2023 GMC Yukon Xl Brakes Problems

I got into my car to run some errands. As I drove away from my house, I made a left turn downhill. I noticed vehicles ahead, so I began to slow down. At that moment, I was driving between 20 and 25 mph. When I tried to brake, my brakes failed and started flashing a brake failure warning light. I kept pumping the brake pedal, and eventually, the car slowed down and came to a stop. I turned on my hazard lights, and immediately returned home. My nephew and I were both in the car. Our live flashed in front of us. Thankfully, there were no vehicles directly in front of me or pedestrians. This could have turned out to be the worst day of my life if anyone had been injured.

NHTSA ID

11754196

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

2023 Yukon Denali XL 6.2l: GM oil change recall performed (October 2025) and GMC dealership noted no issues. Prior to recall oil change, at aprox 5k miles interval (45K total miles), check engine oil light on dash and was over 1 quart low. Next oil change at aprox 50K miles, no check engine light came on, but certified mechanic drained and measure oil level, 1.5 quarts low. Engine often sounds odd at cold start, ticking sound. Now an oil change is $100 more, due to special oil, but not compensated for extra cost. Brake calibers failed. February 2026, engine light on, then off, then hood latch dash light warning now on and off. Huge safety concerns with the 2023 GMC Yukon 6.2L.

NHTSA ID

11718440

Incident

Oct 15, 2025

Catastrophic brake system failure. When leaving my home in Baltimore County, MD, at approx. 10:00am on February 3rd, my vehicle started up normally. As I descended down a hill in our neighborhood the brake system failed and the vehicle would not stop. By standing on the brake pedal I slowed enough to put the vehicle in park as I entered an intersection with the main road. I have since learned this is the 3rd GMC Yukon (years 2023-2024) that has had the same brake failure in 24 hours in our community.

NHTSA ID

11715252

Incident

Feb 3, 2026

tThe dealer ship refused even talk to me

NHTSA ID

11701352

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the message "You Have no Brakes - Do Not Drive Over 40 MPH" was displayed. The contact allowed the vehicle to roll to a stop. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact parked the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had not caused an accident because the contact was driving early in the morning and there was less traffic on the road. The contact stated that her husband started the vehicle later in the day, and the warning lights were off. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that several DTCs were retrieved, including a DTC for brake failure; however, the flow chart from the manufacturer instructed to first replace the battery and then reset the codes. The dealer replaced the battery, reset the codes and test-drove the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired and returned to the contact. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and supported the dealer's assessment. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11699346

Incident

Nov 3, 2025

Mileage

70,000 mi

My vehicle’s engine failed for the second time while driving on the road. The first time a few months ago while my wife was driving. The engine failed and brakes failed. Fortunately she was on a back road a coasted to a stop. Car was towed to dealership. They said there was no problem. Received recall letter about a month ago outlining this issue. Yesterday, [XXX], I was driving with my daughter and the car stopped again while driving. I was in traffic and narrowly missed an accident. Gwinnett county police came to the scene and towed the vehicle to the dealership. I am not sure if the female officer made a report. But she requested the tow truck because I was blocking traffic. We often drive on the highway for work commutes. This could have happened and anyone in my family could have been fatally injured. I would like GMC purchase this vehicle back or replace with a safer model comparable or better. The service department called me this morning from Jim Ellis GMC in Buford, Georgia 678-902-8677, 3600 Buford Drive 30519.I was told that there is no recall for my truck. He told me that there is a safety investigation for a recall. I told him I can bring the letter. He decline. I asked for a courtesy vehicle. He said no, he would have to make a report and it would be up to 48 hours. Once it’s reviewed , then I could go to enterprise car rental to pick up a car. Maybe. The first time Rick Hendrick GMC Duluth , Ga 470-822-3779, 3344 Commerce Ave, Duluth, ga had my truck for about 2 weeks. No fix. No courtesy vehicle or rental. Now I’m without my vehicle for unlimited time. The Jim Elis tech, did acknowledge that there is no fix for what is going on. The local GMC dealers are not making this easy or putting the safety of its customers as a priority. These trucks are NOT safe on the road. This truck cost nearly $100,000 and it is not safe to drive.GMC has a record of the 1st service incident and this latest just happened yesterday. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(

NHTSA ID

11676562

Incident

Jul 27, 2025

I was driving on a highway with my [XXX] son and 2 dogs when without any warning the vehicle just stopped and completely went dead. I was unable to turn on the hazards so I called 911, the police came within minutes and surrounded the vehicle to keep us from being crashed into. The brakes failed to work, the hazard lights would not work, the doors would not open other than the driver door. The police had to help remove my child and 2 dogs from the vehicle through the driver door. The vehicle could not be put into neutral so the police had to tow the vehicle from the middle of the highway. The result could have been deadly. The vehicle was completely dead with absolutely no function. After the police towed it to the police tow facility it was then towed to the GMC dealership I purchased the vehicle from. The dealership is Jim Curly GMC in Keyport NJ. The dealership has had the vehicle since Saturday and is claiming to not know what is wrong with the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11660670

Incident

May 10, 2025

Good afternoon. Our rental car we picked up from the Denver International Airport on [XXX] had numerous incidents of emergent braking at highway and non highway speeds which were reported to Sixt ( car rental) and documented on the dates in which they occurred, [XXX] (7-8 occurrences ) and [XXX] (3 occurrences-2 after a car wash). On the day in which the first occurrences happened, the car rental company representative from Sixt, 3way connected me with a mechanic from Annex who advised washing the vehicle to ensure the sensors were clean. I did proceed to wash the vehicle on 1.25.25. This same company, Annex Automotive, then evaluated the vehicle on 1.29.25 after emergency breaking occurrences continued of which [XXX] was the worst. On [XXX] there were no vehicles in front of or behind us nor to the sides of us and the roads were completely clear. It was also dark out. Attached you will find evaluation with validation there is a mechanical concern with the vehicle. On [XXX] the extremely unsafe occurrence of emergent braking occurred with skidding tires and the doors locking and unlocking at the same time occurred. This vehicle was completely unsafe to drive. I, as well as my passengers/family, are very lucky the road conditions were moderate on [XXX] and clear on [XXX], or these emergency Breaking issues could have caused a serious accident. There were a total of five of us in the vehicle when all of these occurred. I am from Minnesota and have a Yukon XL so I am comfortable with this vehicle This was the scariest vehicle experience I have ever encountered. The company did tow the vehicle on 1.29.25. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11654579

Incident

Jan 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH coming to an intersection and attempting to apply the brakes, the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The message brake system failure and speed limited to 62 MPH were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle continued and drove through the intersection. The parking brake failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle ended up stopping in a ditch and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the battery terminal had detached, causing 20 different modules to fail. The battery cable was tightened. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case for a possible buyback. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 25,100.

NHTSA ID

11633323

Incident

Dec 17, 2024

Mileage

25,100 mi

Urgent Appeal for Investigation into Braking Capacity Discrepancy Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),I am reaching out to bring a critical matter to your attention regarding the braking capacity of my diesel vehicle, which has not been adequately addressed despite multiple notifications to the service center.The primary concern I wish to highlight is the inadequate braking capacity of my diesel vehicle, which poses a significant safety risk. This concern is especially troubling when compared to my similar gas-fueled vehicle from the same manufacturer, which exhibits notably superior braking performance. After discussing this matter with the service center, their response was that the braking performance is considered normal for my diesel vehicle. However, the evident disparity in braking effectiveness between my diesel vehicle and the gas-fueled one suggests otherwise. This difference is particularly concerning given that both vehicles utilize the same brake system, despite the diesel vehicle's higher weight. In light of these circumstances, I urgently request NHTSA's intervention to investigate this matter promptly. The inadequate braking capacity of my diesel vehicle presents a tangible risk to road safety, affecting not only myself but potentially all drivers on the road.It is crucial that corrective measures are taken swiftly to address this issue and ensure the safety of all drivers. Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.Thank you for your immediate action.

NHTSA ID

11581369

Incident

Apr 5, 2024