GMC Yukon 2007–2014
3rd generation · GMT900 (GMT921/931)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,628 complaints, 969 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 48,000 and 118,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 24 complaints (2.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 27,000
- 25%
- 48,000
- Median
- 80,000
- 75%
- 118,000
- 90%
- 152,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 47 | 4.9% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 21 | 2.2% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 33 | 3.4% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 56 | 5.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 88 | 9.1% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 57 | 5.9% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 82 | 8.5% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 85 | 8.8% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 86 | 8.9% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 71 | 7.3% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 69 | 7.1% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 41 | 4.2% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 53 | 5.5% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 41 | 4.2% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 35 | 3.6% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 18 | 1.9% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 16 | 1.7% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 17 | 1.8% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 19 | 2.0% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 10 | 1.0% |
| 200,000+ | 24 | 2.5% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,628 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007–2014 GMC Yukon, and 969 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 48,000 and 118,000 miles. The median is 80,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (33.1% of complaints, typically around 87,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (19.8% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles), body structure (13.5% of complaints, typically around 71,000 miles).
12 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Airbag system87,000median 86,820 miles, middle half 54,000 to 125,000
- Problems owners could not categorise80,000median 80,000 miles, middle half 54,000 to 100,000
- Body structure71,000median 71,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 99,000
- Electrical system69,000median 69,000 miles, middle half 32,000 to 120,000
- Engine120,000median 120,000 miles, middle half 82,000 to 148,000
- Transmission and driveline74,000median 74,000 miles, middle half 20,000 to 104,000
- Electronic stability control (esc)102,000median 102,227 miles, middle half 74,000 to 130,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 539 | 33.1% | 87,000 | 54,000–125,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 322 | 19.8% | 80,000 | 54,000–100,000 |
| Body structure | 219 | 13.5% | 71,000 | 48,000–99,000 |
| Electrical system | 105 | 6.4% | 69,000 | 32,000–120,000 |
| Engine | 82 | 5.0% | 120,000 | 82,000–148,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 52 | 3.2% | 74,000 | 20,000–104,000 |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 50 | 3.1% | 102,000 | 74,000–130,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 39 | 2.4% | 95,000 | 52,000–117,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 32 | 2.0% | 92,000 | 52,000–175,000 |
| Latches and locks | 28 | 1.7% | 41,000 | 39,000–60,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 80,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 33.1% of complaints (539 reports, 219 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,820 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 54,000 and 125,000 miles.
A single system taking 33.1% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 19.8% of complaints (322 reports, 204 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 54,000 and 100,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 13.5% of complaints (219 reports, 151 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 99,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.4% of complaints (105 reports, 76 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,500 and 120,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.0% of complaints (82 reports, 56 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 120,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 82,000 and 148,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 3.2% of complaints (52 reports, 41 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 20,377 and 104,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2007 model year drew the most — 581 complaints — while 2014 drew the fewest at 79. The median year sits at 149.
That makes 2007 an outlier: roughly 3.9 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 12 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (5), the electrical system (3), the hydraulic brake circuit (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 1,628 complaints filed against this generation, 53 reported a crash; 22 reported a fire; 83 reported an injury; 12 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.3% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 48,000 and 118,000 miles, with a median of 80,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the airbag system and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 80,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine - Piston Rings / Afm 2010–2014 (5.3L LC9)
Generation IV 5.3L LC9 excessive oil consumption. Mechanism: low-tension piston oil control rings plus the Active Fuel Management oil pressure relief valve spraying oil at the cylinder walls during 4-cylinder operation, leading to oil burning, spark plug fouling and eventual internal wear. Settled US class action covering the 2011-2014 Yukon, Yukon XL, Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado, Sierra and Avalanche.
Engine - Valvetrain 2007–2014 (AFM–equipped V8s)
AFM lifter collapse: a deactivating lifter fails to re-latch, bending the pushrod and damaging the camshaft lobe; presents as a misfire on one cylinder plus ticking.
Interior 2007–2014
Widely reported dashboard top-pad cracking and splitting, generally around the passenger airbag seam.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 581 | 371 |
| 2008 | 250 | 130 |
| 2009 | 116 | 70 |
| 2010 | 149 | 99 |
| 2011 | 216 | 114 |
| 2012 | 88 | 59 |
| 2013 | 149 | 87 |
| 2014 | 79 | 39 |
Recalls (12)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 21V052000 | 2021-09-20 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 21V054000 | 2021-05-11 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 21V053000 | 2021-05-11 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 21V051000 | 2021-05-11 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 21V050000 | 2021-03-01 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 14V827000 | 2015-02-12 | Electrical System:ignition |
| 14V614000 | 2014-12-26 | Electrical System |
| 13V342000 | 2013-08-02 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
| 13V001000 | 2013-01-17 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 11V339000 | 2011-07-25 | Steering:linkages |
| 11V007000 | 2011-01-11 | Suspension:rear:axle:spindle |
| 10V240000 | 2010-06-11 | Electrical System |
What owners reported
This new vehicle has shifting problems. Sometimes the rpms will reverse when you stomp on the gas. It doesn't respond. This is a safety issue in that if you pull out into traffic, you may or may not get the acceleration needed to avoid impact. The transmission goes crazy. The local GMC certified repair service…
2007 · Transmission and driveline
There is a problem with the steering wheel mounted radio controls on some 2007 GMC Yukon denali trucks with the six disc cd changer. One of these controls is suppose to allow you to change the disc that is playing to another one of the six that you have loaded into the changer. On some of these trucks the wrong wiring…
2007 · 5 miles · Electrical system
Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds during sunny road conditions, the gauges on the instrument panel were not visible due to poor illumination. Also, the pillars on the driver side created blind spots on both sides of the vehicle. It was taken to a service dealer, who determined that they would…
2007 · 155 miles · Body structure
Tl*- the contact stated that the seat belt intermittently failed in the2007 GMC Yukon with 300 failure mileage. The third row rear passenger seat belt locked properly, but when removing the child from the seat, the seat belt would retract, which caused bruising to the arm and chest of the child. The dealer…
2007 · 300 miles · Seat belts
Built from 969 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page