2021 GMC Yukon Xl Owner Complaints

Burning oil too much too fast oil all over motor and engine and white smoke inside the car all records are with GMC DEALER

NHTSA ID

11752184

Incident

Nov 14, 2024

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)

NHTSA ID

11751598

Incident

Jul 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the check engine warning light started blinking. The contact pulled over and became aware that the vehicle was shaking. The vehicle was turned off and restarted; however, the failure persisted, with smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); but the repair failed to fix the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the camshaft needed to be replaced and that cylinder #8 was damaged and had detached. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 116,204.

NHTSA ID

11749993

Incident

Jun 29, 2026

Mileage

116,204 mi

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”

NHTSA ID

11748742

Incident

Jun 28, 2026

The infotainment screen on my 2021 GMC Yukon was previously replaced at the GMC dealership, and this will be my second replacement. It has now cracked even though there was only very light contact. This doesn’t seem like normal wear and tear. I’d really appreciate it if the screen could be inspected, as I suspect there might be a manufacturing issue with these screens. I’m quite concerned about this problem because it almost caused injury to my six-year-old. Please understand my worries, I’m sure many other parents are facing similar concerns with these screens. The cracked glass can be dangerous, especially for families with children.

NHTSA ID

11748320

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11748113

Incident

Jun 26, 2026

My 2021 GMC Yukon XL recently suffered a failure of its fuel pump control module. This occurred at just 44,000 miles, mere weeks after my manufacturer warranty expired in June of 2026. This issue goes far beyond a financial inconvenience or a matter of consumer reimbursement; it is a severe, life-threatening safety hazard that GM has failed to permanently resolve. My Experience: Sudden Power Loss While Towing The gravity of this part failure became clear during a recent drive. I configuration-matched this vehicle—a heavy-duty Yukon XL with a 6.2L engine and a 4x4 towing package—specifically for its capacity to safely haul heavy loads. While traveling with a trailer attached, the vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of engine power. Without warning, the engine sputtered and died. Had this occurred on a steep incline, a blind curve, or in heavy highway traffic, a catastrophic multi-vehicle collision would have been entirely unavoidable. Critical Safety Hazards and Concerns •Inability to Maintain Speed, Loss of Vital Assist Systems, & Compounded Towing Risks Systemic Failure and Inadequate Remediation What makes this situation entirely unacceptable is that this specific vehicle was already subject to previous GM safety campaigns regarding this exact component (including Safety Recall #N212332040 and subsequent Emission Recall #N252516900). GM is fully aware that their supplier produced defective modules that are prone to premature internal short-circuits. Yet, their remediation strategy has been entirely inadequate. By managing this through piecemeal, phased rollouts and limited VIN inclusion lists, they are leaving dangerous vehicles on the road until the point of failure. Drivers are effectively acting as crash test dummies, waiting for their engines to die in dangerous environments before GM acknowledges that their specific VIN was fitted with the defective supplier part.

NHTSA ID

11748033

Incident

Jun 28, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11747701

Incident

Jun 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine stalled and the vehicle failed to start. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the fuel pump power control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V739000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. 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 59,000.

NHTSA ID

11744517

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

Mileage

59,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11743664

Incident

Jun 11, 2026

While I was driving home from the grocery store with my 4 kids our 2021 GMC Yukon XL (5.3L V8 engine), the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic mechanical engine failure without warning. The engine began violently shaking, lost major propulsion, and dropped into a severe misfire state when we were coming down the highway. This created an immediate safety hazard on the road, as I suddenly lost the ability to safely accelerate or maintain highway speeds while hauling my children.A certified technician diagnosed the issue as a complete failure of the active fuel management hydraulic valve lifters and bent pushrods, a known manufacturing defect explicitly documented in GM Technical Service Bulletin PIP5776F. The internal failure required a total engine teardown and valvetrain replacement, costing over $10,000 out of pocket.General Motors has failed to issue a safety recall for this specific 5.3L valvetrain defect, despite it causing unexpected engine stalls, severe power loss, and immediate traffic hazards for drivers. This defective component poses an ongoing safety risk to families and should be upgraded to a mandatory safety recall. I am afraid to drive it every time I get on the highway in fear it could shut down again.

NHTSA ID

11742514

Incident

Jan 22, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a routine oil change. While driving, the oil low light illuminated. The vehicle was burning an excessive amount of oil. The local dealer was contacted again, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.

NHTSA ID

11740801

Incident

Jun 14, 2025

Mileage

149,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11739769

Incident

Apr 28, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11738252

Incident

May 5, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11737062

Incident

Apr 28, 2026

The vehicle has experienced recurring suspension, drivability, and pulling issues associated with the 4-corner air ride leveling suspension system since early ownership. The first major incident occurred at approximately 4,600 miles when the vehicle displayed suspension warnings and would not accelerate properly past highway speeds. Since that time, the vehicle has repeatedly experienced pulling during acceleration, unstable ride behavior, suspension/leveling concerns, alignment-related issues, and drivability instability. The problem has been reproduced multiple times and documented through approximately 16 repair visits and roughly 74 cumulative days out of service. Dealership service records include repeated suspension inspections, drivability evaluations, wheel alignments, and related repair attempts. The issue remains unresolved and the vehicle is currently back in service again for the same concern. The recurring pulling and instability create safety concerns because the vehicle does not consistently track properly during acceleration and normal driving conditions. Suspension warning messages and drivability symptoms first appeared early in ownership while the vehicle was still under factory warranty. I have also found many similar owner complaints online involving the same suspension system in comparable GM full-size SUV models.

NHTSA ID

11736686

Incident

May 4, 2026

*gas tank had become partially dislodged from the undercarriage. *Entire family was in vehicle at time of incident, including three small children. The safety of an entire family along with any others that may have been on the road, if the car would have combusted due to the gas tank which had just been filled to capacity. *vehicle has been at Mark Christopher GM dealership for over one month. *dealership service dept claims someone tried to steal gas tank. *Mercury insurance company claims mechanical failure. *No warning given from vehicle. We heard a dragging noise while we were driving, pulled over as soon as possible. Upon inspection, it was observed that fuel tank had begun to leak fuel from dragging on the freeway.

NHTSA ID

11736218

Incident

Apr 3, 2026

The forward collission system continues to perform phantom braking while driving in traffic resulting in near rear end collisions. The GMC dealer refuses to fix it without charging me for more diagnostic work, which has already been done twice. What is my recourse?

NHTSA ID

11735981

Incident

Mar 11, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11735751

Incident

Apr 18, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11735606

Incident

Apr 23, 2026

Without any warning, the V8 L87 6.2 liter engine suddenly seized up, began shaking with significant reduced power. I was fortunate that I could drive slowly to safety and was not on the expressway. In my research, I understand this is related to a design/manufacturing issue with the connecting rods and crankshafts in this type of engine. As I investigated the issue, I found that 600,000 vehicles were recalled with the recall either completely replacing the engine or upgrading the oil type from standard to a thicker, higher-viscosity 0W-40 full synthetic to provide better protection under high stress, along with a new oil cap and filter. In our case, we were directed to change the oil and even with that change, we experienced this dangerous engine failure which cost us $12K ! For that cost of repair, we elected to have the engine replaced for about $1K more to get a 100K mile warranty on the engine. However, our additional concern with the replacement engine is they gave us a remanufactured version of the L87 and we have not found confirmation that they have adequately addressed the design/manufacturing flaws so may be vulnerable to the same seizing issue. We appreciate your attention to this widespread GM issue.

NHTSA ID

11734972

Incident

Mar 23, 2026

When turning on the car, a message pops up on the dash and will not go away. Dashboard says “ service safety restraint system”

NHTSA ID

11734931

Incident

Apr 30, 2026

On April 20th, 2025 while accelerating from a stop light, my vehicle (2021 GMC Yukon Denali XL, 6.2L V8) started making a ticking noise and the service engine light started flashing. I was within a few minutes of my house and limped my vehicle home. The next morning, I started it and it exhibited the same symptoms. I called my local GMC Dealer, Wright Buick GMC, and was advised to have the vehicle towed to them. It was towed to the dealership and within a few days I was advised that the engine needed replaced. I had heard a story that there was a pending recall, so I had hoped that this would resolve itself without a bill to me. unfortunately I was advised that there was no actual outcome on how to handle recalls, so if I wanted my vehicle back, I would have to pay the $11K for replacement as I was outside of my power train warranty (I had roughly 73,000 miles on my car). I have hoped for some resolution to include my vehicle in this recall but I have not yet received any word from GMC.

NHTSA ID

11733913

Incident

Apr 20, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11731590

Incident

Apr 12, 2026

The vehicle experienced a major engine failure involving the 6.2L engine. The failure appeared sudden and premature and is not consistent with normal wear and tear for a vehicle of this type. Prior to the failure, there were intermittent performance concerns and warning indicators suggesting potential engine or drivetrain issues. The vehicle had previously undergone repair related to similar concerns, indicating a possible recurring problem. The failure created a potential safety risk due to the possibility of loss of power while driving, which could increase the risk of an accident, especially at highway speeds or in traffic. The issue has been confirmed by a service provider, and the vehicle requires significant repair. General Motors has been notified but has declined repair assistance, classifying the issue as wear and tear. While no active recall is currently associated with this specific vehicle, similar vehicles with the same engine platform have documented issues, raising concerns about reliability and safety. The failed components are available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11731580

Incident

Feb 12, 2026