2016 GMC Yukon Xl Problems

The OEM LED taillights can fail due to a manufacturing deficiency. A metal strip that connects the LED's to the cars taillight circuit develops a crack and interrupts current flow to the taillight LED's. The above is common knowledge to the car community and is searchable on line. Concerns: 1) If both taillights are failed at the same time the vehicle doesn't have any of the required visible markings, especially at night. 2) From an economic point of view, unlike vehicles that use incandescent light bulbs that are easily replaced when burnt out, these LED light assemblies have to be completely replaced to the cost of several hundred dollars plus labor which could/will lead to the neglecting of this repair because of the economics. 3) Unlike incandescent bulbs, LED's are should last much longer to the point of outlasting the life of the vehicle. This isn't the case when there is a manufacturing defect. In my case on 10/21/21 the defective taillight assemblies was replace under a defective taillight extended warranty agreement. I requested to have both replaced because of the odds of the second one failing. They refused. So when the opposite side assembly failed recently i was out of the extended warrant date resulting in a cost to me of $392.88 labor included. In conclusion, The well documented failure of the above taillight assemblies leads to vehicles being non conforming to FMVSS.

There is a special policy to replace faulty tail lamps. However, the policy is only extended through 72,000 miles or 5 years which is ridiculous, and should be a recall. I had my drivers side tail lamp replaced in February 2022 because it was not working. I wasn’t aware of the mileage and year restrictions at that time. Fast forward to today, I have my passenger side tail lamp intermittently working. Now out of the specific time frame, I’m left to encounter this expense out of my own pocket. Clearly GM is aware of the problem, but has not issued a recall on the tail lamp issue. It’s not just a burned out brake light, but apparently an electrical issue with the way they were initially wired. This is a very dangerous situation, as I have no idea if and when my brake light is out. God forbid if they were to go out and I were to be rear ended due to GMs lack of taking responsibility.

I have repair the trailer brake system warning light prior. Now again this faulty wiring module is constantly dinging and flashing warning messages while driving. It's very distracting and irrelevant considering I not towing anything. It covers the speedometer and is a complete nuisance.

Driving back from Las Vegas for a family trip, traffic was heavy, a lot of stop-and go. I started to feel the brakes delay to stop. After a few minutes I was able to pick up a little speed and again traffic was built up. This time the brakes failed and got stiff. I had to slam on the brakes and practically stand up on the brakes in order for the car to stop. I barely avoided wrecking into the car in front of me. I was a few hours away from home and had to drive all the way with this problem. When I got home I took it in to the nearest dealer shop to get the brakes checked . I looked online and found out about the recall on the brakes.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 8L90 8 SPEED TRANSMISSION. 93,000 MILES.

My vehicle has been in 16 times since I bought it the most recent incident is for the engine which started about six months ago. It’s been in since then for other issues concurrently with this one it hesitates like it’s getting stuck in sand before it wants to go first the mechanic told me he didn’t sense it but the thermostat was stuck open so they fix that. Second time it went in they thought it was some sort of a filter and some other components I’m not sure. Again it was not fixed then my son and I were out in Minnesota freezing cold night in November and go and drive and then when again it was the drive train this time that got fixed a month ago about a week ago it starts making a noise like there’s too much snow in the tires. I get my car washed every few days but I got it washed again and that didn’t fix it so it’s in the shop again and I’m paying for a rental again. I have the Walser guard thank the Lord because it’s paid for itself about 15 times over. I’ve gotten two transmissions, an air conditioner, two sensors the arm that other people have complained about I don’t know exactly the name of it the trailer component that you plug into also blew out my seven way and I had to have my seven way wire fixed so I’m nervous about plugging that back in. My dad passed away and I spent $70,000 of my inheritance by this car. I should’ve flushed it down a toilet instead. Everybody makes fun at work that this car is literally gonna kill my kids and I because every other day it feels like we’re stuck on the side of the road.

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

The car started to have issues shifting when driving- automatic transmission. It would jolt or shudder to try to shift. I was at a light intersection attempting to turn left to go on the on ramp of a highway, it attempted to shift as I sped up from a stop and it got stuck and started making a sound as if you were to press the brake and gas at the same time, similar to that, a car was coming in my direction at the same time and it finally clicked into gear. Absolutely terrified me, my father in law came and switched me vehicles and took mine to the dealership where it stayed for 3 days and they diagnosed it saying it needed a new transmission, quoting us at $11,000. Obviously we can’t afford that. We had all the filters and lines of the transmission cleaned. And now it’s just gotten worse and worse. That was the first time it happened. Now it’ll shudder like that any time it’s switching gears at any speed. Another time since then, it got stuck in the same situation after pulling out of my kids school driveway, it got stuck and wouldn’t click, when it finally did it started shaking uncontrollably in the street and thankfully I live two streets over and made it to my street before it just shut off on its own. I coasted it right into the front of our house and then it would not come back on, at this time we searched the internet over and over to find try to find an easy fix. We let it sit before it came back on. This is our family vehicle. I’ve seen that many many people have this exact issue with this exact same year and model. Its not coincidental and It’s extremely unsafe. Especially with kids in these vehicles. I’m terrified one day when it gets stuck or shuts off we will get hit.

My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.

I am submitting this complaint to report what I believe to be a serious and systemic safety defect involving GM 6.2L engines equipped with fuel efficiency systems such as Active Fuel Management (AFM) or Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM). I have experienced catastrophic engine failure in two separate GMC Yukon Denali vehicles with nearly identical symptoms, which strongly suggests a broader design defect rather than isolated mechanical issues. My first vehicle, a 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL, developed significant engine performance problems consistent with known lifter and camshaft failures widely reported in GM vehicles using these fuel efficiency systems. Due to ongoing reliability concerns and the financial burden of potential repair, I was forced to trade this vehicle at a loss. My second vehicle, a 2016 GMC Yukon Denali XL equipped with the same engine platform, suffered sudden and catastrophic engine failure in February 2026. This failure occurred abruptly and without meaningful prior warning, rendering the vehicle inoperable and creating a potentially hazardous situation. Sudden engine failure of this nature presents a significant safety risk, particularly if it occurs at highway speeds or in heavy traffic. An oil service had been performed on this vehicle in December 2025 at a Jiffy Lube franchise. After the failure, an independent service provider documented that the oil fill cap had been left loose. However, the Jiffy Lube franchise and its insurance carrier have denied responsibility, asserting that the engine failure is attributable to known defects and reliability issues associated with GM’s fuel efficiency engine systems. As a result, both the manufacturer and the service provider are denying responsibility for a catastrophic mechanical failure that has serious safety implications. This leaves consumers exposed to sudden engine failure risk with no meaningful recourse. Based on my direct experience with two separate vehicles exhibiting similar catastroph

My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.

I was test driving the vehicle after some and as I was test, driving it, the steering lot up on me. Luckily, I was entering a residential area when it occurred down the street from my residency; in which I was able to drive it to my residency, during that short ride, you could smell a burning smell coming out along with some crackling noises. I had to get the vehicle towed a week later to the mechanic shop where they fix one of my engine problems and verified that I needed a new power steering unit and gave me a quote, I couldn’t afford the word and started doing research and came across the recall for the power steering within my vehicle year, make and model. I replaced the power steering unit, but I’m having a difficult time celebrating the system..

The contact called on behalf of his client who owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while the owner was driving 30 mph, the vehicle became unstable and began bouncing. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to drive to his independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with needing the suspension struts to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer and was informed the parts were not available. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The contact also called Champion Chevrolet (800 Kietzke Ln, Reno, NV 89502: (775) 786-3111) and made them aware of the failure and was informed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,116.

I ASKED MY MECHANIC TO CHECK THE ROUGH RIDE ON MY TRUCK WHEN HE SERVICED THE VEHICLE. HE SAID THE FRONT STRUTS WERE LOCKING UP AND I SHOULD TAKE IT TO MY DEALER. MY DEALER SAID THEY WERE LOCKED UP AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE STRUTS FOR APPROX. $2000. THEY SAY THEY HAVEN'T HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM BUT THEY HAVE THEM IN STOCK AND THEY OFFER A LIFETIME WARRANTY. THE TRUCK HAS VIRTUALLY NO FRONT SUSPENSION AND WHEN CHECKING DIFFERENT BLOGS ON LINE THERE APPEAR TO BE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUTS LOCKING UP. WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE RIDE IS AS IF THERE WAS NO SUSPENSION. TRUCK HAS 52,000 MILES AND I'VE NEVER REPLACED SHOCKS (OR STRUTS) WITH THAT KIND OF MILEAGE. IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE BY THE DAY. I THINK GM HAS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE STRUTS AND I THINK IT'S DANGEROUS WITHOUT SUSPENSION MOVEMENT.

The paint delaminated from the clear coat in certain locations (mainly hood and roof) although the vehicle body has been well maintained. This has caused a foggy scratched appearance to the affected areas where the rest of the car looks great. This problem is well known across many GM vehicles in the 2015-2019 range and has led to significantly decreased value of the vehicle itself

After sitting outside over night, the back door latch failed. No lights came on ahead of time and there was no other warnings on the dash. There were 22 boxes of flooring in the trunk. I made it 1.3 miles down the road at a low speed. After sitting at a stop light I turned left and accelerated to 45mph. The hatch opened and the boxes of flooring began falling out and onto the road. Each box weighed approximately 35 lbs. Luckily there was no one directly behind me and they mostly hit a trailer I was pulling. Other than the flooring there doesn't appear to be any further damage. I suspect there was ice in the latch, but that's just a guess.

My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.

I was test driving the vehicle after some and as I was test, driving it, the steering lot up on me. Luckily, I was entering a residential area when it occurred down the street from my residency; in which I was able to drive it to my residency, during that short ride, you could smell a burning smell coming out along with some crackling noises. I had to get the vehicle towed a week later to the mechanic shop where they fix one of my engine problems and verified that I needed a new power steering unit and gave me a quote, I couldn’t afford the word and started doing research and came across the recall for the power steering within my vehicle year, make and model. I replaced the power steering unit, but I’m having a difficult time celebrating the system..

My vehicle has been in 16 times since I bought it the most recent incident is for the engine which started about six months ago. It’s been in since then for other issues concurrently with this one it hesitates like it’s getting stuck in sand before it wants to go first the mechanic told me he didn’t sense it but the thermostat was stuck open so they fix that. Second time it went in they thought it was some sort of a filter and some other components I’m not sure. Again it was not fixed then my son and I were out in Minnesota freezing cold night in November and go and drive and then when again it was the drive train this time that got fixed a month ago about a week ago it starts making a noise like there’s too much snow in the tires. I get my car washed every few days but I got it washed again and that didn’t fix it so it’s in the shop again and I’m paying for a rental again. I have the Walser guard thank the Lord because it’s paid for itself about 15 times over. I’ve gotten two transmissions, an air conditioner, two sensors the arm that other people have complained about I don’t know exactly the name of it the trailer component that you plug into also blew out my seven way and I had to have my seven way wire fixed so I’m nervous about plugging that back in. My dad passed away and I spent $70,000 of my inheritance by this car. I should’ve flushed it down a toilet instead. Everybody makes fun at work that this car is literally gonna kill my kids and I because every other day it feels like we’re stuck on the side of the road.

There is a hesitation when trying to accelerate. The car will then slam forward and there is a rattling noise that the car also makes. This has almost caused accidents. I was driving in town which is where I do most of my driving.

The contact's husband owns a 2016 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving 20-30 MPH, the message "Service Air Bag" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was then taken to a second dealer, Beck & Masten Buick GMC South (12820 Gulf Fwy, Houston, TX 77034) to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC YUKON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THERE WAS A DELAY FOR THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED WAS AWAITING AN INSPECTION BY A MANUFACTURER FIELD INSPECTOR. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER AN UNKNOWN BRAKE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,600. *DT

After my child had thrown up all over the car seat her father had taken her inside to clean up and I took the car seat apart to throw the pieces into the washer to clean them. The harness strap did not come out fully clean so I contacted Graco for a replacement piece and I was told that they don’t replace those and that the strap being removed totaled my car seat. It has a woven material tab that goes up through the hard plastic base and locks in by opening itself. It’s essentially a T in the material so it can be folded to go back through the hard plastic base. I was told that since the manual doesn’t provide instructions regarding that piece that I should know it’s not to be removed. No where in the manual, on the car seat or on the strap says it’s not to be removed. I did not damage/break/cut any pieces to get it in or out of the car seat. I was a mom in a panic trying to clean the car seat as quickly as possible so I could tend to my sick child. There were no warning signs telling me anywhere not to remove it. I don’t want other parents to do what I did and have a totaled car seat that they continue to use. I did not have the manual at the time of removing the pieces for cleaning but I have since located the PDF and read through all 96 pages.

Chest clip does not remain clipped. It releases without pressing the release buttons.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger's side seat belt inadvertently tightened around her daughter's stomach. The contact's daughter pressed the seat belt button and unlatched the seat belt; however, she was unable to remove the seat belt because it seized around her stomach. The contact had to cut the rear passenger's side seat belt to release her daughter. The contact's daughter sustained marks on her stomach from the seat belt, but no medical attention was received. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was offered a discount on the replacement of the rear passenger's side seat belt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

BRAKES GET VERY HARD TO PUSH AND DO NOT WORK WELL WHEN GOING SLOW SPEEDS OR BACKING UP. UNABLE TO EVEN FIX AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PART IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER! SO I'M STUCK TRYING NOT TO CRASH WITH FAULTY VACUUM BRAKE PART! LEFT REAR SEAT MOTOR WORKS, BUT SMALL PLASTIC PART BROKE SO SEAT WORN MOVE AND IS STUCK IN ONE POSITION.