NHTSA Complaint #11653702 — 2021 GMC YUKON XL

On [XXX], my wife and our children were driving back home from Barstow when the vehicle stalled on the [XXX] freeway near Colton, CA. While driving at approximately 50–65 mph, we heard a clanking noise coming from the engine, followed by multiple warning and maintenance lights illuminating on the dash. The vehicle then lost all acceleration power and shut off, leaving my wife and children stranded in the middle lane of moving traffic. All of this happened in a matter of seconds. This situation quickly became a life-threatening incident. Vehicles, including large semi-trucks, were swerving and honking to avoid colliding with our stalled Yukon. Fearing for my family’s safety, I was forced to exit the vehicle in the middle of traffic and physically push the Yukon to the side of the freeway, while trying to keep my wife and children calm inside the vehicle. The panic and distress this caused my family—especially my wife, whose anxiety skyrocketed—is beyond unacceptable. Highway law enforcement arrived and remained there until we were able to get a safety tow off the freeway and out to a service shop with GMC. Just before that, we had received our vehicle back on February 20th, 2025 after being with the GMC dealership since January 3rd, 2025, for engine replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)