2016 Gmc YUKON XL
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2016 Gmc YUKON XL has 266 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 79. The most common issue is lighting problems (32% of all complaints), specifically: both break lights went out, weather has been hot in the high 90s which gmc dealer expressed common concern among owners during summer. vehicle is used 15miles/day on average.. There are 3 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
266
Total Complaints
3
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
3.4x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
LIGHTING
84 complaints- • BOTH BREAK LIGHTS WENT OUT, WEATHER HAS BEEN HOT IN THE HIGH 90S WHICH GMC DEALER EXPRESSED COMMON CONCERN AMONG OWNERS DURING SUMMER. VEHICLE IS USED 15MILES/DAY ON AVERAGE.
- • GMC BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE - I OWN A 2016 GMC YUKON XL AND AFTER ABOUT 45,000 MILES THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE STARTED INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. AFTER HAVING A GMC TECHNICIAN TELL ME THAT ITS A KNOWN ISSUE AND SEEING HUNDREDS OF OTHERS POSTS ONLINE, IT IS EVIDENT THAT THIS IS A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.
- • MODEL YUKON XL 2016, LESS THAN 50K MILES, BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY. NO REAR BRAKING LIGHTS. ENTIRE ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED. FIRST NOTICED IN JULY, HAVE ONLY HAD VEHICLE FOR 14 MONTHS.
“BOTH BREAK LIGHTS WENT OUT, WEATHER HAS BEEN HOT IN THE HIGH 90S WHICH GMC DEALER EXPRESSED COMMON CONCERN AMONG OWNERS DURING SUMMER. VEHICLE IS USED 15MILES/DAY ON AVERAGE.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2016 Gmc YUKON XL
Based on 162 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 55K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 30-60K miles range.
OTHER
SUSPENSION
STEERING
LIGHTING
BRAKES
ELECTRICAL
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Recalls (3)
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 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: 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. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2016 Gmc YUKON XL
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Recommended Gmc YUKON XL Service Intervals
Uses GM Oil Life System. Full-size trucks may have shorter differential and transfer case intervals if used for towing.
"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.
Gmc New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Gmc. If you're buying a used 2016 YUKON XL, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Gmc dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 266 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐LIGHTING: BOTH BREAK LIGHTS WENT OUT, WEATHER HAS BEEN HOT IN THE HIGH 90S WHICH GMC DEALER EXPRESSED COMMON CONCERN AMONG OWNERS DURING SUMMER. VEHICLE IS USED 15MILES/DAY ON AVERAGE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC YUKON XL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AT LOW SPEEDS, THE BRAKES FAILED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTHERN PINES CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (10722 US-15, SOUTHERN PINES
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: ON 11/13/15, "SERVICE 4WD SYSTEM" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE SCREEN RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS ISSUE OCCURRED LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE (297 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT THE TIME THAT THE ISSUE OCCURRED). SPECIFIC ISSUE: WHEN THE TRANSFER CASE WAS SET TO "AUTO" IT AUTOMATICALLY SWI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: BOUGHT SUV 6/25/2016 THE SAME WEEKEND THE ENGINE TURNS OFF AFTER A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN :IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SO FAR. 4 WEEK OLD 2016 YUKON DENALI XL, HAS STALLED 3 TIMES IN LAST 4 WEEKS, ENGINE CUTS OFF AFTER A LEFT OR A RIGHT TURN ONLY AFTER A SHORT DRIVE OUT OF HOME. THE SUV HAS TO BE RESTARTED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 3 recalls have been completed — free at any Gmc dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Gmc YUKON XL — Year Comparison
How does 2016 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 266
- Recalls
- 3
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 9
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 79
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2016 Gmc YUKON XL