2026 GMC Yukon Xl Engine Problems

Unknown brought my car in on July 24, 2026. They reported they do not know what is wrong with the engine, but stated GM is not letting them take it apart and told them to replace the engine. While the car was parked and during acceleration, my car was making a weird noise that got louder during acceleration. A few days prior to this happening, while driving on the highway, my car's emergency lights came on. I had to pull over to turn it off.

NHTSA ID

11755802

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

While operating the vehicle, I began to hear a metallic grinding noise originating from the center of the engine compartment. The sound was clearly audible within the cabin. Approximately one mile before the vehicle ultimately failed, the engine began to malfunction. As I slowed to a stoplight, the vehicle started to shake before shutting off abruptly and entering a coasting state. All electrical systems powered down and the vehicle would not restart. Shortly thereafter, heavy smoke began to emit both inside and outside the cabin, visibly coming from the hood and through the air vents. There was also a distinct burning odor. I attempted to restart the vehicle multiple times without success. The dashboard displayed the message: “conditions not suitable to shift.” Due to the vehicle becoming disabled on a curve and posing a safety hazard, I contacted the Sheriff’s Office for assistance to prevent a potential collision. Upon their arrival, it was noted that the engine compartment and hood area were exceptionally hot, particularly where the smoke was originating. The dealership has since confirmed they have also been unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle has been inspected by the GMC dealer and is currently pending further evaluation by a GM-certified mechanic to determine the root cause. Prior to this incident, there were no warning lights, system messages, or other noticeable symptoms indicating an issue.

NHTSA ID

11741588

Incident

May 30, 2026

Car Engine stopped , shut down on I 475 South Macon GA at 70 mph in left lane. Had to coast to right shoulder. Towed to Hutchinson GMC in Macon GA and it was determined the Engine had locked up. 2026 with 4200 miles, Purchased January 2nd 2026.

NHTSA ID

11739155

Incident

May 11, 2026

Catastrophic engine failure of 3.0l Diesel engine with only 2000 miles on it.

NHTSA ID

11735729

Incident

May 2, 2026

On 3/14/26, on I-75 in Troy, Michigan at 70mph the vehicle, with 4000k miles on the odometer completely shut off. I pushed to restart the engine and it would not restart. My whole family was in the car and we were on a curve. I was able to coast to a flat shoulder. The vehicle would not restart or shift out of park. OnStar took seven hours to tow the vehicle. The dealer is installing a new L87 6.2L engine. I do not have the vehicle back yet. I received an economy car as a loaner. The dealer says GM will not extend the factory warranty despite the engine replacement. My family could have been easily killed.

NHTSA ID

11734291

Incident

Mar 14, 2026

Engine failed with just 3,633 miles. Covert GMC is replacing the entire engine.

NHTSA ID

11728367

Incident

Mar 22, 2026

2026 GMC Yukon XL Denali, VIN [XXX] , 6.2L V8 L87 engine. At 3,168 miles, vehicle developed rough idle and knocking noise. Delivered to Sewell Buick GMC Dallas on 3/2/26. Dealer diagnosed crankshaft thrust bearing spun. Tech pinpointed bottom-end noise via stethoscope, found excessive metal debris in oil and oil filter. Engine teardown confirmed thrust bearing failure. Required complete engine replacement (GM #xxx), plus oil cooler/radiator, oil cooler lines, torque converter bolts, and all one-time-use parts due to metal contamination. Old engine serial [XXX] , new engine [XXX] . Repaired under warranty 3/9/26, RO #XXX. This is the identical failure mode that caused NHTSA Recall 25V-274 covering ~597,630 L87-equipped vehicles (MY 2021-2024). GM stated manufacturing improvements were completed by 6/1/24 and 2025+ models were not affected. My 2026 model year failure directly contradicts this claim and suggests the defect persists in current production. SAFETY CONCERN: Bearing failure causes sudden complete loss of propulsion at any speed. NHTSA investigation PE25001 notes most failures occur without warning. Loss of power at highway speed creates serious crash risk due to loss of ability to accelerate and reduced power braking/steering. Had this failure progressed further while driving with my family, consequences could have been severe. No crash or injury occurred in this instance. This 2026 model year failure indicates NHTSA's investigation scope should expand to include current production vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11725564

Incident

Mar 1, 2026

Engine lost power, making noises that sounded like an exhaust leak. Had vehicle towed to dealership. Advised the next day the main bearing had failed and engine needed to be replaced.

NHTSA ID

11723472

Incident

Mar 9, 2026

On [XXX], I was driving on the highway with my family in the vehicle and the check engine light came on, then it started running roughly. I headed off the highway on an exit ramp and the engine died about halfway down the ramp. It wouldn't restart after that. This happened about an hour away from my house in Painesville, OH. I live in Erie, PA. I had to tow it to the nearest GMC dealer. They've since concluded that the engine failed and have ordered a replacement engine from GMC. The yukon only had about 4,900 miles on it. GMC has claimed that their engine problems were fixed for the 2025 and 2026 model years, or else I would not have purchased this vehicle. Obviously there are still major issues and the 2026 6.2L engines need to be recalled. I understand that there is an ongoing investigation into these issues: RQ26001. Please see that the investigators are made aware of this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11716917

Incident

Jan 30, 2026

Purchased brand new vehicle 2026 XL Denali, hadn’t even had my first oil change, and had a complete engine failure in the middle of the road. Prior to engine failure, car ran fine without an issue - so failure came out of nowhere. Towed, where GMC and dealer determined entire engine needed to be replaced. GMC did cover and dealer did install a new engine. However: 1. I was out of a vehicle for almost a month. 2. I have incurred a depreciation cost of 10-15% on my vehicle due to this problem. 3. I have lost confidence in my brand new vehicle, as GMC has not fixed the reoccurring engine problems from previous years - despite promises to the contrary.

NHTSA ID

11716813

Incident

Jan 19, 2026

Vehicle has 2200 miles, equipped with the Diesel engine and failed at a red light. GM has to install a new engine.

NHTSA ID

11714632

Incident

Jan 25, 2026

Vehicle engine stopped working at 5200 miles. Was driving on highway and immediately stopped. Vehicle would not start. Towed to dealership and next day dealer confirmed that the engine needed to be replaced.

NHTSA ID

11709542

Incident

Jan 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The abnormal sound disappeared after the engine had warmed up. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.

NHTSA ID

11705959

Incident

Dec 11, 2025

Mileage

3,500 mi