2017 GMC Yukon Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Slipping Gears: Many Yukon Denali owners report experiencing unexpected gear changes or loss of power while driving. Hard Shifting: This problem manifests as harsh or abrupt gear changes, often accompanied by noticeable jolts when shifting from one gear to another. Unusual Noises: Grinding, whining, or clunking sounds when shifting There has been a class action lawsuit for this. I'm not sure why it has not been recalled in all states.
My transmission does not engage properly. From a starting position when I step on the gas the transmission lags and when it catches it slams / bangs into gear
My 2017 GMC Yukon SLT,, has been having shifting problems, including hard or delayed shifts, clunking, jerking, and even sudden jolts when downshifting.Rough or jerky shifts, particularly during acceleration and deceleration, a delay in engaging gears, especially when shifting from park to drive or reverse. Transmission shifts are very rough in slow traffic with as much as one to two-second delays in shifting into gear with a loud thump. It is so rough that it feels like someone may have ran into your back bumper. It is also bad enough that it startles the driver, and it could be a safety issue
116k miles and the transmission went out. Spent almost 6k on a jasper to replace it. I don’t think I need to explain what happens when a trans goes out. It did all of those things.
The contact own a 2017 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear while driving and remained stuck in gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that assistance would not be provided because the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
I brought a 2017 Yukon GMC from a dealership. When I first drove it on a highway it began to pull and shake, to the point it slow down on the highway. Also the dashboard started to shake , vibrate on the highway. When I step on the gas on a local road ,the transmission is pulling to pick up speed. Took it to a Mechanic and explained to him what was going on he test drove it and told me it's the transmission. He also said this year truck " GMC" truck like this has bad transmission. I did my research and find out that it is true. I have a disabled mother that I take to her doctors appointment and I'm scared bto out her in this truck. This is a 1 vehicle and anytime the truck will just slow down or vibrate or shake. No check engine light comes on when it happens.ifni driving on A highway sometimes the check engine light will blink 3 to four times then go back out.
Transmission went out in August of 2023, had to have it rebuilt and costed 9,000. Safety was put at risk due to car sputtering to shift gears on the highway while traveling. Problem was identified by the dealership. No light indicators were on. Vehicle now has engine starting to come on periodically and when trying to diagnose it is giving fuel efficiency codes.
WHEN I BOUGHT THE YUKON 3 YEARS AGO THE TRANMISSION WENT OUT WITHIN MONTHS, THEY REPLACED IT WITH A USED ONE, NOW IT IS STARTED TO DO THE SAME THING, IT WILL SLIP IN AND OUT OF GEAR, WHEN YOU GIVE IT GAS IT WILL JUMP INTO GEAR AT AN IDLE IT WILL DROP OUT OF GEAR, IT'S BEEN DOING THIS EVERY SINCE THEY PUT THE USED ONE IN, I NOITIED THEM THEY SAID THAT IT IS NORMAL???? I HAD THE WORK DONE @ PAHRUMP VALLEY AUTO PLAZA. I'M AFRAID THAT WHEN IM AT A LIGHT IT WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR AND I WILL GET HIT. NO WARING LAMPS CAME ON AT ALL, IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE.
RPM’s started to fluctuate while driving with cruise on. Noticed no issue with shifting until torque converter grenaded blowing metal through the transmission 2 days later. Transmission has been replaced with GM reman by a GM dealer. New transmission lags going into gear when it’s cold and shifts hard. GM tech said this is common and no way to correct it without replacing it again.
Transmission jerks, shifts hard, loses power… Temp gets 199 just driving… Humming sounds, taken to dealer three time… 188,000 miles…
Clutch in Torque Converter failed at just around 60,000 miles. Vehicle had a vibration issue shortly before & I thought maybe I got a poor quality tank of gas. Filled up with new gas and problem still there. Took it to my mechanic & he told me it was a complete failure which would require a new transmission or a rebuild on existing.
Transmission shutter causes the car to vibrate which could lead to transmission failure.
Vehicle Malfunction Incident Report On [11/2724], while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle experienced a sudden and significant loss of power and gear shifting capabilities. The engine accelerated, but the vehicle struggled to move and shift gears, making it difficult to cross the intersection. After a short distance, the vehicle accelerated again, but there was no forward movement. The vehicle was subsequently parked in a nearby neighborhood, where it became completely immobile. Attempts to engage reverse or drive were unsuccessful. The vehicle emitted a loud noise, and a check of the transmission fluid and other fluids revealed no issues. After turning the engine off and restarting, the vehicle was able to engage drive, but it was limited to second gear. The vehicle then lost momentum again, making it difficult to reach home. It is important to note that no engine light illuminated during the incident, and there were no visible fluid leaks. All routine maintenance has been performed according to the manufacturer's recommendations. A mechanic has inspected the vehicle and diagnosed potential transmission issues. Requested Action: We request a thorough investigation into the cause of this malfunction. We believe that a transmission issue is the likely culprit, but further diagnostic testing is necessary to confirm the exact problem. We have seen that this has been a reported issues with these vehicle and the manufacture has not done anything for recalls.
Tremendous transmission shudder prevented me from properly accelerating from a stop light thereby causing a dangerous traffic backup issue in a congested area.
The SUV was stalled after getting in D to drove forward and all of a sudden it’s started with a big jerk and moved forward It went driving ok for them rest of the day but it kept repeating the incident n and off until June 15 when it was stalled on a traffic light I was able to put the emergency flashers and drive it in reverse to a near by parking lot
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started jerking and hesitating while shifting gear. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 140,000.
I was stopped at a red light in the left hand turning lane and when the light turned green I proceeded to accelerate and the engine would rev but the car would not move forward so I continued to push on the gas when the car jolted forward Violently. I am lucky no one was in front of me because this would have cause a car accident. Turns out the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced which is a common issue for GM however they never owned up to it and refused to pay to for the cost of the replacement and I paid several thousands out of pocket. This is a major safety concern and could be potentially life threatening. GM should recognize this as a recall and take ownership of a failed transmission with less than 100,000 miles.
Transmission /torque converter I was driving on highway and all of a sudden what seemed like the engine lost power and I could not accelerate. After heading to slow lane and few seconds later everything went back to normal. A week later same thing happened but this time it wouldn’t shift to second gear. I was stranded on side of road. Before calling help , I let it idle for a few minutes and tried again to put in drive, it worked again. I made it home. Next day it just started making a loud noise under truck. Was able to get a mechanic and he said it’s the transmission. Has 103k miles and is out of warranty
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle slipped out of gear, causing the vehicle to independently slow down. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. The VIN was unavailable.
At traffic light in drive position, shifting drags when accelerated and hard shift jerk , slipping gears or driving and not shifting at all
The transmission was jerking jumping and was replaced under warranty and it still can not be fixed. Cause the vehicle to jump backward and hard speed.
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated a Police Officer assisted in moving the vehicle out of the roadway. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle has not diagnosed the vehicle nor repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS (10-20 MPH), I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY EXPERIENCED "LUNGING" AND "JERKINESS" WITH MY TRANSMISSION FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW. DESPITE APPROXIMATELY A DOZEN SEPARATE EVALUATIONS AND/OR REPAIRS BY GM-CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO EXIST. I AM TOLD THAT THE ISSUE IS NORMAL AND THAT I MUST LIVE WITH THE ISSUE AS BEING NORMAL. NOT ONLY AM I CONCERNED ABOUT THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE COST, BUT THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND PASSENGERS SHOULD THE VEHICLE STRIKE AN OBJECT OR PERSON ACCIDENTALLY. ACCORDING TO VARIOUS ONLINE SOURCES, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF GM OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES, AND EVEN A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT HAS BEEN FILED. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR MEANINGFUL RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS.
VEHICLE HAS HARD SHIFT FROM PARK. MOST OFTEN WHEN FIRST DRIVEN OF THE DAY BUT ALSO OCCURS WHEN STOPPING FOR REDLIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS WHILE TRAVELING.
BEGINNING AROUND 56,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED LURCHING AND STUTTERING AT SLOW SPEEDS. IT IS WORSE WHEN COLD BUT NEVER QUITE GOES AWAY. DEALERSHIP KEPT IT FOR 3 DAYS AND FELT IT BUT SAID ALL WAS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. BEGINNING AROUND 65,000 IT STARTED STUTTERING WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHILE IN MOTION, SUCH AS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN TRYING TO PASS. THIS IS NOT ONLY ANNOYING BUT DANGEROUS WHEN YOU CAN'T GET THE POWER YOU NEED WHEN NEEDED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION CAN'T DECIDE WHEN TO SHIFT.
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Quick Summary
The 2017 GMC Yukon has 32 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.