What 147 owners told NHTSA about the 2024 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500

I am filing this complaint regarding GM Recall N252494000 (NHTSA Campaign Number 25V274) for my 2024 GMC Yukon XL (VIN: [XXX] ). The issue involves a serious engine defect related to the crankshaft and/or connecting rods, which can result in catastrophic engine failure and loss of propulsion while driving—a clear and dangerous safety risk. I first became concerned when early reports of this issue began circulating publicly. As a father of young children, I became increasingly uneasy that my vehicle could potentially fail while in operation. Receiving GM’s formal recall letter only validated my growing concern for my family’s well-being. It’s deeply frustrating and unsettling. The notice states that parts to repair or replace the engine are not currently available, and offers no clear timeframe for when a remedy will be provided. I feel like we are being strung along while forced to continue using a vehicle that may become unsafe at any moment. This delay is unacceptable. There has been no offer of a loaner vehicle, no proactive communication from the dealer, and no assurance from GM that they are prioritizing driver safety over logistics. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether GM is doing enough to provide timely remedies to affected customers. I also urge you to consider whether interim solutions (such as alternative transportation or more aggressive recall execution) should be mandated. Thank you for your attention to this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11669610

There currently is a serious recall on this vehicle and there is no remedy available. I’ve called the dealership and they confirmed this information. The service department claimed the sales department may be able to help me and then sales said it was a service dept issue. I have children who have been placed at risk as they have been traveling in this vehicle since April 2024.

NHTSA ODI 11666399

The engine seized on us. It only has 18,000 miles on it. This could have caused a serious accident! There was no warning, no indication, it just died and would not restart. We had to have it towed over an hour to get to our closest dealer (and don't get me started on how they treated me!). We were stopped at a stop sign at the intersection and it just died. Thankfully we weren't driving down the highway or in the middle of traffic, we just ended up blocking people from using our lane for quite sometime. The cops were called for traffic control, but no police report was filed.

NHTSA ODI 11662336

Catastrophic engine failure while in motion. Clicking sounds while traveling 70 miles or more on interstate. Exited interstate and traveling 15-20 mph when vehicle came to sudden stop in roundabout. No lamps or alerts prior to failure. Vehicle would not transfer gears and was towed to Chevrolet dealership where diagnostic was completed. Engine replaced after 6 weeks but unknown if replaced engine is under recall.

NHTSA ODI 11662428

Engine started making noise no codes no alarms pulled off hwy had to have it towed to dealership. Service told us needed to replace engine had no time frame on when vehicle would be returned.

NHTSA ODI 11661612

Engine oil consumption, low oil every 3000 miles

NHTSA ODI 11661116

Engine was replaced 11/24 Found toe bar loose and rear passenger tire had excessive slack in it, well liners were broken off and missing 2/25 Oil loss and had to have oil changed early 4/21 Start button will not engage, truck is completely blacked out, no power to it for several minutes then it will crank. Been in the shop as of now 3 times in the month of May 2025

NHTSA ODI 11659871

My vehicle stalled while driving on a busy highway & I had no option but to pull over, which left me & my family in a very dangerous position. Had to remove my daughter's wheelchair onto a tow truck as the vehicle had no power to use the hoist for her powerchair. Again, on the side of a busy road! Towed the vehicle to a GM dealership, who stated there was catastrophic engine failure & the engine had to be replaced. Had no way to transport my daughter until I got a new engine since her hoist was stuck at the dealership.

NHTSA ODI 11657786

On March 21, 2025 my 2024 GMC Yukon Denali's engine died while driving 80 miles an hour down the highway with my family. We were able to coast to the shoulder. The vehicle would not restart. We called a tow truck. When the tow truck arrived the vehicle started but we decided to take the vehicle to closest GMC dealer. They ran diagnostics on the lights that were showing on the dash and nothing was reported. They had no recommendations. We were 3 hours from home returning from Spring Break so we decided to keep traveling. We made it about 120 miles and again the engine died while traveling 70+ miles on the highway. We were able to safely coast to the shoulder. We called a tow truck and the Yukon was towed to the local GMC dealership. The next week it was reported to me that the Yukon would need a new engine. The 1, 3, 5 rod bearing had spun and the 3rd trust bearing had spun. Since there were no rental cars in the city available we rented a U-Haul truck and drove 2 hours home. Almost one month later we are awaiting the new engine to be delivered.

NHTSA ODI 11655175

My engine quit in the middle of a intersection on 2-25-25 with approximately 20,777 miles and has been in shop waiting on a new engine ever sense and they can not tell me when the new engine will be in. I have call GM and get no time line on new engine.

NHTSA ODI 11653818

The car has made a high pitched metallic rattle on cold start ever since I received it. I have taken it into the dealership multiple times for this and have had the lifters in the engine replaced but they never addressed the other noise, which I have video evidence of. The car died at 24,740 miles on the odometer in the middle of a highway in the middle of nowhere. The vehicle started to feel like it was braking on acceleration, there were no warning lights. The vehicle just lost acceleration power and I had to coast to the shoulder. Luckily I had time to pull over without interference from other traffic. Once on the side of the road I tried to crank the car again and a very loud metallic sound happened that sounded like I threw a wrench in a fan. The car lost electrical power very shortly after. I called onstar for help and she asked if I could shift the car into neutral which I could not. They had problems finding anyone that wasn’t hours out that could come tow my car and suggested that I try to find an alternate method of transportation since a wrecker service probably wouldn’t transport my entire family. Uber was not around to get me, Lyft was not around to get me and there was no taxi service. I had to rely on the local fire department to rescue us as it was hours with myself, my two children and my dog on the side of the road in 90F heat. Once at the dealership they confirmed it was indeed a catastrophic engine failure and I am currently waiting months for a back ordered engine with a rental I’m paying partially out of pocket for, in a car that’s entirely way too small for my family with no ETA on the engine in sight. I know multiple people personally who this has also happened to, same exact scenario and same exact engine just different model years.

NHTSA ODI 11653587

1) The engine began making unusual noises. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer. It is currently at Zimbrick Eastside in Madison Wisconsin. 2) The problem was noticed prior to my family being put at risk only because I noticed the noise happening while we were parked. 3) The problem has been confirmed. The dealer is doing a complete engine replacement. However, as of today, it has been at their location for over 30 days. 4) To my knowledge the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer or any other 3rd party representatives. As of today, there has been no correspondence between myself and the manufacturer. 5) There were no warning lights, messages or symptoms prior to the problem. The problem first occurred on Saturday [XXX]. The vehicle has 19462 miles and we are the first owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11653727

Sent vehicle into dealership for a knocking noise turns out the lifters. They drove the vehicle 1 mile only to have the engine seize. I have been without a vehicle for 6 weeks with no engine available

NHTSA ODI 11653560

While driving down the interstate the vehicle lost power without warning and gave a command to "press start to resume" tried to do that but nothing happened. Eventually we were able to get over to the shoulder of the interstate which was super busy in Atlanta. Once we stopped, we shut off the vehicle and it started back up, and we proceeded to get back on the interstate, when the same thing happened. We stopped again, waiting a few minutes and were able to get back on the interstate and complete out trip without any issues. 3 days later while driving on the interstate again, the vehicle had a weird winding noise coming from it. Once I was able to get off the instate the engine was knocking very loudly and had no power. Got the vehicle to our home and had it towed to the dealership the next day. Dealership gave the diagnoses that a new engine, radiator and engine coolant lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle had 2,248 miles on it and was purchase 2.5 weeks prior. No eta on when we will have a new engine and our vehicle back.

NHTSA ODI 11652495

-3800 Miles on GMC Yukon/Engine Failure -Driving vehicle down highway and it just quit, would not turn over engine made a clunky rattle noise and nothing, no warning no lights nothing. Definitely a Safety issue as no way to get it off the road! -Dealer took engine apart and said Valve broke off and put a hole in cylinder and ruined the engine block, says we need a new engine, can't get one from GM for estimated 7 Months!!

NHTSA ODI 11652027

The engine locked up while driving down my driveway at 5mph. It’s at the dealership awaiting a new engine install that is on back order.

NHTSA ODI 11652197

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle failed to respond, with the vehicle sputtering. The contact stated that unknown warning lights were illuminated, and an unknown message was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road as the transmission shifted into neutral. The vehicle was shifted into park and turned off. The contact then attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact then towed the vehicle to the dealer, and a diagnostic test was pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

NHTSA ODI 11651056

Engine lost power and I had no acceleration. It happened out of nowhere at 70+ miles per hour.

NHTSA ODI 11650890

V8 6.2L ENGINE on [XXX] at approximately [XXX] exactly 10 months after purchasing the Denali at 9,484 miles my Denali started to make loud noises and when we got to the stop light [XXX] and [XXX] in Long Beach California the Denali started to shake violently and ultimately shut down in the middle of the road. My daughter and I were traveling on the way home from the doctor’s office and when Denali shut down, I called AAA, and they advised me to call 911 since Denali locked up in park and could not get it in neutral to push the truck to the side of the road. This was very dangerous as vehicles were speeding past us. We stayed in the vehicle until an officer arrived. Then about 15mins later the tow truck arrived and made the area safe with cones and flashing lights. I did put my hazard lights on but in the middle of the day it was very hard to see. AAA was able to disengage the parking to neutral as he mentioned that he just towed another Denali off the road. This is a huge concern for my family and me. I didn’t get to see how he did it because I was with my daughter safe in the Tow Truck. AAA then towed the truck to Penske GMC in Cerrito Auto Square and arrived at 1:48pm. Service advisor then said to leave at garage door and will assess the vehicle tomorrow morning. Albert, the Service advisor, proceeded with giving me paperwork for the Denali and an Enterprise rental car that was located across the street. We had to walk because the shuttle was down (another concern). Albert the service advisor called me the next day [XXX] and advised that the first auto technician suggested the motor seized up. I was advised to wait until the Engine Specialist assessed the motor. Albert the service advisor calls me March 5,2025 @ 11:15am and Engine Specialist did confirm that the motor did seize up and will need a new one. The motor will take approximately 2 weeks to arrive and 3 days to install. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11650948

The motor is randomly revving at braking so far only under 10 miles an hour. Yesterday it stalled twice on me and cut off braking under 10 miles an hour. I had to come to a complete stop while restarting the vehicle. Definitely has me worried if it happens on the highway or higher speeds.

NHTSA ODI 11650158

Driving on highway. The vehicle jerked and started to make squeaking, clunky sounds. Gas stopped flowing to the vehicle. Then the vehicle became inoperable. No warning light or alerts or sounds occurred before or after. It was a complete surprise.

NHTSA ODI 11650190

While driving in traffic at 65mph, the engine stopped running, car went into neutral and there was no power for brakes or steering. I luckily made it to the side of the road. Vehicle was towed to my dealer ( Cardinal Buick GMC, Belleville, IL), where after 3 days they informed me that the engine was ruined, 2 main bearings were damaged and 4 of the 8 connecting rods were damaged. GM made the decision to replace the motor, but no time frame was given, I was told 2 to 3 months. The dealership did give a loaner car. My Yukon Denali was 1 year and 4 days old with 15, 882 miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11650040

On March 3, 2025, my 2024 GMC Yukon had a rattle/knock. The engine quit running and would not restart. The Yukon had to be towed to the dealership for diagnosis and repair. The dealer indicated that the engine required replacement due to metal shavings and bearing damage. The Yukon had 6450 miles when the failure occurred. The engine was replaced. This vehicle was purchased new in September 2024. This failure occurred while on the road at a traffic light and the Yukon could not be moved out of the traffic lane. Sheriff notified to provide scene safety while waiting for tow vehicle and during loading onto tow vehicle. No traffic accident occurred. There were no warning lamps on the dash or warnings on my phone app immediately prior to the failure.

NHTSA ODI 11649603

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while a friend was driving at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly experienced a loss of automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. No further information was available. Additionally, the vehicle had previously experienced a loss of braking while driving with the cruise control activated. The contact stated that while driving at a slower speed, the vehicle lurched forward, striking a gate, and causing damage to the front bumper of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The contact was informed of the NHTSA Action Number: PE25001 (ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 16,000.

NHTSA ODI 11648956

The contact's wife owns a 2024 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH, several warning lights flashed on the instrument panel as the engine shut off. The vehicle's speed abruptly decelerated as the contact was nearly hit by an 18-wheeler traveling close behind the vehicle. The contact managed to coast the vehicle as best as possible off to the shoulder of the highway. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and a diagnostic was performed which showed that the engine had failed. The contact stated that both he and his son suffered emotional trauma as a result of the sudden failure; however, neither has yet to seek medical treatment. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was offered a new engine despite the contact's request for a vehicle buyback. The contact stated that he did not feel safe driving the vehicle and feared for both his and his family's life as a result of the failure. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer and was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11648120