CSR

GMC · NHTSA safety record

2018 GMC Yukon

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

69

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2018 GMC Yukon have filed 69 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2018 and May 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 27 of them (39%). The typical failure was reported at 47,000 miles, the median across the 19 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints more than doubled year on year: 23 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 8 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

20V603000 · October 1, 2020

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
The risk
A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.

General Motors LLC · up to 14,620 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING

19V761000 · October 24, 2019

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
The risk
Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

General Motors LLC · up to 652,967 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

19V645000 · September 6, 2019

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
The risk
As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.

General Motors LLC · up to 3,456,719 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 69.

ENGINE 27 39%
POWER TRAIN 18 26%
SUSPENSION 8 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 12%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 7%
STEERING 4 6%
AIR BAGS 3 4%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 4%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 4%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 3%
STRUCTURE 2 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 22.

2018 2025 2026
2018 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

INVOLVED IN A FRONT/SIDE PASSENGER SIDE COLLISION WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND SPEED WITH NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT(S).

NHTSA complaint 11470248. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed · 54,000 miles

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND EXITING THE HW. THE REAR WHEEL OF THE DRIVER SIDE BROKE OFF AND SEPARATED FROM THE CAR WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO HIT THE CEMENT BEERIER ON FRONT AND THE SIDE OF THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEN THE CAR TURNED 180 DEGREES AND HIT THE BEERIER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND WE DISCOVERED THAT THE WHEEL BROOK OFF OF THE REAR AXE. NO DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL. SEVERAL INDUSTRY EXPORTS STATED THAT THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

NHTSA complaint 11378464. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

towed · 104,000 miles

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Yukon. The contact stated after the vehicle was serviced, while driving 30 MPH and depressing accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated, and the contact shifted to a lower gear to drive to the residence safely. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced, and that the engine block was damaged. The transmission and engine block were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 104,000.

NHTSA complaint 11706830. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I started my vehicle and as I accelerated I started to hear a knocking noise. The vehicle and engine have been inspected by the dealership. The problem has also been confirmed by the dealership.There were no warning lights or messages before the knocking noise started.

NHTSA complaint 11737607. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
The 2018 Yukon has been at the dealership several timeswaiting for a valve body for the transmission. There are valve body recalls for other year GM vehicles with the same transmission, but not for the 2018 model even though it appears to be the same part number. I don’t understand how this 2018 model apart of the recalls when it’s got the same issues as the newer ones. This is the second Yukon I’ve bought in the last seven years and the other one had the exact same issue.

NHTSA complaint 11730984. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

128,640 miles

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for service, and the contact was informed that the radiator was leaking and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that there were no signs of a leak prior to taking the vehicle for service. The contact was advised by the dealer that it was a common failure for the year and model vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted and offered a buyback. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 128,640.

NHTSA complaint 11729075. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
I purchased my used GMC YUKON from a used car dealership 3/28/26. I signed the papers for the agreement while I was driving the vechicle home I lost power and it wouldn't go forward with gas applied. The check engine light came on, I pulled the suv over and it was towed. The code that popped up 0700 and 02723 both codes having to do with the transmission.

NHTSA complaint 11727838. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Please see attached letter

NHTSA complaint 11724184. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
The 2018 Yukon Denali has been at the dealership for 7 weeks waiting for a valve body for the transmission. There are valve body recalls for other year GM vehicles with the same transmission, but not for the 2018 model even though it appears to be the same part number. The transmission was already replaced on this vehicle at 500 miles.

NHTSA complaint 11723398. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the GMC Yukon

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 24 3
2025 49 2
2024 89 3
2023 213 4
2022 164 5
2021 301 13
2020 34 4
2019 53 2
2017 196 3
2016 265 5
2015 528 10
2014 56 3
2013 117 4
2012 62 3
2011 158 5 2
2010 105 3

Other 2018 GMC models

Every GMC on this site — 144 vehicles, 425 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

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. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

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