2017 Gmc YUKON XL
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2017 Gmc YUKON XL has 205 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.6x the segment average of 79. The most common issue is lighting problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: the whole back tail light had to be replaced after failing. poor design and a common problem on the 2015-2017 gmc yukons. there is a common area that breaks. not only a big expense but also a large waste of material considering the whole unit has to be replaced. cost is over $800.00 and the deale. There is 1 recall issued for this model year.
205
Total Complaints
1
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
2.6x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
LIGHTING
38 complaints- • THE WHOLE BACK TAIL LIGHT HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER FAILING. POOR DESIGN AND A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 2015-2017 GMC YUKONS. THERE IS A COMMON AREA THAT BREAKS. NOT ONLY A BIG EXPENSE BUT ALSO A LARGE WASTE OF MATERIAL CONSIDERING THE WHOLE UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACED. COST IS OVER $800.00 AND THE DEALE
- • THE LED REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE CONSISTENTLY FAILING ON THOUSANDS OF THESE VEHICLES. DEALER TOLD ME THEY ARE ON BACK ORDER AND ARE UNAVAILABLE AS THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH DEMAND. WITHOUT A FIX, HOW CAN I SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR? I HAVE ONE OUT, IF THE OTHER GOES OUT, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
- • BRAKE LIGHTS ARE GOING OUT WITHOUT NOTICE
“THE WHOLE BACK TAIL LIGHT HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER FAILING. POOR DESIGN AND A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 2015-2017 GMC YUKONS. THERE IS A COMMON AREA THAT BREAKS. NOT ONLY A BIG EXPENSE BUT ALSO A LARGE WASTE OF MATERIAL CONSIDERING THE WHOLE UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACED. COST IS OVER $800.00 AND THE DEALE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2017 Gmc YUKON XL
Based on 81 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 51K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 30-60K miles range.
ELECTRICAL
TRANSMISSION
OTHER
ENGINE
LIGHTING
BRAKES
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 (1)
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 2017 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 2017 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 205 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐LIGHTING: THE WHOLE BACK TAIL LIGHT HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER FAILING. POOR DESIGN AND A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 2015-2017 GMC YUKONS. THERE IS A COMMON AREA THAT BREAKS. NOT ONLY A BIG EXPENSE BUT ALSO A LARGE WASTE OF MATERIAL CONSIDERING THE WHOLE UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACED. COST IS OVER $800.00 AND THE DEALE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PROCEED WELL UNDER THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE SPEED SLOWLY AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED, THE ENGINE REVER BUT THE SPEED WOULD NOT INCREASE. THIS CAUSED CARS AT THE CORRECT SPEED TO VEER OUT OF T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: UPON DRIVING VEHICLE WATER WAS OBSERVED TO DRIP FROM UPPER LEFT HAND DRIVERS COMPARTMENT ONTO DRIVER. THE WEATHER HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN RAINING. ROOF FABRIC WAS SATURATED AND WATER WAS ACTIVELY FALLING. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE ANTENNA ASSEMBLY ON THE ROOF WAS A KNOWN FAILURE MODE FOR THIS HAZARD.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHES. VEHICLE RUNS EXTREMELY ROUGH, SLUGGISH AT TIMES. DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND EVENTUALLY CONFIRMED RANDOM MISFIRES. UNABLE TO FIX ISSUE. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS LATER CONFIRMED TO HAVE A FAULTY TRANSMI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 1 recall 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 2017 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 205
- Recalls
- 1
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 8
- Injury reports
- 1
- Segment avg
- 79
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2017 Gmc YUKON XL