general problems of the 2021 GMC Yukon - part 1

The vehicle was driving down the highway when the oil pressure instantly dropped. 2021 Yukon’s safety system advised pulling over immediately, engine warning light appeared, and vehicle turned off. No prior indications of an issue. It would not restart and was towed to mechanic. Independent service center diagnosed issue as a broken crank shaft. It now needs the engine replaced and does not fall under the recall VIN numbers acknowledged for the same issue.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the check engine warning light started blinking and the vehicle started shaking violently. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a stuck lifter. The contact was informed that the lifters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact believed that the failure was associated with an undisclosed recall number. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

On July 28, 2026, while traveling on vacation with my family, our vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure. There were warning lights displayed for 30 seconds prior to the engine failure. On July 23, 2026, one day before taking the vehicle to the dealership, the following warning indicators appeared on the dashboard and then disappeared: “service esc,” “service traction control,” and a flashing engine light. We took the vehicle to the dealership on July 24, 2026, because we wanted to be proactive and ensure that the vehicle was safe to operate. The dealership inspected the vehicle but reported that no diagnostic trouble codes were identified and no issue was found. We picked the vehicle up from the dealership on the evening of July 27, 2026. On July 28, 2026, while traveling on the highway approximately 2. 5 hours from home, the same warning messages appeared on the dashboard again. Because we were traveling at highway speeds and vehicle speed management was becoming an issue, I immediately exited the highway and stopped in a parking area. I placed the vehicle in park, at which point the engine began idling extremely rough. I could feel the vehicle shaking while sitting in the driver's seat. I exited the vehicle to open the hood, but before I was able to do so, I noticed gray smoke coming from the exhaust. We located a GMC dealership approximately two miles away. Because of the vehicle's condition, we drove there slowly on the frontage road at approximately 15 mph and dropped the vehicle off for diagnostic inspection. The GMC dealership subsequently diagnosed the vehicle with catastrophic engine failure and recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle remains at the dealership and is available for inspection. We made a reasonable effort to have the vehicle inspected before our trip because we were concerned about the warning indicators and wanted to ensure that the vehicle was safe to travel.

Engine seized while driving on the highway. This is the same engine that is being recalled and gm has said that the VIN is not covered. The vehicle stopped running on a major highway with my [xxx] old son in the car. The dealership is saying this is the exact issue that is part of the larger investigation for gm v8 engines. There were no warning lights at all prior to the engine seizing. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a misfire coming from the vehicle, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally before the vehicle went into limp mode. The traction control light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a lifter failure inside the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds from 2 - 30 mph, the vehicle hesitated and bucked while accelerating and switching between 4- and 8-cylinders operation. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who installed a part used to override the engine cylinder mode, and the engine only operated using 8 cylinders. No further information was available. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 102,000.

This is from dealership “found customers concern of engine light is on and ticking noise found cylinder 4 lifters to be collapsed causing the exhaust gasses to be trapped in the cylinder causing the cylinder wall to dry out and leaving scratches on the cylinder wall recommend replacing motor due to this problem at this time”.

My family and were traveling to visit family, and the transmission stalled on me on the interstate. I almost had a horrible accident with my kids in the vehicle. The vehicle is in the shop currently and dx with transmission issues. GMC needs to recall and or fix the transmissions in all of their vehicle.

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.

Issue description: the vehicle experienced a failure of the dynamic fuel management (dfm) system, resulting in a collapsed lifter. This caused a cylinder misfire and a sudden loss of engine power while driving at highway speeds. Safety concern: while traveling at highway speeds, the sudden misfire and loss of power created a dangerous condition. The vehicle could not maintain speed or accelerate properly with surrounding traffic, significantly increasing the risk of a collision. Failure details: the issue was diagnosed as a collapsed lifter related to the dfm system. This caused persistent misfiring, rough engine operation, and severe drivability issues. Repair outcome: due to the extent of internal engine damage caused by the lifter failure, the vehicle required complete engine replacement.

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.

Knocking sound and flashing engine light came on. When brought to dealership it was determined that lower bearing failure took place requiring full engine replacement. '.