2021 GMC Yukon Problems

On XXX, at [XXX], my vehicle’s engine locked up, causing the vehicle to shut off while I was driving at 65 mph on a two-way highway. The vehicle could not be safely driven. My family and I were stranded on the side of the road, where semi trucks passing at highway speeds forced us to remain in the vehicle. Unreliable cellphone service and OnStar connectivity limited my ability to request assistance, communicate my location, or obtain timely support, making Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS)-arranged towing necessary. DPS requested the tow at approximately 7:52 p.m.; it was completed at approximately 11:25 p.m. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while her husband was inspecting the vehicle, he discovered that there was no oil in the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil after performing an oil consumption test. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to cover 20% of the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

While stopped in a parking lot. I returned my vehicle to drive home, and the car would not start. I had it towed to the dealer. They did a diagnostic inspection for "crank-no-start ". Two trouble codes: P0340 intake single camshaft ignition sensor circuit and P00C6- fuel rail pressure load during engine cranking. Performed diagnostic checks and suspect a broken timing chain and timing tensioner that causes the bottom of the engine to free spin while the top 0.5 does not. These engines are known as interference engines, and anytime there is a mismatch between the top 0.5 and the bottom 0.5, there is the potential for catastrophic failure due to the design of the valve train and bottom 0.5 of the engine. The technician suggested a full engine replacement. I went to the dealer and spoke with the Service Manager, Greg, and he stated that he would reach out to GMC because the VIN number was not part of the recall, although the YEAR/MAKE/MODEL is. I also reached out to GMC to open a claim. To date, I have not heard back, and they have not yet accepted responsibility for replacing the engine.

My 2021 GMC Yukon has approximately 36,900 miles. On September 12, 2026, the vehicle was at an authorized GMC dealership and passed a state safety inspection. On September 19, 2026, the check-engine warning light illuminated and I returned to the dealership. The dealer performed diagnostic testing and told me the fuel pump pressure was approximately 400 PSI when it should be approximately 700 PSI. I was told the fuel pump needs to be replaced. The vehicle is currently at the dealership awaiting the replacement part: Fuel pump I was not aware of a fuel-pump failure before the warning light appeared. I am particularly concerned because this failure occurred at only approximately 36,900 miles. GM previously recalled 3,386 2021 GMC Yukons under NHTSA Campaign 21V-739/GM Recall N212332040 for a fuel-pump power-control-module defect that can cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently, interrupt fuel flow and potentially cause the engine to stall. My 2021 Yukon is not included in that recall and currently shows no unrepaired recalls associated with my VIN. I believe this represents a potential safety concern because inadequate fuel delivery or a fuel-system failure while driving could cause reduced engine power or an unexpected stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Given the low mileage, the dealer-confirmed fuel-pressure problem, and the existing fuel-pump-related safety recall affecting other 2021 Yukons, I am concerned that my vehicle may have the same or a related defect despite not being included in the recalled population. I believe NHTSA should evaluate whether additional 2021 Yukons should be included in a safety investigation or recall. I am paying out of pocket to have the fuel pump replaced and am filing this complaint to document the failure.A fuel-pump failure at only 36,900 miles is extremely concerning. I ask NHTSA to determine whether my vehicle has the same or a related defect and whether the existing recall population should be expanded.

VEHICLE: 2021 GMC Yukon, 5.3L V8 (L84). VIN: [XXX]. Mileage at failure: approximately 88,000. Component: Engine. INCIDENT DATE: XXX While I was driving on a highway, the engine began to misfire and I heard a ticking noise. The check engine light then began flashing, indicating a severe misfire. I pulled off the highway immediately to a rest area. The vehicle was towed to a GMC dealer. The dealer's diagnosis suspected failed valve lifters, and the repair orders call for a misfire diagnosis with the Bank 1 cylinder head removed, and replacement of the camshaft, lifters, and related parts. This failure caused sudden loss of engine performance at highway speed. The engine began smoking. My family and I were in the vehicle, and we were fortunate there was a safe place to stop. I believe this is a known defect. GM Service Bulletin PIP5776, "Misfire Due to Collapsed Lifter," covers 2021 GMC Yukons with the 5.3L L84 engine. It describes a misfire with a bent pushrod leading to a collapsed lifter or a lifter that comes apart, and it attributes the cause to an internal lifter concern. Many other owners of GM V8 trucks and SUVs have reported the same failure, and a class action over the AFM/DFM lifters has been pending against GM in federal court in [XXX] since 2021. I bought this vehicle new and have maintained it. This is the second time this vehicle has left my family stranded on a highway. In 2024, a separate known issue left us, including three children under [XXX], on the side of a major highway about 7 hours from home. GM repaired that issue. For the current failure, GM has not agreed to cover the repair. It has offered $5,951.39 toward an engine replacement, which would leave me responsible for $13,886.59 plus teardown labor. I am filing this complaint so NHTSA is aware of this failure, which can cause sudden loss of power on the highway. GM case number: XXX. Dealer: Fred Beans Buick GMC, [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Bought 2021 GMC Yukon Denali new. Transmission failed at 70,000 miles. Engine has now failed at 111,000 miles. Both diagnosed at Capital GMC Atlanta, GA. Cost to replace transmission $8k (GMC paid half). Cost to replace engine $12k (GMC offered no assistance). Engine failure not related to current engine recall/investigation on GMC 6.2L V8 engines. This failure was on the top vs on the bottom (current recall).

About 1 month ago while driving down the highway, my vehicle dash and screen went completely back for a few seconds and came back on. As if it shorted out

Water is entering the passenger cabin through failed front sunroof drain tubes on both the left and right sides. The drains discharge inside the A pillars rather than to the exterior, pooling in the driver's side floorboard. An authorized GMC dealer diagnosed the cause in writing on August 12, 2026 as rubber grommet shrinkage and hardened internal buildup preventing water from flowing through, on both the left and right sides simultaneously. The identical bilateral failure mode indicates a component or assembly defect rather than debris blockage. Water is accumulating in the driver's footwell in proximity to cabin electrical components and the fuse block area, creating a risk of electrical shorting, connector corrosion, and circuit failure. Mold has developed in the front carpet and padding on the driver's side, and water intrusion staining is present on the passenger side. The dealer has quoted $2,727.16 to replace the drain tubes and the mold-damaged carpet and padding. The vehicle entered service on February 5, 2025 and has 45,211 miles. GM has issued service bulletin 20-NA-219 addressing sunroof drain hoses on 2021 Yukon, Yukon XL, Tahoe, Suburban, and Escalade models.

Crankshaft / Camshaft caused catastrophic engine failure while on a family road trip leaving family and kids stranded on the side of the highway for hours. 2021 GMCs are notoriously having this issue but they refused to include our VIN in the recall. It cost us almost $13,000 to replace with a brand new engine and only 4 days after picking up from dealership the vehicle stopped working and shut off at a light in the middle of the road. GMC has been no help and won’t cover anything.

On July 28, 2026, while traveling on vacation with my family, our vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure. There were warning lights displayed for 30 seconds prior to the engine failure. On July 23, 2026, one day before taking the vehicle to the dealership, the following warning indicators appeared on the dashboard and then disappeared: “Service ESC,” “Service Traction Control,” and a flashing engine light. We took the vehicle to the dealership on July 24, 2026, because we wanted to be proactive and ensure that the vehicle was safe to operate. The dealership inspected the vehicle but reported that no diagnostic trouble codes were identified and no issue was found. We picked the vehicle up from the dealership on the evening of July 27, 2026. On July 28, 2026, while traveling on the highway approximately 2.5 hours from home, the same warning messages appeared on the dashboard again. Because we were traveling at highway speeds and vehicle speed management was becoming an issue, I immediately exited the highway and stopped in a parking area. I placed the vehicle in park, at which point the engine began idling extremely rough. I could feel the vehicle shaking while sitting in the driver's seat. I exited the vehicle to open the hood, but before I was able to do so, I noticed gray smoke coming from the exhaust. We located a GMC dealership approximately two miles away. Because of the vehicle's condition, we drove there slowly on the frontage road at approximately 15 mph and dropped the vehicle off for diagnostic inspection. The GMC dealership subsequently diagnosed the vehicle with catastrophic engine failure and recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle remains at the dealership and is available for inspection.We made a reasonable effort to have the vehicle inspected before our trip because we were concerned about the warning indicators and wanted to ensure that the vehicle was safe to travel.

The driver's seat inboard airbag assembly and internal structural wiring harness failed due to a direct short circuit, completely deactivating the vehicle's supplemental restraint system. General Motors has a known engineering bulletin for this issue (#23-NA-085), noting that sharp internal seat frame components slice the airbag wiring harness. Rather than permanently fixing this structural design flaw while under warranty, dealership technicians repeatedly executed temporary, non-compliant field patches, including plastic zip-ties and Velcro tape inside the cushion. These temporary patches continuously failed, leaving the airbags disabled. Furthermore, the vehicle was sold under "Certified Pre-Owned" designation with an active, uncompleted 2020 manufacturer Customer Satisfaction Program Campaign (#N202310850-02) for this exact airbag circuit defect. Component failed & available for inspection: The driver's seat inboard airbag assembly and internal structural wiring harness failed due to a direct short circuit. The components are available for inspection inside the vehicle at the servicing dealership. Safety risk: Safety was put at extreme risk because active Diagnostic Trouble Code B14DC completely deactivates the airbags. This means the airbags may fail to deploy in a collision, leaving the driver completely unprotected in an accident. Confirmed by dealer: The problem has been explicitly reproduced and confirmed by an authorized franchise dealership across seven separate service visits spanning from August 2025 to June 2026. Inspected by manufacturer/others: The components have been physically inspected multiple times by authorized franchise dealership technicians acting on behalf of the manufacturer. Warning lamps & symptoms: The vehicle displays "Service Safety Restraint System" warning message on the dashboard. The warning lamp first appeared on August 26, 2025, at 78,472 miles while the vehicle was strictly within its CPO warranty

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-60 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally. The message "Restraint Safety System" was displayed, and the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. 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 138,000.

Our 2021 GMC Yukon Denali has repeatedly experienced sudden, violent braking and apparent rear-wheel lockup without the driver applying the brakes. These incidents occur without warning at highway speeds, moderate speeds, and in traffic. The vehicle abruptly decelerates, fishtails, loses stability, and produces smoke. The wheels have locked severely enough to leave skid marks on the roadway. This creates an immediate risk of losing control or being struck by another vehicle. We took the Yukon to Alpine Buick GMC on October 12, 2026. After eight days, the dealership reported that it could not reproduce the malfunction. However, its written findings confirm that an engineering case was opened and GM engineering recommended replacing the transmission valve body based on data collected from other vehicles with related concerns. The dealership proposed approximately $3,300 in repairs without providing diagnostic evidence establishing that the valve body was definitively responsible or that replacement would resolve the dangerous condition. We declined the repair and paid $229 for diagnostics. GM recalls 24V797 and 26V085 address transmission valve failures capable of causing unexpected rear-wheel lockup. Although our gasoline-powered Yukon is excluded from these recall populations, it is exhibiting similar dangerous behavior, and GM engineering has recommended replacement of the same type of component. Exclusion from a recall based on VIN does not establish that a vehicle is free from a similar safety defect. We request that NHTSA investigate whether this failure extends to 2021 gasoline-powered Yukons and other GM vehicles outside existing recall populations. This is a recurring, unpredictable loss-of-control hazard that could result in a serious or fatal collision. It has come very close on E470 in the center lane at 75 mph with cars in all positions around us. Do you want YOUR family in one of the cars around us?

As I was driving, the vehicle's air conditioning suddenly began blowing warm/hot air. Moments later, the check engine light and all electronic service stability lights illuminated on the dashboard. Simultaneously, the vehicle suffered a complete loss of electronic brake assist, resulting in an extremely hard brake pedal and a severe reduction in braking power. The vehicle also displayed a "No Drive Mode Available" message. Third-party diagnostic scanning revealed network power codes U3018, U3505, P00FF, and P0700, indicating a total loss of power to the Body Control Module (BCM). This is the second life-threatening incident with this vehicle I have experienced following a previous highway engine stall due to engine recall. The vehicle was towed to a GM dealership for diagnostic and emergency electrical repairs.

The power steering went out. The dealership said it's the rack and pinion. This part is not available anywhere in the United States. I have been waiting over 3 weeks. I feel the part is unavailable as there is an issue with the rack and pinion and others who have the same vehicle ran into the same problem.

After noticing a "groaning/moaning" sound from the vehicle when turning sharp at low speeds the vehicle was brought into a dealership to be inspected. After inspection, the mechanic stated that the sound is coming from the rear differential and that it would need to be flushed/cleaned up to three times as a potential correction. If the clean/flush does not correct the issue, they would need to replace the entire rear differential. When asked what happens if the rear differential fails, we were advised that we could experience total failure and lock up. This is a safety issue in that if we are driving and the wheels lock up the potential for collision or major accidents is high. I also understand that the differential is meant to last the life of the vehicle and had 123k miles, the life of the vehicle is far from over. Another issue we are experiencing is excessive oil burning. The vehicle "add engine oil" light comes on after 2,500 miles when being regularly maintenanced. The vehicle should not require the addition of oil after that many miles, more so should not require oil at all unless you weren't properly maintaining the vehicle (which is not the case). I understand issues arise and things happen; I just want this to be acknowledged as a potential safety issue and corrected. Thank you,

I drove my car on Saturday and nothing was wrong with it. I opened my car door on Monday morning or work and my driver side seat was twisted. There was no warning signs nothing. The dealership said that a rod is not working probably. I have had two other yukons and drove them for almost 10 years and never had this issue. This is my third one and only has 41,000 miles and has been to dealership to be serviced. This should not have happened. According to research I have done it states that there were some TSBs on mechanical failures in the seats. I was directed to ask for the dealership to contact GM goodwill assistance on my behave since I have been a loyal GM customer. This is a serious safety concern if this would have happened while I was driving.

The driver's seat inboard airbag assembly and internal structural wiring harness failed due to a direct short circuit, completely deactivating the vehicle's supplemental restraint system. General Motors has a known engineering bulletin for this issue (#23-NA-085), noting that sharp internal seat frame components slice the airbag wiring harness. Rather than permanently fixing this structural design flaw while under warranty, dealership technicians repeatedly executed temporary, non-compliant field patches, including plastic zip-ties and Velcro tape inside the cushion. These temporary patches continuously failed, leaving the airbags disabled. Furthermore, the vehicle was sold under "Certified Pre-Owned" designation with an active, uncompleted 2020 manufacturer Customer Satisfaction Program Campaign (#N202310850-02) for this exact airbag circuit defect. Component failed & available for inspection: The driver's seat inboard airbag assembly and internal structural wiring harness failed due to a direct short circuit. The components are available for inspection inside the vehicle at the servicing dealership. Safety risk: Safety was put at extreme risk because active Diagnostic Trouble Code B14DC completely deactivates the airbags. This means the airbags may fail to deploy in a collision, leaving the driver completely unprotected in an accident. Confirmed by dealer: The problem has been explicitly reproduced and confirmed by an authorized franchise dealership across seven separate service visits spanning from August 2025 to June 2026. Inspected by manufacturer/others: The components have been physically inspected multiple times by authorized franchise dealership technicians acting on behalf of the manufacturer. Warning lamps & symptoms: The vehicle displays "Service Safety Restraint System" warning message on the dashboard. The warning lamp first appeared on August 26, 2025, at 78,472 miles while the vehicle was strictly within its CPO warranty

Air bag suspension does not work in sub freezing temperatures. Vehicle bounces up and down excessively and is extremely unstable and unsafe to drive at any speed. Vehicle speed was limited to 56 mph. Dealer stated that this is a known flaw but not recall has been issued. This is a design flaw that GMC should be responsible to correct.

In 2024, while the vehicle was still under warranty, we brought it to our GM dealer due to an air suspension fault. The problem typically occurs in extreme cold weather, and following that visit, we did not experience further issues during the remainder of that winter as it was never that cold again. However, the following winter the same issue returned and was diagnosed yet again, and this year we are again experiencing the identical problem with the same diagnostic code which has been diagnosed by 2 dealers and a private mechanic in the last week. It has since become clear that the underlying issue was never properly repaired during the 2024 warranty visit. We recently learned that approximately 3.5 weeks after our 2024 service appointment, GM released a service bulletin outlining the correct repair procedure for this exact issue. We were not notified of this bulletin by the original servicing dealer. This information only came to our attention when we brought the vehicle to a GM dealer last week, where the issue was properly diagnosed and now they are refusing to fix it without us paying $4300 even though it was brought to their attention in 2024 while under warranty. A failed air suspension presents a safety concern, not merely a ride-comfort issue. When the system fails, the vehicle may sit unevenly or at an incorrect ride height, which can affect vehicle stability, steering response, braking geometry, and traction—particularly in cold weather and at highway speeds. Because the failure is intermittent and temperature-related, it is unpredictable and increases the risk of loss of control. The vehicle is not operating as designed when the air suspension is compromised. GM knows about this issue as they did indeed issue a bulletin that covers our vehicle and this was done when my car was still under warranty, but it was not brought to our attention that it existed until this year after the car's warranty was up. 2 seal kits, air springs and the struts!

“Service safety restraint” light comes on and the dealership cannot pin point exactly what the issue is without taking the entire seat and air bag out. It’s come on 3 times. First time was linked to the overhead console needing replaced. Months later the light came on again and a seat harness connection was bad. It was replaced and light was off. 8 months later the light is back on again and they replaced the connection again and the light is off for now. This is a safety issue and should be a recall!

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Forward Collision Avoidance system erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to suddenly slow down. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who serviced the Forward Collision Avoidance system camera and sensors. No further information was available. Additionally, while driving at highway speeds, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, and the seat restraint failure message was displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the front windshield was extremely blurry. In addition, the contact stated that it was a safety failure, especially while driving at night. The contact stated that while driving at night, the failure was extremely unsafe. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was confirmed that the front windshield was defective. The contact was informed that the front windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the failure occurred previously in June 2023, and the repair was covered under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The repair was denied. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000. The VIN was unavailable.

DRIVING DOWN AN INTERSTATE ON A CLEAR SUNNY DAY 70 DEGREES. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES NEARBY OR AN OVERPASS. IT WAS ME, MY HUSBAND AND OUR DOG IN THE VEHICLE. OUT OF NOWHERE WE HEARD A LARGE BANG AND I NOTICED THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED. IT TOOK ALL MY HUSBAND ALL HE COULD TO FROM WRECKING. THANKFULLY I THOUGHT TO CLOSE THE SUNROOF SHADE SO MORE GLASS WOULDN'T LAND IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE SHARDS 9F GLASS EVERYWHERE. WE PURCHASE OUR 2021 YUKON 3 MONTHS AGO. SO WE WERE IN A NEW VEHICLE WITH APPROXIMATELY 5K MILES. VERY SCARY AND I WAS STILL SHAKING ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE. THE SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR PANORAMIC SUNROOF NEED TO BE UPDATED! I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS AN ISSUE.

The roof of the car has a metal defect that is causing the paint to bubble off. The manufacturer initially misdiagnosed the problem as a paint issue. The car was repainted but the paint is coming off again within a year. I am afraid that the integrity of the roof is compromised by corrosion. The manufacturer claims that the car is no longer in warranty and does not have to repair it.

While driving the car, the glass sunroof spontaneously exploded. It was NOT associated with a rock strike, no other cars were nearby, and the vehicle was not under an overpass. The noise was extremely loud, similar to a gunshot. The sun shade was closed, otherwise broken glass would have showered down on the passengers.

My driver side headlamp went out while driving. The amber turn signal light remained on after I shut the engine off. This made my battery die. The headlamp is full of condensation and none of the lights are working. I had to replace the battery and have been told by GM that they've had many complaints but aren't issuing a recall yet. Can you please advise me. Thank you

The lighting on the entire interior infotainment area will randomly go bright and dim all by itself. I was almost in an accident on the interstate due to this. It was blinding and distracting to have the lighting dim and then go bright. It has been randomly doing this for about a month. I called GMC and they said they had no record of this happening on other vehicles, however when I searched for the issue with my vehicle, I realized other GMC owners have experienced the same issue. I was able to get a video of it happening one morning while waiting in my driveway to drop my kids off at the bus stop. I was in the parked position. There are no warning or messages when the lighting malfunctions, so I am not at all prepared when the car turns the lighting to MAX brightness. It poses a risk when driving by blinding the driver, causing the driver to loose focus while driving trying to adjust the lighting back to dim. It is an unnecessary distraction. The dealership couldn't confirm any malfunctions in my car. As previously stated, I have a video of the malfunction, but I am not able to upload it. I am willing to send via email.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a misfire coming from the vehicle, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally before the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The traction control light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a lifter failure inside the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000.

Upon cold start vehicle rattles when idling down and growling noise when accelerating upon left or right turns. Also, has constant vibrations with sound of metal rattling at speeds above 30 mph. Forward collision light on without a significant amount of mileage on vehicle. I have taken my vehicle to dealership at least 5 times referencing the vibrations. Growling noise was heard by service advisor last visit October 2024, and he stated it probably were the tires. I advised him that brand new tires were put on vehicle, April 18th 2024, rear vibration has never stopped from time of purchase. I have asked dealership to check drivetrain as it is a know issue for 21 Yukon Denali. Vehicle has not received recall but was manufactured at Arlington plant where the parts of the drive shaft was not properly heated and differential is known for issue upon cold start. Vehicle powertrain warranty is due to expire August 2025 or 60,045 mileage. Therefore with that, the vehicle was placed in service August 2020 months before unproperly heated driveshaft recall was determined. My vehicle should be on the list for this recall as GMC noted this to have occurred on vehicle prior to 07/2021. In addition, a chirping noise comes from front of vehicle while idling and when automatic stop starts back up.There are already known recalls for two of issues noted above.

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Yukon equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Discoverer HTP, Tire Size: 275/55/R20, DOT number: Not Available. The contact stated that while inspecting the tires, the rear driver’s and passenger’s side tires had visible bulges. The tires were not replaced. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer but was not able to reach a live representative. The failure mileage was 116,224.The VIN was not available.