Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% | 55,000 miles |
| 2020 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2017 | 1 | 1% | 24,000 miles |
| 2016 | 7 | 3% | 56,000 miles |
| 2015 | 12 | 4% | 50,000 miles |
| 2013 | 10 | 45% | 62,000 miles |
| 2012 | 3 | 23% | 75,000 miles |
| 2011 | 8 | 17% | 116,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 11% | 95,000 miles |
| 2009 | 3 | 13% | 70,000 miles |
| 2008 | 8 | 12% | 55,000 miles |
| 2007 | 9 | 9% | 78,000 miles |
| 2005 | 1 | 2% | 77,000 miles |
| 2004 | 4 | 5% | 230,000 miles |
| 2003 | 4 | 3% | 0 miles |
| 2002 | 5 | 4% | 137,000 miles |
| 2001 | 7 | 5% | 80,000 miles |
| 2000 | 2 | 3% | 36,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
After sitting outside over night, the back door latch failed. No lights came on ahead of time and there was no other warnings on the dash. There were 22 boxes of flooring in the trunk. I made it 1.3 miles down the road at a low speed. After sitting at a stop light I turned left and accelerated to 45mph. The hatch opened and the boxes of flooring began falling out and onto the road. Each box weighed approximately 35 lbs. Luckily there was no one directly behind me and they mostly hit a trailer I was pulling. Other than the flooring there doesn't appear to be any further damage. I suspect there was ice in the latch, but that's just a guess.
The paint delaminated from the clear coat in certain locations (mainly hood and roof) although the vehicle body has been well maintained. This has caused a foggy scratched appearance to the affected areas where the rest of the car looks great. This problem is well known across many GM vehicles in the 2015-2019 range and has led to significantly decreased value of the vehicle itself
While driving the speed limit of 75 MPH, the vehicle's metal hood latch (for example: the metal piece on the underside of the hood that goes into the latch) broke causing the vehicle's hood to fly back and completely covered the windshield. This could have resulted in the tragic death of my wife and I. The windshield broke, the hinges locked in place, the hood was damaged including the hood's edges. During the pre-trip inspection, the hood was secure with no slack. There was no warning light regarding the hood. The vehicle was placed into storage until I research the proper procedures of reporting the safety hazard, so no one has inspected the vehicle.
The amount of rust that has been exposed is absolutely insane. My adjuster found the initial section of rust when we had the Yukon in for repairs from a storm. In the past 2 months, the rust has caused a massive hole underneath the rear passenger's side door and we have had no choice but to get it repaired. The initial estimate for this single repair is going to be over $3400. This rust easily could've broken down further and gotten into the brakes and other components right behind it as it sits very close to the wheel well. This is an absolutely dangerous issue and should be addressed.
2013 Yukon XL was found to have excessive rust on the frame and other parts underneath the vehicle during an annual inspection. The wax coating if flaking off the frame leaving bare metal that quickly rusts. GM claims that the damage is environmental and the issues is the salt used on pa roads. If this is the case, then GM should warn all customers that their vehicles are not built to last in the state of pa and that they will not honor their warranty. None of our other vehicles are rusting. Their are many other people complaining about the same issues and the problem has been noted to start during the first year of ownership before going through the winter. They have not properly coated the frame to withstand rust. I had to pay for undercoating now to rectify the problem. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracked on the front driver's side. The failure occurred without warning. The contact called and took the vehicle to countryside Chevrolet Buick GMC (n8167 kellom rd, beaver dam, wi 53916, [phone]) where the technician took pictures of the failure and stated that the dashboard needed to be replaced at the owner's expense. The manufacturer stated that there was no recall and the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure was not repaired. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated the dashboard was cracked in three places. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V051000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called allen GMC (28332 camino capistrano, laguna niguel, ca 92677, [phone]) where it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 75,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Dash has cracked above instrument panel. Crack is approximately 6-8-inches in length. Dash is also cracked in two locations on the passenger side. I feel these cracks could be a safety concern when the airbags are deployed. These cracks occurred under normal driving conditions are not the result of a previous accident or being struck by an object.
Related recalls (2)
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and attachments
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 214, "side impact protection." these vehicles are built with four welds on the rear door upper hinge. On some of these vehicles, one or two of the welds May not be to specification.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the welds on the left rear door upper hinge. If a weld is found out-of-specification, a bolt will be installed to secure the hinge. Owner notification began February 17, 2003.
Structure › Body
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have loose or missing rear wheelhouse plugs. Under certain vehicle operating conditions, exhaust gases can flow forward and accumulate in the rear wheelhouse.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicle for loose or missing wheelhouse plugs and install new plugs if necessary.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Yukon XL years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2015 (12), 2013 (10), 2007 (9), 2008 (8) and 2011 (8) model years. Body complaints make up 4% of all complaints for the 2015.
Is there a recall for GMC Yukon XL body problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 03V-037 (hinge and attachments, Feb 6, 2003); 00V-343 (body, Oct 25, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Yukon XL body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles; 31% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (58 mentions), followed by the body › hatchback/liftgate › hinge and attachments (5).
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.