Door Lock & Latch complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2023 | 1 | 0% | 9,000 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 0% | 0 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2009 | 3 | 2% | 50,000 miles |
| 2008 | 24 | 10% | 40,000 miles |
| 2007 | 15 | 3% | 49,000 miles |
| 2006 | 7 | 15% | 85,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 2% | 150,000 miles |
| 2004 | 5 | 2% | 4,000 miles |
| 2003 | 2 | 1% | 170,000 miles |
| 2001 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 1999 | 4 | 2% | 113,000 miles |
| 1996 | 3 | 4% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I'm writing to report a safety issue with 2007 to 2012 GMC Yukon door locks. I own a 2009 GMC Yukon (44,[redacted] miles), and recently the rear driver side door stopped locking electronically which prohibits the automatic locking feature from working after putting the vehicle in gear. This bypasses an important safety feature when small children are riding in the back seat and there is no warning signal to the driver of such failure. This is a well documented (through numerous on-line owner forums) issue for this model in this year range and it appears that GM has not taken responsibility for recalling these vehicles to address this critical safety feature failure. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Yukon denali. The contact stated the vehicle would independently lock and once the vehicle was locked, the contact was unable to open any of the doors with the keyless entry or manually. The contact would then call a towing company to come and unlock the vehicle. In addition, the rear door hatch would open and close independently. The vehicle was taken to the deale where the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 85,000. The VIN was not available.
Doors locked with remote. 2nd row passenger door behind drivers door failed to actuate with remote or with door locks. Was able to work with the manual lock on the door from the inside to free the door. Once freed, the door failed to return to the closed position and remained stuck until the key fob was pushed. Repeated the lock with the key fob, door still will not actuate to the open position. Child can unlock as this bypasses the child locks on that door. Child could also get trapped in the car-could not be unlocked without manual agitation of the internal locks. Internet is full of his same issue on the same model vehicle. This is a serious hazard.
Drivers side door lock actuator went out; had replaced by GM dealership in wilkesboro, north carolina. Approximately 1 year later, the drivers side rear passenger door lock actuator failed requiring one to manually activate the door lock each time. When needing to unlock the door, it is impossible for the regular driver of this vehicle to reach the door lock latch to manually unlock the door. Now. 2 weeks ago, the passenger side front door lock actuator no longer works. This poses a significant safety hazard as small children are able to manipulate the door latch and open the door at any time while in motion. Also; for safety of the primary driver of this vehicle; having to unlock the door manually is a tremendous feat "opening the door" for someone to potentially rob, mug, etc. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the rear door opened independently while driving. In addition, the windows failed to open and close and the navigational system failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 219,000.
2007 denali with 22,000 miles had a liftgate failure. After a $78.00 diagnosis at local dealer the repair estimate was $450.00. According to GM customer service personnel the repair is not under warranty, and further more because we purchased it used it won't be eligible for any assistance from GM either. While evaluating problem I noticed there is no egress possible from inside while problem exists. This seems like a very dangerous condition because an emergency that disables typical egress through doors would leave the rear liftgate as only choice to escape from fire or water for instance.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Yukon denali. The contact stated that the rear liftgate would not open. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostics where the mechanic advised that the plastic housing around the cable that controlled the rear liftgate mechanism was melted. The technician stated that the latch mechanism part would have to be replaced the vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.
The rear liftgate will not unlock or open & rear liftgate window will not unlock or open. This is a significant safety hazard for persons traveling in vehicle, as there would not be any means to exit the rear of the vehicle via the rear liftgate or rear liftgate window in an emergency (especially for my children who sit in the 3rd row of seats) all 4 standard doors still lock/unlock both manually and with the remote clicker, however, the rear liftgate no longer unlocks or opens manually or with the remote clicker. This design defect of the rear liftgate and rear liftgate window on the GMC Yukon is a serious hazard to the safety of passengers. …
NHTSA investigations
Interior Door Handle Laceration Risk
The statistical data regarding problem experience in the table above are net counts for unique vehicles.Review of information in this PE discloses that while accounting for approximately two-thirds of the total population, MY 2007 subject vehicles are cited in more than 90 percent of the consumer complaints, injury reports, and warranty claims, respectively.In addition, improvements in the door handle manufacturing…
Interior Door Handle Laceration Risk
The investigated concern involved chrome plating on interior door handles that could peel or separate from the plastic base material.This de-lamination could result in a sharp edge and pose a risk of laceration.In some cases, consumers reported minor hand/skin lacerations.Of these reported injuries, the vast majority of injuries were to adults.Ninety percent of claims associated with interior door handle…
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Yukon years have door lock & latch problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (24), 2007 (15), 2006 (7) and 2004 (5) model years. Door Lock & Latch complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for GMC Yukon door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for any GMC Yukon model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do GMC Yukon door lock & latch problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles; 58% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the doors › latch (15 mentions), followed by the hood › latch (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.