2015 Gmc YUKON XL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
306 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 200 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 136 of 306 complaints (44.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 150 | 49.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 31 | 10.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 5.2% |
| Steering behavior | 15 | 4.9% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 2.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 136 |
| Service Brakes | 62 |
| Electrical System | 58 |
| Power Train | 32 |
| Engine | 26 |
| Unknown Or Other | 26 |
| Steering | 11 |
| Structure:Body | 10 |
Exterior Lighting: 136; Service Brakes: 62; Electrical System: 58; Power Train: 32; Engine: 26; Unknown Or Other: 26; Steering: 11; Structure:Body: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 30 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 71 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 47 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 30; 50,000 to 74,999: 71; 75,000 to 99,999: 47; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 7
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (71). 106 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 52 |
| 2019 | 87 |
| 2020 | 54 |
| 2021 | 21 |
| 2022 | 20 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2026 | 6 |
2015: 4; 2016: 10; 2017: 6; 2018: 52; 2019: 87; 2020: 54; 2021: 21; 2022: 20; 2023: 10; 2024: 11; 2025: 25; 2026: 6
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 150 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 31 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10937107 · 2016-12-22 (December 22, 2016)
DRIVING IN SNOWY CONDITIONS WITH THE VEHICLE IN 4WD, BEGAN NAVIGATING A TURN AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, AND THE DASH DISPLAYED THE "4WD SHIFT ON PROGRESS" ON THE DASH WITHOUT DRIVER TOUCHING THE 4WD BUTTONS. COULD NOT STEER OR BRAKE OR DO ANYTHING. VEHICLE ENDED UP HITTING A WALL CAUSING A FAIR AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. VEHICLE DOES NOT GO IN FOR REPAIRS UNTIL NEXT WEEK BUT THE DEALERSHIP MADE IT SOUND LIKE IT'S A TRANSFER CASE ISSUE WHICH APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10937107 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11046553 · 2017-11-16 (November 16, 2017)
WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED IN SCHOOL PARKING LOT BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE WHEN USING NORMAL BRAKE PRESSURE. PEDESTRIAN IN FRONT OF VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY TO AVOID BEING STRUCK.
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11046553 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10763631 · 2015-09-10 (September 10, 2015)
WIFE AND THREE KIDS IN VEHICLE, STOPS ON HILL SEEMS TO HAVE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. GOES BACKWARDS DOWN HILL FLIPS OVER LANDS ON ROOF. NO INJURIES THANK GOD! VEHICLE HAD BEEN BACK FOR TRANSMISSION RECALL TWICE, THE LAST TIME THEY SAID THEY HAD TO WAIT FOR PARTS... MIND YOU THE VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW. SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET THESE OFF THE ROAD NOW!
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10763631 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10837055 · 2016-02-18 (February 18, 2016)
ON THE DAY I TEST DROVE MY YUKON MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN WE RETURNED TO DEALER NOTICED ONE OF THE RIMS WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER THREE SO WE ALL BELIEVED IT WAS THE CAUSE. WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE HANDLED. SO WE CAME BACK TO PICKUP AND THAT'S WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. THIS VEHICLE HAS SEVERE REVERBERATION AND VIBRATIONS. REVERBERATION CAUSES SEVERE HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. MY DRIVING LEG GOES NUMB FROM THE VIBRATION THAT COMES THRU THE GAS PEDAL. SO UNSAFE. SEVERE TUNNELING VIBRATION THEY HAVE DONE THE TIRES NOT THE PROB…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10837055 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11154415 · 2018-11-28 (November 28, 2018)
WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON 11.21.18 AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY DON'T WORK. THEY WERE WORKING AT THE TIME WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. THE BULBS WERE TESTED BY OUR MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE GMC YUKON OF THIS YEAR ARE KNOWN TO HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING UNITS ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRICAL BOARD ASSOCIATED WITH IT HAS ISSUES THE MECHANIC STATED. I REVIEWED MANY POST ONLINE AND WONDER WHY THIS ISN'T A REQUIRED RECALL. TO ME THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT M…
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11154415 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11154888 · 2018-11-30 (November 30, 2018)
THERE IS A KNOWN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE YUKON TAIL LIGHTS. THE ENCLOSED LED RUNNING LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WILL GO OUT AND NOT OPERATE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS THERE IS NO BRAKE LIGHT THAT WILL ILLUMINATE AND NO RUNNING LIGHT. BOTH OF MY TAIL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT ON MY VEHICLE. DURING A RECORD CHECK I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE YUKON'S. GMC HAS FAILED TO TAKE ACTION ABOUT THE KNOWN PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS PERSISTENT WHILE BEING STOPPED AND DRIVING. SECONDLY THE BRAKING VACUUM SYSTEM WILL GO OUT UNEXPE…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11154888 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10909817 · 2016-09-26 (September 26, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC YUKON XL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. AFTER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,712.
Owner-reported narrative. 64,712 miles reported. Look up ODI 10909817 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11097666 · 2018-05-23 (May 23, 2018)
I'VE EXPERIENCED 2 POWER STEERING FAILURES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. FIRST, THE EPS FAILED (WHICH WAS RECALLED FOR MANY OF THE SAME MODEL--BUT NOT MINE) WHICH I REPLACED. NOW, POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN, THIS TIME THE STEERING GEAR PER THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! WITH THE MOST RECENT FAILURE, IF YOUR HANDS ARE NOT GRASPING THE STEERING WHEEL FIRMLY, THE CAR WILL VEER SHARPLY TO EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT. AND STEERING THIS BEAST WITH NO POWER STEERING IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. MANY DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OVERPOWER THE DEAD ELECTR…
Owner-reported narrative. 62,939 miles reported. Look up ODI 11097666 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11298106 · 2020-01-09 (January 9, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE IN EITHER DIRECTION. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THOMPSON BUICK GMC LOCATED AT 2600 WAKE FOREST RD. RALEIGH NC, 27609, (919)809-6217, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,00…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11298106 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11047131 · 2017-11-18 (November 18, 2017)
FUEL SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED. EXTENDED CRANK AFTER (OVERNIGHT) ENGINE OFF PARK. FUEL PUDDLE NOTICED UNDER PARKED VEHICLE ON GARAGE FLOOR AND DRIVEWAY AFTER OVERNIGHT PARKING. SMELL AND FUEL LEAK SEEMED WORSE WITH A FULL TANK. ALSO NOTICED MORE FREQUENT AUTO SHUT OFF AT FUEL STATION DURING AUTOMATIC FILLING. DEALER DROPPED TANK AND FOUND A FUEL LINE THAT WAS 'RUBBED' THROUGH TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. I WILL DOCUMENT WITH PICTURES UPON MY RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP IF NEEDED FOR FUTURE. I FIND THIS COMPLETEL…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11047131 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11142834 · 2018-10-26 (October 26, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC YUKON XL. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY LEAKS COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL TANK PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER (RYAN GMC BUICK CADILLAC, 1111 20TH AVE SW, MINOT, ND 58701, [phone removed]) WAS CONTACTED TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE MANUFACT…
Owner-reported narrative. 84,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11142834 at NHTSA ↗