2023 GMC Yukon Xl Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2023 GMC Yukon Xl, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine16652.5%
- Powertrain (other)4012.7%
- Electrical3611.4%
- Fuel system216.6%
- Driver assistance175.4%
- Brakes103.2%
- Visibility82.5%
- Steering41.3%
- Body & structure30.9%
- Interior & seats20.6%
- Airbags20.6%
- Exterior lighting20.6%
- Other / unspecified20.6%
- Suspension20.6%
- Seat belts10.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving the car, I was stopping at a stop light and the engine turned off and stopped moving. The check engine light came on and said low oil pressure, turn car off. Code P0016 was sent to my email stating to get car fixed immediately. I could no longer turn my car on or move it. Car was towed to dealer and they confirmed that engine is locked and will be replaced.
At around 7pm on Sunday October 18th I was driving on an interstate at about 80mph in the far left lane (of 3 Lanes) when, without any warning whatsoever, the engine power completely shutoff and the car went into neutral. The dash screen said to start the engine due to no power or low battery. I hit the start button and all the lights including all controls, blinkers, dash lights shut off. So with no blinkers, no lights, no power brakes, no power steering we were coasting in the fast lane of a usually unsafe stretch of an interstate at night. Luckily, I was able to navigate without any power to the right shoulder (lucky this was a stretch that had a shoulder) and coast to a stop. I had my wife and 4 kids in the car with me. The car was dead and said the engine battery was low. When the engine start button was pushed nothing happened, car was dead with no heat. We called onstar and requested a tow and were able to order a Lyft ride for my wife and 4 kids. The Lyft driver came to pick them up on the adjacent frontage road and they had to run across the grass median to get into that car, there was no other option to get them off of the unsafe shoulder. I stayed with the car with no power while cars and 18 wheelers speed by me while sitting on the shoulder without any lights or flashers. A highway patrol officer pulled up behind me and when he tried to open the passenger door he was unable to . I was LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR! Luckily the door unlock eventually worked and the door opened. The Patrol office stayed behind me on the shoulder of the interstate while we waited for a tow truck since it was such an unsafe situation. Due to the vehicle not being able to be put into neutral or any gear, it required a specific type of tow truck that was hard to find on a Sunday evening. It was towed to a dealer and diagnosis is catastrophic engine failure with full engine seize. Needs a full engine replacement. Assuming this is part of the massive recall on 6.2L V8 engines. SCARY!
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
My vehicle 2023 gmc yukon xl with 5.3 , I have about 145000 miles on my suv. This vehicle have known defect in valve body and transmission, its same as 2021-2022 models ( GM Special Coverage N242454441 ) gm has acknowledged and doing special coverage for those years , last night I was on highway speed and got harsh shifts and I recieved errors on my screen something saying limp mode , and check engine light , I had to immediately pull over and I scan the code ( I had obd scanner in car ) I got 2 coded p0700 and p0747 , both for transmission and upon checking this is known issue for valve body and transmission, gm dealer has refused a special coverage on my vehicle and said this isn't covered repair , all of the sudden going in limp mode on highway put me and others life in danger I could have been rear ended while moving to pull over.
The car suddenly started bucking while driving on I95 at about 75 miles per hour. We were able to coast off highway and when finally towed to a dealership we were told we needed a new engine. The vehicle at the time had about 57,300 miles. It was very scary to be on a dangerous highway with tractor trailers speeding past and have NO control over the vehicle.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
At around 7pm on Sunday October 18th I was driving on an interstate at about 80mph in the far left lane (of 3 Lanes) when, without any warning whatsoever, the engine power completely shutoff and the car went into neutral. The dash screen said to start the engine due to no power or low battery. I hit the start button and all the lights including all controls, blinkers, dash lights shut off. So with no blinkers, no lights, no power brakes, no power steering we were coasting in the fast lane of a usually unsafe stretch of an interstate at night. Luckily, I was able to navigate without any power to the right shoulder (lucky this was a stretch that had a shoulder) and coast to a stop. I had my wife and 4 kids in the car with me. The car was dead and said the engine battery was low. When the engine start button was pushed nothing happened, car was dead with no heat. We called onstar and requested a tow and were able to order a Lyft ride for my wife and 4 kids. The Lyft driver came to pick them up on the adjacent frontage road and they had to run across the grass median to get into that car, there was no other option to get them off of the unsafe shoulder. I stayed with the car with no power while cars and 18 wheelers speed by me while sitting on the shoulder without any lights or flashers. A highway patrol officer pulled up behind me and when he tried to open the passenger door he was unable to . I was LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR! Luckily the door unlock eventually worked and the door opened. The Patrol office stayed behind me on the shoulder of the interstate while we waited for a tow truck since it was such an unsafe situation. Due to the vehicle not being able to be put into neutral or any gear, it required a specific type of tow truck that was hard to find on a Sunday evening. It was towed to a dealer and diagnosis is catastrophic engine failure with full engine seize. Needs a full engine replacement. Assuming this is part of the massive recall on 6.2L V8 engines. SCARY!
I was Driving down the interstate when the RPMS on my car increased and my car started to shutter. I went to get off the roadway and it put itself into neutral and lowered my speed. when i got On the shoulder it stalled and would not turn back on. I had To be towed. To this point, my car has been in the shop for over a week with no solution.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The engine of this car failed at high speeds on [XXX], in [XXX], at 40,000 miles. GMC claimed the lifters in the 3rd cylinder failed and they were replaced under warranty. The lifters in the 3rd cylinder failed again, at high speeds on [XXX], at 77,000 miles. GMC claimed the lifters and crank shaft needed to be replaced. After paying for the repair and getting the car back, the engine locked up and failed within 30 miles of being fixed at 77,000 miles. Prior to these issues, there were no warnings and no symptoms. The car supposedly was not included in the engine recall by GMC. Two of the three incidents happened at speeds of 75 mph, the third occurred on a highway and speed of 55 mph. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle passed previous recall for engine defect related to complete engine failure, GM switched oil viscosity. Recall performed 10-16-25. Complete engine failure diagnosed at dealer 9-4-26, related to exact malfunction that sparked recall.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
On November 3, 2026 at the interception of E Edgewood Dr and N Friendswood Dr, at a stoplight. Yukon XL has approximately 73K miles. There were no injuries and no police were called. I was operating my 2023 GMC Yukon XL using the adaptive cruise control system. While approaching a traffic light, the vehicle came to a complete stop as expected. While stopped at the red light, the vehicle unexpectedly began moving forward without my intention, resulting in a collision with the vehicle directly in front of me. The collision caused front-end damage to my vehicle. No airbags deployed. Following the incident, the cruise control system became unavailable and would no longer allow me to activate it.
On August 17th, 2026 while approaching a nature preserve entrance at approximately 1 mph, my 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate suddenly accelerated on its own, without the driver pressing the accelerator pedal, striking a split-rail fence and a tree. Airbags did not deploy. The front collision system didn't issue any alerts about the fence and tree. A GM software update had been installed a couple of days before this incident . In the weeks prior, the vehicle had also intermittently failed to hold side mirror position and periodically failed to deploy the power running boards. I request that GM and NHTSA investigate a possible link between the recent software update and an unintended acceleration event, potentially related to the adaptive cruise control or another driver-assist/body control module.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving in heavy rain, the wipers failed and stopped working. Turning on and off the car did not re-set or help the wipers to work. Hugely dangerous. Dealership trying to charge me a huge sum to fix what should be a working component of the car that is 2 years old. Recall this immediately! Dealership wants almost $500 total and made me put $200 down before any work is done!
On September 17, 2026, and again on September 20, 2026 (three separate occurrences the same day), while operating my 2023 GMC Yukon XL in rain, the windshield wipers momentarily stopped functioning while set to Auto/Intermittent mode. On both dates the automatic headlights were active (ambient temperature in the low-to-mid 80s°F), and the headlights simultaneously flickered/dropped out during the wiper interruption. This is not an isolated event; it has recurred on multiple occasions under similar conditions (active rain, wipers in Auto or Intermittent mode). Loss of both wiper function and headlight illumination at the same moment, during active rainfall, creates an immediate visibility and safety hazard. GM has issued Technical Service Bulletin #23-NA-149 acknowledging intermittent windshield wiper failures on this vehicle platform, but has not provided a confirmed root-cause repair, and no safety recall has been issued for this condition.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
My vehicle stalled while driving on a busy highway & I had no option but to pull over, which left me & my family in a very dangerous position. Had to remove my daughter's wheelchair onto a tow truck as the vehicle had no power to use the hoist for her powerchair. Again, on the side of a busy road! Towed the vehicle to a GM dealership, who stated there was catastrophic engine failure & the engine had to be replaced. Had no way to transport my daughter until I got a new engine since her hoist was stuck at the dealership. This was our original vehicle, until the sold me another one with the same defect (2024 Yukon for MORE money!). That vehicle was reported in Complaint 11657786.
My wife was travelling down a two-lane road at 50mph when the engine suddenly shut off affecting steering. She was able to maneuver to the shoulder, but the vehicle would not restart. Could have been much worse. Had it towed to the dealer we purchased it from, and they informed us the engine had seized. There were no warning signs or dash lights indicating there may be an issue.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
There is a KNOWN Issue with 2021-2025 GMC Yukon models with water leaking into the cabin from the sunroof or roof area. Online forums are inundated with customers of these vehicles complaining about the same issue. GM has also sent a Service Bulletin out regarding Kinked Sunroof Drains but it's also a poor decision where the Welds - or lack of welds - connect the cabin to the roof. It's beyond wild that this isn't a recall yet. GM Knows they skipped a step in their QAQC and are left with a HUGE problem they're unwilling to fix. Water - while driving or stationary - is entering the cabin and not cleanly exiting out down through the drains via their sunroofs. I was driving and could barely see because water was dripping on my feet as well down through the ceiling by my windshield. How many people need to submit a complaint before this actually gets looked at. DO NOT let the mechanics "air-blow" out the drain hoses. GM's service bulletin states these drain hoses can be kinked if so. This issue is scary and could be deadly. The weld across the roof wasn't done properly (as well, kinked drain hoses) and now people all over America have expensive vehicles with water leaking through their cabin liners into their vehicles. The damage over time will cost all of us injuries and money. This is a serious issue that's NOT getting looked at. Please realize the amount of people who are dealing with this and hold GM accountable.
There have been several issues for which I had to take my vehicle to the dealer. I did the engine oil recall. Then 4 months later my engine was destroyed. I’ve had several issues with oil leaks. I had an issue with my running boards a few times. And I’ve had an ongoing issue that the dealer hasn’t been able to fix - a water leak (I believe stemming from the moonroof), water gets into my vehicle, on my floorboard, and behind the dash. I’ve called to record these incidents with the dealer and taken it in several times, but they are never able to duplicate it, but they have witnessed the water leakage after the incidents (which happens during heavy downpours, and isn’t all the time because my vehicle is in the garage when I’m not at work).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
1.The driver side mirror tilts up or down every time the vehicle is started requiring readjustment before driving. My wife was almost hit by oncoming traffic when she did not remember to readjust the mirror before merging with traffic. 2. The driver seat bolster inflates every time the vehicle is started. The vehicle cannot be driven without deflating the bolster. These have been reported to the dealer 3 months ago with no resolution from them or GMC.
Riders with long hair is getting caught in the "DENALI" emblem embedded in the seat back of the front seats. This has been addressed with a GMC dealer and they stated the seat emblem is within specs as they put it. This is noted on the attached work order regarding this
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving in a gravel driveway, the window curtain airbags and the middle console airbags deployed, with no collision what so ever causing injury to the driver and should you have a child this could have been very damaging as the airbags came out in all the way back through the vehicle. This incident was inspected by police and fire as OnStar called them as it detected a collision, and without the vehicle being moved from the location the officer said there is nothing that should have caused the airbags to deploy, there is absolutely nothing here in this driveway that could have possible caused airbag deployment, The running boards go in and out, even when on the interstate constantly, and when backing up or going forward at times, and especially in a gravel driveway your automatic breaks will stop you abruptly, so fast that your seat belt will lock up on your and thrust you forward and backwards. The rear entertainment system will screen at times when turning it on will stay black and you have to keep turning it on and off to get a screen to show. No warning lamps or messaging with any of these cases.
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the "Service SRS” message was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a failure with the passenger safety restraint system; however, the remedy for the repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired, and that the safety restraint system was reset. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 1,100.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
At around 7pm on Sunday October 18th I was driving on an interstate at about 80mph in the far left lane (of 3 Lanes) when, without any warning whatsoever, the engine power completely shutoff and the car went into neutral. The dash screen said to start the engine due to no power or low battery. I hit the start button and all the lights including all controls, blinkers, dash lights shut off. So with no blinkers, no lights, no power brakes, no power steering we were coasting in the fast lane of a usually unsafe stretch of an interstate at night. Luckily, I was able to navigate without any power to the right shoulder (lucky this was a stretch that had a shoulder) and coast to a stop. I had my wife and 4 kids in the car with me. The car was dead and said the engine battery was low. When the engine start button was pushed nothing happened, car was dead with no heat. We called onstar and requested a tow and were able to order a Lyft ride for my wife and 4 kids. The Lyft driver came to pick them up on the adjacent frontage road and they had to run across the grass median to get into that car, there was no other option to get them off of the unsafe shoulder. I stayed with the car with no power while cars and 18 wheelers speed by me while sitting on the shoulder without any lights or flashers. A highway patrol officer pulled up behind me and when he tried to open the passenger door he was unable to . I was LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR! Luckily the door unlock eventually worked and the door opened. The Patrol office stayed behind me on the shoulder of the interstate while we waited for a tow truck since it was such an unsafe situation. Due to the vehicle not being able to be put into neutral or any gear, it required a specific type of tow truck that was hard to find on a Sunday evening. It was towed to a dealer and diagnosis is catastrophic engine failure with full engine seize. Needs a full engine replacement. Assuming this is part of the massive recall on 6.2L V8 engines. SCARY!
On September 17, 2026, and again on September 20, 2026 (three separate occurrences the same day), while operating my 2023 GMC Yukon XL in rain, the windshield wipers momentarily stopped functioning while set to Auto/Intermittent mode. On both dates the automatic headlights were active (ambient temperature in the low-to-mid 80s°F), and the headlights simultaneously flickered/dropped out during the wiper interruption. This is not an isolated event; it has recurred on multiple occasions under similar conditions (active rain, wipers in Auto or Intermittent mode). Loss of both wiper function and headlight illumination at the same moment, during active rainfall, creates an immediate visibility and safety hazard. GM has issued Technical Service Bulletin #23-NA-149 acknowledging intermittent windshield wiper failures on this vehicle platform, but has not provided a confirmed root-cause repair, and no safety recall has been issued for this condition.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
Classic Buick GMC (Classic Elite Buick GMC – Katy) Filed by: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Phone: [XXX] Email: [XXX] Date: November 23, 2025 Texas Attorney General – Consumer Protection Division RE: SUMMARY COMPLAINT – Vehicle Misrepresentation, Unauthorized Charges, Financing Fraud & Warranty Violations Dear Attorney General, I am filing this complaint against Classic Buick GMC (Classic Elite Buick GMC) located at [XXX] , for multiple violations of Texas consumer-protection laws during the sale and follow-up service of a vehicle I purchased in March 2024. Summary of Violations 1. Misrepresentation of Vehicle Model Year I was sold a 2023 GMC Yukon Denali that the dealership falsely represented as a brand-new 2024 model, including on the key-tag. This violates Texas Occupations Code §2301.351(a) and DTPA §17.46(b)(5), (7), (24). 2. Unauthorized Add-Ons & Hidden Charges The dealership added $8,000 in accessories and $26,000 in warranty products without my consent. This violates DTPA §17.46(b)(12). 3. Financing Fraud I was promised 1% financing, but the dealership charged a significantly higher rate at closing without disclosure. This violates the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). 4. Warranty Refusal & Pre-Existing Damage Although the vehicle had defects and mechanical issues at delivery, the dealership refused to repair them under warranty unless I paid. This violates the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. 5. Failure to Provide Required Documentation The dealership refused to provide complete purchase documents, violating Texas Administrative Code §215.142. 6. Pattern of Evasion I personally visited the dealership three times, yet management refused to correct any misconduct. 7. Unsafe Vehicle Retained at Dealership The Yukon remains at the dealership due to mechanical/electrical defects. I refused to pick it up because the vehicle is unsafe and not as represented. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
OnStar module doesn’t work it went out in January 2025 there’s a 1000’s of other users in the in the OnStar module community complaining of the same issues . When you take it to the dealership they will not assist and will not warranty it out
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Vehicle shifted into neutral while driving down the highway, extremely dangerous. Would not shift into gear and could not accelerate. Was able to pull over and the vehicle would not restart. Had to have the vehicle towed to a dealership. Dealership found a blown fuse, problem happened again twice and the dealer could not find the problem. This was July 28th, 2026. On August 20th, while in cruise control, slight ringing noise began, then a loud thump, then a loss of oil pressure. Unable to do anything other than pull over on an interstate with my family. Again, very dangerous. The vehicle would not restart and could not be shifted out of park. Had to have the vehicle towed again. Have also had at least 8 recalls on the vehicle. Unbelievably dangerous situations with my family, aside from inconvenient and expensive.
My 2023 GMC Yukon Denali XL, used as a commercial vehicle for my business, experienced sudden and complete engine failure at approximately 70,000 miles with no prior warning. No check engine light, no unusual noise, and no other symptoms. The vehicle had previously been inspected/serviced under GM Safety Recall 25V-274 (L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion) and had been deemed safe prior to this failure. The failure occurred while driving on a two-lane road in Durango, CO. The vehicle lost all propulsion and came to a stop in the roadway, blocking the lane of travel and forcing other vehicles to cross into the oncoming traffic lane to go around the disabled vehicle. This created a serious and immediate hazard to myself and to oncoming traffic. The vehicle was not driveable and had to be towed. The dealer confirmed catastrophic engine failure requiring a complete engine replacement. After the engine replacement, the Morehart Murphy GMC dealership in Durango also failed to properly recalibrate vehicle sensors. They did not reinstall certain suspension components that had been removed for the engine replacement, requiring multiple additional dealership visits to resolve along with recalibration of the air ride suspension. After the replacement I was getting messages that the vehicle was "too low to drive with caution" and "Reduced Acceleration Drive With Care." This vehicle failure occurred during our peak season (June 10-July 2). The vehicle being out of service, I was required to rent a replacement vehicle at my own expense because GM did not provide a loaner vehicle. I estimate loss revenue at $1k/day. When I attempted to raise this issue with GM directly, their response was to submit letter to a P.O. Box, with no other means of resolution or contact offered. Given that this vehicle had already undergone the recall remedy and was represented as safe, this incident is relevant to NHTSA's ongoing investigation into post-recall L87 engine failures (Recall Query RQ26001).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns 3 Nuna Rava Car Seats. The first car seat Model Type: Convertible, Model Number: CS05103CVR, Manufactured Date: April 16, 2019. The second car seat Model Type: Convertible, Model Number: CS05103CVR, Manufactured Date: May 6, 2021. The third car seat Model Type: Convertible, Model Number: CS05103CVR, Manufactured Date: June 17, 2019. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24C002000 (Child Seat); however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure with the car seats.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .