Home · 2012 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 · Complaints

What 135 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 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 (135)Crash / fire / injury (2)Airbags (40)Body & structure (35)Electrical system (11)Engine (7)Fuel system (4)Speed control (4)Transmission & drivetrain (4)Visibility & wipers (3)Brakes (2)Seat belts (2)

7 of 135 complaints match · Engine · clear filters

Apr 28, 2021Electrical systemEngine

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.

NHTSA ODI 11414353

Nov 25, 2019Engine

LIFTER FAILURE. HOPING NO CAMSHAFT DAMAGE. 3 WEEKS WAITING ON PARTS THAT APPARENTLY CAN'T BE FOUND. WAS DRIVING APPROX 35 MPH WHEN HORRIBLE TICKING NOISE OCCURRED. QUICKLY ASSESSED NOTHING IN WHEEL WELL. NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. LIMPED CAR DIRECTLY TO MECHANIC AS FEARED MORE DAMAGE OR COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE IF DRIVEN MORE MILES. SINCE BECOME AWARE OF ISSUES WITH THIS ENGINE AND THAT CHANGES WERE MADE IN 2014. LESS THAN 90K MILES ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11282313

Apr 3, 2018Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFire

2012 GMC YUKON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AFTER DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE, NOISES, SHAKING SENSATION, STABILI TRAC LIGHT ILLUMINATES, HESITATES THEN STOPS. CONSUMER NOTICES FLAMES UNDERNEATH VEHICLE BEFORE COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *SMD *TR

NHTSA ODI 10926888

Sep 11, 2017Electrical systemEngineFuel system

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT 50 60 OR ANY SPEED - THE TACHOMETER JUMPS AND THE CAR SURGES FEELS LIKE IT GOING TO STOP

NHTSA ODI 11022752

Aug 28, 2017SteeringElectrical systemEngine

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.

NHTSA ODI 11020021

Jun 12, 2017Engine

@ 97,000 MILES, GETTING CYLINDER #4 MISS FIRE CODES, REPLACED ALL PLUGS AND AFFECTED COILS PACKS. NOW MOTOR IS MAKING A TICKING SOUND FORM LIFTERS. DEALER SAID IT NEEDS NEW ENGINE DUE TO THE AFM SYSTEM PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI 10994452

Mar 29, 2016Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC YUKON DENALI. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND LOSE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. THE FAILURE OCCURRED RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 33,000. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI 10852175

Working with the data? Download all 135 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 2012 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 verdict →