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GMC Yukon XLModel year report

2023 GMC Yukon XL Problems

Compared with other GMC Yukon XL years

More complaints than typical for this model

100/100 6.9× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2020

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
226filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
46,730miles, 20 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
17 mpgcombined, 5.3L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 20 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2023 GMC Yukon XL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe sudden engine failures in the 6.2L V8 — a stalling or seizing engine at highway speed, often with no warning light, followed by a dealer diagnosis requiring engine replacement and long waits for parts. A second cluster covers transmission complaints about harsh or unexpected shifting and a valve body replacement, and a smaller group describes intermittent electrical problems such as symptoms after the vehicle goes into neutral while driving.

  1. Engine

    Engine failure with sudden loss of power

    • 132 complaints (58%)
    • median 50,000 mi at 2.8 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $5,000 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2024–2026

    Complaints describe the engine shutting off or seizing while driving, sometimes at highway speeds, often without any warning light. Owners report being told the engine needed a full replacement, that metal debris was found in the oil or filter, and in some cases that a replacement engine failed again shortly afterward. Several mention being without the vehicle for weeks or months while waiting for parts. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 15,000 to over 130,000 miles, with many between roughly 40,000 and 70,000 miles.

    Recall 25V2740001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the vehicle has had the 25V274000 recall work performed and what it involved, and request service records showing oil changes and any engine or valvetrain repairs. Listen for knocking or ticking at cold start and check the oil for metallic particles on the dipstick.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My vehicle had a previous engine recall that was “fixed” per the dealership recommendations. However, I succumbed to total engine failure last week at 70000 miles with my 2 little kids in the car on an interstate. My engine needs replaced.”

    NHTSA complaint #11759765, filed 2026-08

    “This vehicle was identified as recalled in 2025 for total engine replacement and the engine did fail in May 2025 it would stall while driving. GMC performed the engine replacement in June of 2025. The car stalled again on Friday May 1. It was taken to the dealer on May 7 and was diagnosed as needing another complete engine replacement. I was told that gmc identified a need to replace more parts after my engine was replaced but I was never informed of this. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11736444, filed 2026-05
  2. Electrical system

    Vehicle shuts off or loses power while driving

    • 74 complaints (33%)
    • median 49,730 mi at 3.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2024–2026

    Owners describe the vehicle cutting power, dropping into neutral, or refusing to restart while driving, sometimes with the dash asking them to press start. Complaints mention warnng lights, a locked shifter, and dealers finding electrical or battery-related faults; some report the issue was not reproduced at the dealer. Reported from low mileage up to roughly 50,000 miles, often during highway driving.

    Recall 22V9030002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask about any history of stalling, no-start, or battery and fuse repairs, and confirm recent battery condition and software updates. Note whether mirrors, radio, or other settings fail to hold, which owners often mention alongside these symptoms.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving about 70 mph in the express lanes, the vehicle suddenly lost power and drifted like it went into neutral. There were no warning symbols. The vehicle could not restart even while coasting. After stopping, it locked itself in park and would not shift out of park. My family and I were trapped on the express lanes for over an hour in a dangerous location. The vehicle stayed stuck in park even on the tow truck. The dealer confirmed metal in the oil filter, a blown main fuse, and knocking when starting. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11750354, filed 2026-07

    “As we were driving down a main road and taking off from a stop light on NW Expressway we had no warning before the car seemed to die and shift itself to N. It said to press the start button, that did nothing and the car would not power back up besides the lights and dash that were still working. We coasted to a stop in a neighborhood entrance. I'm so thankful I was not on the highway during rush hour traffic. Once stopped, we put it in park and tried to start it. A friend came and tried to jump it and still nothing. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11636156, filed 2025-01
  3. Engine

    Oil consumption and lifter/camshaft damage

    • 26 complaints (12%)
    • median 65,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2024–2026

    Owners describe oil levels dropping between changes, a rough-running engine, and abnormal noises such as knocking or ticking before failure. Complaints report dealers replacing piston rings, lifters, or complete engines after finding low oil or scored camshafts and metal debris in the pan. Reported from roughly 22,000 to 77,000 miles, with several owners noting the problem recurred after a prior repair.

    Recall 25V274000

    What to check: Check the oil level and condition on the dipstick and ask how often oil has been added between changes. Ask for documentation of any lifter, camshaft, or piston ring service and whether the engine oil specification was changed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I am reporting a severe, recurring, and life-threatening manufacturing defect involving a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power at highway speeds on the interstate. This vehicle has suffered two identical valvetrain failures that placed my passengers and nearby motorists in extreme danger. Incident 1 (Approx. 40,000 miles): While traveling at high speed on the interstate, the vehicle violently shook, all engine warning lights flashed, and the engine suffered an immediate, near-total loss of propulsion. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11759755, filed 2026-08

    “2023 Yukon XL AT4 with 67k miles suddenly had lifters fail. GM service said cam scored & metal debris all the way through to the pan, requiring total engine replacement. Vehicle was very well maintained with premium fluids and parts.”

    NHTSA complaint #11759137, filed 2026-08
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Harsh or unexpected transmission shifting

    • 59 complaints (26%)
    • median 42,500 mi at 3.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2024–2026

    Complaints describe the vehicle jerking, hesitating, or shifting unexpectedly, sometimes dropping into neutral at speed, with a check engine light that may come and go. Owners report dealer diagnoses of a transmission valve body needing replacement and, in some cases, parts on backorder with no repair timeline given. Mostly reported between about 49,000 and 70,000 miles, though a few describe symptoms on new, low-mileage vehicles.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Drive at steady highway speed and during light acceleration to feel for slipping, harsh shifts, or hesitation, and ask whether any transmission software update or valve body repair has been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I purchased a 2023 Yukon Denali Ultimate new in December 2023. It has 25,000 miles on it. Last week my wife was driving on the interstate and the vehicle abruptly shut down leaving her stranded on a narrow shoulder on a bridge. After it was towed to the dealer, the diagnosis was a connecting rod failure requiring an engine replacement. It was in the shop 2 weeks prior because the vehicle shifted into neutral on its own while driving at 60 mph on the highway, but the dealer found nothing wrong”

    NHTSA complaint #11636995, filed 2025-01

    “Speed control became stuck and I had to hit my breaks to stop acceleration. Vehicle stopped shifting while driving down the road periodically. Warning collision lights and traction control lights randomly come on with nothing in front of vehicle. Yesterday vehicle would not start or even unlock. When I did get the vehicle to start by manually unlocking it and trying over and over it would not go forward or backward although the engine did rev up. All warning lights were on including traction control and check engine. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11671532, filed 2025-07

Buying note. These complaints concentrate on the 6.2L V8, so it is worth confirming whether the 25V274000 recall inspection or repair has been completed and reviewing service records for engine and transmission work before purchase. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a cold start, an oil check, and a highway test drive is a reasonable step given the symptoms owners describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 226 consumer complaints for the 2023 GMC Yukon XL. 20 of the complaints include a mileage, and 55% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 46,730 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 13 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 908 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 11 GMC Yukon XL model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 100 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Steering (4), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (3), Air bags (2), Exterior lighting (2), Lane departure (2), Seats (2), Body and structure (2), Suspension (2), Wheels (2).

Example complaints

Engine: “My vehicle was one of the vehicles that was subject to the engine failure recall by GM. I took it to the dealership for the “repair“ where I was told the oil was changed to a different weight. Last night, I was driving down the road and all of a sudden my car just stopped. It still had power, but the engine had stopped. I tried to restart was unable to.”

NHTSA complaint #11722641, filed 2026-03

Transmission and drivetrain: “The car suddenly started bucking while driving on I95 at about 75 miles per hour. We were able to coast off highway and when finally towed to a dealership we were told we needed a new engine. The vehicle at the time had about 57,300 miles. It was very scary to be on a dangerous highway with tractor trailers speeding past and have NO control over the vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #11770001, filed 2026-10

Electrical system: “I was Driving down the interstate when the RPMS on my car increased and my car started to shutter. I went to get off the roadway and it put itself into neutral and lowered my speed. when i got On the shoulder it stalled and would not turn back on. I had To be towed. To this point, my car has been in the shop for over a week with no solution.”

NHTSA complaint #11760684, filed 2026-08

Fuel system: “The vehicle has the L87 GM engine. It lost complete power and the engine seized up and would not start again. Fortunately I was able to roll into a neighborhood and get off the main road with no issues. The dealer has confirmed the seized engine and a replacement engine has been ordered with no ETA. There was no prior warning of the failure, besides a shuddering, like I was running out of gas, and then a lose of complete power.”

NHTSA complaint #11728101, filed 2026-03

Mileage when problems were reported

55% of the 20 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 25,100 and 65,000 miles.

10%0–1015%10–2530%25–5040%50–750%75–1005%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (20 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 46,730 miles.

Complaints by year filed

This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.

2023202420251232026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2023 GMC Yukon XL. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Yukon XL · SUV 2WD★★★★☆5 / 4553
Yukon XL · SUV 4WD★★★★☆5 / 4553

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2023 model year: forward collision warning standard on some versions, lane departure warning standard on some versions, automatic emergency braking standard on some versions.

Neighbouring years: 2022: same overall rating; 2024: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2023 GMC Yukon XL version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Yukon XL 2WD5.3L 8-cyl10-speed automatic152017$3,950
Yukon XL 2WD6.2L 8-cyl10-speed automatic141916$5,150
Yukon XL 4WD5.3L 8-cyl10-speed automatic151916$4,200
Yukon XL 4WD6.2L 8-cyl10-speed automatic141816$5,150
Yukon XL 2WD3.0L 6-cyl · diesel10-speed automatic212723$4,150
Yukon XL 4WD3.0L 6-cyl · diesel10-speed automatic202622$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2023 GMC Yukon XL → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 908 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 908 bulletins →

Other model years of the GMC Yukon XL

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026402,6503517Too new to compareToo new
20252833,5001517Too new to compareToo new
20247524,0002417Too new to compareToo new
202322646,7304417100 · MoreToo new
202217460,995441784 · MoreRising
202123065,00012417100 · MoreRising
20204786,00024—17 · FewerRising
201968102,19424—28 · FewerRising
20185638,71424—35 · FewerRising
201714754,49814—61 · TypicalStable
201620255,30034—93 · MoreFalling
201530870,00024—74 · MoreFalling
20141152,0003417—Not enough data
20132265,0004416—Rising
20121395,0004—12—Not enough data
20114772,2003——0 · FewerFalling
201028108,4613——0 · FewerFalling
20092353,5005———Falling
200869110,1654——2 · FewerFalling
200797100,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200617103,8842———Falling
20054268,5005——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20048745,5003——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200310270,0003——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20029563,3501——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200112062,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20006969,0006——Not compared (before 2008)Rising

All GMC Yukon XL model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2023 GMC Yukon XL?

Owners of this model year most often describe sudden engine failures in the 6.2L V8 — a stalling or seizing engine at highway speed, often with no warning light, followed by a dealer diagnosis requiring engine replacement and long waits for parts. The issues reported most often: Engine failure with sudden loss of power; Vehicle shuts off or loses power while driving; Oil consumption and lifter/camshaft damage.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2023 GMC Yukon XL have?

NHTSA recorded 226 consumer complaints for the 2023 GMC Yukon XL as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2023 GMC Yukon XL is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 154 complaints (68% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 39.

Has the 2023 GMC Yukon XL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2023 GMC Yukon XL do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2023 GMC Yukon XL 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2023 GMC Yukon XL get?

The EPA rates the 2023 GMC Yukon XL (Yukon XL 2WD, 5.3L 8-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 20 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,950 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2023 GMC Yukon XL reported?

Among the 20 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 46,730 miles and the middle half falls between 25,100 and 65,000 miles; 55% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.