6.2L engine bearing recall 25V274, transmission shudder TSBs, brake recall 24V674. Yukon problems may qualify for a California buyback. Free case review.
The GMC Yukon is one of the most popular full-size SUVs in California — a vehicle families rely on for daily commutes, road trips, and towing. But if your 2021–2024 Yukon is equipped with the 6.2-liter V8 engine, it is at the center of one of the largest engine recalls in recent memory. In April 2025, GM issued recall 25V274, covering 82,841 Yukon units (plus 60,926 Yukon XL), for connecting rod and crankshaft manufacturing defects that can cause the engine to fail without warning, lose propulsion at highway speed, and — in 42 documented pre-recall cases — catch fire. By the time the recall was issued, NHTSA had logged 28,102 owner complaints about the 6.2L V8 across the GM family, including 14,332 reports of sudden loss of propulsion. Critically, NHTSA had opened and closed three separate investigations into this same problem between 2022 and 2024 before compelling the recall in 2025 — meaning GM had years of documented owner complaints and agency scrutiny before acting. The recall's remedy is not a clean fix for everyone. Engines that pass GM's inspection receive only an oil viscosity change from 0W-20 to 0W-40, with no hardware repair. NHTSA has since opened investigation PE25001 specifically to evaluate whether that partial remedy is adequate — 36 post-remedy engine failures have already been reported by owners who passed the inspection. Engines confirmed as defective get full replacement, but the evaluation process is not transparent to owners, and many do not know which path their VIN falls into until they arrive at the dealer. The engine recall is the biggest story for 2021-2024 Yukon owners, but it is not the only one. A 10-speed transmission control valve defect caused a momentary rear wheel lock-up risk on certain 2022 MY Yukons, leading to recall 26V085 issued in February 2026 — more than three years after those vehicles were built. A brake warning system failure on 2023-2024 MY Yukons (recall 24V674) means the BRAKE telltale does not illuminate when fluid drops to a dangerous level. And widespread 10-speed transmission shudder documented in two overlapping TSBs (22-NA-182 and 25-NA-255) affects the entire 2021-2026 production run. California law was written for exactly this situation.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Loud knocking or banging noise from engine; check engine light on; reduced power or sudden loss of propulsion; engine shuts off while driving; vehicle cannot be restarted; metal debris found in engine oil at oil change; complete engine seizure; engine failure after recall 'passing inspection' and oil change
No brake fluid low warning light despite low or leaking brake fluid; brake pedal feels soft or travels further than normal; reduced braking performance without any dashboard warning; brake system failure without prior indication
Rear wheels momentarily lock up or skip during downshifting at highway speed; harsh or sudden downshifts; vehicle feels like it skids or lurches unexpectedly when decelerating; transmission enters limp mode (limited to 5th gear); DTC P0747 stored
Harsh or banging shifts; shudder or vibration felt through vehicle at 25-50 mph under light throttle; surging or hesitation during acceleration; transmission slipping to neutral momentarily (neutral flare); transmission overheating message; loss of power in high gears
Steering suddenly feels very heavy or requires much more effort; power steering assist disappears at startup or while driving at low speed; steering warning light may or may not illuminate; vehicle difficult to maneuver in parking lot or at low speed
Daytime running lights (DRLs) remain illuminated at full brightness when headlights are turned on at night or in tunnels; other drivers flashing or commenting on excessive glare from front lighting; DRL indicator on dash does not behave normally
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
Loud knocking or banging noise from engine; check engine light on; reduced power or sudden loss of propulsion; engine shuts off while driving; vehicle cannot be restarted; metal debris found in engine oil at oil change; complete engine seizure; engine failure after recall 'passing inspection' and oil change
82,841 Yukon units and 60,926 Yukon XL units recalled. 28,102 US field complaints pre-recall, 14,332 involving loss of propulsion, 42 fire allegations. NHTSA tracked three prior GM investigations (closed 2022, 2023, 2024) before issuing the recall in April 2025 — this multi-year delay supports willfulness arguments. NHTSA investigation PE25001 is active regarding remedy adequacy; 36 engine failures occurred after the 'pass and oil change' remedy, supporting repeat-nonconformity claims for clients whose recall fix failed.
Under recall 25V274: vehicles that pass inspection receive an oil viscosity change from 0W-20 to 0W-40 and new oil cap/filter; vehicles with engines built before production day 24183 (or identified as defective via IVH) receive full engine replacement at no charge. NHTSA investigation PE25001 into remedy adequacy is active as of research date — 36 post-remedy failures reported.
No brake fluid low warning light despite low or leaking brake fluid; brake pedal feels soft or travels further than normal; reduced braking performance without any dashboard warning; brake system failure without prior indication
57,083 Yukon and 44,945 Yukon XL units affected. FMVSS 135 noncompliance — vehicle was legally non-compliant at delivery. Client who experienced brake pedal degradation without warning has a strong safety-impairment claim. Defect present in 100% of affected units per Part 573 report.
eBCM software update via OTA or at dealer, free of charge. OTA update available for eligible vehicles enrolled in GM's connected services. Owner notification mailed October 25, 2024.
Rear wheels momentarily lock up or skip during downshifting at highway speed; harsh or sudden downshifts; vehicle feels like it skids or lurches unexpectedly when decelerating; transmission enters limp mode (limited to 5th gear); DTC P0747 stored
7,820 Yukon and 5,270 Yukon XL units affected. Rear-wheel lockup at highway speed is a serious safety event. Recall 26V085 was not issued until February 2026 for a production defect from mid-2022, a roughly 3.5-year gap relevant to timeliness arguments. TCM software remedy (limp-mode monitoring) does not repair the worn valve hardware — clients receiving only the software remedy may have ongoing underlying mechanical damage.
Under recall 26V085: dealer installs new TCM software with monitoring mode that limits transmission to 5th gear when excessive valve wear is detected. Hardware repair via TSB 25-NA-255 (steel feed-limit valve, new spring, new spacer plate) also applicable for longer-term fix.
Harsh or banging shifts; shudder or vibration felt through vehicle at 25-50 mph under light throttle; surging or hesitation during acceleration; transmission slipping to neutral momentarily (neutral flare); transmission overheating message; loss of power in high gears
GM issued multiple TSB revisions from December 2022 through September 2025, documenting awareness of transmission failures spanning the entire 2021-2026 model range. Clients with multiple transmission repair visits (none fully resolving the shudder/harsh shift) have a strong repeat-nonconformity argument. TSB 22-NA-182 was specifically expanded in June 2024 to add Yukon — GM's own acknowledgment of the defect's reach across the fleet.
Per TSB 22-NA-182 (June 2024 rev): transmission teardown; CDF clutch drum bushing replacement; cooler line inspection and correction. Per TSB 25-NA-255 (for P0747 / limp mode): install steel replacement feed-limit valve, higher-tension spring, new spacer plate with gasket. Torque 80 in-lb.
Steering suddenly feels very heavy or requires much more effort; power steering assist disappears at startup or while driving at low speed; steering warning light may or may not illuminate; vehicle difficult to maneuver in parking lot or at low speed
Total fleet recall 21V455 covers 26,847 units across six GM/Cadillac nameplates. Loss of power steering is a safety event requiring repair documentation. Client with 2021 Yukon who experienced heavy or unresponsive steering, especially at low speed or startup, should be evaluated under this recall.
Power steering control module software update via dealer or OTA update, free of charge. Owner notification mailed July 13, 2021.
Daytime running lights (DRLs) remain illuminated at full brightness when headlights are turned on at night or in tunnels; other drivers flashing or commenting on excessive glare from front lighting; DRL indicator on dash does not behave normally
FMVSS 108 noncompliance means the vehicle was non-compliant at delivery. Glare from DRLs at night increases crash risk for oncoming traffic. While this defect alone is unlikely to sustain a lemon-law case, it is useful corroborating evidence of GM's systemic software quality issues across the 2021-2023 Yukon platform.
BCM software update via OTA or at dealer, free of charge. Two-recall structure: 22V827 for 2021 MY, 22V903 for 2022-2023 MY.
Clunking or popping noise from rear suspension; vehicle pulls to one side; uneven tire wear at rear; rear end instability or wandering at highway speed; rear wheel appears misaligned or toed out abnormally
2023 MY only. Clients presenting with rear suspension clunking or pulling should be evaluated under this recall. Bolt fracture causing rear wheel misalignment at highway speed is a serious safety event.
Dealers replace both rear suspension outer control arm bolts at no charge. Owner notification mailed November 14, 2023.
open
10L80 transmission control valve wear causes loss of hydraulic pressure, producing harsh shifting and momentary rear-wheel lock-up during downshifts in gas-engine vehicles built May 10 – July 19, 2022.
open
Connecting rod and/or crankshaft components have manufacturing defects — sediment in oil galleries and out-of-specification crankshaft dimensions and surface finish — causing premature bearing wear, engine damage, and engine failure.
open
Mismatch between eBCM software and eBCM calibrations causes the brake fluid low warning telltale to fail to illuminate when brake fluid drops below the FMVSS 135 minimum threshold.
closed
Rear suspension outer control arm bolts were improperly heat-treated during manufacturing, leaving them below required strength; bolts may break in service.
closed
EPS control module software defect may cause loss of electric power steering assist at startup or while driving.
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act protects you when a manufacturer cannot fix a covered defect after a reasonable number of attempts during your warranty period. For safety-related defects — such as engine seizure or failure while driving, sudden loss of steering assist, transmission lock-up at highway speed, or a brake warning that does not function — two repair attempts may be enough to trigger the presumption. For non-safety defects like the transmission shudder, four repair attempts, or 30 or more cumulative days out of service during the warranty period, may be sufficient. If your Yukon qualifies, you may be entitled to: a full vehicle repurchase (the full price you paid, minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first reported repair), a comparable replacement vehicle, or a negotiated cash settlement. Under Song-Beverly § 1794(d), GM — not you — pays your attorney fees if you prevail. That means many California lemon law claims cost the owner nothing out of pocket to pursue. Owners whose 6.2L Yukons received the oil-viscosity remedy under recall 25V274 and then experienced another engine failure have a particularly strong post-remedy repeat-nonconformity argument. Owners of 2022 Yukons with the transmission lock-up issue have a documented same-system, multi-year-delay fact relevant to GM's knowledge. The above is general legal information only — it is not legal advice, and every case depends on its specific facts, dates, mileage, and repair records.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
A repair order marked 'unable to duplicate' (UTD) or 'no trouble found' (NTF) does not end your options — it is evidence. Here is how to protect yourself before and during every dealer visit: 1. Document before every visit. Note the exact warning message, date, time, mileage, weather, load, and recent driving conditions. Photograph any lit warning lights and record any unusual sounds or sensations. Voice-memo recordings of engine knock or transmission shudder in real time are especially useful. 2. Ask for diagnostic trouble codes in writing — including stored and historical codes — even if the warning light has gone off. The L87 engine bearing defect and the transmission shudder often leave historical codes that confirm the symptom occurred even after it cleared. 3. Reference these bulletins by number at the service desk: TSB 22-NA-182 and TSB 25-NA-255 (transmission shudder/harsh shifts, 2021-2026 Yukon); recall 25V274 (L87 6.2L engine, 2021-2024 Yukon with L87); recall 26V085 (transmission control valve / rear wheel lock-up, 2022 MY built May-July 2022); recall 24V674 (eBCM brake warning, 2023-2024 Yukon). Ask which recall status applies to your specific VIN before leaving the service lane. 4. If your 2021-2024 Yukon received the 'passing inspection' remedy under recall 25V274 (the oil viscosity change) and you subsequently experienced engine knock, hesitation, or power loss, return to the dealer immediately and document that visit separately. Post-remedy failure is a distinct and powerful same-defect repeat-repair fact under California law. 5. Keep every repair order, even UTD ones. Under Song-Beverly, a UTD visit still counts as a repair attempt toward the lemon law presumption thresholds. Ask for a printed copy of each repair order before leaving the dealership — do not rely solely on digital portals, which can be edited. 6. Track cumulative days out of service. If your Yukon has been at the dealer for 30 or more calendar days — across all visits combined — during the warranty period, that is an independent qualifying condition regardless of the number of repair attempts.
The pattern on the GMC Yukon follows a familiar arc: NHTSA opens investigations, GM closes them without a recall, complaints accumulate — and then, after years, a recall issues anyway. That happened three times with the L87 engine bearing defect before the April 2025 recall finally required action. NHTSA investigation PE25001 is now open to evaluate whether the oil-change remedy is adequate for the hundreds of Yukon owners who passed the inspection but then experienced another engine failure. The transmission shudder story is similar: TSB 22-NA-182, first issued in December 2022, was revised through June 2024 before a separate hardware bulletin (TSB 25-NA-255) was issued in September 2025 — meaning the full hardware fix for the feed-limit valve was only published after most of the 2021-2024 production run had already been through dealer repair cycles without it. If your Yukon has been back to the dealer for engine noise, transmission problems, or brake issues, your repair records may already tell the story a lemon law attorney needs to see. We encourage you to pull those records before your warranty period closes and have them reviewed.
— The Margarian Law team
Has your Yukon's 6.2-liter engine knocked, seized, or lost power — even after the recall inspection? Has your Yukon shuddered at highway speeds through multiple dealer visits, or experienced a sudden transmission jolt during deceleration? If you own a 2021-2024 GMC Yukon and have been back to the dealer more than once for any of these issues, your service records may already qualify you for a buyback under California law. The consultation is free and, if you have a case, GM pays your attorney fees. Find out where you stand.
If your Yukon is a 2021, 2022, 2023, or 2024 model year equipped with the 6.2-liter V8 engine (engine RPO code L87), there is a strong likelihood it is included. NHTSA recall 25V274, issued April 2025, covers 82,841 GMC Yukon units — plus 60,926 Yukon XL — built between March 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024 with the L87 engine. The recall addresses connecting rod and crankshaft manufacturing defects that can cause engine bearing damage, engine failure, loss of propulsion while driving, and in documented pre-recall cases, fire. The 5.3L V8 (L82) is not covered by 25V274 — confirm your engine's RPO code on the label inside your driver's door jamb or ask a dealer to look up your VIN. You can also check recall status by entering your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov.
This is a documented post-recall pattern. The remedy under 25V274 sends some Yukons down a 'passing inspection' path that results only in an oil viscosity change from 0W-20 to 0W-40 — no engine hardware is repaired or replaced. NHTSA complaint records filed after the recall show owners who received this passing-inspection result and then experienced knocking, power loss, or full engine seizure within months. As of the date of this page, NHTSA has opened investigation PE25001 specifically to evaluate whether the oil-change remedy is adequate — 36 post-remedy engine failures have already been reported. If your Yukon passed the inspection but then suffered another engine problem, that subsequent failure is a documented same-defect repeat visit — directly relevant to a California lemon law claim. Document the date, mileage, and circumstances of the new problem, return to the dealer, and keep all repair orders from both visits.
Yes, and GM has issued multiple TSBs acknowledging it. GM Technical Service Bulletin 22-NA-182 (revised through June 2024) covers harsh shifts, shudder, surging, neutral flare, and overheating on 2021-2026 Yukon trucks with the 10L80 or 10L90 10-speed transmission. The root cause is a CDF clutch drum bushing that loosens under heat cycling, combined with a kinked or twisted transmission cooler line. In September 2025, GM issued TSB 25-NA-255, which adds a hardware fix: replacing the original aluminum feed-limit valve with a steel version and installing a stronger spring and new spacer plate. If your Yukon received only a TCM software update under the 26V085 recall but the shudder continued, the underlying hardware problem described in TSB 25-NA-255 may not yet have been addressed. Ask your dealer to reference both TSB 22-NA-182 and TSB 25-NA-255 and to verify whether the hardware valve replacement has been performed on your VIN.
Yes. NHTSA recall 24V674, announced September 2024, covers 2023 and 2024 GMC Yukons with a software mismatch in the electronic brake control module (eBCM) supplied by ZF North America. The defect prevents the BRAKE warning telltale from illuminating when brake fluid drops to the level required by federal safety standard FMVSS 135. Every affected Yukon in the production date range (approximately January 2023 through August 1, 2024) carries this defect from the factory — it is not wear-related. The remedy is an eBCM software update available via over-the-air (OTA) update for eligible vehicles, or through a free dealer visit. Owner notification was mailed October 25, 2024. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov to confirm whether the OTA update is pending or completed on your vehicle.
Yes. NHTSA recall 26V085, issued February 2026, covers approximately 7,820 GMC Yukon units from the 2022 model year built between May 10 and July 19, 2022, with the gasoline engine and 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission. A transmission control valve defect causes wear and loss of hydraulic pressure; in the most severe cases, the rear wheels can momentarily lock during a downshift at highway speed, increasing crash risk. The recall remedy is a new TCM software update that monitors valve wear and limits the transmission to 5th gear when excessive wear is detected. Owner notification was mailed April 7, 2026. If your 2022 Yukon was built within that date range, confirm recall status at nhtsa.gov and present it to your dealer if the shudder or harsh shifting has already been a recurring repair visit — those visits count toward Song-Beverly's repair-attempt threshold.
It may, depending on your specific repair history and model year. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act presumes a vehicle is a lemon if: the manufacturer has made two or more repair attempts for a safety-related defect without resolving it; or four or more repair attempts for any substantial defect; or the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days during the warranty period. For the Yukon, the most common qualifying patterns are: multiple dealer visits for the 6.2L engine knock or failure under recall 25V274, including a return visit after the 'passing inspection' oil-change remedy; repeated transmission shudder or harsh shift repairs under TSB 22-NA-182 or TSB 25-NA-255 without resolution; or the combination of the transmission shudder TSB visits and the recall 26V085 hardware defect on 2022 Yukons. Pull your repair orders, count the visits and days out of service, and have them reviewed by a California lemon law attorney. If you prevail, GM is responsible for your attorney fees under § 1794(d).
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