2021 GMC Yukon engine problems
373 of the 559 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2021 GMC Yukon name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 713 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 4 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 373 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2024: 15 · 2025: 202 · 2026: 132
Half of the 73 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 58,000 and 100,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
559 complaints in all about the 2021 GMC Yukon, 132 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: GMC Yukon engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Engine failure of lifters and piston rings at 58000 miles. Engine failure at highway speeds causing complete loss of power on highway. It is completely unacceptable to have such catastrophic engine failure on such a new vehicle
Our 2021 GMC Yukon XL for the third time now has shifted from Drive to Neutral and then turned off on us on the highway. The first time GM changed the motor (at approximately 35,000 miles), the second time was about a month ago we were at the White Mountains and it shut off on a highway, the third time was yesterday (with 61,057 miles)…
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) message was displayed. During the failure the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the NOX sensor, but the failure persisted.
My family and I purchased this vehicle brand new in August 2021. We live in Phoenix Arizona and bought it from Earnhardt Buick & GMA in Mesa, AZ. While driving the vehicle in the last few weeks I personally could smell a strong odor of fumes in the cabin when the A/C or Heater were on.
On Monday, November 20, 2023, I was operating my vehicle on Interstate 80 in western Nebraska when suddenly and without any notice, apparently an engine lifter in cylinder 8 failed causing the vehicle to lose power while in heavy semi-truck traffic, while operating at approximately 80 mph, forcing me to avoid a collision.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 25V274000 HighApr 24, 2025 · 597,571 vehicles
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
NHTSA investigations
- EA26005 Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedyopened Aug 20, 2026 · open
- On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued R…
- RQ26001 Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedyopened Jan 16, 2026 · closed Aug 20, 2026
- On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued R…
- EA25007 Loss of motive power due to engine failureopened Oct 23, 2025 · open
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM). Of the 1,157 reports received, 173 are outside of the scope of recall 25V-274. These engines are installed in Model Years (MY) 2019–2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2021-2024MY Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon/Y…
- PE25001 Loss of motive power due to engine failureopened Jan 16, 2025 · closed Oct 23, 2025
- On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine. These complainants alleged engine bearing failures resulting in knocking and growling noises from the engine’s bottom end and in so…
713 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P12A6 P0300 P129F P0106 P0201 P0202 P0203 P0204
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2021 GMC Yukon names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2021 GMC Yukon
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 100 complaints
- fuel system problems 89 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2021 GMC Yukon?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 373 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (67% of everything owners filed about it), and 713 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 4 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2021 GMC Yukon?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 25V274000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2021 GMC Yukon?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 75,000 miles; half of them between 58,000 and 100,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.