2021 GMC Yukon Denali Oil Burn

[Jeremiah House]

I've got a 2021 GMC Yukon Denali with 85,000 miles and just had a notification pop up on dash about low oil. Oil Life Gauge has me at 38% life remainging still. Checked the dip-stick and was bone dry. Any thoughts on why this could be burning almost 40% oil? Put 2 quarts in it to get me by until next week when I go to Dealership but trying to figure out a solution.

 

[15burban]

Did you do the last oil change or at least check to make sure whoever did it filled it up to the full mark? If not it's hard to tell how much it actually used.

 

[ChrisYukon]

Yeah, first you need to figure out if it’s using oil, or if the last guys who changed your oil didn’t put enough in. Otherwise, a mechanic will have a tough time diagnosing.

 

[Antonm]

I've got a 2021 GMC Yukon Denali with 85,000 miles and just had a notification pop up on dash about low oil. Oil Life Gauge has me at 38% life remainging still. Checked the dip-stick and was bone dry. Any thoughts on why this could be burning almost 40% oil? Put 2 quarts in it to get me by until next week when I go to Dealership but trying to figure out a solution.

What do you mean by “burning almost 40% oil “?

You do understand that the oil life remaining is how long until your next scheduled oil change and has absolutely nothing to do with the amount of oil that’s actually in the engine right?
…

 

[JKeller]

What weight oil are you using? My oil consumption issues stopped when I switched to Amsoil and went up to a 0w-30 weight oil.

 

[WalleyeMikeIII]

So, I know that hardly anyone does this anymore, but you really should pull the dipstick and check the oil level at every fill up.

The “oil life monitor” which is the % oil life sensor in the instrument cluster only tells you the computer calculated life remaining in the oil. It’s based on a ton of research by engineers at GM, and algorithmically counts down from 100% based on the number of engine revolutions, with some de-rating for engine temperature, number of cold starts, driving conditions, etc. It has shown to be pretty accurate by used oil analysis performed by many.

But, that piece of tech assumes you start with a full crankcase of fresh oil when reset to 100%, and that you keep the crankcase properly filled with oil. The best way to do this is following the oil check procedure in the owners manual. Basically: pull the dipstick occasionally and check.

In every vehicle I’ve ever owned, I check it the day I buy it, then at every fill up, and after every oil change. I’ve had a couple of my vehicles overfilled or under filled by the service tech..and corrected on the spot. Checking at every fill up gives you:
- Confidence you are not low on oil
- Indication of how your specific engine is behaving
- And over time, if you know you consume 0.5qt every 5000 miles, also an indication when something is changing, if all of a sudden it’s 1qt every 2500

TLDR: don’t be a dipstick, use the dipstick!

 

[Vladimir2306]

My experience in operating the Yukon Denali 2022 shows the following relationship. If we take the 0 mark as an oil change. Then, when driving quietly around the city, the oil begins to burn after 8-9 thousand kilometers. or 5-5.5 thousand miles. Further consumption is approximately 0.5 liters for every 1000 kilometers or 600 miles. If you drive fast on the highway. (150-170 Kilometers per hour, or 90-110 miles per hour) then the first 3000 kilometers (1800 miles) the oil does not burn. and then the consumption of the same 0.5 liters per 1000 kilometers (600 miles) begins. These are two extremes. in any mode between these two options, oil degradation will be between 3000 and 9000 kilometers. And then always 0.5 liters per 1000 km..

 

[xycrazy]

I've got a 2021 GMC Yukon Denali with 85,000 miles and just had a notification pop up on dash about low oil. Oil Life Gauge has me at 38% life remainging still. Checked the dip-stick and was bone dry. Any thoughts on why this could be burning almost 40% oil? Put 2 quarts in it to get me by until next week when I go to Dealership but trying to figure out a solution.

I have a similar Tahoe doing it. What did you figure out?

 

[juicysmollet]

My 2021 Yukon 5.3L has 68K miles and was flashing fill oil on occasion since the last oil change. Checked and had to fill 2 quarts to get it to come up to dipstick.

I always personally do the oil changes myself and I don't screw up the oil fill. Always use Mobil 1 Synthetic, 0-20. Thinking about switching to 0-30.

I've been reading 2021s have this issue but this is the first time I've dealt with it. Sounds like it's been burning a quart of oil without me knowing (rarely check dipstick). Also 2021 has all the multi cylinder equipment but never had the chip....wondering if that has anything to do with it.

This one also have the dreaded lifter break and had to be overhauled at 36K.

 

[B-train]

If I were in your shoes (collectively), I would stop using that piss water equivalent of 0w-20 oil and put in 5w-30. 0w-20 is a CAFE gimmick to eeeekkkkkk out a minute amount of mpg on EPA testing.

Run an oil designed for heavier use. 5w-30 has been the staple since around 2000, so why change now? The 6.6L gas motor specifies 5w-30 right on the oil cap. They share a lot of the same architecture, I'd go with what a commercial vehicle uses. Just my opinion.