2012 Gmc YUKON DENALI

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Gmc YUKON DENALI has 32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (34% of all complaints), specifically: dashboard cracking in multiple locations, cracks increase in length and are running up the cowling over the instrument panel and coming from the passenger airbag housing.

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

OTHER

11 complaints

34%

• DASHBOARD CRACKING IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, CRACKS INCREASE IN LENGTH AND ARE RUNNING UP THE COWLING OVER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND COMING FROM THE PASSENGER AIRBAG HOUSING
• DASHBOARD CRACKED AT THE CORNER TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG FOR NO REASON AND NOW THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE DASH RATTLES.
• SUMMARY: DASHBOARD CRACKED TWO PLACES AT THE CORNER TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG FOR NO REASON AND NOW THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE DASH RATTLES AND I CAN SEE A GAP FORMING .ALSO DASH IS CRACKING ON DRIVER SUDE ABOUT INSTRUMENT PANEL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“DASHBOARD CRACKING IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, CRACKS INCREASE IN LENGTH AND ARE RUNNING UP THE COWLING OVER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND COMING FROM THE PASSENGER AIRBAG HOUSING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

8 complaints

25%

• THE PLASTIC DASHBOARD STRUCTURE OF THE FRONT DASH (ABS PLASTIC) IS CRACKING AND SEPARATING SPONTANEOUSLY. LARGE CRACK DEVELOPED IN FROM OF THE DRIVER AND IS EXPANDING WITH MULTIPLE OFFSHOOTS CAUSING THE DASH STRUCTURE TO SPLIT IN TWO AND IS IN DANGER OF FRAGMENTING. CRACK OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WA
• DASHBOARD CRACKED FOR NO REASON AND ANOTHER CRACK APPEARED RANDOMLY WITHIN 6 MONTHS ALL WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AT WILL FOR NO REASON AT ALL. MAKES A TERRIBLE RATTLING SOUND WHEN ITS HOT OUTSIDE; BUT NO NOISE WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE.
• DASH CRACKED IN TWO PLACES. BOTH SPOTS RUN ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE CENTER SPEAKER. I NOTICED IT AS I CRANKED MY TRUCK ON FLAT LEVEL PAVEMENT. SINCE THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER THIS HAS GOTTEN WORSE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE PLASTIC DASHBOARD STRUCTURE OF THE FRONT DASH (ABS PLASTIC) IS CRACKING AND SEPARATING SPONTANEOUSLY. LARGE CRACK DEVELOPED IN FROM OF THE DRIVER AND IS EXPANDING WITH MULTIPLE OFFSHOOTS CAUSING THE DASH STRUCTURE TO SPLIT IN TWO AND IS IN DANGER OF FRAGMENTING. CRACK OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

8 complaints

25%

• DASH HAS CRACKED IN TWO SPOTS. ONE OF THE CRACKS IS ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. SUV IS PARKED IN A GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME. 42,000 MILES
• DASH BOARD CRACKED ON PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT ON THE AIRBAG'S LEFT HAND CORNER. CRACK IS GETTING WORSE AS TIME GOES BY. DEALER WONT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY UNLESS GMC WILL APPROVE TO DO SO. VEHICLE IS AT ALL TIMES ON GARAGE OR UNDER SHADE SO SUN HAS NO EFFECT TO THE DIFFECT. BOUGHT THE 2012 YUKON DENALI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MODULE WAS REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED AND THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“DASH HAS CRACKED IN TWO SPOTS. ONE OF THE CRACKS IS ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. SUV IS PARKED IN A GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME. 42,000 MILES”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

2 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND LOSE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. THE FAILURE OCCURRED RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIF
• @ 97,000 MILES, GETTING CYLINDER #4 MISS FIRE CODES, REPLACED ALL PLUGS AND AFFECTED COILS PACKS. NOW MOTOR IS MAKING A TICKING SOUND FORM LIFTERS. DEALER SAID IT NEEDS NEW ENGINE DUE TO THE AFM SYSTEM PROBLEMS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND LOSE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. THE FAILURE OCCURRED RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIF”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

2 complaints

• I HAVE A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI. I'VE HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE I'M DRIVING AND THE TRUCK TURNS OFF/OR EXPERIENCES A "SHORT" FOR A FEW SECONDS. I HAVE CHECKED ALL ELECTRICAL CABLES AND HAVE EXCHANGED BATTERIES TWICE (AS THEY "DRAINED"). A FEW MONTHS BACK MY DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING AS WELL, FIRST
• KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION ALL THE TIME. THE TRUCK GOES INTO COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, I MEAN ABSOLUTELY NO POWER. I CAN'T EVEN CALL ON THE BLUE ON STAR BUTTON. I TOOK IT TO WALKER GMC IN ALEXANDRIA, LA ON JANUARY 15, 2018 BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY SAID THEY FI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I HAVE A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI. I'VE HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE I'M DRIVING AND THE TRUCK TURNS OFF/OR EXPERIENCES A "SHORT" FOR A FEW SECONDS. I HAVE CHECKED ALL ELECTRICAL CABLES AND HAVE EXCHANGED BATTERIES TWICE (AS THEY "DRAINED"). A FEW MONTHS BACK MY DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING AS WELL, FIRST”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 32 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
OTHER: DASHBOARD CRACKING IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, CRACKS INCREASE IN LENGTH AND ARE RUNNING UP THE COWLING OVER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND COMING FROM THE PASSENGER AIRBAG HOUSING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: THE PLASTIC DASHBOARD STRUCTURE OF THE FRONT DASH (ABS PLASTIC) IS CRACKING AND SEPARATING SPONTANEOUSLY. LARGE CRACK DEVELOPED IN FROM OF THE DRIVER AND IS EXPANDING WITH MULTIPLE OFFSHOOTS CAUSING THE DASH STRUCTURE TO SPLIT IN TWO AND IS IN DANGER OF FRAGMENTING. CRACK OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: DASH HAS CRACKED IN TWO SPOTS. ONE OF THE CRACKS IS ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. SUV IS PARKED IN A GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME. 42,000 MILES
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND LOSE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. THE FAILURE OCCURRED RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)