Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 3 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

3 total · 3 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Airbags recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 21V050000 · Feb 2021

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Airbags recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 21V054000 · Feb 2021

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Electrical system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 14V827000 · Dec 2014

If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

47 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
6

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 2unintended acceleration 1transmission slipping 1
A recent report: My Yukon Denali XL GM engine that was put in on 07/2022 has already failed. It failed as I was driving down highway at 65 mile per hour. It failed on 04/12/2025. I paid almost $7,000 to have my…
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My Yukon Denali XL GM engine that was put in on 07/2022 has already failed. It failed as I was driving down highway at 65 mile per hour. It failed on 04/12/2025. I paid almost $7,000 to have my engine replace due to the original engine failing in early 2022. Now the engine that I paid thousands of dollars for has already failed and has no compression in cylinder 4. I have researched this and can see GM is currently in litigation over car owners reporting engine failure due to either liftors or cams. My car should be considered in this class action lawsuit against GM. It's wrong for a company to take so much money from owners and use an engine that GM knew had issues and was faulty to place it into my vehicle only to have it fail and now make my vehicle undriveable and I am told it's another $8,000 to repair it. GM should address this issue with my vehicle and replace this engine that I had put in in 07/2022. GM was aware of this engine problem with my model car Yukon. GM knew this particular engine that they used in my vehicle on 07/22 (A GM engine) had the issue that GM is being sued for and sure enough the engine has now failed in my Yukon. Please hold GM accountable for this and include my car in this lawsuit.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11733987 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
3

Most reports here involve electrical shorts.

electrical shorts 1premature wear 1
A recent report: THE DASHBOARD HAS SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED IN TWO LOCATIONS AFTER SITTING IN OUR GARAGE. A 6" CRACK HAS NO FORMED OVER THE CURVED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY ON DRIVER SIDE AND A 1" CRACK HAS OCCURRED…
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THE DASHBOARD HAS SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED IN TWO LOCATIONS AFTER SITTING IN OUR GARAGE. A 6" CRACK HAS NO FORMED OVER THE CURVED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY ON DRIVER SIDE AND A 1" CRACK HAS OCCURRED NEAR THE AIR BAG COVER CORNER ON PASSENGER SIDE. THESE CRACKS ARE SIMILAR IN LOCATION AND SIZE TO OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON GMC YUKONS. STARTED NOTICING THE CRACK IN AUGUST OF 2020. I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL ON PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11406200 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
20

Most reports here involve airbags deploying unexpectedly.

airbags deploying unexpectedly 1airbags not deploying 1
A recent report: Dash is cracking badly on its own. Is cracking also where airbag is held. Pieces can fly as projectiles and cause bodily harm when airbag deploys.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11600217 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
6

Most reports here involve corrosion.

corrosion 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel the vehicle at the gas station, fuel was leaking out of the fuel tank. The vehicle was towed to an independent…
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The contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel the vehicle at the gas station, fuel was leaking out of the fuel tank. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was lifted. The mechanic then informed the contact that the fuel pump was rusted and that the frame were severely rusted. The contact was informed that the frame was fractured and had holes and was being held up by the body. Additionally, the mechanic informed the contact that the alignment had failed due to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The used car dealer where the vehicle was purchased was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 271,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11682477 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
12

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 4
A recent report: DASH IS CRACKING.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11415340 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 47 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2014 and 2026, roughly 4 a year, which is fewer than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2011 has 47 complaints on file, more than the 2010 (28) and more than the 2012 (13). Of the 17 model years of the GMC Yukon XL we cover, the 2015 has the most (306). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.