2012 GMC Yukon XL Owner Complaints
Complaint Summary
The 2012 GMC Yukon XL has 22 reported complaints.
- Top issues involve unknown or other and air bags.
Reliability Score
Reliability Score
Based on 22 complaints
Most Frequent Issues
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
5 22.7%
AIR BAGS
5 22.7%
STRUCTURE:BODY
2 9.1%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2 9.1%
ENGINE
2 9.1%
Quick Insights
The top category is UNKNOWN OR OTHER, accounting for 22.7% of all complaints.
Owners have reported issues across 11 distinct vehicle systems.
Note: Complaint data reflects owner reports and may not always indicate a verified defect. Compare with Recalls and TSBs for a complete picture.
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What owners keep reporting on the 2012 GMC Yukon XL
The 2012 GMC Yukon XL has 22 owner complaints in this dataset. UNKNOWN OR OTHER is the most common complaint category, representing about 23% of the reports shown here.
Most common complaint categories
The top complaint groups for the 2012 GMC Yukon XL are UNKNOWN OR OTHER (5), AIR BAGS (5), STRUCTURE:BODY (2).
Are these complaints a serious red flag?
Potentially. 12 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems like brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection.
What should buyers inspect on a used 2012 GMC Yukon XL?
Start with the top complaint systems, compare them against the recall report, then inspect service records for evidence that those same areas were already repaired or monitored.
Detailed Complaint Log
Showing 11 of 11 systems
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
5 Reports23% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. I PURCHASED THIS SUV IN SEPT 2013 USED WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES. I NOTICED A HAIRLINE CRACKED ABOVE MY AIRBAG MODULE ON THE DASH BOARD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF APRIL 2015. I FEEL THAT THIS CRACKED DASH IS A SAFETY CONCERN. IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAGS WAS TO DEPLOY IT CAN CAUSE SHRAPNEL AND MAJOR DAMAGE OR HARM TO ANYONE IN THE TRUCK. I HAVE 4 KIDS IN WHICH TWO OF THEM ARE TEENAGERS THAT SIT IN THAT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.
5/20/2015
DASH IS CRACKING AROUND AIRBAGS. AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED
10/3/2016
AIR BAGS
5 Reports23% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
DASH HAS CRACKED ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CRACK IS APPROXIMATELY 6-8-INCHES IN LENGTH. DASH IS ALSO CRACKED IN TWO LOCATIONS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I FEEL THESE CRACKS COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN THE AIRBAGS ARE DEPLOYED. THESE CRACKS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE NOT THE RESULT OF A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT OR BEING STRUCK BY AN OBJECT.
3/21/2016
AT SOME POINT NEAR 65000 MILES, A VERY LARGE CRACK APPEARED OVER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AS WELL AS A SMALL CRACK EXTENDING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AREA. I WORRY ABOUT MY CHILDREN'S SAFETY IF WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT AND PLASTIC PIECES GO FLYING.
12/21/2017
STRUCTURE:BODY
2 Reports9% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
DASH HAS CRACKED ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CRACK IS APPROXIMATELY 6-8-INCHES IN LENGTH. DASH IS ALSO CRACKED IN TWO LOCATIONS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I FEEL THESE CRACKS COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN THE AIRBAGS ARE DEPLOYED. THESE CRACKS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE NOT THE RESULT OF A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT OR BEING STRUCK BY AN OBJECT.
3/21/2016
DASH HAS 2 CRACKS. ONE ABOVE SPEEDOMETER. THE OTHER IS CRACKED ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF THE DASH THAT SURROUNDS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 1/16/19. I AM SIMPLY ADDING MINE TO THE LARGE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT MAY BE A SAFETY HAZARD. NOT SURE HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN THERE, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED AND GARAGED IT'S WHOLE LIFE.
1/18/2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2 Reports9% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
WHILE DRIVING CAR AT RANDOM TIMES IT WILL SHUTOFF AND YOU WILL LOOSE STEERING AND ALL ELECTRONICS MOMENTARILY AND THEN CAR WILL TURN BACK ON. IT ONLY DOES THIS WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT OR TURNING ON ROUGHER PAVEMENT. ONCE THIS HAPPENS THE NEXT TIME YOU TURN OFF THE CAR AND TRY TO START THE CAR THE KEY WILL NOT TURN ON ANY OF THE ELECTRONICS AND WILL NOT START THE VEHICLE. IF YOU CONTINUOUSLY TAKE THE KEY OUT AND REINSERT UNTIL AND THE CAR WILL EVENTUALLY START.
8/28/2017
REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE INOPERABLE. DEALER SAYS ASSEMBLIES MUST BE REPLACED AT $2K. SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AND AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE ENSURE GMC RECALLS AND REPAIRS THIS WIDESPREAD ISSUE.
10/12/2018
ENGINE
2 Reports9% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
WHILE DRIVING CAR AT RANDOM TIMES IT WILL SHUTOFF AND YOU WILL LOOSE STEERING AND ALL ELECTRONICS MOMENTARILY AND THEN CAR WILL TURN BACK ON. IT ONLY DOES THIS WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT OR TURNING ON ROUGHER PAVEMENT. ONCE THIS HAPPENS THE NEXT TIME YOU TURN OFF THE CAR AND TRY TO START THE CAR THE KEY WILL NOT TURN ON ANY OF THE ELECTRONICS AND WILL NOT START THE VEHICLE. IF YOU CONTINUOUSLY TAKE THE KEY OUT AND REINSERT UNTIL AND THE CAR WILL EVENTUALLY START.
8/28/2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIDWAY CHEVROLET (2323 W BELL RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85023) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS BATTERY RELATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.
4/28/2021
STEERING
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
WHILE DRIVING CAR AT RANDOM TIMES IT WILL SHUTOFF AND YOU WILL LOOSE STEERING AND ALL ELECTRONICS MOMENTARILY AND THEN CAR WILL TURN BACK ON. IT ONLY DOES THIS WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT OR TURNING ON ROUGHER PAVEMENT. ONCE THIS HAPPENS THE NEXT TIME YOU TURN OFF THE CAR AND TRY TO START THE CAR THE KEY WILL NOT TURN ON ANY OF THE ELECTRONICS AND WILL NOT START THE VEHICLE. IF YOU CONTINUOUSLY TAKE THE KEY OUT AND REINSERT UNTIL AND THE CAR WILL EVENTUALLY START.
8/28/2017
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON XL. WHILE DRIVING, THE SUN ROOF INADVERTENTLY EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT HEARD WIND BLOWING THROUGH THE SUN ROOF. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE NOTICED A HOLE IN THE SUN ROOF GLASS. THE CONTACT CALLED BRIAN HARRIS CHEVROLET AT (225) 910-6907 (15015 FLORIDA BLVD, BATON ROUGE, LA 70819) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER WAS CLOSED AND HE WOULD BE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
12/5/2017
SERVICE BRAKES
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE INOPERABLE. DEALER SAYS ASSEMBLIES MUST BE REPLACED AT $2K. SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AND AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE ENSURE GMC RECALLS AND REPAIRS THIS WIDESPREAD ISSUE.
10/12/2018
STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:DASHBOARD
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT STATED THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED IN THREE PLACES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V051000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED ALLEN GMC (28332 CAMINO CAPISTRANO, LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA 92677, (949) 391-9094) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
2/26/2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIDWAY CHEVROLET (2323 W BELL RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85023) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS BATTERY RELATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.
4/28/2021
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while in a parking lot, the contact attempted to shift the vehicle into drive however, the transmission failed to shift into gear. The contact stated that the gear shifter cable had detached. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 248,000.
12/1/2023
Data and Methodology
Scores are derived from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, normalized by vehicle segment averages.
What are the most common owner complaints for the 2012 GMC Yukon XL?
Are complaints about the 2012 GMC Yukon XL a serious warning sign?
How should buyers use complaint data for the 2012 GMC Yukon XL?
Are complaints about the 2012 GMC Yukon XL severe?
Complaint list entries are sourced from owner-submitted NHTSA ODI records.
GMC Yukon XL: How should complaint data influence buying decisions?
Carfocal links complaint data directly to recall and maintenance routes for the same model year.
- Complaint entries
- 22
- Top-topic view
- 5 grouped topics shown
- Primary source
- NHTSA ODI owner complaint records
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