2021 GMC Yukon XL Recalls, Complaints & Specs
12 safety recalls list the 2021 GMC Yukon XL, and owners have filed 227 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
- 1999
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- 2022
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- 2026
12 safety recalls for the 2021 GMC Yukon XL
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Hard parts internal/mechanical (engine and engine cooling)
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. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage…
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…
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Valves/valve body (power train) and software (power train)
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…
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Software (exterior lighting)
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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
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. Owners may contact GM customer service at…
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Critical fasteners (seat belts)
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 formed.
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. Interim owner notification…
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Driveshaft (power train)
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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac…
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Fuel system, gasoline: 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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer…
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Steering control module (steering)
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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer…
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Srs malfunction warning lamp/light (air bags) and software (electrical system)
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 malfunction…
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. Owners may contact Buick customer…
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Seat belts: rear/other and seat belts
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. Owners may…
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Critical fasteners (seat belts) and seat belts
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. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more…
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…
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Critical fasteners (seat belts) and seat belts
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021.…
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Critical fasteners (seats) and seats
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. Owners may contact Chevrolet…
227 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2021 GMC Yukon XL have filed 227 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 5 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 65,310 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 109 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Rear wheel lock up for a slight second and then down shifted and revved way up to high RPM then went into reduced power. then slowed down and had to drive about 15 miles an hour. to shop mechanic.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 30, 2026 · Power train
“The vehicle is consuming every bit of oil at about 1500 to 1800 miles of the 3000 mile guidelines before the next oil change. No leaks. No smoke. No knocking in motor.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 29, 2026 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2021 GMC Yukon (Yukon 2WD, Yukon 4WD, Yukon XL 2WD, Yukon XL 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 16–23 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 13–21 / 19–27 |
| Fuel | Diesel, Premium, Regular |
| EPA class | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| Engine | 6/8 cyl, 3/5.3/6.2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 10-spd |
Compare GMC Yukon XL model years
Recall and complaint counts for every GMC Yukon XL model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 GMC Yukon XL | 0 | 3 |
| 2000 GMC Yukon XL | 6 | 69 |
| 2001 GMC Yukon XL | 4 | 120 |
| 2002 GMC Yukon XL | 1 | 95 |
| 2003 GMC Yukon XL | 3 | 102 |
| 2004 GMC Yukon XL | 3 | 87 |
| 2005 GMC Yukon XL | 5 | 42 |
| 2006 GMC Yukon XL | 2 | 17 |
| 2007 GMC Yukon XL | 4 | 97 |
| 2008 GMC Yukon XL | 4 | 69 |
| 2009 GMC Yukon XL | 5 | 23 |
| 2010 GMC Yukon XL | 3 | 28 |
| 2011 GMC Yukon XL | 3 | 47 |
| 2012 GMC Yukon XL | 4 | 13 |
| 2013 GMC Yukon XL | 4 | 22 |
| 2014 GMC Yukon XL | 3 | 11 |
| 2015 GMC Yukon XL | 2 | 307 |
| 2016 GMC Yukon XL | 3 | 201 |
| 2017 GMC Yukon XL | 1 | 147 |
| 2018 GMC Yukon XL | 2 | 53 |
| 2019 GMC Yukon XL | 2 | 68 |
| 2020 GMC Yukon XL | 2 | 47 |
| 2021 GMC Yukon XL | 12 | 227 |
| 2022 GMC Yukon XL | 4 | 169 |
| 2023 GMC Yukon XL | 4 | 219 |
| 2024 GMC Yukon XL | 2 | 70 |
| 2025 GMC Yukon XL | 1 | 28 |
| 2026 GMC Yukon XL | 3 | 36 |
Checking a specific 2021 GMC Yukon XL
How do I know if my 2021 GMC Yukon XL has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 12 campaigns currently list the 2021 GMC Yukon XL; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised GMC dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 20V735000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other GMC models
- Sierra 15008,930 complaints
- Acadia5,569 complaints
- Yukon4,989 complaints
- Sierra3,937 complaints
- Terrain3,124 complaints
- Jimmy2,720 complaints
- Envoy2,459 complaints
- Sierra 25001,821 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.