2022 GMC Yukon engine problems

120 of the 258 complaints about the 2022 GMC Yukon are about the engine — 47% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 46,000 miles.

F

120

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 107 89.2%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 13 10.8%

Engine & Cooling across every GMC Yukon year

1999 12 1.3%
2001 13 1.4%
2003 24 2.5%
2004 17 1.8%
2007 35 3.7%
2008 15 1.6%
2011 14 1.5%
2013 11 1.2%
2015 33 3.5%
2016 34 3.6%
2017 34 3.6%
2018 28 2.9%
2019 29 3.0%
2020 13 1.4%
2021 210 22.1%
2022 120 12.6%
2023 165 17.3%
2024 83 8.7%
2025 34 3.6%
2026 28 2.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 50,000 miles Colorado Springs, CO

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2022 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed and was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, at start-up there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there were metal shavings inside the oil filter and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA complaint #11763457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brunswick, GA

ENGINE

Persistent lifter/valvetrain tapping noise, particularly around 1,500 RPM. 2022 Yukon 88,000 miles. Engine consumes more than 2 quarts of oil in between oil changes. Was told by dealer in the past that this was in normal range.

NHTSA complaint #11762345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Haslet, TX

ENGINE

My engine has failed twice. I am now on my third engine. The vehicle stalled while driving on a highway, was in the shop for nearly 3 months and was "fixed" with same 6.2 engine. Eight months later it stalled again was in the shop for 2 months with a new engine. I was informed that they still don't know the issue and they just put the same type of engine. A bandaid was placed in my vehicle and I'm suppose to feel safe in it.

NHTSA complaint #11761349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Morgan, CO

ENGINE

A safety call was issued; NHTSA 25V274. GM found my engine needed to be replaced due to the recall. Transwest GMC in [XXX] replaced the engine at no charge in XXX. The new engine they put in, blew up while I was driving. It blew up in June 2026, about 6 months after the replacement was put in. Around 20k miles. Before they would even diagnose the engine failure, they made me provide service records. Which I did and was found to be compliant with their recommendations. They replaced engine again in XXX free of charge. However, now they are telling me that the engine is only covered up until 150,000 miles. At the time of engine failure, I had 127,000 miles on my car. Therefore, I would only have 23,000 miles left of coverage for a brand-new engine they replaced. I am filing a complaint because I am questioning their warranty. I am questing what the warranty is on safety recall. My car is 4 years old, and now I can't rely on it due to mutiple engine failures. It's questionable to me, why they will only cover it to an odometer reading of 150,000 when the engine is brand new. It seems they should cover the part itself for 150,000 miles. Especially when it's a known issue for certain GM motors right now. I am filing a complaint, in hopes that I can prevent someone from getting seriously injured. Also, to protect myself against future engine problems. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11760921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Maple Valley, WA

ENGINE

L87 engine already replaced under recall. Failed with same issue in the middle of the road after making heavy squeaking noise.

NHTSA complaint #11760783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Blytheville, AR

ENGINE

Had a check engine light come on a couple months ago and vehicle went into Reduced Accelaration safety mode. Come to find out, it was a faulty Valve Body. I came out of pocket for $2,800 to get it replaced because GMC said the Valve Body/Special Coverage was not assigned to this VIN. Even though it was a 2022 with 60,000 miles on it fitting every criteria of the exact recall (mind-blowing). Now fast forward to now, the same check engine light and reduced acceleration fault is active associated with a Transmission Control Module Fault. This truck is entirely too new and taken care of to be dealing with these types of major issues. It’s been a severe inconvenience for my wife as it’s her daily driver. To make matters worse, the lack of support and assistance from GMC has made us go from very loyal customers and supporters, to now seeing how quickly we can get away from this disaster of a vehicle and Customer Service.

NHTSA complaint #11760568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Breinigsville, PA

ENGINE

I was driving on the Northeast extension at roughly 70 mph in the passing lane and my car lost forward power and went into reduced acceleration mode. The check engine light is on, violently shakes when parked, with additional dashboard notifications saying Service ESC, service traction control, and forward collision system unavailable. I had my engine replaced in September due to the recall.

NHTSA complaint #11760207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Asher, OK

ENGINE

Driving down the interstate and lost all power, it said start engine and didn’t start coasted to the side of the road. It sounded like locked up engine, confirmed at dealership locked up engine.

NHTSA complaint #11760467 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sulphur, LA

ENGINE

This vehicle has been towed into GMC service 3 times to date. #1. 2/2024 (mil 22,662) would not start, low voltage msg, replaced battery. #2. 4/2026 (mil 57,854) vehicle went into N on its own while I was driving down the road, msg on dash "function not available", I stopped and the engine died & would not restart, no engagement from starter motor, found P0615 present, found blown fuse on battery distribution fuse block, replaced. #3. 7/2026 (mil 63,041) vehicle went into N on its own while I was driving down interstate, msg on dash "function not available", I stopped, the engine died and would not restart, found main battery fuse blown, engine seized, found spun rod bearing full of metal debris, replaced engine, radiator, cooler lines, seals, gaskets, bolts, & fluids. My safety was at risk as I was driving down a highway and the interstate 2 of the times the vehicle put itself in N. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer's service dept. Prior to these incidents I did not notice any symptoms that would have alerted me of what was to come. **This report is referring to my latest incident which was engine seizure. *Two recalls have been performed, #1. 5/2025 "reprogrammed serial data module" & #2. 11/2025 "engine loss of propulsion recall", replaced oil with 0W-40 & "ECM software update recall", replaced ECM with SPS.

NHTSA complaint #11760118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pasadena, TX

ENGINE

I was on the highway i90 and the motor failed. Had to get it towed the the nearby GM dealership.

NHTSA complaint #11759181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albany, OR

ENGINE

We were driving back from vacation in a 2022 Yukon Denali with less than 40,000 miles on it when our engine completely seized. We were going highway speeds in a remote area. 4 kids were in our car, one of them only 1 month old. We were stranded for 10 hours. Engine needs to be completely replaced. GM is not providing any assistance.

NHTSA complaint #11758712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Medford, MN

ENGINE

Vehicle lost all power and shutdown coming off the highway. This all happened even after the heavier ow-40 oil was added from the initial engine inspection. Been waiting almost 2 months for a total engine replacement

NHTSA complaint #11758792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clarkston, WA

ENGINE

Engine would tick and burn oil after the updated recall was done. There would be a hesitation occasionally when applying gas when pulling out from stop sign or stoplight. The engine stalled and would not restart. It would crank over but it was a super fast and elongated turn over. We had to call a tow truck and have it towed. The dealership said they found nothing wrong and sent us back out with it. We sent it to another dealership would replaced the auto start stop switch, changed the belts, and did a fuel/valve treatment to clean the fuel system. We got it back and ran it less than 30 days when we picked it up from the dealership after we changed the engine oil, my wife headed out of town on the highway headed to pick up our daughter and the car made it less than 6 miles before it lost power and shut off going 65 mph and almost caused her to get in a wreck. The engine did not turn back over and would not start. Sent it back to the dealership and they found a crank bearing had seized and they replaced the engine. We just got it back but we are not holding our breath since we know so many people here in our small town who have had their engines replaced and we have heard of people getting multiple engines replaced! There fix is not a fix and when these motors go down at highway or freeway speeds it is extremely dangerous. It’s also dangerous for people when they get stranded out in the middle of no where.

NHTSA complaint #11758809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Germantown, TN

ENGINE

Vehicle is a 2022 GMC Yukon Denali with the 6.2L L87 V8, covered by NHTSA Recall 25V-274 (GM N252494001). The recall remedy was performed. The engine passed the dealer inspection and was given the higher-viscosity 0W-40 oil remedy rather than an engine replacement. On 05/26/2026, at approximately 43,000 miles, the vehicle suffered a sudden engine knock while being driven by my wife. At the same time, the dash displayed Service ESC and Service Traction Control warnings, the vehicle's speed fluctuated on its own without driver input, and the air suspension cycled up and down while the vehicle was in motion. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed a failed lifter with resulting camshaft damage and repaired it under the powertrain warranty. The vehicle was out of service approximately fifteen days. Shortly after the vehicle was returned, it began displaying a "Theft Attempted" message on the dash every day. I reported this to the dealer in writing on 06/15/2026 with a photograph at 43,898 miles. The dealer stated it was unlikely to be related and did not scan or diagnose it. On 07/14/2026, approximately 560 miles after the repair, the vehicle became inoperable and had to be towed to the dealer a second time. It is currently at the dealer and has not yet been diagnosed. The unexpected loss of power, speed fluctuation, and stability-control failure at road speed present a serious crash risk. This vehicle passed the 25V-274 inspection remedy and then experienced a valvetrain failure regardless, which is directly relevant to Recall Query RQ26001 into the adequacy of that remedy.

NHTSA complaint #11750311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,000 miles Greensburg, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal knocking and ticking sound emanated from the engine before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with total engine failure, requiring replacement. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the current engine was a replacement engine from a previous failure, which was tested prior to installation but also failed. Additionally, the contact stated after the failure, the transmission could not be shifted into Neutral, forcing the tow operator to drag the vehicle onto the flatbed truck. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the latest failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

NHTSA complaint #11748699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Crested Butte, CO

ENGINE

My 2022 GMC Yukon (6.2L L87 V8, VIN [XXX]) is covered by recall 25V-274 / GM N252494000, "L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion." In May 2025, at about 65,800 miles, the engine lost power and shut down while I was driving, then developed a loud knocking noise and an intermittent low-oil-pressure warning. The dealer (The Faricy Boys Automotive, Salida, CO) found excessive metal in the oil sample and replaced the entire engine under this recall in June 2025. The original engine serial was [XXX]; the replacement serial is [XXX]. On XXX, at about 93,000 miles — roughly 27,000 miles after the recall repair — the REPLACEMENT engine GM installed began making the same knocking noise. A dealer (Turner Automotive, Montrose, CO) has confirmed the engine is failing and has ordered a second replacement engine. The recall remedy GM performed did not fix the defect; the engine GM installed to cure the recall is now exhibiting the same failure mode (knocking / loss of propulsion). When the engine failed on XXX, GM Roadside Assistance refused to cover towing despite the engine's replacement coverage, and I had to pay roughly $484 out of pocket to tow the vehicle about 74 miles to the nearest dealer. This is a safety issue: the defect causes loss of motive power, and in my first failure the vehicle shut down while I was driving. I am reporting this because the recall remedy itself appears defective, consistent with NHTSA Recall Query RQ26001 regarding the adequacy of the remedy for campaign 25V-274. Please associate this report with that recall and that investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11747403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Austin, TX

ENGINE

With no warning, my engine 6.2 L stopped running at highway speeds and failed to restart. The power train completely failed for a second time after having a previous engine replaced for the same failure in 2024. I had the car inspected per the recall along with changes in the oil viscosity as recommended along with service inspection. The car left me stranded again on rural highway for over 5 hours in temps that exceeded 98 degrees. The car would not start and went into a power save shutdown and had to be towed to the dealer. I was fortunate to have avoided any traffic on the highway enough to get the car off the road. This is not safe to drive on the highway and GMC has known defect and safety concern with this issue.

NHTSA complaint #11745589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 11,000 miles Springtown, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2022 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly entered LIMP mode, the speed was reduced, and the vehicle failed to exceed 55 MPH. The Check Engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that an emission system failure had occurred, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,000.

NHTSA complaint #11743538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Troy, MI

ENGINE

The engine began making a metallic knocking noise while at idle and very soon after began to make the same noise under acceleration. This noise sounded very much like the onset of rod bearing failure. The vehicle was driven straight home and parked. We called the dealership the next day and made a service appointment. As I drove the vehicle to the dealership, the engine noise became worse and was clattering very loudly as I pulled into the dealership parking lot. I pulled into a parking spot and let the engine idle with the transmission in Park while I was collecting some personal items when the engine stalled. I tried several times to start the engine but it would not crank. The dealership engine tech later confirmed that the engine was seized

NHTSA complaint #11742839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cincinnati, OH

ENGINE

The engine had a sudden loss of propulsion on the highway traveling at 70mph. It went into netural and I had to coast to the side. Power cycled and it started back up for 15 more miles, then did it again and would not go out of park. Towed to dealer. PICO L87 recall was completed prior to purchasing the vehicle. 300 miles after purchase, the engine locked up. Dealer confirmed its an L87 recall failure. Vehicle was inspected on 4/21/2026. I have been waiting on a motor for 7 weeks with no movement.

NHTSA complaint #11742068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Farmersville, TX

ENGINE

Experiencing a stuck lifter in the DFM module. After doing some research, it appears there are a bunch of other people that are dealing with the same issue. The only recall was for the 6.2L engine but not the 5.3L. It appears that both engines are experiencing the exact same issue and GM hasn’t done anything to help with it.

NHTSA complaint #11741114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Massillon, OH

ENGINE

Vehicle has 58,800 miles on it driving down highway started smoking and motor making a clanking noise.

NHTSA complaint #11740120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bronson, FL

ENGINE

We were driving on 95S when the Yukon Denali automatically shifted itself from D to N. On the dash it had a warning message to press start again. When my husband did that we could smell a smoke smell. Meanwhile, we are in the middle lane of the highway while trying to safely get off the middle of the interstate without being rear ended by the semi that was behind us. We finally made it to the side of the interstate where my husband was able to put the Yukon in park. He was never able to get the vehicle back in Drive. The car would never click back over to start up again. We had to have the vehicle towed to the nearest GMC dealership where it has now been for almost 3 weeks with no timeline for a date of a new engine. I was told it needed a new engine and radiator. Said the alternator was trying to catch fire when he was trying to start the vehicle. This is the SECOND time the Yukon has been in the dealership in 4 months for this recall issue. This time it is 2hrs away from my home.

NHTSA complaint #11734258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,000 miles El Campo, TX

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2022 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The hazard lights, collision, road traction, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam lobe and cylinder #6 lifter had failed, and the lifter and camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA complaint #11733420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sanford, FL

ENGINE

Good afternoon, I am submitting this complaint to report a serious and potentially life-threatening safety issue involving my 2022 GMC Yukon Denali. While traveling northbound on State Road 417 (toll road) in Florida, approaching Exit 45, I was driving approximately 75 mph when, without any warning, the vehicle suddenly shifted itself into neutral. A message immediately appeared on the dashboard instructing me to press the start button, and the vehicle rapidly lost power and began to decelerate in the middle lane of a high-speed highway. This sudden loss of power created an extremely dangerous situation that could have easily resulted in a major collision. Vehicles behind me were traveling at highway speeds, and I had no ability to safely maintain speed or predict the failure. The lack of warning makes this issue especially concerning, as there was no opportunity to take preventive action. After the incident, I contacted OnStar for assistance. The vehicle was towed to Carl Black GMC, where the service advisor confirmed that the engine requires a full replacement. A complete engine failure occurring suddenly at highway speeds, without warning, is not just a mechanical issue—it is a critical safety hazard. This type of failure puts not only the driver but also passengers and surrounding motorists at serious risk of injury or death. It is deeply concerning that a vehicle of this age and caliber would experience such a catastrophic failure. Issues like this must be addressed immediately, as they have the potential to cause severe accidents if they continue to occur without warning. I strongly urge that this matter be investigated thoroughly and that appropriate action be taken to ensure that other drivers are not placed in similar dangerous situations. I was fortunate that my children were not in the vehicle at the time of this incident. The outcome could have been far worse. Please let me know if additional information is required.

NHTSA complaint #11732581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Antonio, TX

ENGINE

Monday, March 30, 2026 my GMC Yukon Denali had already had the recall pico test and was told it passed on September 2025 six months later March 30, 2026, driving to pick up my wife from work a tapping sound coming from the engine started and about a mile down the road from when I first heard the tapping the engine started juttering and the noise got louder like a clunking sound. I had to pull off the road into a gas station and use the OnStar to get assistance the vehicle was towed to a local San Antonio dealership Cavender Buick West they gave me a loaner vehicle the next morning and the day after that Wednesday I was informed that yes they confirmed the engine will have to get replaced so now I am waiting for that. I was told by the dealer it could take up to two months for them to receive a replacement engine and once they receive the engine, it can take roughly for maybe five days for turnaround. I inquired whether the replacement engine isn’t upgraded engine or is it the same engine that has all the problems I haven’t received an answer for that yet. I am awaiting that answer from my service advisor. He said he is looking into that.

NHTSA complaint #11729008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake Charles, LA

ENGINE

While driving on the interstate at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration and stalled. I was forced to pull over. After stopping, the vehicle displayed a message to restart, but it would not start. All electronic accessories (lights, dash, etc.) remained functional, but the vehicle would not shift into drive or neutral. The message “Conditions Not Correct for Shift” appeared. Nearly rear ended, this created a dangerous situation due to loss of power in active traffic and inability to move the vehicle on a 250,000 vehicle per day very busy tollway.

NHTSA complaint #11727819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Plymouth, MN

ENGINE

6.2 Liter Engine failed at 34,000 miles. The engine failure was confirmed by Luther Brookdale GMC in Brooklyn Center Minnesota. They said the engine failed and replaced it with a new 6.2L engine as part of the recall. No warning lights, or indication of failure, some very minor noises were coming from the engine. It did not fail on the highway, but at the dealer but could have killed my family if it happened on the highway.

NHTSA complaint #11726981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Meridian, MS

ENGINE

While driving my 2022 GMC Yukon Denali at interstate highway speed, the engine suddenly failed without any prior warning. At the time of the incident, the vehicle had approximately 65,000 miles. There were no warning lights illuminated before or during the failure. The engine immediately began running rough, produced abnormal knocking/ticking noise, and then completely lost power. This created a dangerous situation, as I was traveling at highway speed and suddenly could not maintain speed with surrounding traffic. I had to quickly maneuver out of traffic and safely reach the shoulder to avoid a potential accident. Due to the complete loss of engine power, the vehicle was inoperable and had to be towed from the scene. The vehicle has been properly maintained and has not had any prior mechanical issues. I contacted a dealership, but as of now, the vehicle has not yet been inspected or diagnosed. Based on the symptoms, the failure appears consistent with a lifter-related engine issue reported in similar vehicles. The sudden and complete loss of power without warning presents a serious safety concern.

NHTSA complaint #11726561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cary, NC

ENGINE

The engine (6.2L L87 V8) failed at approximately 85,000 miles. The failure was diagnosed as internal engine damage and the engine assembly was replaced. The failed engine is available to the manufacturer through the dealer as part of the repair process. The failure resulted in a complete loss of propulsion at highway speeds on the interstate, requiring immediate deceleration and maneuvering to a safe location, which created a safety risk to occupants and surrounding traffic. The condition was confirmed by a GM dealer using diagnostic procedures, including a Pico scope test, which verified internal engine failure. The engine was replaced under GM safety recall / special coverage related to L87 engine failure. The vehicle was inspected and repaired by an authorized GM dealership as part of the recall remedy. Prior to failure, there were no warning lights or messages. The only symptom was increasing engine noise and knocking from the lower end shortly before the loss of power. Failure occurred during normal driving conditions with proper maintenance. No crash, fire, or injury occurred.

NHTSA complaint #11726038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2022 GMC Yukon problems

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