Most common 2009 GMC Yukon problems
Share of the 140 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Yukon complaints by model year
Best Yukon years: 2014, 2020, 2019. Years to avoid: 2023, 2021, 2015, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
2009 GMC Yukon recalls (5)
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida,…
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 24, 2021.
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.
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…
Fuel system, gasoline
GM is recalling 27,188 my 2009 Cadillac escalade, escalade hybrid, escalade esv, and escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, suburban, tahoe, tahoe hybrid, and colorado; and GMC yukon, yukon hybrid, yukon xl, and canyon vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new fuel system control module free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2009. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 GMC Yukon:
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 2009 GMC Yukon owners say
Air bags all 58 →
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 GMC Yukon. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V052000 (Air Bags). The dealer had been notified on multiple occasions about the recall; however, the contact was informed by the dealer that the parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Yukon. While driving 35 MPH, the contact crashed into the driver's side door of another vehicle, which then rolled over. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact sustained injuries to the left foot, left knee, a concusion, chest pains, and a black eye. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the failure was diagnosed. The driver of the other vehicle also sustained minor injuries. The contact had not received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V381000 (air bags), which was associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000.
Body & structure all 30 →
At 80,000 miles I discovered that my dash is cracked on the passenger side. I have also discovered that this is a very well known and common problem with GM vehicles and that it is potentially dangerous to passengers if the crack (that is sharp plastic) is to cut or rupture the airbag in the case of an accident. My vehicle has always been garage kept and never kept outside. This is a huge GM problem and there are thousands that need this fixed. There are even facebook groups with thousands upon thousands of people that have had the same problem across multiple vehicles. This crack literally happened out of no where.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Yukon. The contact stated the dashboard was cracked near the passenger side air bag, by the front windshield, and over the steering column. The contact stated the cracks were extremely severe and getting worst. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 96,000.
Electrical system
Since I've owned the hybrid yukon, I've had nothing but issues. GMC only made a limited amount of the hybrid models but due to the issues discontinued manufacturing them. why weren't the vehicles taken off the market? started with the jolting from a stop, to not wanting to go into reverse, check engine light, to hybrid battery not shifting into gear, last power steering locked while driving then not starting at all. had sat at the dealership for 4 weeks now sitting at another hybrid shop awaiting for the inverter converter control to be delivered and put in. have spent thousands in the last 2 months repairing trying to figure out issues.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Yukon denali. The contact stated the vehicle was parked in the garage for 20 hours when it caught fire. The fire started in the electrical fuse box. The vehicle was pushed out of the garage while it was on fire and extinguished by the contact. The fire department was contacted also assist with extinguishing the fire. The vehicle was towed by the insurance company. There were no injuries. A fire report was filed. The dealer was contacted but refused to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic but due to the delay of a part from the dealer, the vehicle repair would be delayed. The manufacturer was contacted but no one could answer her questions transferring her from one department to another. The vehicle was not completely repaired. The failure mileage was 14,000.
2009 GMC Yukon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 21 / 22 / 21 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 20 / 20 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 19 / 15 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 19 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 GMC Yukon a good car?
Based on 140 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Yukon rates average: 21% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Yukon 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 2009 GMC Yukon?
The air bags — 58 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (30) and electrical system (11).
How many recalls does the 2009 GMC Yukon have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2009 GMC Yukon, 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2020 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2021, 2015, 2022 and 2024. See the full GMC Yukon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 GMC Yukon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 20% 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.