Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 GMC Yukon XL owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering malfunctioned causing the steering wheel to become very difficult to turn in either direction. The contact indicated that recently when the failure occurred the vehicle also shut off nearly causing a crash. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the battery cables needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V586000 (Steering) however, the failure recurred intermittently. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.
LED brake light on drivers side fails to illuminate (noticed first at about 72,700 miles). Upon further research, this appears to be a recurring issue with 2015-2016 Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles. The LED taillight assembly is a sealed housing and the individual brake light bulbs are not replaceable. There appears to be a design defect that is causing premature failures of these assemblies, which results in a safety hazard because the driver does not receive any notification that the brake lights have failed.
My "Service Trailer Brake System" messages comes on periodically for days at a time with and without my trailer. The loud chime rings consistently for the duration of the drive. It makes driving unbearable. When connecting my trailer to it, the brakes do not seem to function correctly when towing. This is very dangerous. I found out that a lot of my fellow GMC SUV drivers have the same problem.
My car is giving me all kinds of warnings, parking assist off, rear back up, trailer brake, the radio sounds go off, blinker sounds go off, while trying to park power steering locks up, it will die in the middle of a turn. It's doing everything The 2015 recall was created for. I do not think my car was fixed during the recall period. It is very hazardous.
LED Brake Lights fail due to design error typically on both side of the vehicle. I have found multiple reports of a failure on a circuit board that was poorly designed. A copper tracing is very narrow and fractures due to vibration resulting in Brake Light failure. Because the entire module must be replaced the repair costs $800-$900 per side.
Defective wire harness between 2 body control modules, causing alarm to go off repeatedly "Service Trailer Brake System" and also "Stabilitrack" will come on randomly and lock my brakes up and all of the features in my dash. This has been very scary to drive and has brought the vehicle close to collision more than a handful of times now.
I keep getting a warning on my display on dash about my trailer brake system is not working. Also my temperature gauge stops working and I have to take off negative cable on battery to reset it. Temperature control sensor has been replaced but the problem still continues to happen.
My seat heater malfunctioned, burning a hole in my seat backrest, and burning a hole in my jacket! 30 seconds after leaving my home, driving on a residential street, I suddenly felt a sharp poking in my back. When I reached back I was shocked to feel the seat burning and a hole in the seat! I reacted immediately, turning off the seat heater and pulling over. My car had smoke and smelled of burning plastic. I look at the back of my drivers seat and there was a hole in the seat where it burned straight through. And when I took off my jacket I found a hole there as well where the seat burned through it as well. I had a small burn, but it was only minor. It was a disturbing situation that could have been worse if I didn't react immediately or was driving on the highway. …
Vehicle was taken in on November 2017 due to rear tailgate/hatch not opening properly and making noise sometimes. Struts and other components replaced. Vehicle is now out of warranty and rear tailgate module caught on fire inside the vehicle and burned up. GM customer care case 8-43560624xx was started. Part shows signs of fire, heavy component damage burn marks everywhere and ground planes within the pcb show signs of extreme overheating, inside of the vehicle smells like burnt plastic and the rear tailgate could not be open. GM is not calling it a fire but it is obvious from the part that there was a flame and a lot of heat. Tried to escalate this passed GM customer care so GM engineers can at least look at it but chris (did not provide last name and/or id number) informed me that there is no more escalation at this point. …
Passenger side tail light has been going out intermittently for months. Since the problem began I've been having battery issues and now battery and light are completely dead. Dealer said it would be $800 for light. There was no indicator/sensor that showed the light was out. I found out by another driver who pulled up next to me and told me. Driving around I've seen many vehicles (same model) with the same issue. This is a safety hazard, because unless someone tells us we don't know the light is out and they are prematurely going out. The cost is ridiculous! This is my second GMC and I did not have any problems like this before. This is the car I drive my children around in! It is apparent that it is a manufacturer issue. GMC needs to do right by its customers, before someone gets hurt!
Electrical complaints in other Yukon XL years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2015 GMC Yukon XL?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the electrical system of the 2015 GMC Yukon XL, 19% of the model year's 308 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2015 GMC Yukon XL electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2015 GMC Yukon XL, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2015 GMC Yukon XL electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.