Most common 2013 GMC Yukon problems
Share of the 146 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 →
2013 GMC Yukon recalls (4)
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 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone…
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 25, 2021.
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.
Power train › Automatic transmission
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 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 2013 GMC Yukon owners say
Air bags all 47 →
The contact's son owned a 2013 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while her son was driving 25 MPH on an icy roadway while slowing down to change lanes he lost control of the vehicle after hitting a patch of ice. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle went off the road ran through a residential fence, then collided with a parked vehicle with the rear end, ricocheted off that vehicle, then slid and collided with a tree on the driver's side door. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact stated her son was not injured. The vehicle was drivable and driven back to the contact's residence. Later the vehicle was towed to a local dealer where an insurance adjuster declared the vehicle a total loss. The contact stated that she had received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags). …
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 20 MPH the driver's side curtain, passenger side curtain and ceiling air bags deployed with no accident occurring. The contact stated her son did not see any warning light illuminated. The contact's son safely pulled over to the side of the road and turned the vehicle off. The contact's son attempted to restart the vehicle, however it took several attempts to restart the vehicle. The son suffered injuries to the left side of his face and top of head, but did not seek medical attention. The vehicle had not been taken to local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Body & structure all 31 →
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that he noticed there was a crack on the passenger's side dashboard. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Vehicle is kept inside in a garage in Pennsylvania with 53000 original miles. While driving the vehicle a heard a sound that sounded like plastic cracking, low and behold I watched a crack form beginning at the split between the upper dash panel and the larger dash and it continued over the instrument cluster. I also noticed another smaller crack in the panel surrounding the air bag, of which as also been recalled but no solution as of today. Upon researching further I find I am not alone, this is an obvious defect in either part material or assembly and should be covered by a recall. Dealer replacement for this will run around 1,000 dollars. I am worried that if I am involved in an accident not only do I have to worry about pieces of metal being propelled into a passenger now I also have to worry about plastic from a defective dash. Thank you for you attention to this matter.
Engine & cooling
I call this a "Panic breaking defect" I have experienced this on two different GMC vehicles manufactured 14 years apart. The first was a 1999 GMC suburban with mechanically operated throttle control. The second was my present GMC Yukon XL Denali with electronic throttle control. The defect: The close proximity of the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal makes it possible to have the right foot on both pedals at the same time. This results in high engine RPM and full breaking pressure, however, the anti-lock breaking system releases and re-applies the break pressure repeatedly allowing the vehicle to lunge forward a short distance on each cycle. To remove ones foot from the both pedals so as to apply it to just the break would result in the vehicle, engine being at high RPM, to allow the vehicle to speed forward resulting in a serious collision. …
Monday 5th 2022, (2pm)I was driving with the AC on high as I had just left the mall. The interior was hot. As I left the mall and came to a stop light...the car would rev at stop, and continue to do so until the light changed. I had the oil and transmission fluid changed at 135000. It is currently at 138000. I turned off the AC because it did not seem to work (to cool the car down) and rolled the windows down and open the sun roof. Tuesday 6th, I was leaving the store (4pm) and again I turned the AC on and approached a stop light. When I stopped at the light, the car started revving or idling in pulses again as it did on Monday, however as I went to turn right onto the street, there was no power steering at all. Startled, I pressed the brake, shifted into park, turned the SUV off. Then restarted the SUV and the steering had returned to normal. I kept the AC off and drove home.
2013 GMC Yukon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 10 / 16 / 12 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 10 / 16 / 12 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 GMC Yukon a good car?
Based on 146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Yukon rates average: about as many complaints as 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 2013 GMC Yukon?
The air bags — 47 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (31) and engine & cooling (12).
How many recalls does the 2013 GMC Yukon have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2013 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 2013 GMC Yukon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 25% 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.