2021 Yukon XL Denali - third engine and still under 42k miles

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djsassan

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Hi all, looking for some advice help. I'll try to keep it brief but give sufficient detail.

Purchased vehicle in Aug 2022, 37k miles on it all highway (able to verify this). 6.2L

Nov 2022, driving 75mph in Maryland mountains on my first true road trip, car shuts off but still has power. Towed to a dealership #1, they cannot crank the engine nor move it manually. Find metal in the oil, powertrain warranty and replace the entire engine (so they told me). They offered me $62k trade-in "because it doesn't run" when I told them I was ready to buy the 2023 sitting in the showroom. I have opened a case with GM to get the reunite process started.

Dec 2022, Yukon is shipped to me via the Reunite program. Carrier driver goes to start the Yukon, it is dead. Goes to jump it, before he hooks up the clamp to the positive side, there is arcing and sparks but the car has power and all the lights are on. Start it, get it off the truck and as I drive it into my driveway, it dies and won't start. Since it is now midnight, I call for a tow the next morning and it is taken to dealership #2. They did a test drive and it threw all kinds of codes and alarms at them during the test drive, they find a loose cable in the fuse block, repair it and send me on my way. 41k miles. I reset the trip meter before driving.

2 weeks later, driving on the highway on another road trip and the truck fails again in the exact manner as the first time. Going 75 mph on the highway to pass another car, completely dies and won't start nor go into neutral. New engine has 146 miles on it, call tow truck and take to dealership #3. They call me yesterday to say that a fuse on the start blew, then today call to say they found metal in the oil and question if dealer #1 changed the radiator and other components as well. They are working with TAC to further diagnose. I asked the sales team to make me an offer for a trade-in, they offered me $63,500 under the assumption that the new engine will be put in.


I don't want this truck anymore. It is beautiful, but it is plagued and dangerous. Both times, I had kids in the car when the engine died. Three engines in less than 42k miles, so now the value is diminished. Who knows what else could go wrong, in the 5 months I have owned it I have driven it 3.5 months. I have asked GM to buy the car back, and they have asked me for paperwork to start the process.

What suggestions do you have? How do I proceed? I am going to take a $15k hit if I do a trade-in and have negative equity.

Thanks
 

WalleyeMikeIII

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I’d say if GM is going to buy it back, maybe consider it and work with them and your dealer.

Makes me wonder what that first owner did or didn’t do.
 

B-train

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@WalleyeMikeIII . I agree 100%. Work with GM and see what they will do. I'm not sure jowls lemon laws work exactly, but it may be worth looking into.
 

maddocmatt

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So my Yukon Denali 2021 stranded me 4 times in 4700 miles. Working through the service manager, gm bought it back. I know it’s tempting to dump it and just get out but do the buy back. It takes about 6 weeks
 

07Burb

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Like the others, I'd recommend going through the buy back process. You'll get more money in your pocket that way. After that I'll refrain from giving the rest of my opinion and let you decide how to proceed on your own. I've owned a 2017 Denali and 2022 Premier Suburban and my experiences led me to get out of them and never go back to the K2 or T1 platforms ever again.
 

steiny93

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I see 4 options:
- Get the seller to reimburse you for the vehicle (prolly unlikely)
- Get GM to buy it from you
- Sell it outright
- Trade it for a different

You'll probably be making the decision based on dollars.

I'm not following the -$15k part. Are you saying the trade value to what you paid is $15k different? Or trade to a new 23 is $15k?
 

davebarky

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Like the others, I'd recommend going through the buy back process. You'll get more money in your pocket that way. After that I'll refrain from giving the rest of my opinion and let you decide how to proceed on your own. I've owned a 2017 Denali and 2022 Premier Suburban and my experiences led me to get out of them and never go back to the K2 or T1 platforms ever again.
I agree, my 2012 Denali has been mostly good except for the L94. AFM/DOD issues mostly. I'm going to pull the 6.2 and put in a L96 truck engine. My 2003 Suburban 2500 4x4 has been practically bulletproof. 300,000 plus miles and still solid and reliable. Makes me wonder how things could have devolved so much.
 

TollKeeper

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Theres some oddities there for sure...
But as I have said before...
There is -NO- 2020+ GM GASOLINE engine I would buy. But I would buy a GM Diesel, if you can find one.
There is -NO- 2012+ FORD Gasoline engine I would buy, EXCEPT the V8 Coyote. There is -NO- FORD diesel I would buy

Maybe see if you can buy a Jeep Grand Cherokee L, or see if you can find a GM Diesel. I personally would buy the GM Diesel Yukon XL..
No idea where in the world you are (your profile isnt filled out).. You mentioned Maryland?
Something like this..


or

Edit: Search around and find a dealer that isnt doing a MARKUP on inventory. Looks like the dealers in Maryland still are doing that. The ones in Colorado are not. Looks like about a 10,000 dollar mark up over in Maryland..
 
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TollKeeper

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If you got kids, which you mentioned above.. This would have my interest!
 

clogan2

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If you bought the car with 37,000 miles on it, then there's doubt that Lemon Laws would apply. Secondly, it is similarly doubtful that GM corporate would get involved at all. The power train warranty is likely all you have to rely on for repair.

Looks like you either need to keep the car, or take a $15,000 hair cut. I really don't see a good third option, unless you want to try to sell it yourself. But with the repair history, who would want to buy it?
 

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