2021 GMC Yukon problems & reliability
299 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Yukon, alongside 13 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.
6 complaints report injuries (9 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 GMC Yukon vehicles were involved in 19 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. 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 | 158 | 53% |
| Power Train | 48 | 16% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 40 | 13% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 30 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 26 | 9% |
| Unknown OR Other | 19 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 18 | 6% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 18 | 6% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | 4% |
| Steering | 11 | 4% |
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 63,500 miles (middle 50% between 23,000 and 93,390 miles), based on 64 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the check engine warning light started blinking and the vehicle started shaking violently. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed…”
Engine · filed Jul 31, 2026
“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…”
Power Train · filed Jul 29, 2026
“The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a misfire coming from the vehicle, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally before the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The traction control light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated on the…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jul 27, 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
1,234 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Yukon. 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 has 13 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?
- · 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 63,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.