Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 16% | — |
| 2025 | 6 | 21% | — |
| 2024 | 12 | 16% | — |
| 2023 | 35 | 16% | 39,000 miles |
| 2022 | 20 | 12% | — |
| 2021 | 13 | 6% | 55,000 miles |
| 2020 | 2 | 4% | 11,000 miles |
| 2019 | 6 | 9% | 135,000 miles |
| 2018 | 5 | 9% | — |
| 2017 | 31 | 21% | 36,000 miles |
| 2016 | 30 | 15% | 56,000 miles |
| 2015 | 58 | 19% | 70,000 miles |
| 2014 | 1 | 9% | 120,000 miles |
| 2012 | 3 | 23% | 116,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 4% | 95,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 4% | 136,000 miles |
| 2008 | 11 | 16% | 97,000 miles |
| 2007 | 4 | 4% | 186,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2005 | 13 | 31% | 60,000 miles |
| 2004 | 30 | 34% | 47,000 miles |
| 2003 | 51 | 38% | 71,000 miles |
| 2002 | 5 | 4% | 23,000 miles |
| 2001 | 7 | 5% | 72,000 miles |
| 2000 | 2 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
While operating the vehicle, I began to hear a metallic grinding noise originating from the center of the engine compartment. The sound was clearly audible within the cabin. Approximately one mile before the vehicle ultimately failed, the engine began to malfunction. As I slowed to a stoplight, the vehicle started to shake before shutting off abruptly and entering a coasting state. All electrical systems powered down and the vehicle would not restart. Shortly thereafter, heavy smoke began to emit both inside and outside the cabin, visibly coming from the hood and through the air vents. There was also a distinct burning odor. I attempted to restart the vehicle multiple times without success. …
The large central infotainment touchscreen (which controls climate control/AC, navigation/maps, audio, backup camera, and all primary vehicle functions) has repeatedly failed by going completely dark/blank without warning on my 2026 GMC Yukon Denali XL purchased new on [redacted]. The screen has gone dark on three separate occasions. First failure occurred prior to [redacted]; vehicle was taken to Champion GMC (7885 W Grand River Rd, Brighton, MI 48114) for repair and returned to me. The screen failed again shortly after. Second repair attempt was made on 06/22/2026; vehicle was returned and the screen failed again immediately. The vehicle is currently at Champion GMC for a third repair attempt as of 06/29/2026. …
Vehicle Status: Brand New Current Mileage: Approximately 10,000 miles Incident Description On 1/8/26, while operating the vehicle on the interstate at highway speeds with cruise control engaged, the Check Engine light began to flash. Simultaneously, the vehicle's warning system issued an alert stating that the engine oil was excessively hot. Immediately after these warnings, the engine began to emit a loud knocking sound and lost all power, shutting off completely while in motion. I was able to safely maneuver the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. Post-Failure Observations Upon inspection under the hood, I noted the engine was radiating extreme heat. I allowed the engine to cool completely before attempting a restart. While the engine attempted to turn over, it failed to start. …
The car was purchased on 8/15/2026. On November 6th 2026 with 3051 miles on all the gauges, electronic dashboard, gps , climate controls, heads up display failed while car was in driving. There was no way to tell what speed the car was going, the gas level, rpms, engine temperature, etc. Navigation failed, Cruise control failed, I was unsure if the emergency braking system failed. The dealership responded there was over 27 error codes on the car computer. There was no way of knowing if the signal lights were working. There was no prior warning to this failure. The GMC service department at the dealership confirmed the failure and said it needed to replace the radio control module. It took 70 calendar days for a replacement module to be provided, and a new software patch was uploaded after several attempts. …
vehicle parked for extended period, 7-10 days, entered vehicle on 12/05/25 and proceeded to start - immediately service transmission appeared in display, check engine light on, dash flashing and door locks going up and down and chiming of alarms. was able to place in reverse, backed up, put into drive and vehicle would move approx 5-8 ft, lock up and stop, start again and repeat, etc.. put vehicle in low1 was able to get back in driveway and parked. had vehicle towed to closest dealer who had a transmission specialist available and worked with GM warranty plus GM CarBravo warranty to address issues (multiple dealers refused or didn't have available personnel and/or were multiple weeks out for repairs). …
I was driving on interstate and thank God I got off the exit and vehicle suddenly cut off. An indicator came on stating to push start to restart vehicle while the vehicle shifted to Neutral on its own. Then a Low oil pressure sign came up on dashboard. I tried push start again and nothing happened. Lucky by this time I was just off the exit so I was able to come to a stop and shift to Park. I tried push start again and the dashboard just went dark and started making a clicking noise. After some time around 1 min I tried again and it did crank up and I was able to try and get as close the the edge as possible but still in a two lane road on the bridge of an off ramp. I say thank God because 30 seconds sooner I was going around 60mph with my 4 month old in the backseat. Lucky I got to the exit when this happened. …
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the message "You Have no Brakes - Do Not Drive Over 40 MPH" was displayed. The contact allowed the vehicle to roll to a stop. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact parked the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had not caused an accident because the contact was driving early in the morning and there was less traffic on the road. The contact stated that her husband started the vehicle later in the day, and the warning lights were off. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. …
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving 86 MPH in the middle lane, the vehicle shut off on five occasions. The vehicle was restarted, the steering column was locked, and the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact stated that the rear axle had disengaged. The suspension leveling system had failed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 39,000.
Related recalls (5)
Electrical system › Ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015.
Electrical system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014.
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;…
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery › Cables
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles were built with a misrouted positive battery cable assembly that could come in contact with the steering shaft universal joint.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the positive battery cable for proper routing and re-route the cable in necessary. The cable will also be inspected for wear of the conduit and cable insulation, and will be replaced if necessary.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Yukon XL years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2015 (58), 2003 (51), 2023 (35), 2017 (31) and 2004 (30) model years. Electrical complaints make up 19% of all complaints for the 2015.
Is there a recall for GMC Yukon XL electrical problems?
Yes — 5 recalls, including 14V-827 (ignition, Dec 30, 2014); 14V-614 (electrical system, Oct 1, 2014); 10V-240 (electrical system, Jun 4, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Yukon XL electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles; 34% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the instrument cluster/panel (50 mentions), followed by the 12v/24v/48v battery (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.