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2012 GMC Yukon XL problems

The most common problem on the 2012 GMC Yukon XL is airbags. It has fewer complaints than a typical Yukon XL model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
91/100
Owner complaints
13
Recalls
4
Service bulletins
1,555
Worst area
Airbags

The worst 2012 GMC Yukon XL problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Airbags
    5
  • Body
    3
  • Electrical
    3
  • Engine
    2
  • Brakes
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Airbags
    5
  • Body
    3
  • Electrical
    3
  • Engine
    2
  • Brakes
    1
  • Steering
    1
  • Transmission
    1
  • Visibility
    1

Recalls 4

Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator moduleReported February 5, 2021 · 284,645 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020; and GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.

Recall number 21V051000 · Recall details

Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator moduleReported February 5, 2021 · 1,778,128 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020; Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006; and GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

Recall number 21V054000 · Recall details

Electrical system: ignitionReported December 30, 2014 · 84,192 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
Risk
If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006 (Cadillac), 1‑800‑222‑1020 (Chevrolet), or 1‑800‑462‑8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

Recall number 14V827000 · Recall details

Steering: gear box: shaft pitmanReported March 22, 2012 · 6,159 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet express and suburban vehicles, and gmc savana and yukon xl heavy duty vehicles. The steering gear pitman shaft may not have been adequately hardened and could fracture.
Risk
If this condition occurs, a loss of steering could result, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Gm will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear and, if necessary, replace the steering gear pitman shaft. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on april 4, 2012.

Recall number 12V112000 · Recall details

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 GMC Yukon XL

Defect investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpened September 17, 2021, still open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

EA21002

Technical service bulletins for the 2012 GMC Yukon XL 1,555

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 1,555 bulletins for the 2012 GMC Yukon XL

What 2012 GMC Yukon XL owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Dec 1, 2023 · Transmission · 248,000 miles · MO

The contact owns a 2012 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while in a parking lot, the contact attempted to shift the vehicle into drive however, the transmission failed to shift into gear. The contact stated that the gear shifter cable had detached. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 248,000.

Filed Apr 28, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · 116,000 miles · AZ

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 gmc yukon xl. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the brakes failed to engage when the brake pedal was depressed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to midway chevrolet (2323 w bell rd, phoenix, az 85023) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was battery related. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

Filed Feb 26, 2021 · Airbags, Body · 75,000 miles · CA

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 gmc yukon xl. The contact stated the dashboard was cracked in three places. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 21v051000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called allen gmc (28332 camino capistrano, laguna niguel, ca 92677, (949) 391-9094) where it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 75,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Jan 18, 2019 · Airbags, Body · TX

Dash has 2 cracks. One above speedometer. The other is cracked on the top left corner of the dash that surrounds the passenger airbag. Vehicle was purchased 1/16/19. I am simply adding mine to the large volume of complaints because I believe it may be a safety hazard. Not sure how long it has been there, but this vehicle was extremely well maintained and garaged it's whole life.

Filed Oct 12, 2018 · Brakes, Electrical · OH

Rear brake lights are inoperable. Dealer says assemblies must be replaced at $2k. Seems to be a widespread issue and an extreme safety issue. Please ensure gmc recalls and repairs this widespread issue.

Filed Aug 10, 2018 · Airbags · 78,000 miles · TX

About one year ago we noticed a small crack at the corner of the 'lid' to the passenger seat air bag. Now we have a crack at the hump of the steering wheel this is a huge safety concern to us as it could result in terrible injury in any number of ways. 1the air bag could explode at any time due to the crack in the lid area, without any warning and without the result of being in an accident thus harming anyone in the passenger seat 2the broken dash could result in terrific injury in the event of an accident and air bag deployment as the brittle pieces and sharp edges of cracked plastic become flying in the car 3the airbag could misfire due to the damaged lid (for example; hitting and breaking the windshield and not protecting the head of the passenger) causing further injury and harm 4the crack in the plastic of the dashboard could be even more extensive than we can see. The entire dashboard could be defective and cracked and suddenly fall off as the result of a bump or pothole causing injury and possible accident 5the defective dashboard plastic could have cracks that would cause wiring to be pinched, cut or severed causing heat, fire, and possible accidents and injuries 6sun shining thru the windshield could cause the cracks to widen 7our favorite 87 year old mom usually rides in the passenger seat. She is irreplaceable and invaluable. 8this is and has been a 'known' issue to gmc. 9we are both disabled and on fixed incomes. We are unable to repair this ourselves and should not have to. Safety and dependability is one of the reasons we always purchased gmc yukons. This is our 4th gmc yukon/suburban. We never doubted that gmc made quality products that were consumer safe. Now this dashboard airbag issue has us very worried and concerned for our health and safety and the health and safety of all our family and passengers

Filed Dec 21, 2017 · Airbags · 65,000 miles · FL

At some point near 65000 miles, a very large crack appeared over the instrument panel, as well as a small crack extending into the passenger side airbag area. I worry about my children's safety if we were in an accident and plastic pieces go flying.

Filed Dec 5, 2017 · Visibility · 98,000 miles · LA

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 gmc yukon xl. While driving, the sun roof inadvertently exploded. There were no injuries. The contact heard wind blowing through the sun roof. Upon further inspection, he noticed a hole in the sun roof glass. The contact called brian harris chevrolet at (225) 910-6907 (15015 florida blvd, baton rouge, la 70819) and was informed that the dealer was closed and he would be contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

Filed Aug 28, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · 101,600 miles · GA

While driving car at random times it will shutoff and you will loose steering and all electronics momentarily and then car will turn back on. It only does this while driving straight or turning on rougher pavement. Once this happens the next time you turn off the car and try to start the car the key will not turn on any of the electronics and will not start the vehicle. If you continuously take the key out and reinsert until and the car will eventually start.

Filed Mar 20, 2017 · 95,000 miles · NC

The dashboard spontaneously cracked above the instrument panel section. There are multiple sections to the crack and is approximately 6"-8" in length. The vehicle was parked at the time of the crack. Subsequently, the dashboard makes various vibration, chattering, and rattling noises.

Compare the 2012 GMC Yukon XL

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Questions about the 2012 GMC Yukon XL

Is the 2012 GMC Yukon XL reliable?

Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2012 GMC Yukon XL, fewer than a typical Yukon XL model year.

What is the 2012 GMC Yukon XL year score?

The 2012 GMC Yukon XL scores 91 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the GMC Yukon XL: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2012 GMC Yukon XL?

Airbags, with 5 complaints. Next is body (3).

How many recalls does the 2012 GMC Yukon XL have?

4 recalls, covering air bags, electrical system and steering.

Was there a recall on the 2012 GMC Yukon XL airbags?

Yes, 2 recalls: 21V051000, 21V054000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the GMC Yukon XL have bad airbags?

The GMC Yukon XL model years with the most airbags complaints are 2007 (58 complaints), 2008 (42 complaints) and 2011 (21 complaints).

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