GMC Yukon XL Problems by Year
GMC Yukon XL years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Yukon XL year: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2015 Yukon XL: 307 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2021 Yukon XL: 227 complaints, 12 recalls
- 2023 Yukon XL: 220 complaints, 4 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 1999 Yukon XL: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2014 Yukon XL: 11 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2012 Yukon XL: 13 complaints, 4 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common GMC Yukon XL problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 683 | 25 | 6 |
| Electrical System problems | 339 | 25 | 8 |
| Power Train problems | 313 | 24 | 5 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 285 | 16 | 0 |
| Service Brakes problems | 235 | 24 | 23 |
| Air Bags problems | 196 | 23 | 23 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 103 | 15 | 2 |
| Steering | 98 | 22 | 6 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 97 | 17 | 2 |
| Structure | 91 | 20 | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 89 | 13 | 10 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 63 | 21 | 1 |
| Suspension | 51 | 17 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 47 | 11 | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 43 | 11 | 3 |
| Parking Brake | 37 | 3 | 0 |
| Tires | 36 | 7 | 1 |
| Visibility | 26 | 14 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 24 | 11 | 1 |
| Seats | 22 | 14 | 2 |
| Visibility/wiper | 20 | 10 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 19 | 7 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 18 | 11 | 2 |
| Wheels | 16 | 11 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 14 | 5 | 3 |
| Back Over Prevention | 12 | 8 | 3 |
| Equipment | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
GMC Yukon XL problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2024: engine (53)
- 2023: engine (148)
- 2022: engine (112)
- 2021: engine (138)
- 2016: exterior lighting (84)
- 2015: exterior lighting (140) · service brakes (62) · electrical system (58)
- 2007: air bags (58)
All GMC Yukon XL model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Yukon XL | 37 | 3 | 5★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2025 Yukon XL | 28 | 1 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 Yukon XL | 71 | 2 | 4★ | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2023 Yukon XL | 220 | 4 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2022 Yukon XL | 171 | 4 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2021 Yukon XL | 227 | 12 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2020 Yukon XL | 47 | 2 | 4★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Yukon XL | 68 | 2 | — | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2018 Yukon XL | 54 | 2 | — | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 Yukon XL | 147 | 1 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 Yukon XL | 201 | 3 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2015 Yukon XL | 307 | 2 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 Yukon XL | 11 | 3 | — | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 Yukon XL | 22 | 4 | — | Structure | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 Yukon XL | 13 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 Yukon XL | 47 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Yukon XL | 28 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Yukon XL | 23 | 5 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Yukon XL | 69 | 4 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 Yukon XL | 97 | 4 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2006 Yukon XL | 17 | 2 | — | Electronic Stability Control (esc) | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2005 Yukon XL | 42 | 5 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2004 Yukon XL | 87 | 3 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2003 Yukon XL | 102 | 3 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 Yukon XL | 95 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | More complaints than other years |
| 2001 Yukon XL | 120 | 4 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | More complaints than other years |
| 2000 Yukon XL | 69 | 6 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1999 Yukon XL | 3 | 0 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
More from GMC: all GMC models · GMC VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Yukon XL years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2015 (307), 2016 (201), 2017 (147), 2021 (227), 2022 (171), 2023 (220) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Yukon XL year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the GMC Yukon XL?
Engine, with 683 complaints across 25 model years.
How many recalls does the GMC Yukon XL have?
54 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.