Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of GMC Yukon - part 1

Engine failure at 38k miles no service lights on dash. Gm says 4 months to get replacement motor with very little help on getting rental car.

See all problems of the 2023 GMC Yukon 🔎.

While driving vehicle on 11/08/2025, vehicle made a popping noise and loss power. We were out of town and had to pay out of pocket to have vehicle towed to a dealership and hour away from our home. Dealership diagnosed issue with engine failure due to lifter fell and caused damage to cam shaft and bore. I will be without a vehicle for an additional 2 to 4 weeks waiting on a back ordered engine from gm, and continue making payments on vehicle as well. This issue seems to be an ongoing problem that gm is ignoring……. Gm should compensate towing, car rental, and repair/ replacement charges due to failure.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Yukon 🔎.

I’m not happy with just a change in oil viscosity because the car has already been on the road for 70000 miles before we were aware of the recall on the engine. Changing the oil viscosity doesn’t help when there is a underlying engine problem it should be replaced not just change your oil and send you on your way because now I’m always wondering and worried if the engine will still fail when my kids and wife are in the car. Furthermore I just had it inspected and the oil changed to new viscosity a week ago and the oil level is already half way on the dipstick so I’m taking back to the dealership to express my concern. If I would have known this was going to be an issue with this SUV I would have purchased something else. I’d just like the engine replaced so that I don’t have to worry every time I pull out of the driveway with my family. My power steering assist still whines and there is no open recall on it. I think GMC should be responsible for replacing engines and power steering assembly and power steering motors on 2021 GMC Yukon denalis because of the wear and tear they have endured before the recall was taken care of by adding a different viscosity oil because the damage has already been done.

I was driving down 85 south bound at mile marker 16 the engine started messing up causing me and my family to be pushed over to the median. Once I was able to fight it over to the median it started smoking and I was afraid it was going to catch fire, so me and my family had to get out on the side of the interstate until help showed up and said it was safe to get back into the car. I had to use onstar to get a tow truck, after the tow truck got there and I made it to the closest dealership to find out that the so called recall that the gm dealership fixed did not help the fact that the engine was messed up. So I tried to get a loaner or rental car for my family of 6 and they rented me a small SUV that I can not get all my kids into, I was told they did not have anything that bigger so now I am having to make multiple trips getting my kids to school. Plus they are saying it is going to be months before I can get my car back because the engine is on back order.

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal burning odor entering the vehicle from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon inspection, the contact observed that the vehicle was burning oil. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact expressed concerns that the issue might be related to carbon monoxide entering the engine compartment and cabin, which could pose a serious safety hazard. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,750.

See all problems of the 2024 GMC Yukon 🔎.

Driving out a town 400 miles away, with a young passenger in my car on hwy 459 in rush hour traffic, I started hearing a slight ticking sound then moved into a full blown knock on my drivers side ( I recorded it). Within minutes, my oil light came on and my dash notification reading "engine overheating idle" with the knocking really load. I had to cross 3 lanes to traffic quickly to get to the shoulder of the road, which was not a safe place. I smelled smoke and cut the the engine off. I popped the hood to see that there was now no coolant (that is all I knew to look for). I immediately called onstar roadside assistance. 2 hours later, I was towed to a local hotel room. Car completely dead. Not lights, couldn't lock it, nothing. I had to pay a large fee (almost $2k) to have my car towed back to nc from al not to mention having rent a rental car to get us home. The car is now at a GMC dealership in monroe nc. Of course the powertrain extended warranty doesn't cover the battery replacement, belt replacement and water pump replacement so now I'm out of pocket $1300 just to get those install to be able to try and start the engine to further diagnose if my I have complete engine failure and without transportation.

See all problems of the 2019 GMC Yukon 🔎.

Four of the eight oil lifters in my 6. 2l engine in my 2019 GMC Yukon failed. The car has around 53,000 miles. The issue was confirmed by an independent service center. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the issue. Zero. The service center even ran diagnostics with no result and could not confirm the issue until after it partially took apart the engine. I noticed a noise similar to a card flapping in the wind and took it to the service center that same day. The car had been properly serviced with oil changes and still had 44% oil life that same day. Repairs are currently being made and estimated at $4,000.

While traveling on the interstate my vehicle shuttered and lost power we went to a friend’s neighborhood and the vehicle stalled when we pulled in no lights had come on until then and a knock had started. With no where to pull over I finally got the vehicle started and drove it straight to our friends house and left in on the side of the street. I had to take there vehicle home and called onstar to tow it to the dealership. I have to pay for the over mileage because I was out of town when it happened.

The vehicle engine experienced a failure on the highway at very high speeds with no warnings leading up to this occurrence, same as many of the experiences of the customers with the 6. 2l engines, which have been recalled for these defects. This GMC Yukon has the 5. 3l engine, however, has the same defects as the 6. 2l engine, excessive oil consumption and eventually engine failure. I am without a vehicle, with an extremely high car loan, and have to replace an engine in a two year old $75,000 vehicle. This should be covered by gm as it was a known issue and continues to be sold to unknowing customers. Furthermore, I am paying even more money to put another engine in this vehicle with the potential of having the same issues as the problem has not been corrected. This is deceptive and theft by gm in my opinion, and not safe to have engines failing in the highway with no warnings at all.

Driving through the intersection of n. Scottsdale road and e. Bell road in scottsdale az my collision warning red light flashed on the screen and the engine turned off. This caused me to lose forward propulsion and forced me to navigate to the side of the road to avoid being hit by another car. At van’s GMC, the service manager told me that we experienced a catastrophic engine failure and that the engine seized. Vehicle has been inspected, but I have not received an official diagnostic even though I have requested. There were no warnings or indications that the vehicle was compromised prior to the engine turning off.

The vehicle has experienced numerous losses of power, it has nearly stalled during normal operation, there is a horrible knocking noise coming from the engine. I have had the vehicle into the dealership who state they are unable to recreate the issue, and since the vehicle has been turned off the recorder shows noting either. They have performed an inspection and changed the oil, but the vehicle still has the issue. It knocks and shudders like it's cold, it comes very close to stalling and then seems to recover, this has happend twice while making left hand turns, it has completly lost power even while depressing the gas, but again they indicate they can't recreate it, so there is nothing they can do. I am scared for my safety, and that of the child I drive daily. There have been several instances in the last few months.

On may 23, 2025, I purchased a 2023 GMC Yukon xl VIN: [xxx] from the GMC dealership. ? at the time of sale, I specifically asked about the active gm engine recall. They assured me the vehicle had been inspected and was unaffected. On October 30, 2025, the engine catastrophically failed on a highway while my family — including my two small children — were in the vehicle. This created a dangerous emergency situation as I had to avoid high-speed traffic. 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 received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall inspection test was performed, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer had initially ordered the wrong engine. The dealer then ordered the correct engine; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

My 2022 Yukon with the 6. 2 engine locked up on a mountain highway in wyoming. There were no prior symptoms — the engine suddenly lost power and shifted into neutral, forcing me to pull over. The biggest issue was that once the vehicle stopped, it couldn’t be shifted into neutral, which could have caused a secondary collision. The dealer who sold the vehicle didn't treat this seriously and sold as inspection passed vehicle.

See all problems of the 2022 GMC Yukon 🔎.

My vehicle, with only 2,400 miles on the odometer, has been diagnosed as requiring a full engine replacement. While driving on the interstate, a warning message appeared indicating reduced acceleration. I was able to exit the freeway safely, but the vehicle could no longer maintain adequate speed to match traffic flow. Prior to this, the check engine light came on, but no issues were reported in the vehicle’s status system. I contacted onstar, and they advised me to take the vehicle to a dealership within seven business days. It has since been at the dealership awaiting parts. Upon further research, I discovered that this issue appears to be widespread. General motors has issued a technical bulletin addressing the problem, which involves complete engine replacement. Additionally, the audio system intermittently emits a loud crashing noise that is startling and potentially dangerous—it has caused me to veer off the road due to its intensity. This issue also seems to affect other 2025–2026 Yukon and tahoe models.

On October 21, 2025, with only 4,197 miles on my Yukon, the vehicle suddenly died while in drive in a parking lot. The vehicle would not restart or shift into neutral. I contacted onstar, who arranged for the vehicle to be towed to the nearest GMC dealership. Since that date, the vehicle has remained at the dealership and has been diagnosed as needing a complete engine replacement due to metal shavings found in the engine. There were no warning lights, messages, or performance issues prior to the failure. This incident was both unsafe and alarming, as the vehicle shut down unexpectedly without any warning while I was driving. I would like to understand how such a major failure could occur on a brand-new vehicle with so few miles.

Driving on loop 20 overpass on hwy 59 in laredo texas suddenly the engine lost power and started to skip and miss fire while a loud tapping noise was generated, due to the loss of power and skipping, alarms showed in the main console requiring immediate service to the engine, traction and braking sys, the lack of engine power place me in a very critical and unsafe situation wherein I was about to be rear collision by the vehicle behind me. This event happened on October 17th, 2025 . I brought the vehicle to powell watson motors who is the GMC dealership in laredo texas for inspection but they refused to accept the vehicle due to the age of the vehicle. I feel this safety issue must me corrected and resolved in order to avoid accidents and deaths.

See all problems of the 2012 GMC Yukon 🔎.

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated. The contact was able to coast over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with crankshaft and rod bearing failure. The vehicle was previously included in NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling); however, it was determined that the engine was not defective and did not need to be replaced. The vehicle was scheduled for engine replacement, but had not yet been repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

We have owned the car for five years. We bought it new in 2020. Now, the engine has completely failed. It has the same problems all the recalled GMC Yukon denali xl 6. 2l v8 engines have; lifters are not functioning, cam shaft is destroyed, rods are bent, oil is pooling and the aluminum engine has melted. The engine light suddenly went off and we didn’t have acceleration. The vehicle started “puttering” and didn’t drive well. No warning at all. This is a known issue with GMC (which I just found out about) and I find it absurd I have to pay $26,000 for a new engine which will most likely have the same problem. Luckily nothing happened, but if that happened on the highway with my wife and three young kids in the car it could have been a nightmare situation.

See all problems of the 2020 GMC Yukon 🔎.

The 6. 2 engine in our 2025 Yukon denali with 3,200 miles just locked up. It needs to be replaced. They said they fixed the problem and it was only affecting 2021 to 2024, but it is carrying over into 2025. They should just buy this vehicle back.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low engine oil warning light illuminated. The contact checked the oil dipstick and noticed that the oil level was extremely low. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced by the dealer a month prior, and the oil change was performed. The contact stated that the oil level required to be topped off several times while driving the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an oil consumption test was performed, and the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,500.

Valve spring snapped clear in half inside the engine while driving on the highway. This caused me to be stranded on the side of the road in the middle of the arizona desert with my two dogs in the heat. Thankfully I did not lose control of the vehicle. No warning signs whatsoever until out of nowhere- vehicle check engine light started flashing as well as 'service stabiltrak' and 'traction control disabled'. I immediately pulled over. Thankfully I shut off the engine in time to prevent further damage to the pistons. Vehicle was towed and inspected by holden's auto service in kingman, az. Valve spring broke clean in half and was given to me after valve spring was replaced. Compression tests were performed after valve spring replacement. Engine was run until warm and normal compression resumed. No other mechanical issues found. Checked for recalls on this vehicle. Nothing found related to this.

See all problems of the 2010 GMC Yukon 🔎.

While operating the vehicle at normal highway speed, the engine suddenly failed without warning. The vehicle immediately lost power, forcing me to coast to the shoulder. This created a dangerous situation in active traffic. The vehicle was later towed to an authorized gm dealership. The dealer inspected the vehicle but refused to provide assistance or take responsibility for the engine failure. Based on the symptoms and information available, the failure appears to be caused by a known gm engine defect. This issue poses a serious safety hazard since the engine can fail abruptly during highway driving, increasing the risk of accidents or injury. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this matter and that gm be held accountable for addressing this known defect.

The vehicle underwent a recall inspection on September 8, but on October 2, the vehicle still experienced a serious engine failure. The vehicle was undrivable, and the dealer inspected it and opened a tca case. However, general motors stated that it had passed the recall test and was not covered under special warranty, and asked me to pay $5,000 for vehicle repairs. I believe this is an engine malfunction related to the recall, and the manufacturer should replace the engine for me free of charge and refund my 5,000 .

My vehicle continues to consume oil. It consumes approximately 1 quart of oil every 1 thousand miles. As a retired/disabled veteran this has become a safety concern for me and my family as I'm concerned this vehicle will leave us stranded.

Took the car to the dealer after getting alert from my GMC app saying it needed emission serviced, engine light came on, antilock brakes needing serviced. The dealership said that the engine is blown at just over 71200 miles. This car has only had service done at the dealership except for a tire change.

See all problems of the 2018 GMC Yukon 🔎.

See attached document for complaint.

While driving on the interstate, I felt the engine "slip". Immediately afterwards, I heard a load knocking noise from under the hood, the check engine light came on, and the vehicle lost power. I was able to pull off the interstate. Called a towing company and got the vehicle towed to a GMC dealer. The dealership diagnosed the vehicle and noted a critical issue with the engine and transmission. Dealership recommends engine replacement. Vehicle is less than a year old with 15,400 miles on the odometer. This particular vehicle is not impacted by the GMC recall on their engine, however is has the same engine failure.

Windshield needs replacement – one side window installed incorrectly (huge gap) •trim peeling (inside and outside) •heavy rust in engine area •sunroof seals need replacement •all window tints need replacement •headlights not aligned – need new ones •taillights not aligned – need new ones •spoiler damaged – needs replacement •dashboard feels loose – needs replacement •door panel misaligned •rubber gaskets/seals smushed •seat covers smushed (from dealer) •paint peeling (sunroof, edges near wheels) •plastic components worn / damaged •front bumper misaligned •two front fenders need replacement •tow hitch cover needs replacement •cargo protector installed on exterior trunk sill •check engine / transmission alert showed in app (vehicle displayed “check 4x4” while driving) •bluetooth system not working everything on this car is not aligned this is a huge safety hazard on everything electrical,engine,visibility they won’t take responsibility they said they don’t have no update on recall it’s 7 months and the nhsta all won’t take responsibility I contacted them multiple times they just say contact gm for recall info 7 months.

Driving today and car started rattling and pouring transmission fluid on the way home today. Barely made it home.

It’s been 7 months of the recall and dealers are not sending repair notices/remedy how is gm allows to take 7 months this is an untimely manner yall need to investigate further and issue buybacks I contacted gm saying the engine is making noise they they I have to pay for vehicle inspection…that is illegal.

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed in the driveway, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power but immediately restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle briefly returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling). The VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 26,000.

Check engine and transmission alerts appeared in the app; vehicle showed “check 4x4” while driving, cleared next day •engine not sounding normal •paint peeling •fading plastic trim •front bumper misaligned •rear bumper misaligned •loose front door frames •marker lights collecting bugs •plastic becoming loose at the rear hatch •plastic near auto steps: one side has gaps, the other side fits properly •ppf (paint protection film) peeling •taillights movable by hand •fog lights movable by hand •rear spoiler, hatch glass, and surrounding trim loose/movable •cargo protector loose on exterior trunk sill •cracking turn signal stalk •rust developing within the first year •finger can fit into gaps at door frames •exhaust tips showing burnt discoloration •significant loss of vehicle value: ~$70,000 down from $100,000 at purchase.

I was driving on i75 north, just north of chattanooga. I was in the center lane. I lost all power to the vehicle. The engine stopped. I had no power steering, no power brakes, and was in heavy traffic. I managed to shift lanes and get it to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was towed in. Diaganostics were completed by a certified mechanic. The engine had seized. Gm has several recalls on this issue. 2018 is not included. However, this is the exact same issue that is happening with 2019 and up. That were recalled. I urge you to order an extended recall to include 2018 vehicles as well before someone gets killed.

In January 2021, I purchased a new 2021 GMC Yukon denali from a GMC dealership, which currently has only about 27,000 miles. To date, several recalls have been assigned and completed for my vehicle. Per the websites for GMC and your agency. However, based on published recalls for my vehicle and a repair that is currently underway, I have reason to believe that my vehicle should have been subject to three prior recalls for which it was not [NHTSA id numbers: 20v735000 (front seat bolts), 25v274000 (v8 engine failure, and 21v739000 (fuel power control module] currently, the fuel pump control module is being replaced at a local GMC dealership because it failed last week and left my stranded at home. GMC issued a recall for this in 2021, but my vehicle was not included. Aside from risk and inconvenience, this is also costing my over $300 for a rental. Secondly, though my vehicle's make/model/year is cited in GMC's ongoing engine failure recall, which you are investigating, I have not received a recall notice. I note GMC's financial interest in minimizing vehicle's it recalls for such a costly repair. I have inquired with GMC and two of its dealers and have only received reiterations that my vehicle has not been subject to GMC's recall, which I already knew. I have not been given any explanation for why my Yukon has not been recalled despite my inquiries. Lastly, GMC issued a 2021 recall for front seat bolts; however, I did not receive a notice for my Yukon. I have occasionally felt slight movement in the driver's seat since buying the vehicle. Based on reason and facts, I am alleging that GMC appears to be artificially minimizing recalls and notifications for vehicles that are in fact impacted by defects in their vehicles.