2026 GMC YUKON XL

1 recalls — 15 complaints

26V114000 Feb 26, 2026
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Corvette Convertible E-Ray, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, Silverado EV, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hummer EV Pickup, Hummer EV SUV, Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Sierra EV, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The radio may not have been set to the correct status to download the electronic owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Protection.”
Remedy: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 13, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 26, 2026.
5,485 vehicles affected
ENGINE Mar 31, 2026
Engine failed with just 3,633 miles. Covert GMC is replacing the entire engine.
ENGINE Mar 19, 2026
2026 GMC Yukon XL Denali, VIN [XXX] , 6.2L V8 L87 engine. At 3,168 miles, vehicle developed rough idle and knocking noise. Delivered to Sewell Buick GMC Dallas on 3/2/26. Dealer diagnosed crankshaft thrust bearing spun. Tech pinpointed bottom-end noise via stethoscope, found excessive metal debris in oil and oil filter. Engine teardown confirmed thrust bearing failure. Required complete engine replacement (GM #xxx), plus oil cooler/radiator, oil cooler lines, torque converter bolts, and all one-time-use parts due to metal contamination. Old engine serial [XXX] , new engine [XXX] . Repaired under warranty 3/9/26, RO #XXX. This is the identical failure mode that caused NHTSA Recall 25V-274 covering ~597,630 L87-equipped vehicles (MY 2021-2024). GM stated manufacturing improvements were completed by 6/1/24 and 2025+ models were not affected. My 2026 model year failure directly contradicts this claim and suggests the defect persists in current production. SAFETY CONCERN: Bearing failure causes sudden complete loss of propulsion at any speed. NHTSA investigation PE25001 notes most failures occur without warning. Loss of power at highway speed creates serious crash risk due to loss of ability to accelerate and reduced power braking/steering. Had this failure progressed further while driving with my family, consequences could have been severe. No crash or injury occurred in this instance. This 2026 model year failure indicates NHTSA's investigation scope should expand to include current production vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
ENGINE Mar 11, 2026
Engine lost power, making noises that sounded like an exhaust leak. Had vehicle towed to dealership. Advised the next day the main bearing had failed and engine needed to be replaced.
WHEELS Feb 27, 2026
I am submitting supplemental information regarding Complaint #11716907 involving a 2026 GMC Yukon XL AT4 equipped with the Brembo brake package. Following my original submission, GM's Executive Resolution Office provided written clarification of its disclosure position. GM states that the spare tire compatibility limitation associated with the Performance Brake Upgrade is disclosed through a hang tag affixed to the spare tire/wheel assembly mounted beneath the vehicle; and the owner’s manual. GM has not indicated that this limitation appears on the Monroney label, buyer’s order, or delivery documentation. The hang tag provided to me as an example states that the original spare tire/wheel does not fit the front axle when the performance brakes are installed. It instructs that, in the event of a front-axle flat, the consumer must install the spare on a rear wheel position & move a rear wheel to the front axle; and stow the flat tire. The spare tire is mounted underneath the vehicle. The tag is attached to the spare assembly and exposed to road conditions. In my case, when the spare was accessed following a roadside flat tire event, only a small piece of yellow plastic remained. Additionally, no printed owner’s manual is provided at delivery. During my roadside event, the dispatched service provider was unaware of any two-wheel rotation procedure and attempted to install the spare directly on the affected axle. The incompatibility rendered the spare unusable at that time. My concern is that current owners of vehicles equipped with the Performance Brake Upgrade may reasonably assume that a “full-size spare” is compatible with all wheel positions. Unless the undercarriage hang tag remains intact and is specifically read at the time of a flat tire, the incompatibility and required rotation procedure is not apparent. GM has not indicated it intends to notify new or existing owners regarding the spare tire limitation and required rotation procedure.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER Feb 10, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report a safety defect involving a 2026 GMC Yukon XL AT4 equipped with the GM Brembo brake upgrade. The vehicle is sold as equipped with a full-size spare tire; however, the spare tire/wheel supplied cannot be mounted due to interference from the brake calipers. This incompatibility was discovered only after a flat tire event on [XXX], during which the vehicle could not be safely returned to service. The Brembo brake upgrade is a GM-designed option that is installed by the dealer in all cases. Despite this, the vehicle was delivered with emergency equipment that is unusable in the event of a flat tire. GM has acknowledged the incompatibility and relies on a warning label placed beneath the vehicle, rather than providing a compatible spare or disclosure at the point of sale. This defect resulted in a prolonged roadside emergency involving an elderly passenger and a failure of manufacturer-provided roadside assistance. I believe this condition affects all vehicles equipped with the Brembo brake upgrade and represents a systemic safety issue involving emergency preparedness and disclosure. Supporting documentation and a detailed incident narrative are available upon request. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
ENGINE Feb 10, 2026
On [XXX], I was driving on the highway with my family in the vehicle and the check engine light came on, then it started running roughly. I headed off the highway on an exit ramp and the engine died about halfway down the ramp. It wouldn't restart after that. This happened about an hour away from my house in Painesville, OH. I live in Erie, PA. I had to tow it to the nearest GMC dealer. They've since concluded that the engine failed and have ordered a replacement engine from GMC. The yukon only had about 4,900 miles on it. GMC has claimed that their engine problems were fixed for the 2025 and 2026 model years, or else I would not have purchased this vehicle. Obviously there are still major issues and the 2026 6.2L engines need to be recalled. I understand that there is an ongoing investigation into these issues: RQ26001. Please see that the investigators are made aware of this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
ENGINE Feb 9, 2026
Purchased brand new vehicle 2026 XL Denali, hadn’t even had my first oil change, and had a complete engine failure in the middle of the road. Prior to engine failure, car ran fine without an issue - so failure came out of nowhere. Towed, where GMC and dealer determined entire engine needed to be replaced. GMC did cover and dealer did install a new engine. However: 1. I was out of a vehicle for almost a month. 2. I have incurred a depreciation cost of 10-15% on my vehicle due to this problem. 3. I have lost confidence in my brand new vehicle, as GMC has not fixed the reoccurring engine problems from previous years - despite promises to the contrary.
SEATS Feb 6, 2026
Seat emblem (Denali) pulls and rips out hair while sitting in seat.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Jan 31, 2026
Vehicle has 2200 miles, equipped with the Diesel engine and failed at a red light. GM has to install a new engine.
ENGINE Jan 31, 2026
Vehicle has 2200 miles, equipped with the Diesel engine and failed at a red light. GM has to install a new engine.
ENGINE Jan 7, 2026
Vehicle engine stopped working at 5200 miles. Was driving on highway and immediately stopped. Vehicle would not start. Towed to dealership and next day dealer confirmed that the engine needed to be replaced.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Dec 28, 2025
The Infotainment screen which controls the A/C, heating, defrost, cameras and all other info for the vehicle does not come on in th vehicle. This began happening after owning the vehicle for 3 days. After taking to the dealer, Delray GMC, we were informed by the service personnel on our second trip in for the recurring problem that General Motors knows this is a problem and are selling the vehicles with this factory engineering design defect and currently there is no repair. Living in Florida this is a problem in the extreme heat with no A/C, being from Illinois, when we return this will be a serious problem, Not knowing if we will or will not have access to heat, cannot control the temperature or the defrost on the vehicle and having a infotainment center that is non functional. We consider this a hazard to our safety and feel that GM is fraudulently selling consumers defective vehicles knowing this may be a safety hazard.
ENGINE Dec 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2026 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The abnormal sound disappeared after the engine had warmed up. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Nov 1, 2025
This issue affects all vehicles in the GMC lineup. The forward collision alert system is so sensitive that it gives false positives constantly which causes 2 major safety issues with the vehicle. First is that it brakes without warning and when completely unnecessary. The 2nd is that vehicles like mine with a heads up display, have the entire display flash a very bright yellow blocking the field of vision to the front of the vehicle. The system is not able to be disengaged permanently and can cause rear end collisions by braking when no obstacle exists and blocks the ability to see in front of you via the heads up display warning.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS Nov 1, 2025
This issue affects all vehicles in the GMC lineup. The forward collision alert system is so sensitive that it gives false positives constantly which causes 2 major safety issues with the vehicle. First is that it brakes without warning and when completely unnecessary. The 2nd is that vehicles like mine with a heads up display, have the entire display flash a very bright yellow blocking the field of vision to the front of the vehicle. The system is not able to be disengaged permanently and can cause rear end collisions by braking when no obstacle exists and blocks the ability to see in front of you via the heads up display warning.