Headlight complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Drivers side brake lights went out, car is only two years old. Three weeks later passenger side brake lights went out. Driving on a highway for three hours as people honked and rolled their windows down to let us know we didn't have brake lights. Took to get fixed and the lightbulbs, which are LED and should have lasted longer than two years, are not replaceable, the entire tail light assembly needs to be purchased at $700 a piece. When people are unable to afford $1400 before labor they will drive without brake lights. This is a serious hazard and a ridiculous manufacturing flaw to have light bulbs that are not replaceable. GMC should be held accountable.
My vehicle has only 47,000 miles and my passenger side brake light is out. There is also water and moisture that builds up in both taillights. I was told it would be $800 each to replace and was no longer under warranty. I am the original owner and purchased the vehicle new. The vehicle has never been in any accidents. This is a serious issue and needs to be covered by the manufacturer. The LED lights should not go out this quickly.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL. The contact stated that the passenger's side taillight failed to illuminate intermittently while depressing the brake pedal. Over time, the driver's side taillight also would fail to illuminate with the brake pedal depressed. The contact then received a warranty notice from the local dealer about the failure however, the contact was informed when speaking to the dealer that due to the mileage on her vehicle, the vehicle no longer qualified under the warranty program. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Our passenger taillight went out and the dealership cost to replace it was $811. I called GMC customer service and after 4 days and multiple phone calls the best they could offer in financial assistance was $80. I asked the dealership if I could have the broken light and they wanted me to pay $50 to take it with me. A google search turned up many instances of this happening. The dealership told me that they replace 1-2 per week. The taillight replacement on the Yukon family is a scam. It is unethical for them to charge that much for a replacement when it is inown to be defective. The car is less than 4 years old and has 66K miles and has not been in any collisions. Just normal routine use resulted in a costly repair and, more importantly, irresponsible customer service from the GMC employees who were in charge of handling my case.
While driving I noticed that the speedometer needle was erratic going from zero to 120 MPH. When I stopped the needle was stuck at 30 MPH. At the same time the gear shift indicator light went from dull to non existent preventing me from knowing what gear I was in. This was happening sporadically but now the speedometer needle is always on zero and the gear shift indicator is never lit. I saw online that there has been a recall for the instrument panel for the same speedometer problem I am having but the recall ended with 2004 vehicles even though there is a lot of complaints online with the 2005 models also. I saw a recall (#05023) for the gear shift indicator light. I tried calling GMC to have it fixed and was told it is VIN specific. I explained that the recall did not specify specific VIN numbers. Was rudely told I am out of luck. I tried to address both issues with GMC to no avail. …
2005 GMC Yukon XL, dashboard dimmer switch/interior light switch; does not illuminate in the dark. This presents a significant safety issue in that it does not allow the driver to adjust the dashboard lighting level or turn on interior lights in the dark. There have been repeated attempts to remedy the situation by the dealer, the conclusion of the dealer now is that illumination is not allowed by the way the switch was engineered.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Yukon Denali XL years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2015 (36) and 2016 (15) model years. Headlight complaints make up 55% of all complaints for the 2015.
Is there a recall for GMC Yukon Denali XL headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for any GMC Yukon Denali XL model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do GMC Yukon Denali XL headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the headlights (2 mentions), followed by the tail lights (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.