dealership for evaluation. They found the failed cylinder #4 with associated lifter failure and damaged camshaft. We went forward with the repair at the dealership. We asked the dealership about the known engine issues with this vehicle. They acknowledged the widespread issues but informed us that our particular VIN has not been included in any recalls or safety notifications, so we were responsible for the repairs. The vehicle spent nearly 3 weeks at the dealership. One of the parts was on backorder due to a national shortage, which delayed the repair by about one week. That seems to imply that the parts involved in this repair are in high demand, which raises the question of this being a manufacturing/parts issue that may need to be investigated further.

The vehicle drove normally earlier in the day with no major drivability concerns. Later, reverse gear suddenly stopped functioning and the engine would rev abnormally without the vehicle moving properly while in reverse. Shortly afterward, while driving, the vehicle displayed the warning message “reduce acceleration – drive with care” and began losing acceleration and propulsion. The vehicle would not accelerate normally and later could not exceed approximately 20-35 mph. The condition created a significant safety concern due to sudden loss of acceleration and propulsion while operating in traffic. The engine rpm would increase abnormally while the vehicle failed to respond properly in drive and reverse. An independent mechanic inspected the transmission and found diagnostic trouble codes p0747, p0776, and p0700 related to transmission pressure control and valve body operation. Inspection also revealed significant metal contamination, sludge, and clutch material inside the transmission pan and filter. Reverse and 2nd gear were determined to be failed/burnt internally. The vehicle was later transported to an authorized GMC dealer for inspection. Dealer confirmed reverse gear would not engage even after adding transmission fluid. Vehicle is currently available for inspection.

Our 2021 GMC Yukon xl with the 6. 2l engine suffered a catastrophic failure requiring the engine to be replaced. The diagnosis was very similar to the GMC 6. 2l engines that have been recalled for safety and failure reasons however our vehicle was not included in the recall. The engine only had 75,924 miles and was maintained to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule. The cost to replace the engine was $11,309. 87.

We brought vehicle in while still in warranty complaining of rough running engine and dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong. 2000 miles over warranty the engine fails with all characteristics of the l87 bearing lifter issue. Now GMC does not want to replace without charging us a ton of money.

I was driving on the highway, I-55 n just north of bloomington. I was on cruise control and was coming up to a lane merge going into construction zone. I braked, moved over, turned off cruise control and noticed the engine was cut off and rpm’s dropped to 0. Luckily I was able to get to the shoulder before the highway merged with no shoulder in construction zone. I have the 6. 2 l engine in the GMC and have been through propulsion test and 2 oil changes since the test. My engine failed during highway travel and I see on several threads this unfortunately is an unsafe situation others have been in. What are my options as I do not feel safe in a vehicle that will turn off unexpectedly on highway travel.

2021 Yukon denali. Inspected by dealer under recall. Passed dealership test and new oil viscosity adjustment completed by dealer at 39k miles. Told no issues with vehicle continue to drive it. Today 4-14-26 on the interstate traveling 75mph the engine seized and lost all power. Instrument panel showed 0rpm as I coasted to a stop and the engine lost all power. I placed the vehicle in park on the shoulder and attempted to restart. Nothing! engine would crank. Towed to olathe GMC dealer and they took one looke at it , diagnosed it said it had all symptoms of total engine failure. Ordered me an engine and told 6 weeks out. Sent me home in a loaner. Service department told me they get one everyday sometime more than 1. They have hertz rental on standby for warranty loaner vehicle. I find it spilling that these vehicles come time to be sold. They’re all bad according to the service department. I also find it very frustrating that they park the broken defective vehicles at the very back of the dealer lot to hide the graveyard of 6. 2’s from the public. My vehicle is under 5 year 60k warranty and engine is being replaced, but the tech could not share the extent of what would be replaced. All he mentioned was the block. Zero warning engine just went up like a grenade at 75mpg on the highway. Wife’s vehicle and left me stranded 2 hours from home on a work trip.

I previously opened NHTSA complaint number11637208 on January 20, 2025 regarding the internal engine failure of my 2021 Yukon denial xl on January 3, 2025. After filing that complaint, the engine in my Yukon was replaced by GMC in February 2025. After replacement, the engine was allegedly tested, given an oil cap change, and ok'd by the GMC dealership. On Sunday, April 12, 2026, the replacement engine in my Yukon failed without warning and left me (and my family members, who were also in the Yukon) stranded in the lane of traffic on the westbound college drive exit of I-10. We had it towed to the GMC dealership (royal Buick GMC) the same day, they diagnosed it, and according to text communications I received from them on April 14, 2026, the Yukon's engine needs to be replaced again because the engine internally failed - likely due to the failure of the engine's internal rod bearing. No one in my family feels safe in the Yukon anymore. GMC should not be allowed to replace these engines with more faulty engines. If something more is not done soon, people are going to die because of the wrecks caused by these faulty engines.

While operating my 2021 GMC Yukon at4, my vehicle suddenly developed a popping noise, the check engine light began flashing, and the traction control warning illuminated. The vehicle lost power and had reduced acceleration, forcing me to pull off the road because it was unsafe to continue driving. This created a serious safety risk and appears consistent with reported gm lifter or engine defects.

Lifter failure.

I was driving my Yukon xl with my family and as I was coming to a stop at a stop light my Yukon started to shake violently and make a pinging noise. The check engine light came on and as I drove the car smoke started to come out the exhaust. Luckily I was not on the highway as this could have been a serious safety issue for me and my family. I had my car towed to the dealership and they said the 8th cylinder was completely seized and that it was due to the connecting rod and crankshaft. The engine needs to be replaced. I have maintained my Yukon regularly as recommended by the manufacturer and the car was driving great with no issues or warning of having issues until this engine failure suddenly happened.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph and merging onto the freeway, the check engine warning started flashing and the vehicle started losing automotive power. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. After stopping the vehicle, the vehicle was idling roughly and was shaking abnormally. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and became aware that there were two open investigations for engine failure that included the year and the model vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

Hello, I was driving on the highway with my family and my engine had a sudden loss of power. I only have 52,000 miles on the engine and it has been serviced the entire time. We almost got in a major accident as we had cars and trucks moving around us at a very high speed as we tried to pull over in the breakdown lane. I brought the car to daddario GMC in shelton, CT. They did a diagnostic test and said that cylinder 2 was misfiring. Upon closer inspection they saw that there was oil sitting on top of the piston head which indicates engine failure. I have since contacted gm warranty services given my car was just past the warranty date of November 2025, but still under the 60,000 miles of coverage. I did some research and have seen this is a very common with these engines as gm did a recall on 600,000 already. For some reason my VIN # is not listed on the current recall even though my engine is in the same year as the others that were. I would like gm to cover my engine 100% but was told they may only pay a % to fix it. Can you do anything to help me get them to cover the engine at 100%? I also wanted to let you know about this issue as my VIN was not under recall and this may happen to other people/families who have the same engine as mine that isn't recalled. Thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

March 29th 2026 my 2021 Yukon xl engine stalled while driving at 45mph (no prior warning lamps or messages, restart engine came on dash) causing me to immediately pull over and come to a stop still in traffic, it shifted my vehicle into park, I was in an in an un-safe spot and was stuck in park (conditions not correct for shift on dash) because my vehicle would not allow me to shift to neutral and push it to the side of the road, (could not jump start) had towed to dealership and mentioned engine failure and fuel pump control module recalls but according to them it was a starter issue, I asked them to still check the fuel pump control module regardless. Picked up vehicle and a week later April 14th the exact same thing happened vehicle stalled while driving dash said restart engine while coasting (no prior warning lamps or messages) forcing me to pull over where it rolled to a stop and locked itself into park leaving me in unsafe conditions again. Had towed back to the same dealership and waiting to hear back from them.

Without any warning, the v8 l87 6. 2 liter engine suddenly seized up, began shaking with significant reduced power. I was fortunate that I could drive slowly to safety and was not on the expressway. In my research, I understand this is related to a design/manufacturing issue with the connecting rods and crankshafts in this type of engine. As I investigated the issue, I found that 600,000 vehicles were recalled with the recall either completely replacing the engine or upgrading the oil type from standard to a thicker, higher-viscosity 0w-40 full synthetic to provide better protection under high stress, along with a new oil cap and filter. In our case, we were directed to change the oil and even with that change, we experienced this dangerous engine failure which cost us $12k ! for that cost of repair, we elected to have the engine replaced for about $1k more to get a 100k mile warranty on the engine. However, our additional concern with the replacement engine is they gave us a remanufactured version of the l87 and we have not found confirmation that they have adequately addressed the design/manufacturing flaws so may be vulnerable to the same seizing issue. We appreciate your attention to this widespread gm issue.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle started shuddering and was losing automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that it was the second transmission failure in less than 2 months. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the manufacturer had recommended a diagnostic test on the engine. The diagnostic test had not yet been performed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.

Ngine seized (according to GMC dealership service department). I was driving 75mph down the highway and the car shut down. I noticed it losing power so I was able to get off at the exit ramp, but not in a safe location. The car shut completely down in the right lane at the stop sign. Approximately 7:50pm car broke down - stuck on the road until 10:22pm. Yes safety of myself and others were put at risk. We purchased the car 2 weeks ago with no signs of issues. Bought the car with 103,499 miles. The car had very well maintained service records as well at time of purchase. We towed the car to the GMC dealership and they said the engine is seized up. No warning lamps or messages at time of failure. I drove the car early that day and it was running fine. I do not have any documents to upload at this time. Since this all happened on Friday and we are just now getting the report back today (Tuesday).

Engine failure from the connecting rod and/or crankshaft. There is a current recall for this and my vehicle should be a part of it. I broke down on the side of a highway and had the vehicle towed to GMC dealership. There are now warning lights on with code p0016 and p0324.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally with blue smoke coming from the exhaust, with the message "lane departure assist" displayed. The check engine and stabili-trak warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local service center, where it was diagnosed with cylinder #1 misfire. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to the GMC service bulletin:15-06-01-002l. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

2021 Yukon denali 6. 2l v8, 137k miles- engine failure—driving down road 55mph and engine light came on, along with check esc and check traction warnings, vehicle began to rough idle and shake, motor knocking. Personally feel this is related to recall but my VIN not included says dealership- I feel this recall is affecting way more vehicles than VIN’s included. Dealership charged 220$ to plug it in, codes weren’t specific for problem. They are stating “lifter is bad and possibly cam, won’t know if the lifters scarred the cam until they take it apart” and charge me at least 6k is price quoted. No warnings at all before this happened. 137k miles so out of warranty. This put myself and kids in dangerous riding condition as I had to stop and have vehicle towed to dealership.

Exhaust fumes and stink on cold start . Vehicle only has 40,000 mi and I have exhaust smells coming in through hvac system!!.