2023 GMC YUKON XL Complaints

Hi my 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate died in the middle of the road due to a catastrophic engine failure. That put my family and I in danger on the highway.

As we were driving down a main road and taking off from a stop light on NW Expressway we had no warning before the car seemed to die and shift itself to N. It said to press the start button, that did nothing and the car would not power back up besides the lights and dash that were still working. We coasted to a stop in a neighborhood entrance. I'm so thankful I was not on the highway during rush hour traffic. Once stopped, we put it in park and tried to start it. A friend came and tried to jump it and still nothing. The dealership has confirmed it needs a full engine replacement. GM has agreed to help with cost but my car has sat inoperable for over 30 days as the engine is on back order with no ETA. It has a 6.2L engine and I had taken it in for pull consumption tests over the past 2 years. The dealerships were unable to duplicate the problem. Two days prior to the failure I had told my husband it was slow to crank and we needed to have the battery checked. I now believe it was the engine, not the battery. There were no warning lights on and my battery indicter showed to be in the middle (not lacking charge). I am aware of a voluntary customer satisfaction program that GM has issued but they have told me my VIN isn't one of the 5000 affected by this. In visiting with the dealership it appears they will not fully break down my engine until the new one has arrived but they are 90% sure of the cause as they've "seen several of these". This could have been catastrophic to have a car die with warning in traffic.

During the operation of my 2023 GMC Yukon XL AT4 on [XXX], carbon monoxide (CO) entered the cabin, exposing my children and me to dangerously high levels of CO and causing confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning. We were driving with the engine running and the heater on for approximately 21 minutes when the exposure occurred. Symptoms began to escalate that day and into the proceeding days, including severe headache, stomachache, pallor, chest pressure, shortness of breath, fatigue, and neurological issues. My children, particularly my [XXX] and [XXX] , experienced the most severe effects— both were very ill especially my [XXX] . Unfortunately, we initially did not believe it was possible for CO to enter the vehicle cabin, which delayed early intervention and appropriate medical care. Blood testing 4 days later confirmed elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels in my [XXX] , the only one tested. During the incident, the battery warning light was the first indication of trouble, but soon after, many additional error messages began flashing on the dashboard. The vehicle then overheated, decelerated, and eventually shut down while driving. We were in the vehicle under 21 minutes. Upon inspection after the incident, my husband noted a severed belt and potential pulley issues. The exact cause of the CO intrusion has not yet been identified. The vehicle is available for inspection and unaltered to preserve evidence. I am writing GMC and requesting further investigation by GMC. This incident reflects a severe safety issue with potentially life-threatening implications for GMC owners. CO exposure can cause significant harm, and delayed identification in this case placed my family at substantial risk. Immediate investigation and corrective action are essential to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Time is critical, as this defect could have catastrophic consequences for other unsuspecting drivers and their families. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH coming to an intersection and attempting to apply the brakes, the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The message brake system failure and speed limited to 62 MPH were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle continued and drove through the intersection. The parking brake failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle ended up stopping in a ditch and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the battery terminal had detached, causing 20 different modules to fail. The battery cable was tightened. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case for a possible buyback. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 25,100.

Complete engine failure while operating the vehicle with our children riding along as passengers. The engine failure nearly caused us to wreck. 2023 GMC Yukon XL Denali with only 15,000 miles. And now, I am being told that I need a complete engine replacement and that GMC is well aware of these engine failures and the product defects, yet GMC has refused to issue a recall. To add insult to injury, I’m being told by dealership that it may take several months to get a new engine! We will be pursuing legal action.

Driving in my newer GM Yukon Ultimate at 13k miles on the freeway. Vehicle with no warning shuts down while going 60mph in the middle lane. Was able to safely steer the car to the side of the road to avoid a collision. Vehicle lost all electrical contact. could not shift into neutral to tow. Turns out vehicle engine had to be replaced. GM approved a new engine replacement and are planning to return the vehicle back to put on the road. The vehicle is unsafe, at 5k miles, 6 months prior, the vehicle had to have the steering system replaced due to failure as well. Online research shows that others are having the same issue with failed engines on these GM vehicles and models.

At approximately 9,000 miles the engine started knocking. I took it to the dealer today and they called to confirm the engine and radiator needed to be replaced as there are metal shavings in the oil. I'm not sure if it is the 6.2L engine lifter issue or if this is something different, nonetheless, engine issues for GMC seem to be systemic based on quick research and seeing posts in forums and social media.

Engine shut off at freeway speeds (65mph) on 2 occasions. Driver was able to coast over to side of freeway both times. On 1st occasion CHP protected vehicle from other traffic on i-5 with safety lights and traffic control. On second occasion, tow truck came quickly and kids were evacuated to prevent heat stroke in 113 degree weather. The first incident was “repaired” with a new starter and battery fuse block at 21720mi, but only lasted to 21814mi before same event occurred. No warning of failure before or after incident, just a dead engine. Second event (7/2/2024) is still being investigated by dealership.

Driving at 70 mph, the vehicle shifted into neutral without warning. When attempting to place the vehicle back into drive, the vehicle dashboard Siad "vehicle condition not met" . I slowed the car and pulled over. It shifted into park but now will not start and will not go into neutral for towing.

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving 86 MPH in the middle lane, the vehicle shut off on five occasions. The vehicle was restarted, the steering column was locked, and the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact stated that the rear axle had disengaged. The suspension leveling system had failed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 39,000.