Most common 2008 GMC Yukon XL problems
Share of the 69 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Yukon XL complaints by model year
Best Yukon XL years: 2014, 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2015, 2024. Compare all years →
2008 GMC Yukon XL recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 23, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021.
Electrical system
GM is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Buick, lucerne; Cadillac dts; Hummer h2; model year 2008-2009 Buick enclave; Cadillac cts; model year 2007-2009 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl; Saturn outlook; and model year 2009…
Remedy: Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently…
Electrical system
GM is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 Buick lucerne; Cadillac dts; Hummer h2; my 2007-2008 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, Saturn outlook; and my 2008 Buick enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system.
Remedy: Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2008. Owners May contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080; Cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.Cadillac.com;…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 GMC Yukon XL:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2008 GMC Yukon XL owners say
Air bags all 42 →
The contact owned a 2008 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving at an intersection, another vehicle unexpectedly cut into the middle lane. As a result, the contact crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained hematomas on his knee and hip while the passenger sustained a busted knee. Medical treatment was required. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and the contact filed a complaint. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 21V050000 (Air bags). The failure mileage was 227,000.
Sorry I speak Spanish Le cambiaron sensor bolsa de aire pero sigue teniendo lo el mismo problema y despu s de eso no se si le esta afectando porque ya no me sirve la alarma, el tablero en ocasiones se detiene o no prende nada, el stereo derrepente deja de o rse incluso lo de navegaci n yo regrese ese mismo d a y reclame pero me dijo la se ora de atenci n a clientes que con el tiempo se iba arreglar hasta que acepte el sensor y ya paso algo de tiempo y cada vez m s ah problemas si llega a explotar la bolsa de aire yo tengo el recibo por cualquier acci n que tenga que hacer por si llega haber un accidente que dios no lo quiera espero respuesta de ustedes y por dentro por no hablar ingles
Electrical system
Sorry I speak Spanish Le cambiaron sensor bolsa de aire pero sigue teniendo lo el mismo problema y despu s de eso no se si le esta afectando porque ya no me sirve la alarma, el tablero en ocasiones se detiene o no prende nada, el stereo derrepente deja de o rse incluso lo de navegaci n yo regrese ese mismo d a y reclame pero me dijo la se ora de atenci n a clientes que con el tiempo se iba arreglar hasta que acepte el sensor y ya paso algo de tiempo y cada vez m s ah problemas si llega a explotar la bolsa de aire yo tengo el recibo por cualquier acci n que tenga que hacer por si llega haber un accidente que dios no lo quiera espero respuesta de ustedes y por dentro por no hablar ingles
Vehicle unexpectedly caught fire in the front passengers side. The vehicle had been parked for several hours at the time of the fire. Fire investigators believe the fire was electrical and paid substantial attention to the front passengers side dash area on both the inboard and engine compartment sides of the dash. This is consistent with past reports of fires starting due to the heated washer fluid system which this vehicle had. There was no active recalls on this car.
Body & structure
My driver side back glass (quarter panel long glass) spontaneously exploded this morning with my young child in her car seat. No one was nearby, the car was in park. Nothing caused the glass to break it just randomly occurred.
Interior door handles - chrome plating is peeling away from plastic underneath on the front passenger handle. This peeling chrome cuts flesh. It has been recalled on 'some' 2007 models, however, since this is causing injury I believe it should be recalled/replaced on all models with chrome plated handles that incur this problem. It should not matter the year/make/model of the vehicle. This is a defect across the board.
2008 GMC Yukon XL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 19 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 GMC Yukon XL a good car?
Based on 69 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Yukon XL rates average: 37% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Yukon XL at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 GMC Yukon XL?
The air bags — 42 complaints, 61% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (11) and body & structure (8).
How many recalls does the 2008 GMC Yukon XL have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 GMC Yukon XL, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Yukon XL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2015 and 2024. See the full GMC Yukon XL years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 GMC Yukon XL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 110,000 miles; 34% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.