Home · 2021 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 · Complaints

What 295 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (295)Crash / fire / injury (9)Engine (156)Fuel system (52)Transmission & drivetrain (47)Engine & cooling (29)Electrical system (26)Airbags (18)Driver assistance (18)Steering (11)Brakes (7)Seats (6)

29 of 295 complaints match · Engine & cooling · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Apr 30, 2025SuspensionEngine & cooling

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the service suspension and low oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the engine oil had leaked out of the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11657888

Mar 6, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that upon his wife attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The contact's wife stated that she had previously heard an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment in the days prior to the failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that there had been a partial engine rebuild performed on the vehicle several months prior to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11646769

Jul 8, 2024Electronic Stability Control (esc)Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started shaking and shuddering. There was an ESC service warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the right lifter and the camshaft were damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ODI 11600265

Oct 27, 2022Engine & coolingEngine

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH and accelerating to approximately 40 MPH, another vehicle suddenly pulled in front causing the contact to apply the brakes. While attempting to apply the brakes, the brake pedal went to the floor. The traction control, ABS, ECF, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact then pulled over to the side of the road where the vehicle eventually coasted to a stop. The contact drove the vehicle slowly to the residence. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake master cylinder and ECF needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000.

NHTSA ODI 11491107

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Working with the data? Download all 295 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2021 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 verdict →