Power Train Problems of GMC Yukon - part 1

Transmission abruptly failed after only 110k well maintained miles.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Yukon 🔎.

I was driving home on the interstate from vacation and I was set on cruise control it was 1 am so not a lot of traffic was on the road thank god. It could have been really terrible if lots of traffic was present as the engine just died without notice! the vehicle was decelerating nothing was working I could not speed up. I was able to get over to the side of the road. I got a notification on my phone that said battery critically low start vehicle to charge battery. Well nothing would start at this point. I lot all power seconds later. I thought that the cruise control was locked up and restarting it would reset it. I called roadside assistance to get a jump and that did not work. I got towed into an auto repair shop. They called me and told me that the engine is locked up that they drained the oil and found metal in it and metal pieces in the oil filter as well. They checked for leaks and said there was none that they could find. They said there was a recall but it was for the exact same symptoms that was diagnosed here but only starting with year 2021. Mine is a 2019 Yukon denali with low mileage so not sure if all the other Yukons were aged out or already past engine death and that’s why they were not part of this but this should be included in with the open recall considering how everything is the same that is effecting this year that I have and they should pay for a new engine! clearly the v8 6. 2 GMC engines are having major issues I’m just glad I wasn’t going that fast and traffic was slow so I was able to get over safely before catastrophic things happened since there was no warning when this all happened!.

See all problems of the 2019 GMC Yukon 🔎.

With no warning, my engine 6. 2 l stopped running at highway speeds and failed to restart. The power train completely failed for a second time after having a previous engine replaced for the same failure in 2024. I had the car inspected per the recall along with changes in the oil viscosity as recommended along with service inspection. The car left me stranded again on rural highway for over 5 hours in temps that exceeded 98 degrees. The car would not start and went into a power save shutdown and had to be towed to the dealer. I was fortunate to have avoided any traffic on the highway enough to get the car off the road. This is not safe to drive on the highway and GMC has known defect and safety concern with this issue.

See all problems of the 2022 GMC Yukon 🔎.

Vehicle had previously undergone the gm 6. 2l engine recall inspection on October 17, 2025, and was determined to have passed. On June 13, 2026, at approximately 80,390 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion while being driven with five children in the vehicle. The vehicle became inoperable and required towing. Dealer subsequently diagnosed engine failure and has ordered a replacement engine. This failure happened with out warning.

See all problems of the 2023 GMC Yukon 🔎.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-60 mph, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally. The message "restraint safety system" was displayed, and the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

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 2015 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph to work, the vehicle shifted into neutral and into low and failed to drive at about 20 mph. The check engine light was flashing. The front collision was unavailable. The contact left the vehicle at a gas station. Upon research, the contact located NHTSA campaign number: 14v374000 (power train), which was similar to the failure. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed there were no open recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted via chat, who referred her to the local dealer and manufacturer service center. The contact informed her to confirm the coverage with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 283,000.

See all problems of the 2015 GMC Yukon 🔎.

1. Xxx xx— gm recall notification (recall no. N252494000) I received official notification from general motors of recall n252494000 affecting my vehicle. I brought the vehicle to [xxx] as directed to have the recall remedy performed. 2. Xxx — first report of engine propulsion issues I reported engine propulsion concerns to jim ellis. This was my first formal complaint regarding the performance of the vehicle following the recall remedy. 3. Xxx — oil type change performed by jim ellis jim ellis performed an engine oil type change, switching to 0w-40 oil, and advised me that this change would serve as the fix for recall n252494000. I accepted this remedy in good faith. 4. Xxx — low oil warning light activated approximately nine months after the recall remedy, and well before the end of the recommended oil life cycle, the low oil warning light activated on my dashboard. This is abnormal and indicative of excessive oil consumption. I returned to jim ellis, who performed a fresh oil change and placed my vehicle on a 6,000-mile oil consumption test — an acknowledgment that an oil consumption problem exists. 5. Xxx — active engine misfires, jerking, and flashing check engine light while operating my vehicle on Sunday, may 31, 2026, I experienced severe engine jerking and misfires. The check engine light began flashing — not steady — which I understand to indicate an active and serious engine misfire event. I was genuinely concerned for my personal safety and immediately parked the vehicle. It has not been driven since. 6. Xxx — gm corporate case opened I contacted gm customer care and was assigned corporate case number information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2024 GMC Yukon 🔎.

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.

Transfer case locked up at highway speeds. Had to be towed to dealer not drivable. Locking up rear tires at highways speed was serious risk. It was inspected and found not to be covered under current recall even though exact same thing happed to recalled vehicles. No warning lights or messages.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that after restarted the engine and the vehicle did not operate in reverse. During the failure no warning messages had displayed. The vehicle was driven to the local diagnosed that the transmissions needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 24v797000(power train). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 70,000.

Without any indications of a problem our transmission began making a loud whining noise. The evening before it was fine and the next morning on startup the noise just began. The vehicle only has 45,000 miles on it and the transmission had been serviced at the recommend manufacturer interval. Took it immediately to my auto repair shop where it was diagnosed as a transmission failure (they has seen this before) and told not to drive until replaced due to safety issues related to the failure. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of these needed 10 speed transmission I waited over a month for the vehicle to be repaired. The shop contacted gm to inquire about any warranty help but was told there was none.

See all problems of the 2020 GMC Yukon 🔎.

My engine with less than 5,000 miles died (engine was blown). While driving on highway engine died and wheels locked and almost caused a major accident. I had to get a tow and bill cost me 700. 00. GMC is giving me the run around. Dealer stated that engine will need to be replaced. GMC is doing nothing to assist me, I have a car note with no truck GMC is the biggest scam.

Transmission has been replaced, still having same problems. Actuator was fixed within the transfer case. Still shaking. Was driven by dealer and told to check again after changing into summer tires. Changed into summer tires and still having issues if not worse. Separately; the power running boards have never worked - been told its wiring issue. Wiring issue is a concern for fire safety.

6. 2 liter engine seized on the interstate, I lost propulsion as the car switched to neural on it's own. Auto was towed to applegate Chevrolet in flint, mi.

Driving the vehicle with my family in it on merrit parkway in CT 230 am on may 10 th car rpm start going up and making noises and felt like gear not shifting in few seconds later car all sudden on its own shifted to neutral as my speed 55-60 mph was during that moment. And screen on dash went blank dark . I was able to move to side of the road safe as possible . Road is only two lane and no room to park on side . Immediately turn hazards lights on and try to restart the car and vehicle will not turn on . State troopers came and assisted us till tow truck came and vehicle get towed to dealer.

See all problems of the 2025 GMC Yukon 🔎.

The vehicle keep jerking in and out of gear the issue almost made me crash due to the harsh conditions took to repair they stated this is a known problem. That is what worries me now.

See all problems of the 2018 GMC Yukon 🔎.

For the third time, my vehicle died on me while I was driving; 2 of those times were on the highway going highway speeds. The last (3rd) time, I was towing my travel trailer/RV on the highway. In all incidents, the engine stopped propelling the vehicle. I could see and hear the engine revving but I failed to accelerate. After various warnings on the dash, I was able to pull safely off the road and then the engine just stopped, and nothing else worked. It failed to restart. This could have been a potentially dangerous situation because had I not been able to safely pull over, I would have been rear-ended. My vehicle was not part of the l87 recall for the 6. 2l gm engines but the symptoms sound the same as those that were. The recall probably should have been expanded beyond the dates that gm originally included.

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.

Transmission valve body failed while driving on highway.

I am filing this formal complaint to report a series of catastrophic, life-threatening mechanical failures involving my 2023 GMC Yukon. This vehicle has become a weapon on the road, exhibiting erratic behaviors that nearly resulted in a multi-vehicle fatality on a high-speed highway. 1. High-speed power loss (highway failure while my wife was traveling at 60 mph in heavy highway traffic, the vehicle’s transmission spontaneously and without warning disengaged and shifted into neutral. This caused an immediate and total loss of motive power. In a split second, my wife was left piloting a 6,000-pound unpowered projectile in the middle of high-speed traffic. By the grace of god alone, she managed to navigate to the shoulder without being rear-ended. This is a clear "sudden loss of motive power" defect that poses an immediate threat to life. 2. Unintended directional movement (reverse shift) following a total engine replacement—a repair that took over 45 days—the vehicle has now developed a new, terrifying defect. While stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle spontaneously engaged in reverse. This unintended movement occurred without driver input, creating a high risk of pedestrian strikes and intersection collisions. 3. Systematic failure and dealer evasion the vehicle previously exhibited "ghost shifts" into park and neutral at low speeds. Despite my repeated warnings to the general motors service department, I was dismissed until the engine ultimately failed. Furthermore, the dealership has been inconsistent and evasive regarding the serial numbers of the replacement components, leading me to believe that unsafe or defective parts are being recycled into these vehicles. General motors is aware of these powertrain defects, yet they continue to allow these "death traps" to remain on the road. My family will not be the "crash test dummies" for gm’s manufacturing negligence.

My 2022 GMC Yukon xl with the 6. 2l l87 engine was previously subject to NHTSA recall 25v-274 / gm recall n252494000 for l87 engine loss of propulsion. The recall was closed by the dealer as “picoscope inspection — engine passed / update engine oil type,” with the oil/cap/filter remedy. The vehicle was later brought back to the dealer for engine noise/knocking, check-engine light, and engine oil light/oil warning concerns. The dealer has now confirmed that the dipstick was not picking up oil, the oil level was severely low, the oil condition was severely degraded, and abnormal engine noise was heard. My VIN also shows active gm special coverage n252494003 through 1/15/2032 or 150,027 miles. The dealer previously stated that the underlying picoscope pass data from the recall inspection is no longer available to the dealership after submission. This is not the first oil-related concern. During a prior service visit in September 2025, around the same time the l87 recall was completed, the dealer documented an engine oil low message and an upper oil pan leak causing the low-oil message. I am concerned the l87 engine may be failing after the recall remedy was previously marked complete, creating a risk of engine failure or loss of propulsion while driving. I am also concerned the current engine/oil/noise condition is being treated as customer-pay/out-of-warranty before the root cause is fully diagnosed or reviewed by gm under special coverage n252494003.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that on several occasions while stopped and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle reversed inadvertently and then jerked forward to accelerate. The contact added that the battery was drained but the failure was not the most important to report at this time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The issue reoccurred the same day. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

Ok so my first issues were with the vehicle stalling while driving in gear. Happened a few times intersections off-ramps etc…and the car would roll to a stop. Luckily no one killed. Again happened a few times. Went to dealer they “fixed”it. Then it happened a couple other times…scary shit…went to dealer then they“fixed” it again. Happened again I didnt bring it back. By this point I was carrying a 10 millimeter wrench in the glovebox to disconnect the battery so the body computer would reset. Car would start after cycling the power from the battery terminal. And those were my electrical problems …as far as mechanical problems I brought car in for the recall notice “ the pico test’ . Went for the recall oil change /test/per the recommendations. 300 miles later car engine failure at 70 miles an hour on route [xxx] south wife driving. She started crying doesn’t want anything to do with this car. Too many incidents… safety of my family at risk. Please help. Fyi I am a mechanic / car electrician [xxx] so could probably be much more descriptive if need be tow trucks ubers rental cars etc… shit show. Engine died April 16 so car has been at a dealer in [xxx] for 31days. I have dealer receipts and some play by play video of a few of the incidents information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle experienced unexpected gear shifting. The check engine warning light illuminated and then disappeared when the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact used a handheld diagnostic machine and retrieved dtc: p0747. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,000.

I am submitting a complaint regarding a serious engine failure in my 2022 GMC Yukon xl equipped with the 5. 3l engine (VIN: [xxx] ). The vehicle has experienced a complete failure of the lifters and camshaft. Prior to the failure, there were noticeable engine performance issues, including abnormal ticking noises, rough operation, and loss of power. The condition worsened rapidly, ultimately resulting in the engine becoming inoperable. This failure presents a significant safety concern, as the sudden loss of engine performance or power could occur while driving at speed, increasing the risk of a crash. The vehicle is currently not drivable and requires extensive engine repair or replacement. Given the severity of this issue and the potential safety risks, I am requesting that this complaint be formally investigated. I understand that similar issues have been reported in vehicles with this engine, and I believe this may indicate a broader defect affecting reliability and safety. Please let me know if any additional information or documentation is needed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My Yukon denali xl gm engine that was put in on 07/2022 has already failed. It failed as I was driving down highway at 65 mile per hour. It failed on 04/12/2025. I paid almost $7,000 to have my engine replace due to the original engine failing in early 2022. Now the engine that I paid thousands of dollars for has already failed and has no compression in cylinder 4. I have researched this and can see gm is currently in litigation over car owners reporting engine failure due to either liftors or cams. My car should be considered in this class action lawsuit against gm. It's wrong for a company to take so much money from owners and use an engine that gm knew had issues and was faulty to place it into my vehicle only to have it fail and now make my vehicle undriveable and I am told it's another $8,000 to repair it. Gm should address this issue with my vehicle and replace this engine that I had put in in 07/2022. Gm was aware of this engine problem with my model car Yukon. Gm knew this particular engine that they used in my vehicle on 07/22 (a gm engine) had the issue that gm is being sued for and sure enough the engine has now failed in my Yukon. Please hold gm accountable for this and include my car in this lawsuit.

See all problems of the 2011 GMC Yukon 🔎.

We were driving on 95s when the Yukon denali automatically shifted itself from d to n. On the dash it had a warning message to press start again. When my husband did that we could smell a smoke smell. Meanwhile, we are in the middle lane of the highway while trying to safely get off the middle of the interstate without being rear ended by the semi that was behind us. We finally made it to the side of the interstate where my husband was able to put the Yukon in park. He was never able to get the vehicle back in drive. The car would never click back over to start up again. We had to have the vehicle towed to the nearest GMC dealership where it has now been for almost 3 weeks with no timeline for a date of a new engine. I was told it needed a new engine and radiator. Said the alternator was trying to catch fire when he was trying to start the vehicle. This is the second time the Yukon has been in the dealership in 4 months for this recall issue. This time it is 2hrs away from my home.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle decelerated unintentionally and failed to accelerate above 35 mph. The vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact arrived at the residence and was able to coast into the driveway; however, the vehicle failed to drive forward or reverse. The check engine warning light was illuminated at the time of the failure, with the message “reduce acceleration - drive with care” displayed. The contact waited for a while and then attempted to move the vehicle, and the vehicle drove forward slowly, and while attempting to reverse(r), the engine revved abnormally but failed to respond. The gear shifter was shifted to drive, but the vehicle failed to respond, and the engine continued to rev until depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the part was on back order. The contact researched and associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 24v797000 (power train). The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 24v797000 (power train), and it opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon xl. The contact stated that while accelerating approximately 35 - 40 mph from a stoplight, the contact believed that the engine was going to seize. The message low power mode was displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle went into limp mode. The vehicle was immediately taken to the dealer, who retrieved dtc: p0700, p0776, and p1881. The contact researched and became aware of GMC recall number: n22382220; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

Nothing has happened yet. However, after only 308 miles… my 2026 denali is knocking and ticking very loud. Why? how is this possible? we’ve only had it 2 weeks! I have only driven it 5-6 times in the past 14-15 days, too worried that this might happen. But I was reassured by the dealership it wouldn’t. But here I am now. I am so disappointed. Being a disabled vet I thought we could have something that we both liked. Now I am upset because I feel betrayed and lied to. I did a video but it’s too large to upload so I can’t get it under 10mb.

Loss of power while driving on highway, would not speed up. Shaky driving. Appeared to go into limp mode. Dealer informed me that the transmission valve body will need to be replaced. No prior messages or alerts, check engine light came on after power loss.

While driving in traffic on a 2 lane road with small shoulders, the engine stopped, dash indicated automatic shift to neutral, restart vehicle. Vehicle coasted to a stop partially blocking the lane due to lack of shoulder and size of vehicle. Turned off ignition and attempted to restart. There was a click and the dashboard/electronics all went blank/off for several seconds then came back on. Attempted this 4 times with the same results. Called GMC roadside assistance for a tow to the dealership. The vehicle could not be shifted to neutral due to not being able to start. The tow driver had to forcefully pull the vehicle onto the flatbed with the vehicle still in park. I do not know what method was used to get the vehicle off the flatbed tow truck. Vehicle was partially blocking the roadway for an hour before the tow truck arrived leaving me vulnerable to a high speed crash. And leaving the tow operator open to an accident during the 30 minute loading upon diagnostic the dealer informed me the engine has seized/locked up. All recalls for loss of propulsion were completed at 48,711 miles on September 7, 2025 passing inspection and dealer performing an oil change to 0w40 oil. Engine failure was 3429 miles after the recall was performed with 52,140 miles. There was no warning or difference in driving characteristics prior to failure. There was not a loss of oil pressure prior to failure according to dash gauges.

The 2018 Yukon has been at the dealership several timeswaiting for a valve body for the transmission. There are valve body recalls for other year gm vehicles with the same transmission, but not for the 2018 model even though it appears to be the same part number. I don’t understand how this 2018 model apart of the recalls when it’s got the same issues as the newer ones. This is the second Yukon I’ve bought in the last seven years and the other one had the exact same issue.

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped at a red traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle stalled. The message "conditions not available to change gear" was displayed. The vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence. The contact stated that several days later, while pulling into a parking lot, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. The vehicle was restarted and was then towed to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.