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2020 GMC Yukon: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
81%
62 of 77 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

81% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 GMC Yukon are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 98% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 4 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 77%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
62
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
81
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
2 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE36 · 44%
POWER TRAIN26 · 32%
SERVICE BRAKES6 · 7%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6 · 7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4 · 5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4 · 5%

The years either side

2010
17%
21 of 229
2011
13%
30 of 399
2012
15%
15 of 138
2013
15%
18 of 186
2014
19%
12 of 77
2015
36%
178 of 990
2016
44%
130 of 514
2017
54%
144 of 359
2018
53%
60 of 125
2019
73%
86 of 124
2020
81%
62 of 81
2021
84%
435 of 540
2022
82%
270 of 340
2023
82%
358 of 443

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE08/27/2026
Engine failure due main bearing and rod failure. Engine had heavy knocking.
ENGINE08/23/2026
We just purchased our Yukon from a dealership in February (2/7/26) and it was diagnosed with premature failure of at least one AFM valve lifter as it is causing engine misfires, shaking and stalling on 7/30/26. We just hit 67,000 miles on the odometer so we are just beyond the warranty coverage. The lifters were replac…
POWER TRAIN07/10/2026
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and the transmission malfunctioned, causing the wheels to lock up and the check engine warning light to illuminate. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch and press…

Three of 62 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (4)

TIRES
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018…
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL…
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equip…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2020 GMC Yukon

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.