Home · 2011 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 · Complaints

What 399 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (399)Crash / fire / injury (8)Airbags (161)Body & structure (74)Engine (20)Electrical system (16)Transmission & drivetrain (13)Brakes (9)Fuel system (8)Speed control (7)Wheels (5)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (4)

161 of 399 complaints match · Airbags · clear filters · page 1 of 7

Jul 8, 2024Airbags

Dash is cracking badly on its own. Is cracking also where airbag is held. Pieces can fly as projectiles and cause bodily harm when airbag deploys.

NHTSA ODI 11600217

Aug 25, 2023Airbags

As per Tread Act that confirms reimbursement for recalled items, I replaced the Takata airbag on 09/18/2019 after a recall issue by NHTSA, but prior to GMC manufacture initiating the repair. General Motors refused to reimburse the cost of the replacement of the airbag. Under Tread Act the manufacturer is required to reimburse any repair prior to actual recall.

NHTSA ODI 11540799

Mar 10, 2022Airbags

Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11456020

Nov 8, 2021Airbags

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer had been notified of the recall; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11439688

Nov 3, 2021Airbags

Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11439170

Oct 25, 2021Airbags

2011 GMC YUKON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TAKATA AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL DUE TO THE VEHICLE'S AGE.

NHTSA ODI 11438105

May 13, 2021AirbagsCrash1 injury

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC YUKON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY AND HAD TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO HIS HOME ADDRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11416501

Apr 3, 2021AirbagsBody & structure

THE DASHBOARD HAS SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED IN TWO LOCATIONS AFTER SITTING IN OUR GARAGE. A 6" CRACK HAS NO FORMED OVER THE CURVED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY ON DRIVER SIDE AND A 1" CRACK HAS OCCURRED NEAR THE AIR BAG COVER CORNER ON PASSENGER SIDE. THESE CRACKS ARE SIMILAR IN LOCATION AND SIZE TO OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON GMC YUKONS. STARTED NOTICING THE CRACK IN AUGUST OF 2020. I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL ON PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.

NHTSA ODI 11406200

Mar 22, 2021Airbags

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC YUKON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V054000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT WAS FRUSTRATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE RECALL. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE RECALL NOTICE HOWEVER, THE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED SOUTHERN BUICK GMC GREENBRIER (1300 S MILITARY HWY, CHESAPEAKE, VA 23320) OF THE RECALL NOTICE AND THE DEALER OFFERED THE CONTACT ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR PURCHASE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11404313

Feb 9, 2021Airbags

AIR BAGS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR YEARS AND THEY HAVE YET TO REPLACE THEM EVEN AFTER ACQUIRING AT MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS.

NHTSA ODI 11395358

Jan 31, 2021Airbags

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2011 GMC YUKON FROM MY PARENTS. THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS. THIS VEHICLE WAS KEPT UNDER THIER CARPORT AND NOT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. THE DASHBOARD HAS MULITPLE CRACKS. MOST CONCERNING IS THE CRACKS NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. WHAT IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT, THE DASHBOARD COULD BECOME SHRAPNEL IMPALING MYSELF OR MY PASSENGER. ALSO THE DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD COULD SPLINTER AND PUNCTURE THE AIRBAG MAKING THEM INEFFECTIVE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND EVEN LAWSUITS. I AM APPALLED TO KNOW YOU AND GMC ARE AWARE OF THE RISKS OF THE CRACKED DASHBOARD CAUSING GREAT BODILY HARM OR DEATH. YOU AND GMC HAVE DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A 2002 HONDA ACCORD THAT SITS IN THE SUN AND THE DASHBOARD IS IN PERFECT CONDITION.

NHTSA ODI 11390914

Dec 16, 2020Electrical systemAirbags

LARGE CRACKS IN DASH CAUSING CONSTANT RATTLING NOISE.THIS OCCURRED IN LESS THAN A YEAR PURCHASE AND HAS WORSENED THE HEATING AND COOLING FUNCTION OF THE SEATS FAILED WITHIN MONTHS OF BUYING THE VEHICLE NEW. RADIO AND NAVIGATION SCREEN DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11383702

Nov 24, 2020Airbags

THIS AIR BAG DANGER HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. I CONTACT THE DEALER AND NO ACTION TO FIX. THEY INDICATE NO SOLUTION AND NO PARTS TO REPAIR AT PRESENT.

NHTSA ODI 11376157

Nov 23, 2020Airbags

THE DASHBOARD HAS SEVERELY CRACKED AND COULD CAUSE HARMFUL PLASTIC TO SHOOT TOWARDS PASSENGER IF THE AIRBAG IS DEPLOYED. THIS ALSO CAUSES THE INTERIOR TO MAKE LOUD DASH SOUNDS WHILE DRIVING AFFECTING THE EXPERIENCE OF THE DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11376054

Nov 9, 2020Airbags

THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE IN MULTIPLE PLACES ON TOP OF AND ALONG SIDE OF THE INNER AIRBAGS AND UNDER A COLLISION THESE PIECES OF THE DASH COULD AND IN MY OPINION AND THE OPINION OF GM BODY REPAIRMAN WILL VERY LIKELY BECOME A FLYING PROJECTILE CAUSING POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH TO OCCUPANTS. I AM REQUESTING IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF THIS UNSAFE SITUATION BEFORE TURNING IT OVER TO COUNCIL FOR RECOVERY. ALSO BE ADVISED THAT ALL PRECAUTIONS WERE TAKEN TO PROTECT THE DASHBOARD WITH USE OF WINDSHIELD SUN DEFLECTORS/SHADES.

NHTSA ODI 11373753

Nov 6, 2020AirbagsFire

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DETECTED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR IN VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED YATES BUICK GMC 13845 W TEST DR, GOODYEAR, AZ 85338 (480) 795-7563 WHO STATED THE REMEDY PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11373488

Jun 2, 2020AirbagsBody & structure

DASHBOARD CRACKED ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER AIRBAG. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326967

May 25, 2020Airbags

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS YUKON DENALI AND ABOUT ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO, A CRACK DEVELOPED ON MY DASH. I'M NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT ONE DAY, I JUST NOTICED IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM, AND THEY QUOTED ME ABOUT $2000 TO REPAIR IT. IT JUST KEEPS GETTING WORSE, AND I'M AFRAID THAT THE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY ON IT'S ON SOMETIME BECAUSE THE CRACK KEEPS GETTING BIGGER. I ALSO NOW HAVE A CRACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASH ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ODI 11325888

May 16, 2020AirbagsBody & structure

I TOO HAVE THE CRACKED DASHBOARD IN MY 2011 GMC DENALI. NOT ONLY IS IT A SAFETY HAZARD, BECAUSE APPARENTLY ITS A LABOR INTENSIVE JOB NO ONE WILL TAKE ON THE TASK OF FIXING IT. I BOUGHT THE REPLACEMENT DASH AND I CANT FIND ANYONE TO INSTALL IT. THE RATTLE NOISE IT CREATE IS UNIMAGINABLE AS NOW A LOCKING CLIP HAS BROKEN. I'M TOTALLY AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO. IT HAS ALSO DECREASED ITS TRADE IN VALUE. I WENT TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THEY DROPPED THE VALUE BY 2,000.00 BECAUSE OF THE DASH. MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT I DON'T END UP IN AN AIR BAG INCIDENT AS I'M CONFIDENT THE DASH WILL SHATTER AND LAUNCH PROJECTILE PIECES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11324750

Jan 28, 2020Airbags

MY TAKATA RECALL COMES BACK AS "INCOMPLETE - WORKING ON A SOLUTION". THIS HAS BEEN GOING IN FOR YEARS. IS MY CAR SAFE?

NHTSA ODI 11302470

Jan 9, 2020Electrical systemAirbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC YUKON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FRACTURED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG HOUSING. COACHELLA VALLEY BUICK GMC LOCATED AT 78960 VARNER RD, INDIO, CA 92203, (760)610-0449, WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REMEDY PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *BF*JB

NHTSA ODI 11298155

Dec 11, 2019Airbags

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED TWO DEALERS, INCLUDING F.C. KERBECK BUICK GMC AT 866-826-3218 (LOCATED AT 100 RTE 73 N, PALMYRA, NJ 08065) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11288426

Nov 13, 2019SuspensionAirbagsBody & structure

DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND WILL POSSIBLY CUT AIRBAG OR DRIVER IN A CRASH. PLASTIC IS BRITTLE AND COULD SHATTER. SUSPENSION HAS POOR DAMPENING. TRUCK WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES BY DEALER ONLY TO FAIL SOON AFTER REPAIRS. TRUCK BOUNCES OVER SHARP BUMPS AND BECOMES DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS AND SHAKES

NHTSA ODI 11279905

Nov 5, 2019Airbags

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED BERG MOTOR COMPANY AT 432-694-7741 (LOCATED AT 3205 W WALL ST, MIDLAND, TX 79701) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11278277

Oct 19, 2019Airbags

THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT AS YET INVOLVING THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, FOR EIGHT YEARS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOCATED IN A GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF HIGH HUMIDITY AND TEMPS WHICH IS A FACTOR OF INSTABILITY WITH THE TAKATA AIRBAGS. WE HAVE TRIED, UNSUCCESSFULLY, TO GET THE AIRBAGS REPLACED BY OUR LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP.WE ARE FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN THE HOPE OF GETTING NHTSA TO ORDER GM TO DO THE RESPONSIBLE ACT OF REPLACING AIRBAGS IN AFFECTED VEHICLES BEFORE ANY MORE INJURIES HAPPEN.

NHTSA ODI 11269528

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Working with the data? Download all 399 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 verdict →