2008 GMC Yukon Air Bags Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 31, 2026 · 96 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2008 GMC Yukon, 51% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 92,634 miles. The words owners use most often: “takata air bags” (28% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Takata air bags: mentioned in 27 of 96 complaints (28%)
  • Passenger side airbag: mentioned in 7 of 96 complaints (7%)
  • Confirm become: mentioned in 5 of 96 complaints (5%)

At what mileage do air bags problems happen?

Based on 31 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles2 · 6%
10k–25k miles0 · 0%
25k–50k miles2 · 6%
50k–75k miles4 · 13%
75k–100k miles10 · 32%
100k–150k miles7 · 23%
150k+ miles6 · 19%

How serious are the reports?

Of 96 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 an injury.

GMC Yukon air bags complaints by model year

Peak: 2007, with 214 complaints
1995: 219951996: 81997: 319971998: 21999: 619992000: 142001: 1820012002: 112003: 820032004: 52005: 620052006: 52007: 21420072142008: 962009: 3520092010: 532011: 7920112012: 172013: 3220132014: 122015: 620152016: 42017: 220172018: 32021: 1820212022: 32025: 12025

n = 663 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearAir Bags complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2025 Yukon12%—
2022 Yukon32%5,000
2021 Yukon185%11,500
2018 Yukon34%52,000
2017 Yukon21%95,000
2016 Yukon41%47,000
2015 Yukon61%71,750
2014 Yukon1221%39,000
2013 Yukon3227%72,835
2012 Yukon1727%60,660
2011 Yukon7950%69,000
2010 Yukon5350%85,750
2009 Yukon3537%85,000
2008 Yukon9651%92,634
2007 Yukon21450%103,000
2006 Yukon519%113,500
2005 Yukon67%94,819
2004 Yukon53%101,500
2003 Yukon84%30,565
2002 Yukon117%124,500
2001 Yukon189%81,000
2000 Yukon148%73,000
1999 Yukon63%—
1998 Yukon23%80,000
1997 Yukon32%100,000
1996 Yukon811%84,000
1995 Yukon22%—

When owners reported it

Peak: 2017, with 26 complaints
2008: 1200812013: 1201312014: 2201422015: 6201562016: 9201692017: 262017262018: 132018132019: 192019192020: 132020132021: 4202142025: 1202512026: 120261

n = 96 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (2)

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V052000 · 557,023 vehicles

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

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

Fix: 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 23, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 20, 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 N212328780.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V050000 · 2,641,272 vehicles

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

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

Fix: 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.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2008 GMC Yukon. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer failed to repair the vehicle on the scheduled date and retained the vehicle without providing a…

Received Jul 31, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11753971

the passenger-side frontal airbag inflators, The determination was made that the propellant in these inflators may degrade after long-term exposure to high humidity and temperature cycling, which could cause the inflator to rupture during a deployment.

Received Oct 7, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11691942

The contact owns a 2008 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under the airbag recall. After the recall repair was performed, the airbag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The…

Received Jun 2, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11419318
GMC Yukon
25 GMC Yukon XL Denali - Shot at Earnhardt Buick GMC in Mesa AZ. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: HJUdall, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2008 GMC Yukons have air bags problems?

No. NHTSA has 96 owner complaints about air bags for the 2008 GMC Yukon (51% of the 187 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2008 GMC Yukon air bags?

Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do air bags problems start?

The median reported mileage is 92,634 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2008 GMC Yukon?

The most frequent phrase is “takata air bags”, in 27 of 96 complaints, followed by “passenger side airbag” (7).

See all 2008 GMC Yukon problems or air bags problems across all Yukon years.