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GMC power train recalls: locking rear wheels and broken driveshafts
⚠ 1 of these recalls carries a do-not-drive advisory.
Two failure patterns dominate GMC's power train recalls. First is the transmission control valve, which can fail and lock the rear wheels — it covers 2020-2022 Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 diesels, 2022 Yukon and Yukon XL with the 10-speed ETRS transmission, and a 2026 repeat recall for trucks repaired incorrectly the first time. Second is shafts separating: the right front intermediate driveshaft on 2017-2018 Acadia and 2018 Terrain, an unwelded driveshaft joint on 2019-2020 Sierra 1500, improperly heat-treated rear driveshafts on 2021 Yukon and Yukon XL, and half-shaft or sun gear problems on 2023 Acadia. A start-stop transmission accumulator leak hits 2018-2020 Terrain, and a transfer case recall covers four-wheel- and all-wheel-drive 2015-2020 and 2026 Yukon models.
Warning signs to watch for
- Loss of drive power while you are moving
- The vehicle rolling away after you shift into Park
- Transmission fluid leaking under the vehicle
- Rear wheels locking up — the notices say this can happen with little or no warning
Is it safe to keep driving?
One recall in this group is a stop-driving order: GM tells owners covered by the four-wheel- and all-wheel-drive transfer case recall — which includes 2019-2020 Yukon — not to drive the vehicle at all until the transfer case is inspected and, if needed, replaced. Every other power train recall here, including the transmission control valve recalls that can lock the rear wheels and all of the driveshaft and half-shaft recalls, leaves driving to your judgment: none order you to stop driving or park outside, but the notices describe failures that come with little or no warning, so book the free repair quickly.
What the free repair involves
It depends on the defect. Dealers install new transmission control module software for the control valve recalls, and inspect plus reprogram again on the 2026 follow-up. They replace intermediate driveshafts, rear driveshafts, right-front half-shafts and incorrect sun gears, inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if bolts are missing, and inspect and replace the transfer case assembly. All of it is free.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| critical | 5 |
| high | 5 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-07 | Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon wheels can lock up · do not drive | critical |
| 2026-02-13 | Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade rear wheels may lock | critical |
| 2026-02-12 | Silverado and Sierra: rear wheels can suddenly lock up | critical |
| 2024-10-24 | Chevy, GMC and Cadillac diesels: rear wheels can lock | critical |
| 2023-03-16 | GM SUVs may lose power from faulty transmission gear | high |
| 2023-02-02 | Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia axle shaft can separate | high |
| 2022-01-27 | GM full-size SUVs: rear driveshaft may break | high |
| 2020-10-29 | Chevy, Buick, GMC, Cadillac: Transmission Fluid Leak Risk | critical |
| 2020-10-22 | Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra driveshaft may separate | high |
| 2017-08-22 | Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Acadia and Terrain driveshaft can break | high |
Common questions
Is the 2026 Sierra recall the same problem as the 2024 one?
It is the same transmission control valve failure. The 2026 recall covers Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks that may have been repaired incorrectly under recall 24V797. Dealers inspect the vehicle and update the transmission control software again, free of charge.
Why does GM say not to drive the transfer case vehicles?
Because the wheels can lock without warning and cause a crash. For that recall GM advises owners not to drive until the remedy is completed; dealers inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2026.
My Terrain leaks transmission fluid — is that a recall?
A 2018-2020 Terrain may be covered by the start-stop transmission accumulator recall, where missing bolts allow a leak that can strand you in traffic or start a fire. Dealers inspect the accumulator and replace it if bolts are missing, free.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.