Most common 2021 GMC Yukon problems
Share of the 341 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Yukon complaints by model year
Best Yukon years: 2014, 2020, 2019. Years to avoid: 2023, 2021, 2015, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
2021 GMC Yukon recalls (13)
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Hard parts internal/mechanical
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the…
Power train › Automatic transmission › Fluid/lubricant › Valves/valve body
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a…
Exterior lighting › Lighting control module › Software
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on.
Remedy: Dealers will provide an over-the-air (OTA) update for the Body Control Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2022.
Seat belts › Critical fasteners
General Motors, LLC (M) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seat belt buckle assembly may have been improperly…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rivet head formation on both the left and right side third-row seat belt buckle assemblies and replace seat belt buckle assemblies, as necessary, free of charge.
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, and Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles. The rear wheel driveshaft assemblies may have internal components that were not heat-treated properly, possibly resulting in driveshaft failure.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and/or right rear driveshaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 14, 2022.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump › Control/drive module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump power control module may cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently, which can interrupt fuel flow to the engine, and cause an unexpected engine stall.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump power control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 14, 2021.
Show 7 more recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Electric › Control module › Software
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon vehicles. Dealer service technicians may have calibrated the brake system incorrectly, affecting Electronic Stability Control (ESC) , traction control, Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), and braking while towing a trailer.
Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the brake system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 27, 2021.
Steering › Steering control module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. A software issue may cause a loss of power steering assist at startup or while driving.
Remedy: The power steering module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2021.
Air bags › SRS malfunction warning lamp/light
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag…
Remedy: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021.
Seat belts › Rear/other
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Suburban, and Tahoe vehicles with third-row seating. The third-row outboard seat belts may have been entrapped or misrouted behind the outboard seat-folding mechanism, which could result in damaged seat belts.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third-row outboard seat belts, replacing any damaged seat belts, and rerouting them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 21, 2021.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon vehicles. The fuel tank assemblies may be missing adhesive between two layers of the fuel tank shell which may result in a fuel leak.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782.
Seat belts › Critical fasteners
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at…
Seats › Critical fasteners
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles. During general assembly, a repair involved removal of one or both front seats. The attachment bolts for the front seats may not have been properly reinstalled after the repair was completed.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2021 GMC Yukon:
Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy
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.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
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.
Air Bag Malfunction
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM).
Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy
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.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
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.
What 2021 GMC Yukon owners say
Engine & cooling all 217 →
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling in a drive-thru, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and drove the vehicle with no issues however, the next day the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the failure was diagnosed as a power control module malfunction. The contact stated that the power control module was replaced under warranty. The contact stated that failure recurred several weeks later. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where the failure was unable to be replicated. The vehicle was test-driven at the dealer for about 50 miles and no repairs were completed. The contact stated that the failure recurred for the third time and was awaiting a tow to the dealer. …
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. While the contact's wife was driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled. The driver was able to coast off the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was slow to start. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an oil pump failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be rebuilt. …
Fuel & propulsion system all 56 →
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling in a drive-thru, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and drove the vehicle with no issues however, the next day the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the failure was diagnosed as a power control module malfunction. The contact stated that the power control module was replaced under warranty. The contact stated that failure recurred several weeks later. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where the failure was unable to be replicated. The vehicle was test-driven at the dealer for about 50 miles and no repairs were completed. The contact stated that the failure recurred for the third time and was awaiting a tow to the dealer. …
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The messages "Reduce Acceleration - Drive with Care", "Service Traction Control", and "Service ESC" were displayed on the instrument panel. The check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed as possibly needing a low-pressure fuel pump failure and codes that needed to be cleared. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 55 →
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while accelerating, the vehicle jumped and hesitated while accelerating until the vehicle exceeded 20 - 25 MPH. The contact stated that at 1,500-2500 RPM, the failure recurred. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that while looking online, the contact discovered information about NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) with a similar failure. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). An appointment was scheduled for the vehicle to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the transmission was shifting hard, with severe vibrations and shuddering. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who confirmed the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the failure was confirmed, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the failure occurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the manufacturer had issued a special coverage associated with the failure but offered no assistance. There was no fault code retrieved associated with the previous software update that was performed under the recall campaign. …
2021 GMC Yukon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel | 10-speed automatic | RWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel | 10-speed automatic | 4WD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 10-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 20 / 18 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 4WD | 16 / 20 / 18 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 10-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 4WD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 GMC Yukon a good car?
Based on 341 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Yukon rates avoid: 4.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Yukon at the same age. It is one of the Yukon years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 GMC Yukon?
The engine & cooling — 217 complaints, 64% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › crank/camshaft position sensor. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (56) and transmission & drivetrain (55).
How many recalls does the 2021 GMC Yukon have?
There are 13 recalls for the 2021 GMC Yukon, the most recent from April 24, 2025 (hard parts internal/mechanical). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Yukon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2020 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2021, 2015, 2022 and 2024. See the full GMC Yukon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 GMC Yukon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 69,000 miles; 37% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.