FaultScore

FaultScore report

2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 problems

Owners have filed 16 complaints about the 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 with NHTSA between 2011 and 2022. The largest single group is the other & unspecified. Across this model's run it ranks 9 of 10 worst.

A

FaultScore 19/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the GMC Yukon XL 1500.

How this is worked out

The numbers

16

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

59,925 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

25%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 21 vs 50 Severity 0 vs 50 Early failure 43 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 21
Against the median year of the GMC Yukon XL 1500. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 43
25% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2011 compares with every other GMC Yukon XL 1500

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Other & Unspecified 7 43.8%

Median failure at 62,638 miles

Body & Structure 3 18.8%

Median failure at 59,276 miles

Airbags 3 18.8%

Median failure at 62,638 miles

Electrical System 2 12.5%

Median failure at 74,287 miles

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 6.3%

Median failure at 900 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

Under 1,000 miles 1 8.3%
10,000 – 24,999 miles 1 8.3%
25,000 – 49,999 miles 1 8.3%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 6 50.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 2 16.7%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 1 8.3%

NHTSA crash tests

The agency crash-tested this model year itself. These are its own photographs and star ratings.

Configuration Overall Front Side Rollover
2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 SUV 4WD
23.7% risk
2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 SUV RWD
23.7% risk

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Jul 2011 peak 3 Mar 2022

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Baton Rouge, LA

AIR BAGS

Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11456020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 59,276 miles Wilmington, NC

AIR BAGS

DASH BOARD PANEL HAS CRACKED OPEN FOR UNKNOWN REASONS CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN WITH SHARP EDGES AND OPENINGS THAT ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOREIGN OBJECTS/ITEMS TO ENTER VEHICLE CONTROLS AND INSTRUMENTATION PANELS. PASSENGER AIR BAG AT DASH BOARD SEEMS DEFECTIVE DUE TO CRACKED DASH BOARD PANELS AND ASSOCIATED TRIM PIECES. IT APPEARS THAN UPON AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT THERE WOULD BE POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL OCCUPANT/PASSENGER INJURIES DUE TO THE BROKEN/LOOSE FITTING/SUB-STANDARD DASH BOARD PLASTIC PIECES.

NHTSA complaint #11228879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 59,276 miles Wilmington, NC

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASH BOARD PANEL HAS CRACKED OPEN FOR UNKNOWN REASONS CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN WITH SHARP EDGES AND OPENINGS THAT ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOREIGN OBJECTS/ITEMS TO ENTER VEHICLE CONTROLS AND INSTRUMENTATION PANELS. PASSENGER AIR BAG AT DASH BOARD SEEMS DEFECTIVE DUE TO CRACKED DASH BOARD PANELS AND ASSOCIATED TRIM PIECES. IT APPEARS THAN UPON AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT THERE WOULD BE POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL OCCUPANT/PASSENGER INJURIES DUE TO THE BROKEN/LOOSE FITTING/SUB-STANDARD DASH BOARD PLASTIC PIECES.

NHTSA complaint #11228879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 59,276 miles Wilmington, NC

STRUCTURE:BODY

DASH BOARD PANEL HAS CRACKED OPEN FOR UNKNOWN REASONS CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN WITH SHARP EDGES AND OPENINGS THAT ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOREIGN OBJECTS/ITEMS TO ENTER VEHICLE CONTROLS AND INSTRUMENTATION PANELS. PASSENGER AIR BAG AT DASH BOARD SEEMS DEFECTIVE DUE TO CRACKED DASH BOARD PANELS AND ASSOCIATED TRIM PIECES. IT APPEARS THAN UPON AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT THERE WOULD BE POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL OCCUPANT/PASSENGER INJURIES DUE TO THE BROKEN/LOOSE FITTING/SUB-STANDARD DASH BOARD PLASTIC PIECES.

NHTSA complaint #11228879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Elkhorn, WI

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY DASH IS CRACKED ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES AND IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYS THIS WILL HAVE DASH BOARD PIECES FLYING IN THE CABIN DUE TO THE CRACKS

NHTSA complaint #11099173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,300 miles Murfreesboro, TN

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASH IS CRACKING OVER INSTRUMENTS AND IT IS CRACKING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY IF AIR BAG DEPLOY TIT WILL SEND DASH FRAGMENTS INTO THE FRONT 2 PASSENGERS FACE . THIS IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR . THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT FOR GENERAL MOTORS.

NHTSA complaint #11091541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bronx, NY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASHBOARD CRACK

NHTSA complaint #11081214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 88,000 miles Bono, AR

STRUCTURE:BODY

I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ANTENNA IN MY TRUCK. THE RADIO IS CONSTANTLY GOING IN AND OUT. MY ONSTAR HAS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. MY BLUETOOTH DROPS CALLS WITHIN A FEW MIN OF TAKING THE CALL IF I CAN EVEN GET IT TO ANSWER THE CALL. COSMETICALLY THE ISSUES I AM HAVING IS THE DASH HAS A HUGE CRACK RIGHT BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL IT GOES ALL THE WAY ACROSS TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. IF I WAS TO HAVE A FRONT END CRASH SHARDS OF PLASTIC WOULD GO FLYING THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO 3/11/17 AND HAVE HAD THESE ISSUES SINCE PURCHASED. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE WELCOMED. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10970123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 88,000 miles Bono, AR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ANTENNA IN MY TRUCK. THE RADIO IS CONSTANTLY GOING IN AND OUT. MY ONSTAR HAS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. MY BLUETOOTH DROPS CALLS WITHIN A FEW MIN OF TAKING THE CALL IF I CAN EVEN GET IT TO ANSWER THE CALL. COSMETICALLY THE ISSUES I AM HAVING IS THE DASH HAS A HUGE CRACK RIGHT BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL IT GOES ALL THE WAY ACROSS TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. IF I WAS TO HAVE A FRONT END CRASH SHARDS OF PLASTIC WOULD GO FLYING THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO 3/11/17 AND HAVE HAD THESE ISSUES SINCE PURCHASED. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE WELCOMED. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10970123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 66,000 miles Hendersonville, TN

AIR BAGS

I HAVE A 2011 YUKON XL, DASH CRACKED BELOW THE AIRBAG AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN 2012. ON NOVEMBER 13, 2016 THE NEW DASH CRACKED ABOVE THE AIRBAG. I AM CURRENTLY FIGHTING WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND GMC CORPORATE. I'M BEING TOLD THAT AS A SECOND OWNER GMC WILL NOT REPLACE THE DASH, REGARDLESS THAT I'VE PUT 55,000 OF THE 66,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE OWNED 90% OF ITS TIME ON THE ROAD. FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ, THE DASH WILL BECOME A PROJECTILE IF THE AIRBAG IS DEPLOYED AND QUITE POSSIBLY SERIOUSLY INJURE ANY VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. THIS IS A VERY COMMON, DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT GMC NEEDS TO CORRECT VIA RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10926624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 66,000 miles Hendersonville, TN

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I HAVE A 2011 YUKON XL, DASH CRACKED BELOW THE AIRBAG AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN 2012. ON NOVEMBER 13, 2016 THE NEW DASH CRACKED ABOVE THE AIRBAG. I AM CURRENTLY FIGHTING WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND GMC CORPORATE. I'M BEING TOLD THAT AS A SECOND OWNER GMC WILL NOT REPLACE THE DASH, REGARDLESS THAT I'VE PUT 55,000 OF THE 66,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE OWNED 90% OF ITS TIME ON THE ROAD. FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ, THE DASH WILL BECOME A PROJECTILE IF THE AIRBAG IS DEPLOYED AND QUITE POSSIBLY SERIOUSLY INJURE ANY VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. THIS IS A VERY COMMON, DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT GMC NEEDS TO CORRECT VIA RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10926624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tallahassee, FL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASHBOARD STARTED WITH A SMALL CRACK A MONTH AGO AND HAS GROWN INTO LARGE CRACK THAT CROSSES THE ENTIRE DASH. I FEEL THIS POSES A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE IF A ACCIDENT OCCURS AND THE AIR BAG INFLATES, THIS CRACK COULD CAUSE THE PIECES OF PLASTIC DASHBOARD TO COME APART AND EITHER DAMAGE AIRBAG BEFORE INFLATION OR INJURE PASSAGER/DRIVER WITH FLYING PLASTIC DEBRIS. IT IS ALSO VERY UNSIGHTLY. I SHOULDN'T HAVE PAID OVER $50K FOR A VEHICLE AND HAVE ISSUES LIKE THIS OCCUR.

NHTSA complaint #10893044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 106,000 miles ST Martinville, LA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED

NHTSA complaint #10881767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,575 miles RIO Rancho, NM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE NHTSA WEBSITE SHOWS THAT FOR OUR VIN CAMPAIGN 14V827000 CALLS FOR ITS IGNITION SWITCH TO BE INSPECTED AND POSSIBLY REPLACED. PITRE GMC IN ALBUQUERQUE SAYS THAT THEIR INTERNAL LIST (VIS?) DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS RECALL, SO THEY WILL NOT DO THE INSPECTION. I HAVE HAD NO SYMPTOMS OF A PROBLEM. I JUST WANT TO PREVENT A POSSIBLE FUTURE SAFETY ISSUE. IS THE NHTSA DATABASE OR THE GM DATABASE CORRECT? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THE ONE THAT IS WRONG? I NOTICED THE DISCREPENCY ON 10/29/15.

NHTSA complaint #10787847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,502 miles Northport, NY

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE

PRESSED TAILGATE BUTTON TO OPEN AND AS OPENING TAILGATE FELL ONTO CHILD REMOVING A BAG FROM TAILGATE. MOTOR FOR THE TAILGATE ATTEMPTED TO REOPEN TAILGATE AND TAILGATE FELL AGAIN ON CHILD. PASSERBY AND PARENT HELD TAILGATE OPEN TO REMOVE CHILD. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP THEY WERE ABLE TO RECREATE AND REPAIR. FAILED LIFT PISTONS. THE ARE NO PHYSICAL INDICATORS, ELECTRONIC, ILLUMINATED OR AUDIO WARNING OF THIS POSSIBLY RECURRING. LIFT GATE HAS A GREATER WEIGHT THEN SIDE DOORS AND IS GRAVITY FED.

NHTSA complaint #10521161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 900 miles THE Woodlands, TX

POWER TRAIN

2011 2-WD YUKON XL 1500 ENGINE STALL. TOOK DELIVERY 7/1/2011. ON 7/5/2011, WHILE DRIVING AT CITY SPEEDS, ENGINE STALLED (SHUT OFF), WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THIS HAPPENED TWICE CONSECUTIVELY. DID NOT EXPERIENCE AGAIN UNTIL 7/14/2011. THIS TIME WAS DRIVING IN CENTER LANE, 5 LANE FREEWAY, DURING RUSH HOUR AT POSTED 65 MPH SPEED. AGAIN, ENGINE STALLED (SHUT DOWN). DURING 3 CYCLES OF STALL/SHUT DOWN/RESTART, WAS ABLE TO MAKE MY WAY TO RIGHT LANE, DRIVE/COAST TO EXIT RAMP, EXIT FREEWAY AND ENTER A RETAIL PARKING LOT WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. DURING PROCESS, HEARD A POP/CLICK TO MY LEFT IN THE DASHBOARD. TURNED OFF AIR CONDITIONER, RESTARTED TRUCK AND MADE MY WAY HOME. DURING THIS DRIVE HOME, THE ALTERNATOR/VOLTAGE GAUGE NEEDLE BOUNCED TO EXTREME RIGHT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THEN SETTLED BACK CLOSER TO CENTER. PRIOR TO INCIDENT, I HAD NOTICED SAME NEEDLE OCCASIONALLY/ODDLY SLIGHT TO THE LEFT. TRUCK WAS TOWED TO SELLING DEALERSHIP THAT EVENING. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT RAN FULL DIAGNOSTICS AND REPORTED "NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE/OPERATING NORMALLY". THERE ARE NO "CODES" OR ANY "HISTORY CODES" SHOWING ANYTHING ABNORMAL OCCURRED WITH THE VEHICLE. 7/18/2011 OPENED CASE FILE WITH GM, BUT LITTLE ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN OFFERED BY THEM OTHER THAN "WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP". TRUCK HAS BEEN HOUSED AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW FOR 11 DAYS. WE ARE AT A STALEMATE. OUR POSITION IS THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP/GM'S POSITION IS THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE SUGGESTED WE PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN THEN AGAIN HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. OUR RESPONSE IS: IF WE AGREE TO DO THAT, AND ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO AGAIN "SURVIVE" THE OCCURRENCE WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, WHY DO THEY/WE BELIEVE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM? WE ARE WAITING FOR SOMEONE/ANYONE TO INVOLVE THE FACTORY FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10414968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.