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GMC · NHTSA safety record

2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 65 safety complaints about the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.

The most complained-about system is the exterior lighting, named in 36 complaints, 55% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 60,000 miles, the median across the 55 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers May 2017 to June 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

65 complaints on file

65

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 36 · 55%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16 · 25%
POWER TRAIN 9 · 14%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7 · 11%
SUSPENSION 5 · 8%
ENGINE 4 · 6%
STEERING 3 · 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 · 5%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 3%
STRUCTURE 2 · 3%
WHEELS 2 · 3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 · 2%
0 15 31

One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 65.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2018 at 29.

32 24 16 8
17 18 19 21 22 25

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Defect investigations

1 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Brake Vacuum Pump Failure

PE18012

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened November 20, 2018 · closed April 10, 2022 · led to recall 19V645000

the brakes, the hydraulic brakes

On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon SUVs.If the brake assist vacuum pump fails to operate as intended, the amount of brake power assist supplied to the driver can be significantly reduced, extending the subject vehicle stopping distance. GM stated that the root cause of pump failures was due to foreign debris such as oil sludge in the engine oil. GM stated that this debris can become trapped by the oil inlet filter screen. Under normal operation, this screen allows a small amount of oil into the brake vacuum pump. The foreign debris can, over time, clog the pump which can cause a loss of lubrication and a reduction in the amount of vacuum produced leading to a hard pedal and extended stopping distance.On December 13, 2018, GM issued a Special Coverage (N182202780) for the brake vacuum pump issue in MY 2014-2017 trucks and 2015-2017 SUVs on the K2XX platform for 6 years or 72,000 miles. Special Coverage repair includes the replacement of the vacuum pump and vacuum pump belt. Consumers received notification of the coverage via mail. On September 6, 2019, GM notified NHTSA that it was conducting safety recall 19V-645 which reprograms the electronic brake control module (EBCM) and included approximately 3.5 million trucks and SUVs. In October 2019, GM extended the terms of special coverage N182202780 to 10 years or 150,000 miles as well as now including the entire scope of recall 19V-645. In October 2020, GM expanded the scope of coverage N182202780 to include the MY 2018 Escalade and 2019 Tahoe.The remedy implemented in GM recall 19V-645 appears to be sufficient in addressing the safety-related concerns of this issue. Loss of vacuum assist now occurs at a progressive rate as well as there being a more timely warning of a brake problem to the driver through the driver information center (DIC). In view of the recall action and revision to the special coverage, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

85,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, the engine and oil warning lights illuminated, and the contact pulled over. There was no indication of oil leaking on the ground. The contact had her son-in-law, an independent mechanic to check the oil and it was determined that the oil level was low. The contact stated that oil was added; however, three days later the oil level was low again. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was notified of an excessive oil consumption failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The warranty

NHTSA complaint 11667092, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

126,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, gasoline would leak out of the fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 14858 (High-Pressure Fuel Pump). The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.

NHTSA complaint 11449781. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

40,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL. The contact stated that the passenger’s side taillight failed to illuminate intermittently while depressing the brake pedal. Over time, the driver’s side taillight also would fail to illuminate with the brake pedal depressed. The contact then received a warranty notice from the local dealer about the failure however, the contact was informed when speaking to the dealer that due to the mileage on her vehicle, the vehicle no longer qualified under the warranty program. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA complaint 11426853. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

32,000 miles

THE PASSENGER SIDE TAILLIGHT STARTED 'GOING OUT' RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED-MEANING, IT WOULD WORK OFF AND ON AT VARIOUS TIMES. THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE TAILLIGHT HAS STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE GMC TAILLIGHTS AND YET GMC HAS YET TO RECOGNIZE ANY ISSUE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE DRIVING THESE MODELS WITH FAILING TAILLIGHTS. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED

NHTSA complaint 11222648. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION

60,000 miles

THE WHEELS HAVE CORROSION AND SHARP EDGES HAVE STARTED TO FORM. THESE SHARP EDGES ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE THE TIRES CAUSING THEM TO LOSE AIR. WE WERE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE NEW WHEELS AS THE ONLY SOLUTION. WHEELS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE, NOT FOUR YEARS.

NHTSA complaint 11221505. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

33,534 miles

MY YUKON MAKES VERY HARD SHIFTS WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. THE TCM WAS REPROGRAMMED AFTER VEHICLE SHUT OFF ON THE HIGH WAY LAST NOVEMBER. NOW THE TRUCK SHUDDERS BETWEEN 25 AND 45MPH ESPECIALLY WHEN CLIMBING OR FILLED WITH PASSENGERS. VIBRATION CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE CABIN.

NHTSA complaint 11219096. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the GMC Yukon Denali XL

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2016 29 0 —
2011 69 0 —

Other 2015 GMC models

Sierra 1500 719 Yukon 529 Yukon XL 307 Canyon 303 Terrain 297 Acadia 243 Sierra 2500 89 Yukon Denali 73

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every GMC on this site — 149 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst