There are 10 stored owner reports matching the powertrain & transmission leading-label group for the 2020 GMC Yukon XL in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 10 of 10 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)Without any indications of a problem our transmission began making a loud whining noise. The evening before it was fine and the next morning on startup the noise just began. The Vehicle only has 45,000 miles on it and the transmission had been serviced at the recommend manufacturer interval. Took it immediately to my auto repair shop where it was diagnosed as a transmission failure (they has seen this before) and told not to drive until replaced due to safety issues related to the failure. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of these needed 10 speed transmission I waited over a month for the vehicle to be repaired. The shop contacted GM to inquire about any warranty help but was told there was none.
My 10 speed transmission on my 2020 Yukon XL Denali experienced a total failure. The vehicle will not move under its own power. General Motors has ZERO information on when a replacement Transmission will be available. Some info online shows it could be months. I am told that one dealership out of Eden Prairie, MN has over 40 on back order and some since August 2025. They claim the issue stems from a valve body. Their communication has been terrible and no one within GM that I have spoken to has any information on what is being done. This is completely unacceptable and I believe it is part of a larger issue. They are making it seem like it’s not important and that needs to change.
I was traveling along i80 and suddenly the vehicle shutdown. I put the transmission in Neutral and coasted to a stop. Once stopped, I check It would not start or even turnover at that point. I still had all electrical services and such. The vehicle. I was stranded on i80. Then had to be towed to the nearest GM Dealer in Evanston Wyoming. Heritage Chevrolet GMC. It was left there for diagnosis where their technician, several days later diagnosed it with a bad engine. There was no warning or check engine light that appeared. I even have a picture from a little while earlier while driving earlier that morning. It took it because I was surprised it was getting 28mpg in v8 mode. but I am glad I had that photo to show no diagnostic lights were on.
Driving and vehicle started making noise and lost ability to accelerate fully. Mechanic stated he’s had numerous issues with this model with lifter and camshaft damage especially with the 6.2l engine which has a recall on the 2021-25 models but not the 2020. $5,000+ to fix at this point.
The transmission failed while driving it and no warning lights were visible on the dashboard before hand or afterwards ..the vehicle is presently at a legitimate transmission repair shop and needs a new transmission supposedly this particular vehicle is evidently not included in the recall although the make and model are listed as part of the recall.
I possess a 2020 GMC Yukon XL. During multiple highway drives, I experienced a persistent loss of power. When accelerating from a stop, the vehicle struggled to shift gears smoothly, resulting in a rough, jerking motion. I opted to take the car to the dealership; however, before I could reach it, the vehicle lost all power and failed to change gears entirely. I am fortunate this complete loss of power and ability to change gears did not occur while I was on a busy highway. I purchased the car when it had 63,000 miles, and at 120,000 miles, the dealership informed me that the transmission had completely failed. A replacement of the transmission will be necessary.
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger side tire seized. The contact stated the vehicle was skidding, and the contact noticed an unusual sound. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
Lifter failure Car could not be driven and were stranded at night in the dark. The car had to be towed but the tow truck did not arrive until morning. It was an EXPENSIVE repair at GMC dealership. GMC confirmed this was the issue Car started to make a loud noise, so I stopped driving. It is NOT an old car - 2020 and happened December 2024 GMC said it is not something they will cover
Transmission required replacing at 82,500 miles. Vehicle completely lost power during my morning commute. Thankfully, I had exited the Interstate and was on a city street with minimal traffic. Also thankful that I took and extended warranty at the time of purchase less than a year ago at 61,200 miles.
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the temperature gauge started rising quickly. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced for a second time. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission cooling line to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure and noticed the transmission was leaking. The contact towed the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission cooling line to be replaced for a second time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,549.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Sep 13, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.