2019 GMC Yukon Xl Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2019 GMC Yukon Xl, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine3546.1%
- Powertrain (other)1317.1%
- Driver assistance79.2%
- Brakes67.9%
- Electrical67.9%
- Steering45.3%
- Airbags33.9%
- Suspension11.3%
- Visibility11.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming to a stop at a stop sign, the vehicle started shaking violently, with an unknown flashing warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with a lifter failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was covered under warranty; however, upon a further follow-up, the dealer informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,000.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving and while the vehicle was parked on several occasions, there was a tapping sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the lifters were inoperable, and the lifters and or the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that on several occasions while stopped and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle reversed inadvertently and then jerked forward to accelerate. The contact added that the battery was drained but the failure was not the most important to report at this time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The issue reoccurred the same day. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
The transmission is shaky, Lower gears the truck seems to fight it way into the next gear, I feel this is happening around 3 to 5 gears. One garage told me the power converter was failing. I changed the transmission fluid and filter and it got better, but sill, this is an expensive truck. This is power train, this should be covered to 100,000 miles.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
My vehicle keeps showing a front camera warning and we went to the dealership multiple times and they were unable to diagnose the problem. This seems to be a widespread common problem among many owners and it’s a safety concern affecting parking and forward collision.
At 70 mph the adaptive cruise control system applied the brakes hard enough to engage the abs system even though my lane of travel was clear. There was a car on the exit ramp to the right applying their brakes not in my path that I believe my vehicle picked up. There were several vehicles behind me and it almost caused an accident. There needs to be a way to disable the adaptive cruse on this vehicle for safety concerns. This has happened to me on multiple occasions and I reported it to the General Motors hotline with absolutely no feedback on the issue.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, and approaching a red light, the brakes failed to operate upon the depression of the brake pedal. The brake pedal was firm while the contact steered the vehicle off the shoulder of the road. Due to the failure, the contact drove through the intersection and allowed the vehicle to coast to a complete stop. Upon restart of the vehicle, the "Brake Assist" message flashed on the instrument panel. The contact's husband was called to the scene and later drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The mechanic inspected the vehicle and discovered that the vacuum pump had failed. The vehicle was repaired by the mechanic. The dealer was notified of the failure and offered to inspect the vehicle; the dealer then referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 131,600.
My vehicles Electronic stability control is activating randomly. This issue started a few years ago and has increased in frequency. We will be driving at speeds between 50-75 mph in dry conditions and it will randomly activate which has almost caused us to lose control of the vehicle. No mechanics have been able to figure it out. I did some research and saw there was a vehicle recall issued for 2019 GMC Yukons Electrontronic Stablilty Control system, but for some reason it does not cover my vehicle. The GM recall number is N192261050. The description of the issue matches exactly what is happening. I called GMC and issued a complaint and also have setup a dealership to fix the issue. I don't believe i should be responsible for paying the cost of the repair since other 2019 GMC Yukons were recalled for this issue.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that on several occasions while stopped and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle reversed inadvertently and then jerked forward to accelerate. The contact added that the battery was drained but the failure was not the most important to report at this time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The issue reoccurred the same day. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
December 28- Transmission goes bad, gets vehicle back Feb 17th - •Dangers include loss of vehicle control, wreck, cannot hit gas pedal. March there’s an exhaust leak. •Inhaling is dangerous as this contains carbon monoxide, potential fire, May y axle on muffler •Dangers include reduced engine performance that can lead to wrecks, carbon monoxide poisoning, and failed emissions test. July Engine failure in repairs until August •Can cause accidents August coolant leak •Can lead to engine overheating and lead to engine failure causing accidents. September unknown reason, car just keeps shutting off while driving. •Dangers in this one speak for themselves. Inspection can be done. Problems were confirmed but just keep continuing to occur. No warning signals, car just keeps breaking down for various reasons.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Steering will all of a sudden feel disconnected. Feels like truck is sliding, till I move the wheel, then it feels connected again. Very weird feeling. This only seems to happen on the highway at highway speed. Witch is the part that worries me. This happens at least once every time on on the highway.
Last Friday evening, while driving the vehicle on the highway, the power steering suddenly stopped working. I heard a warning chime and saw an indicator "Service Power Steering" message on my display. I managed to steer the vehicle into a parking lot to inspect the engine bay and fuses. When I restarted the engine, the power steering was functioning. The power steering failure has not reoccured since it initially happened. My vehicle is a 2019 year model. I noticed that GM has a recall for 2021 year models for this very same problem. I'm wondering if the recall shouldn't be expanded given my experience.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, a second vehicle traveling approximately 65 MPH crashed into the front drivers side of the vehicle. During the crash, the vehicle sustained severe front-end damage, but no airbags in the vehicle deployed. The contact sustained injuries that included fractured ribs and a fractured left hip, and a sternum contusion. The contact was air-lifted to the hospital. Two occupants in the second vehicle were transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. A police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed away. The contact indicated that the vehicle was destroyed during the crash. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Hit a Elk at 65mph and airbags did not deploy.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Front strut assemblies (both left and right side) were found to be leaking during annual state safety inspection. Before the inspection determined the cause, the handling of the vehicle had noticeable deteriorated were the vehicle was bouncing excessively while driving and compromising the vehicle's handling and steering. Contacted two dealers, who stated this is a common problem on 2019 and newer Yukons. The GM parts warehouse had over 1900 replacement struts in stock! Per the dealer, the struct was a new design in 2019 and is electronically controlled. No warning lamps or messages were displayed. The original structs were stamped mfg in Mexico, the GM replacements are stamped manufactured in Poland.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the sunroof inadvertently shattered. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but had not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was offered a payment but declined. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .