Most common GMC warranty defects
On 2020–2026 GMC trucks and SUVs, repeat-repair complaints cluster around four areas: the V8 engines in the Sierra 1500 and Yukon, the 10-speed automatic and its controls, Sierra HD tailgate and steering hardware, and the Ultium battery and drive components in the Hummer EV and Sierra EV. Many of these problems have produced federal safety recalls, so the paper trail for a GMC claim often starts with GM’s own filings with NHTSA. The question then becomes whether the recall repair actually fixed your vehicle.
6.2L V8 (L87) engine failures in the Sierra 1500 and Yukon
In April 2025 GM filed recall 25V-274 for 2021–2024 GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon and Yukon XL models (along with their Chevrolet and Cadillac counterparts) built with the 6.2L V8, 597,571 vehicles in all. GM told NHTSA the connecting rods and/or crankshaft may have manufacturing defects that lead to engine damage and failure. Owners describe knocking, rough running and a sudden loss of power. Under the remedy, dealers inspect the engine and repair or replace it if it fails. Engines that pass get a switch to higher-viscosity oil, a new oil-fill cap and an owner’s manual update. That second path matters for a claim. If your 6.2L Sierra or Yukon develops the same knock after passing, the defect has not been fixed. Our 25V-274 recall summary explains the campaign in more detail.
ModelsSierra 1500 (2021–2024)Yukon (2021–2024)Yukon XL (2021–2024)
Valve lifter failures in 5.3L and 6.2L V8s
The 6.2L crankshaft recall is a separate problem. Owners of 2019-and-newer Sierra 1500s and 2021-and-newer Yukons with the 5.3L and 6.2L V8s have also reported collapsed or broken valve lifters. GM Authority, citing GM’s technician newsletter, described a misfire with a bent pushrod that leads to a collapsed lifter or a lifter that comes apart. These engines use cylinder deactivation (Active Fuel Management or Dynamic Fuel Management), which depends on specialized lifters. Typical symptoms are a ticking noise, a misfire, a check-engine light and sometimes reduced power. Repairs are generally done under warranty. GM Authority reported that dealers often replace only the failed side of the engine and that some trucks wait weeks for repairs. A second lifter repair on the same engine is a pattern worth documenting carefully.
ModelsSierra 1500 (5.3L and 6.2L)YukonYukon XL
10-speed transmission lockup and transfer case recalls
GM has issued several drivetrain recalls on GMC trucks. Recall 24V-797 covers 2020–2022 Sierra 1500, 2500HD and 3500HD and 2021 Yukon and Yukon XL models with diesel engines. On these trucks the transmission control valve can fail and lock the rear wheels. The fix is software that detects a failing valve, backed by a special coverage program for transmissions it flags. In 2026 GM recalled some of those trucks again (26V-083) because the first repair may have been done incorrectly. It also recalled 2022 Yukon and Yukon XL models with electronic range select (26V-085) for the same rear-wheel lockup risk. Recall 26V-289 tells owners of certain 4WD and AWD 2026 Sierra 1500, Yukon and Yukon XL models not to drive until a transfer case that may be missing a component is inspected. See our 24V-797 recall page.
ModelsSierra 1500Sierra 2500HDSierra 3500HDYukonYukon XL
Sierra HD tailgate, steering and fuel-delivery recalls
GMC’s heavy-duty pickups have their own recall history. Under 24V-060, GM recalled 570,434 2020–2024 Sierra and Silverado 2500/3500 trucks with power-release tailgates. Water can short the exterior touchpad switch, and the tailgate can then unlatch while the truck is parked. Recall 24V-894 later expanded the campaign to more 2024 trucks. On some 2024 Sierra HD trucks, recall 23V-549 dealt with a steering gear shaft that could fracture and disconnect from the steering arm. On 2025–2026 gas Sierra 3500HD trucks with dual fuel tanks, recall 26V-129 covers a rear fuel pump that may not move enough fuel to the front tank, which can stall the engine. A work truck builds up days out of service quickly. Keep every repair order that shows your truck was down, especially when a tailgate or electrical fault comes back after the recall repair.
ModelsSierra 2500HDSierra 3500HD
Hummer EV and Sierra EV battery and drive-unit faults
GMC’s Ultium-based electric trucks have had recalls that reach the core of the truck. Recall 22V-771 covered 2022–2023 Hummer EV Pickups whose high-voltage battery enclosure might not be sealed against water. Recall 23V-367 covered 2022 Hummer EVs with battery-pack connections that could be out of position or improperly welded, which can cause a loss of drive power. Under 24V-320, dealers replaced rear drive units on 2024 Hummer EV SUVs and Sierra EVs whose motor wiring could short. In 2026, recall 26V-494 called for new high-voltage batteries on certain 2026 Sierra EVs and 2022 Hummer EV Pickups. Smaller campaigns covered a passenger air bag connection on 2026 Hummer EVs (25V-769) and a stability-control warning light on 2026 Sierra EVs (25V-594). Losses of propulsion and long waits for batteries or drive units are often central to an EV claim.
ModelsHummer EV PickupHummer EV SUVSierra EV
Canyon driver-assist, lighting and air bag issues (2023 and later)
The redesigned Canyon has its own run of electronics recalls. Recall 24V-133 covered 55,755 2023 Canyon and Colorado trucks whose front camera module could falsely detect an obstacle and set off automatic emergency braking. On 2024 Canyons, recall 24V-673 replaced a headlight module because the headlights could flicker while driving or parked. On the 2024–2026 Canyon AT4X AEV Edition, recall 25V-856 updated air bag software that could fire the passenger air bag’s second stage when only the first stage was intended. Phantom braking is hard to prove because it comes and goes. Each time it happens, write down the date, speed, road and weather, and ask the dealer to save any stored codes. Even when a visit ends with “could not duplicate,” make sure your exact complaint appears on the repair order.
ModelsCanyon (2023–2026)Canyon AT4XCanyon AT4X AEV Edition
Signs your GMC may be a lemon
- A knock or tick that comes back. Your 5.3L or 6.2L Sierra or Yukon has been in for engine noise, misfires or lifter work, and the symptom returns after the recall inspection or repair.
- The rear wheels lock or the truck won’t shift. Your 10-speed GMC still shifts harshly, locks up or sets transmission codes after software updates or valve-body work.
- Your HD tailgate opens on its own. A Sierra HD power tailgate unlatches, or the touchpad acts up again, after the recall switch replacement.
- Your electric GMC loses power or sits waiting for parts. A Hummer EV or Sierra EV loses drive power, won’t charge, or spends weeks at the dealer waiting on a battery or drive unit.
- Phantom braking in a Canyon. Automatic emergency braking engages with nothing ahead, or the headlights flicker, after a software update was supposed to fix it.
GMC models we see
Lemon law claims can involve any GMC still under factory warranty, including:
- Sierra 1500
- Sierra 1500 Limited
- Sierra 2500HD
- Sierra 3500HD
- Sierra EV
- Canyon
- Hummer EV Pickup
- Hummer EV SUV
- Yukon
- Yukon XL
- Acadia
- Terrain
- Savana
What GMC’s warranty means for a claim
GMC’s new-vehicle limited warranty runs 3 years or 36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and 5 years or 60,000 miles on the powertrain, whichever comes first. Rust-through coverage for actual holes in body panels runs 6 years or 100,000 miles. For the Hummer EV and Sierra EV, GMC lists 8 years or 100,000 miles of limited warranty coverage for the EV battery. Engine, transmission and transfer case failures can fall under the longer powertrain term even after bumper-to-bumper coverage ends. Your state’s lemon law sets its own time and mileage windows, though, so report problems promptly and in writing.
GMC dealers often handle known problems through recall software or inspection procedures. One example is the 6.2L recall’s oil-and-cap remedy for engines that pass inspection. Get a repair order every time, even when the answer is “no problem found,” and make sure it records your exact complaint, the mileage and the dates in and out. If a transmission, battery or drive unit is backordered, ask the dealer to write that down. Keep recall letters, special coverage notices and GM customer care case numbers in one place.
GMC recalls and problem reports
No GMC articles match that exact combination — but that does not mean you do not have a claim. Repeat repair attempts, days out of service, and warranty status matter more than whether a recall exists.
A recall is not a claim
An open recall on your GMC is not, by itself, a lemon law case — and a recall that has already been repaired does not mean you don’t have one. Recalls are safety campaigns run by the manufacturer; lemon law claims turn on how your specific vehicle has performed under warranty. What matters is the record: how many times you brought the vehicle in for the same problem, how many days it has spent out of service, and whether the defect substantially impairs its use, value, or safety while covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
A GMC that has been back to the dealer repeatedly for one persistent issue can qualify with no recall on file, while a vehicle with three open recalls may not qualify at all if each was repaired on the first visit. Repair-attempt and days-out-of-service thresholds vary from state to state, so the same facts can play out differently depending on where you bought or registered the vehicle. Keep every repair order — the paper trail is the case.
Who handles your GMC claim
Lemon Law Group Partners is a law firm dedicated to lemon law. Jason S. Hegedus founded it in 2012 after years as a defense attorney for a major automaker in Michigan, and he has litigated lemon law claims since the late 1990s. That background shows us how manufacturers evaluate and defend claims — and we use it for consumers.
Your GMC case is handled by a team of more than twenty attorneys, paralegals and case managers. We collect and review your repair orders, deal with the manufacturer and its lawyers, and pursue a buyback, replacement or cash settlement where your state’s law allows. No attorney’s fees unless we recover.
Jason S. HegedusManaging Partner & FounderFrequently asked questions about GMC lemon law claims
My 6.2L Sierra passed the recall inspection. Can it still be a lemon?
Possibly. Under recall 25V-274, engines that pass inspection get thicker oil and a new oil-fill cap rather than new parts. If the engine later knocks, loses power or fails, that is a new repair attempt on the same defect, not a separate issue. Keep the recall paperwork that shows your truck “passed,” along with every later repair order. Together they show the problem continued after GM’s fix.
Does the 10-speed transmission recall make my GMC a lemon?
A recall alone doesn’t. What matters is how your truck has behaved. If your Sierra or Yukon has had the 24V-797, 26V-083 or 26V-085 software installed and still locks up, shifts harshly or needs transmission work, those repeat visits are what count. The 26V-083 re-recall, which GM issued because some first repairs may have been done incorrectly, is worth noting on your timeline if your truck was affected.
Can a Hummer EV be a lemon if GM keeps fixing it with software updates?
Yes, it can. Software updates, whether done by a dealer or over the air, are still repair attempts when they address a defect you reported. Hummer EV owners have also had battery and drive-unit recalls (22V-771, 23V-367, 24V-320, 26V-494) that require parts. Track every update, every loss of propulsion and every day the truck sits waiting for a battery or drive unit.
I use my Sierra HD for work. Does that affect a lemon law claim?
It can. Many state lemon laws cover vehicles used partly or mainly for business, but some limit coverage based on how the truck is registered, how many vehicles a business owns, or the vehicle’s weight. That makes the details of a Sierra 2500HD or 3500HD claim matter. Keep your purchase and registration documents with your repair orders so your eligibility can be checked.
My GMC has been at the dealer for weeks waiting on parts. Does that count?
Time out of service usually matters as much as the number of repair attempts. Many state laws count total days at the dealer for warranty repairs. Ask the service advisor to write the date your Yukon, Sierra or Hummer EV arrived and the date it was returned on every repair order. Note any day it was ready but couldn’t be picked up because a part was still missing.
My GMC shares parts with a Chevrolet. Does that change anything?
No. Your claim is about your own vehicle and its repair history. The Sierra 1500 and Silverado, and the Yukon and Tahoe, often share recalls because GM builds them on common platforms. The claim is against General Motors either way. Shared recalls can still help, because they show GM knew the defect affected a whole group of vehicles.
Think your GMC might be a lemon?
If your GMC has been in the shop repeatedly for the same warranty problem, or has sat out of service for weeks, tell us what happened. The review is free, and there are no attorney’s fees unless we recover for you.
Lemon Law Group Partners PLC is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by GMC or any other vehicle manufacturer. All trademarks, service marks, and brand names are the property of their respective owners and are used solely to identify the vehicles at issue.
