295 of the
3,132 complaints filed about the GMC Yukon XL
are about the transmission —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2021.
295
Complaints
9%
Share of all complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
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.
NHTSA complaint #11758865 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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).
NHTSA complaint #11758687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving on busy road when heard a squealing from the engine bay of the vehicle. Moments later the vehicle lost power. It was a very dangerous situation traveling approximately 45mph on a multi-lane road in urban St. Louis Missouri. There was not a check engine light prior. The vehicle had a recall performed per GMC instructions prior (this amounted to a different viscosity oil....). The breakdown stranded my family and I while on vacation in another city. The vehicle was towed to a local GMC dealership and was diagnosed as a seized engine related to the recall. The engine is scheduled to be replaced as no cost through GMC's extended service. They have not provided coverage for the towing, for the multiple ride shares needed to get around on vacation, for the rental car needed to get home, or a rental car to help us with day-to-day life during the estimated 6-8 weeks we will be waiting. My family was at risk, other motorists on the parkway were at risk. It was pure luck and quick thinking that saved injury or loss of life. It is completely unbelievable GMC is letting these vehicles be on the road for peoples safety and for the money people pay as a consumer.
NHTSA complaint #11758496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving about 70 mph in the express lanes, the vehicle suddenly lost power and drifted like it went into neutral. There were no warning symbols. The vehicle could not restart even while coasting. After stopping, it locked itself in park and would not shift out of park. My family and I were trapped on the express lanes for over an hour in a dangerous location. The vehicle stayed stuck in park even on the tow truck. The dealer confirmed metal in the oil filter, a blown main fuse, and knocking when starting. The recall inspection and remedy were already done, but the failure still happened. The vehicle is undriveable and the required recall repair cannot be completed because the replacement engine is on backorder with no ETA.
NHTSA complaint #11750354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My family and were traveling to visit family, and the transmission stalled on me on the interstate. I almost had a horrible accident with my kids in the vehicle. The vehicle is in the shop currently and dx with transmission issues. GMC needs to recall and or fix the transmissions in all of their vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11748113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Issue Description: The vehicle experienced a failure of the Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM) system, resulting in a collapsed lifter. This caused a cylinder misfire and a sudden loss of engine power while driving at highway speeds. Safety Concern: While traveling at highway speeds, the sudden misfire and loss of power created a dangerous condition. The vehicle could not maintain speed or accelerate properly with surrounding traffic, significantly increasing the risk of a collision. Failure Details: The issue was diagnosed as a collapsed lifter related to the DFM system. This caused persistent misfiring, rough engine operation, and severe drivability issues. Repair Outcome: Due to the extent of internal engine damage caused by the lifter failure, the vehicle required complete engine replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11747701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Without any indications of a problem our transmission began making a loud whining noise. The evening before it was fine and the next morning on startup the noise just began. The Vehicle only has 45,000 miles on it and the transmission had been serviced at the recommend manufacturer interval. Took it immediately to my auto repair shop where it was diagnosed as a transmission failure (they has seen this before) and told not to drive until replaced due to safety issues related to the failure. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of these needed 10 speed transmission I waited over a month for the vehicle to be repaired. The shop contacted GM to inquire about any warranty help but was told there was none.
NHTSA complaint #11747021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
transfer case locked up at highway speeds. had to be towed to dealer not drivable. Locking up rear tires at highways speed was serious risk. It was inspected and found not to be covered under current recall even though exact same thing happed to recalled vehicles. No warning lights or messages
NHTSA complaint #11745921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My wife and I were traveling to Denver CO to pick up my son and grandson from the airport. The engine started to make a very exaggerated rattle. We found a dealership near our motel where we took the vehicle to and were told not to drive home that the engine needed to be replaced. We had to arrange our own transportation for both us and the vehicle 8 hrs back to our home in Rapid City, SD where our local dealership replaced the engine. The vehicle had approximately 65,000 miles when this occurred. Fortunately we were in a populated area when this occurred as there is a lot of very sparsely populated area between our home and Denver. This malfunction not only cost me a lot of money but also put my family at risk in unfamiliar areas.
NHTSA complaint #11743381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While I was driving home from the grocery store with my 4 kids our 2021 GMC Yukon XL (5.3L V8 engine), the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic mechanical engine failure without warning. The engine began violently shaking, lost major propulsion, and dropped into a severe misfire state when we were coming down the highway. This created an immediate safety hazard on the road, as I suddenly lost the ability to safely accelerate or maintain highway speeds while hauling my children.A certified technician diagnosed the issue as a complete failure of the active fuel management hydraulic valve lifters and bent pushrods, a known manufacturing defect explicitly documented in GM Technical Service Bulletin PIP5776F. The internal failure required a total engine teardown and valvetrain replacement, costing over $10,000 out of pocket.General Motors has failed to issue a safety recall for this specific 5.3L valvetrain defect, despite it causing unexpected engine stalls, severe power loss, and immediate traffic hazards for drivers. This defective component poses an ongoing safety risk to families and should be upgraded to a mandatory safety recall. I am afraid to drive it every time I get on the highway in fear it could shut down again.
NHTSA complaint #11742514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH to work, the vehicle shifted into neutral and into low and failed to drive at about 20 MPH. The check engine light was flashing. The front collision was unavailable. The contact left the vehicle at a gas station. Upon research, the contact located NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V374000 (Power Train), which was similar to the failure. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed there were no open recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted via chat, who referred her to the local dealer and manufacturer service center. The contact informed her to confirm the coverage with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 283,000.
NHTSA complaint #11742098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1.XXX XX— GM Recall Notification (Recall No. N252494000) I received official notification from General Motors of Recall N252494000 affecting my vehicle. I brought the vehicle to [XXX] as directed to have the recall remedy performed. 2. XXX — First Report of Engine Propulsion Issues I reported engine propulsion concerns to Jim Ellis. This was my first formal complaint regarding the performance of the vehicle following the recall remedy. 3. XXX — Oil Type Change Performed by Jim Ellis Jim Ellis performed an engine oil type change, switching to 0W-40 oil, and advised me that this change would serve as the fix for Recall N252494000. I accepted this remedy in good faith. 4. XXX — Low Oil Warning Light Activated Approximately nine months after the recall remedy, and well before the end of the recommended oil life cycle, the low oil warning light activated on my dashboard. This is abnormal and indicative of excessive oil consumption. I returned to Jim Ellis, who performed a fresh oil change and placed my vehicle on a 6,000-mile oil consumption test — an acknowledgment that an oil consumption problem exists. 5. XXX — Active Engine Misfires, Jerking, and Flashing Check Engine Light While operating my vehicle on Sunday, May 31, 2026, I experienced severe engine jerking and misfires. The check engine light began flashing — not steady — which I understand to indicate an active and serious engine misfire event. I was genuinely concerned for my personal safety and immediately parked the vehicle. It has not been driven since. 6. XXX — GM Corporate Case Opened I contacted GM Customer Care and was assigned Corporate Case Number INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle keep jerking in and out of gear the issue almost made me crash due to the harsh conditions Took to repair they stated this is a known problem. That is what worries me now
NHTSA complaint #11739730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2022 GMC Yukon XL with the 6.2L L87 engine was previously subject to NHTSA Recall 25V-274 / GM Recall N252494000 for L87 engine loss of propulsion. The recall was closed by the dealer as “PicoScope Inspection — Engine Passed / Update Engine Oil Type,” with the oil/cap/filter remedy. The vehicle was later brought back to the dealer for engine noise/knocking, check-engine light, and engine oil light/oil warning concerns. The dealer has now confirmed that the dipstick was not picking up oil, the oil level was severely low, the oil condition was severely degraded, and abnormal engine noise was heard. My VIN also shows active GM Special Coverage N252494003 through 1/15/2032 or 150,027 miles. The dealer previously stated that the underlying PicoScope pass data from the recall inspection is no longer available to the dealership after submission. This is not the first oil-related concern. During a prior service visit in September 2025, around the same time the L87 recall was completed, the dealer documented an engine oil low message and an upper oil pan leak causing the low-oil message. I am concerned the L87 engine may be failing after the recall remedy was previously marked complete, creating a risk of engine failure or loss of propulsion while driving. I am also concerned the current engine/oil/noise condition is being treated as customer-pay/out-of-warranty before the root cause is fully diagnosed or reviewed by GM under Special Coverage N252494003.
NHTSA complaint #11738772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving the vehicle with my family in it on merrit parkway in ct 230 am on May 10 th Car rpm start going up and making noises and felt like gear not shifting in few seconds later car all sudden on its own shifted to neutral as my speed 55-60 mph was during that moment. And screen on dash went blank dark .i was able to move to side of the road safe as possible .road is only two lane and no room to park on side . Immediately turn hazards lights on and try to restart the car and vehicle will not turn on . State troopers came and assisted us till tow truck came and vehicle get towed to dealer
NHTSA complaint #11738342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that on several occasions while stopped and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle reversed inadvertently and then jerked forward to accelerate. The contact added that the battery was drained but the failure was not the most important to report at this time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The issue reoccurred the same day. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
NHTSA complaint #11737523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.