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Here May Be Why Your GMC Yukon Has A Low Or Dead Battery

You might find that after being parked for approximately a day or slightly more, your 2021 through 2023 model year GMC Yukon has a low battery or even has no engine crank, indicating a fully dead battery. GM TechLink has now identified the reason for this battery issue and the fix qualified technicians can apply to remedy it.

As the first step toward remedying the problem, the technician will check to confirm that a 200 to 300 milliamp draw exists at all times in your GMC Yukon. This draw continues when the vehicle is shut off and gradually drains the battery, fully draining the charge in roughly a day.

An unplugged third-row power folding seat switch is the usual source of this ongoing 200 to 300 milliamp draw. The body control module or BCM of the GMC Yukon is unable to shut off if one of the power seat switches is unplugged and will instead stay in standby mode, which pulls a trickle of electricity out of the battery while the engine is not running.

Additional testing will confirm that your GMC Yukon’s third-row power-folding seat switches are unplugged and non-functional. These switches are to be found on the right-hand rear quarter panel in the SUV’s cargo area. If these switches do not operate at least one of the third-row power seats, then it’s likely one is unplugged from its wiring harness connector.

The technician can then check the switches for loose or unplugged connections to the harness. Reconnecting the connectors that link the switches to the harness should allow the body control module to shut down rather than remaining constantly in standby mode while the vehicle is parked and shut off. This will eliminate the power draw on the battery and stop the low or dead battery condition from occurring.

The GMC logo on the Yukon grille.

GM has determined similar problems may exist for 2021 through 2023 model year Chevy Suburban and Chevy Tahoe SUVs as well as the Cadillac Escalade, with a similar fix available.

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Comments

  1. I’d hope they do a firmware fix as well. The BCM should shutoff 30 minutes after car off no matter what.

    Reply
  2. I had this issue a few times on my 2021 Yukon Denali and it wasn’t related to the 3rd row seat switch! I was told that OTA updates could cause this issue as well. Another source was supposedly leaving your keys in the cup holder that’s sometimes used for key fob programming. In my situation, none of these were determined as a possible cause and the correct diagnosis is yet to be confirmed. I just jump-start it and everything runs fine afterward. Haven’t had the issue ever since.

    Reply
  3. My wife’s 2019 Equinox Premier had a mysterious dead battery one time a couple of years ago. I couldn’t find any reason for it so I charged the battery and it’s been fine ever since.

    Reply
  4. Interesting…… our 2023 Suburban also had a dead battery a month or so after purchase in the spring…. The battery was replaced under warranty and so far no problem…. I was told there was a ‘bad cell’ in the battery….. I was also told that sometimes the vehicle is ‘looking for a wifi signal’ to make automatic updates, and if there is no wifi close, it will be searching for a signal, thus using more electricity….. also I often hear what I would call ‘clunking noises’ in the vehicle sometimes after shutting it off… at first I thought there was a mouse or squirrel somewhere in the vehicle…. Nevertheless, I will let my dealer know about what is talked about here as a possible seat switch as a source of the problem. Anyhow, when on a trip anywhere, I now have a NoCo battery booster in the vehicle just in case I need it…. Would be nice to hear from other Yukon or Suburban owners who have had similar problems…. Ron

    Reply
    1. Ron, I also get “clunking noises” on my ’21 GMC Sierra pickup. I believe that it relates to the BCM checking status of doors and hood closure after I have externally charged the battery and latch the hood closed (the truck sits for extended periods). I do not have any battery draw down issues.

      Reply
  5. Of course after buying expensive cars,you might expect good quality switches and wiring harnesses. But to keep the superfluous load monitor Bcm happy, it all needs to be kept up to snuff. Even older Honda’s have the silly Bcm load sensors……

    Additional checklists of things that simply must be done. Not too much of a biggie.

    Reply

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