Owners have filed 267 complaints
about the 2016 GMC Yukon XL with NHTSA between 2015 and 2026.
The largest single group is the lights.
Across this model's run it ranks 2 of 27 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 100
Against the median year of the GMC Yukon XL. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 33
6.4% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 28
17% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
53.1%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
84.9%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
21.2%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
4729.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
6137.7%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
2917.9%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
63.7%
150,000+ miles
42.5%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Dec 2015peak 16Jun 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2016 GMC Yukon XL
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
PE18012Opened 20 Nov 2018Closed 10 Apr 2022SERVICE BRAKES
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon SUVs.If the brake assist vacuum pump fails to operate as intended, the amount of brake power assist supplied to the driver can be significantly reduced, extendi...
Recalls on the 2016 GMC Yukon XL
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
17V437000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
16V651000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
16V256000
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.
Risk: Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20194205,327 units in Canada
Other
Issue: This recall is for aftermarket replacement rear window glass produced by Vitro Automotriz. Certain rear window glass may not have been properly tempered. If the window breaks, the glass may separate into large pieces instead of very small ones. Note: This is a voluntary recall that is not being conducted under the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Safety Risk: Glass that breaks in to large pieces could create a risk of injury. Corrective Actions: The company will notify consumers by mail and instruct them to inspect the designation code marked on the rear window glass. Products affected by this recall have the designation “DOT 287” along with the lettering “VMR” (Replacement Market) and a date code that is before July 2019. This information is printed on the bottom corner of the glass. Consumers should contact Vitro's customer service at 1-412-995-6457 or argbacklites@vitro.com to arrange for replacement of the glass.
Recall 2019324310,121 units in Canada
Brakes
Issue: On certain vehicles, there could be a reduction in power brake assist due to a decrease in output from the vacuum pump. This could cause a hard brake pedal and an increase in brake pedal effort to stop the vehicle. Safety Risk: A sudden increase in brake pedal force could lead to an increase in stopping distance. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to reprogram the electronic brake control module.
Recall 20165021,435 units in Canada
Tires
On certain vehicles equipped with Continental P275/55R20 CrossContact LX20 tires, a manufacturing defect could cause a lack of adhesion between belts in the tire. Affected tires may exhibit localized tread wear, excessive vibration, noise and bulging in the tread area. Continued use could cause the belts to separate, which could lead to full belt/tread loss. This could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect tire date code markings to determine whether they are from the affected date code. Affected tires will be replaced.
Recall 2016439362,263 units in Canada
Airbag
On certain vehicles, the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM), which controls airbag and pretensioner deployment, contains a software defect which may prevent the deployment of frontal airbags and pretensioners in certain circumstances. Failure of frontal airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to deploy in a crash (when warranted) could increase the risk of injury. Correction: Dealers will reflash the SDM with new software. In vehicles with any previous deployment events recorded in the SDM, the dealers will replace the existing SDM with a new SDM containing the latest software. Note: This recall affects 2014-2017 model year Sierra LD/Silverado LD models and 2015-2016 model year Sierra HD/Silverado HD model vehicles.
Recall 2016190432 units in Canada
Suspension
Certain vehicles may have been built with front upper control arms with a poor quality weld near the control arm’s bushing. If these welds were to fail, it could cause the upper control arm to deform or separate from the bushing, which could affect steering and directional control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms, and perform a realignment.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Alpine, ALCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.
NHTSA complaint #11732911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alpine, ALCrash
STEERING
My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.
NHTSA complaint #11732911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alpine, ALCrash
ENGINE
My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.
NHTSA complaint #11732911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Roanoke, VAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Driving a company vehicle [XXX], heavy smoke started coming from under the drivers side dash. Unhooked battery, the smoke stopped. I had vehicle towed to a local garage. They advised the engine wiring harness and other wiring had caught on fire. They couldn't repair it. On [XXX]. I had the vehicle towed to the local GMC dealer in Bedford, VA. At first they said they could fix it, then around 7/3/24 they said the couldn't fix it, charging several hundreds of dollars. On July 5/2024 I had the vehicle towed to a GMC dealership in Lynchburg, VA who I had check with and said they could fix it. The first part of September 2024, this dealership advised me the couldn't fix the vehicle. I had the vehicle tow to our companies office in Lynchburg. The dealerships are saying they can't get the needed wiring harnesses. Our insurance company had sent an adjuster to the GMC in Bedford, VA. No warning lamps came on before the smoke. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11632955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 90,000 milesPalm Harbor, FL1 injured
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger's side seat belt inadvertently tightened around her daughter's stomach. The contact's daughter pressed the seat belt button and unlatched the seat belt; however, she was unable to remove the seat belt because it seized around her stomach. The contact had to cut the rear passenger's side seat belt to release her daughter. The contact's daughter sustained marks on her stomach from the seat belt, but no medical attention was received. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was offered a discount on the replacement of the rear passenger's side seat belt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #11559193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Corpus Christi, TXFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving down the freeway, I received a warning that the charging system was not working and had a red battery light come on on the dash. I exited the freeway trying to get to a safe place, the dash and infotainment system begun to flash on and off. We heard a loud pop, smelt something burning, saw smoke coming into the cabin and then flames from under the hood near where the battery is located.
NHTSA complaint #11483879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Oakboro, NC
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
After my child had thrown up all over the car seat her father had taken her inside to clean up and I took the car seat apart to throw the pieces into the washer to clean them. The harness strap did not come out fully clean so I contacted Graco for a replacement piece and I was told that they don’t replace those and that the strap being removed totaled my car seat. It has a woven material tab that goes up through the hard plastic base and locks in by opening itself. It’s essentially a T in the material so it can be folded to go back through the hard plastic base. I was told that since the manual doesn’t provide instructions regarding that piece that I should know it’s not to be removed. No where in the manual, on the car seat or on the strap says it’s not to be removed. I did not damage/break/cut any pieces to get it in or out of the car seat. I was a mom in a panic trying to clean the car seat as quickly as possible so I could tend to my sick child. There were no warning signs telling me anywhere not to remove it. I don’t want other parents to do what I did and have a totaled car seat that they continue to use. I did not have the manual at the time of removing the pieces for cleaning but I have since located the PDF and read through all 96 pages.
NHTSA complaint #11746486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alpine, ALCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.
NHTSA complaint #11732911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alpine, ALCrash
STEERING
My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.
NHTSA complaint #11732911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alpine, ALCrash
ENGINE
My wife was driving down the highway and out of no where there was a loud taping sound, the vehicle started running real bad (skipping), the vehicle lost power and she lost control of the steering. As a result, she ran off the road into a ditch. this is a known concern with the 6.2 liter engines and all signs are pointing to lifter failure. She could have ben seriously injured and GM is responsible for this.
NHTSA complaint #11732911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Antonio, TX
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 8L90 8 SPEED TRANSMISSION. 93,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #11732277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belville, NC
ENGINE
I am submitting this complaint to report what I believe to be a serious and systemic safety defect involving GM 6.2L engines equipped with fuel efficiency systems such as Active Fuel Management (AFM) or Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM). I have experienced catastrophic engine failure in two separate GMC Yukon Denali vehicles with nearly identical symptoms, which strongly suggests a broader design defect rather than isolated mechanical issues. My first vehicle, a 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL, developed significant engine performance problems consistent with known lifter and camshaft failures widely reported in GM vehicles using these fuel efficiency systems. Due to ongoing reliability concerns and the financial burden of potential repair, I was forced to trade this vehicle at a loss. My second vehicle, a 2016 GMC Yukon Denali XL equipped with the same engine platform, suffered sudden and catastrophic engine failure in February 2026. This failure occurred abruptly and without meaningful prior warning, rendering the vehicle inoperable and creating a potentially hazardous situation. Sudden engine failure of this nature presents a significant safety risk, particularly if it occurs at highway speeds or in heavy traffic. An oil service had been performed on this vehicle in December 2025 at a Jiffy Lube franchise. After the failure, an independent service provider documented that the oil fill cap had been left loose. However, the Jiffy Lube franchise and its insurance carrier have denied responsibility, asserting that the engine failure is attributable to known defects and reliability issues associated with GM’s fuel efficiency engine systems. As a result, both the manufacturer and the service provider are denying responsibility for a catastrophic mechanical failure that has serious safety implications. This leaves consumers exposed to sudden engine failure risk with no meaningful recourse. Based on my direct experience with two separate vehicles exhibiting similar catastroph
NHTSA complaint #11727109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Machesney Park, IL
ENGINE
AFM system failed resulting in engine replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11719971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Las Vegas, NV
STEERING
I was test driving the vehicle after some and as I was test, driving it, the steering lot up on me. Luckily, I was entering a residential area when it occurred down the street from my residency; in which I was able to drive it to my residency, during that short ride, you could smell a burning smell coming out along with some crackling noises. I had to get the vehicle towed a week later to the mechanic shop where they fix one of my engine problems and verified that I needed a new power steering unit and gave me a quote, I couldn’t afford the word and started doing research and came across the recall for the power steering within my vehicle year, make and model. I replaced the power steering unit, but I’m having a difficult time celebrating the system..
NHTSA complaint #11719051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Las Vegas, NV
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I was test driving the vehicle after some and as I was test, driving it, the steering lot up on me. Luckily, I was entering a residential area when it occurred down the street from my residency; in which I was able to drive it to my residency, during that short ride, you could smell a burning smell coming out along with some crackling noises. I had to get the vehicle towed a week later to the mechanic shop where they fix one of my engine problems and verified that I needed a new power steering unit and gave me a quote, I couldn’t afford the word and started doing research and came across the recall for the power steering within my vehicle year, make and model. I replaced the power steering unit, but I’m having a difficult time celebrating the system..
NHTSA complaint #11719051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bloomington, MN
POWER TRAIN
My vehicle has been in 16 times since I bought it the most recent incident is for the engine which started about six months ago. It’s been in since then for other issues concurrently with this one it hesitates like it’s getting stuck in sand before it wants to go first the mechanic told me he didn’t sense it but the thermostat was stuck open so they fix that. Second time it went in they thought it was some sort of a filter and some other components I’m not sure. Again it was not fixed then my son and I were out in Minnesota freezing cold night in November and go and drive and then when again it was the drive train this time that got fixed a month ago about a week ago it starts making a noise like there’s too much snow in the tires. I get my car washed every few days but I got it washed again and that didn’t fix it so it’s in the shop again and I’m paying for a rental again. I have the Walser guard thank the Lord because it’s paid for itself about 15 times over. I’ve gotten two transmissions, an air conditioner, two sensors the arm that other people have complained about I don’t know exactly the name of it the trailer component that you plug into also blew out my seven way and I had to have my seven way wire fixed so I’m nervous about plugging that back in. My dad passed away and I spent $70,000 of my inheritance by this car. I should’ve flushed it down a toilet instead. Everybody makes fun at work that this car is literally gonna kill my kids and I because every other day it feels like we’re stuck on the side of the road.
NHTSA complaint #11717371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bloomington, MN
ENGINE
My vehicle has been in 16 times since I bought it the most recent incident is for the engine which started about six months ago. It’s been in since then for other issues concurrently with this one it hesitates like it’s getting stuck in sand before it wants to go first the mechanic told me he didn’t sense it but the thermostat was stuck open so they fix that. Second time it went in they thought it was some sort of a filter and some other components I’m not sure. Again it was not fixed then my son and I were out in Minnesota freezing cold night in November and go and drive and then when again it was the drive train this time that got fixed a month ago about a week ago it starts making a noise like there’s too much snow in the tires. I get my car washed every few days but I got it washed again and that didn’t fix it so it’s in the shop again and I’m paying for a rental again. I have the Walser guard thank the Lord because it’s paid for itself about 15 times over. I’ve gotten two transmissions, an air conditioner, two sensors the arm that other people have complained about I don’t know exactly the name of it the trailer component that you plug into also blew out my seven way and I had to have my seven way wire fixed so I’m nervous about plugging that back in. My dad passed away and I spent $70,000 of my inheritance by this car. I should’ve flushed it down a toilet instead. Everybody makes fun at work that this car is literally gonna kill my kids and I because every other day it feels like we’re stuck on the side of the road.
NHTSA complaint #11717371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bloomington, MN
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My vehicle has been in 16 times since I bought it the most recent incident is for the engine which started about six months ago. It’s been in since then for other issues concurrently with this one it hesitates like it’s getting stuck in sand before it wants to go first the mechanic told me he didn’t sense it but the thermostat was stuck open so they fix that. Second time it went in they thought it was some sort of a filter and some other components I’m not sure. Again it was not fixed then my son and I were out in Minnesota freezing cold night in November and go and drive and then when again it was the drive train this time that got fixed a month ago about a week ago it starts making a noise like there’s too much snow in the tires. I get my car washed every few days but I got it washed again and that didn’t fix it so it’s in the shop again and I’m paying for a rental again. I have the Walser guard thank the Lord because it’s paid for itself about 15 times over. I’ve gotten two transmissions, an air conditioner, two sensors the arm that other people have complained about I don’t know exactly the name of it the trailer component that you plug into also blew out my seven way and I had to have my seven way wire fixed so I’m nervous about plugging that back in. My dad passed away and I spent $70,000 of my inheritance by this car. I should’ve flushed it down a toilet instead. Everybody makes fun at work that this car is literally gonna kill my kids and I because every other day it feels like we’re stuck on the side of the road.
NHTSA complaint #11717371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Basalt, CO
ENGINE
Driving after dark on a main street in St George Utah, the engine suddenly surged and then revved down. It felt like someone jamming it into 4WD. Traffic was tailgating me, and I was nearly hit. I could not pull completely out of the right lane. I put on hazard lights. Check engine light came on, and TCS light came on. I decided to get out of traffic & crawled forward about 30 yards into a Sinclair station lot, then backed it into a spot where a tow truck could get it. It was clearly not drivable. Called AAA and a driver was able to get to me within 1/2 an hour. Checked the AAA website for mechanics since I was merely travelling through St. George and had no knowledge of the area. Hawker's Automotive was listed first, with many excellent reviews. Tow truck arrived and driver loaded it on the JerrDan bed. I asked him to take me to the Hawker's garage location. I locked it and put the key in the overnight box with my name, number, and description. Next day the mechanics said lifter arm was collapsed. Needed tearing down, replacing and probably new camshaft. Gave me estimate for "estimated" repair of about $8,000 or new engine at about $12,000! This is a KNOWN GMC failure apparently. Recalls have been initiated on newer models, but every mechanic will tell you that this happens all the time to all the 6.2L, V8 engine at around 150,000. I bought it used at about 156,000 miles and have put about 5,000 miles on it. And changed the oil at purchase, and about 1,000 miles ago. I researched model and year before purchasing. All online reviews I found were positive. Nothing out there on this know manufacturing flaw. But now when I type in 'catastrophic engine failure 2016 Denali XL" many many reviews and videos state that it is a known problem to both GMC and NHTSA. I or someone could have been killed by such a dramatic loss of power! This is a SAFETY issue and NHTSA needs to review ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON FILE ALREADY. Thankyou
NHTSA complaint #11713229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Weston, OH
POWER TRAIN
There is a hesitation when trying to accelerate. The car will then slam forward and there is a rattling noise that the car also makes. This has almost caused accidents. I was driving in town which is where I do most of my driving.
NHTSA complaint #11711810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Weston, OH
ENGINE
There is a hesitation when trying to accelerate. The car will then slam forward and there is a rattling noise that the car also makes. This has almost caused accidents. I was driving in town which is where I do most of my driving.
NHTSA complaint #11711810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Weston, OH
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
There is a hesitation when trying to accelerate. The car will then slam forward and there is a rattling noise that the car also makes. This has almost caused accidents. I was driving in town which is where I do most of my driving.
NHTSA complaint #11711810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Danville, VA
ENGINE
The engine is the component that failed and is available for inspection. The issue has been confirmed by an independent service center, and the repair quote is attached. There were no prior warning signs before the failure; the vehicle suddenly began making a knocking noise and experienced a loss of power.
NHTSA complaint #11707617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Golden, CO
STEERING
While driving vehicle the vehicle appears to shut off as if someone is turning off the ignition. The steering control becomes stiff, power is lost and electronics flash and turn off and on. This has happened on multiple occasions and is intermittent during acceleration. The accessible grounds have been checked, battery checked and replaced, and alternator checked and verified to be charging appropriately. Several codes are present and have been cleared to return indicating low voltage issues with multiple systems.
NHTSA complaint #11699390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Golden, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving vehicle the vehicle appears to shut off as if someone is turning off the ignition. The steering control becomes stiff, power is lost and electronics flash and turn off and on. This has happened on multiple occasions and is intermittent during acceleration. The accessible grounds have been checked, battery checked and replaced, and alternator checked and verified to be charging appropriately. Several codes are present and have been cleared to return indicating low voltage issues with multiple systems.
NHTSA complaint #11699390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Golden, CO
ENGINE
While driving vehicle the vehicle appears to shut off as if someone is turning off the ignition. The steering control becomes stiff, power is lost and electronics flash and turn off and on. This has happened on multiple occasions and is intermittent during acceleration. The accessible grounds have been checked, battery checked and replaced, and alternator checked and verified to be charging appropriately. Several codes are present and have been cleared to return indicating low voltage issues with multiple systems.
NHTSA complaint #11699390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Canton, TX
POWER TRAIN
The car started to have issues shifting when driving- automatic transmission. It would jolt or shudder to try to shift. I was at a light intersection attempting to turn left to go on the on ramp of a highway, it attempted to shift as I sped up from a stop and it got stuck and started making a sound as if you were to press the brake and gas at the same time, similar to that, a car was coming in my direction at the same time and it finally clicked into gear. Absolutely terrified me, my father in law came and switched me vehicles and took mine to the dealership where it stayed for 3 days and they diagnosed it saying it needed a new transmission, quoting us at $11,000. Obviously we can’t afford that. We had all the filters and lines of the transmission cleaned. And now it’s just gotten worse and worse. That was the first time it happened. Now it’ll shudder like that any time it’s switching gears at any speed. Another time since then, it got stuck in the same situation after pulling out of my kids school driveway, it got stuck and wouldn’t click, when it finally did it started shaking uncontrollably in the street and thankfully I live two streets over and made it to my street before it just shut off on its own. I coasted it right into the front of our house and then it would not come back on, at this time we searched the internet over and over to find try to find an easy fix. We let it sit before it came back on. This is our family vehicle. I’ve seen that many many people have this exact issue with this exact same year and model. Its not coincidental and It’s extremely unsafe. Especially with kids in these vehicles. I’m terrified one day when it gets stuck or shuts off we will get hit.
NHTSA complaint #11696843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Canton, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car started to have issues shifting when driving- automatic transmission. It would jolt or shudder to try to shift. I was at a light intersection attempting to turn left to go on the on ramp of a highway, it attempted to shift as I sped up from a stop and it got stuck and started making a sound as if you were to press the brake and gas at the same time, similar to that, a car was coming in my direction at the same time and it finally clicked into gear. Absolutely terrified me, my father in law came and switched me vehicles and took mine to the dealership where it stayed for 3 days and they diagnosed it saying it needed a new transmission, quoting us at $11,000. Obviously we can’t afford that. We had all the filters and lines of the transmission cleaned. And now it’s just gotten worse and worse. That was the first time it happened. Now it’ll shudder like that any time it’s switching gears at any speed. Another time since then, it got stuck in the same situation after pulling out of my kids school driveway, it got stuck and wouldn’t click, when it finally did it started shaking uncontrollably in the street and thankfully I live two streets over and made it to my street before it just shut off on its own. I coasted it right into the front of our house and then it would not come back on, at this time we searched the internet over and over to find try to find an easy fix. We let it sit before it came back on. This is our family vehicle. I’ve seen that many many people have this exact issue with this exact same year and model. Its not coincidental and It’s extremely unsafe. Especially with kids in these vehicles. I’m terrified one day when it gets stuck or shuts off we will get hit.
NHTSA complaint #11696843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Gratiot, MI
POWER TRAIN
Faulty Transmission at 90,000
NHTSA complaint #11691609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dublin, OH
POWER TRAIN
I bought 2016 Yukon XL 9/2020. At 74k miles (2022), the transmission was replaced by warranty. Now (2025), at 126k miles, the transmission needs replaced again. This can’t be normal.
NHTSA complaint #11682518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dublin, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I bought 2016 Yukon XL 9/2020. At 74k miles (2022), the transmission was replaced by warranty. Now (2025), at 126k miles, the transmission needs replaced again. This can’t be normal.
NHTSA complaint #11682518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.