Most common 2016 GMC Yukon problems
Share of the 288 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 →
2016 GMC Yukon recalls (5)
Service brakes
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Seat belts › Pretensioner
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Suspension › Front › Control arm
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2016 GMC Yukon:
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet…
What 2016 GMC Yukon owners say
Lights all 111 →
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon Denali. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the contact was notified by another driver that the rear taillights were inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. Neither a dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, he was notified by other motorists that the brake lights were inoperable. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the brake lights were intermittently inoperable while depressing the brake pedal. The dealer was notified about the failure and scheduled an appointment. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
Brakes all 56 →
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 mph, the brake pedal was hard to depress and the brake pedal traveled to the floorboard. The contact mentioned that the brake pedal needed to be pumped in order for the vehicle to be operated. In addition, the contact stated the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake line needed to be flushed. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure was undetermined. The contact mentioned while the mechanic was reversing the vehicle the brakes failed to operate causing the vehicle to crash into a person and a vehicle. The contact stated that the lady sustained multiple injuries that needed medical attention. A police report was filed. …
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle and the ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was waiting to be inspected. The contact stated that an unknown recall repair with a similar description was completed in 2024; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
Electrical system all 56 →
In my experience of transmission failure with my 16' GMC YUKON, there was no warning. I had not experienced any issues with the slipping or jerking feel when accelerating or braking as described in the class action law suit. My vehicle had 105k miles, I took it in for regular maintenance including having the transmission flushed as I was told to do so for preventative maintenance. The transmission failed when I was traveling on the interstate with my family and I came upon some traffic so I applied the brake and the whole vehicle bucked and jerked as it shifted into down gear. I was traveling at 30-35 mph in the traffic and the whole time I felt a slipping motion in the car. I made it to a gas station, refueled, and tried to restart my journey. …
This is the second time it happened the first time i parked my car while the engine was on and i got down real quick got back on my car and when i tryed turning all of a sudden my steering wheel keept turning the opposite way and parking control light appear saying it was off and it keep moving my steering wheel i all of a sudden turned my car off and back on the second time that happened i was going in a parking when it did the samething i was turning in the parking and it started turning my steering wheel the opposite way it started saying again parking control off and the system started going crazy and my car completely turned off i was left in the middle of the parking lot had tu put my car in parking and turn my car off reall quick and turned it on and was able to park but i did get really scared and been really scared to drive my car ever since because i don't know if it will do …
2016 GMC Yukon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 17 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 4WD | 14 / 20 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 GMC Yukon a good car?
Based on 288 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Yukon rates avoid: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Yukon at the same age. It is one of the Yukon years we suggest avoiding. 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 2016 GMC Yukon?
The lights — 111 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about tail lights. Next are the brakes (56) and electrical system (56).
How many recalls does the 2016 GMC Yukon have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2016 GMC Yukon, the most recent from October 24, 2019 (service brakes). 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 2016 GMC Yukon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 54,000 miles; 40% 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.