2021 GMC Yukon XL problems & reliability
201 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Yukon XL, alongside 12 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 GMC Yukon XL vehicles were involved in 8 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 117 | 58% |
| Power Train | 44 | 22% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 24 | 12% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 21 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 12 | 6% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 7 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 3% |
| Suspension | 6 | 3% |
| Unknown OR Other | 6 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 66,000 miles (middle 50% between 49,000 and 88,000 miles), based on 43 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Burning oil too much too fast oil all over motor and engine and white smoke inside the car all records are with GMC DEALER”
Engine · filed Jul 22, 2026
“Engine seized while driving on the highway. This is the same engine that is being recalled and GM has said that the vin is not covered. The vehicle stopped running on a major highway with my [XXX] old son in the car. The dealership is saying this is the exact issue that is part of the larger investigation for GM v8…”
Engine · filed Jul 20, 2026
“The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the check engine warning light started blinking. The contact pulled over and became aware that the vehicle was shaking. The vehicle was turned off and restarted; however, the failure…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jul 13, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy
Recall Query RQ26001 · opened Jan 16, 2026 · open
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Engineering Analysis EA25007 · opened Oct 23, 2025 · open
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 · opened Jan 16, 2025 · closed Oct 23, 2025 · led to recall 25V274
- Air Bag Malfunction
Preliminary Evaluation PE21010 · opened Apr 9, 2021 · closed Aug 24, 2023
Technical service bulletins
1,228 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Yukon XL. The 10 most recent:
This PI Communicates information to ensure Memory Recall is enabled to ensure memory mirrors return to set position after curbview assist is used.
PIT6446A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 24, 2026
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT5509N · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message.
PIT5966F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2026
This PI advises dealers that if the K160 Brake System Control Module sets DTC P0606 along with P0562 and/or P25A2, additional diagnostic aids should be followed before replacing parts. The PI provides guidance to…
PIT6522 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 10, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates an issues with the HVAC making a hum buzz noise when the blower is set to a higher speed. Engineering is working on a new HVAC door seal material to correct the noise.
PIT6132E · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 9, 2026
This preliminary PI was created to advise techniians in the field that they will not be able to perform a GDS automated bleed with the scan tool dues to a issue with the software in the scan tool
PIT6477C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT5509M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 14, 2026
Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection issue
PIC6423A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 11, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues
PIC6551B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 11, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2021 GMC Yukon XL has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2021 GMC Yukon XL?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 66,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.