What 145 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 GMC Yukon Denali

I call this a "Panic breaking defect" I have experienced this on two different GMC vehicles manufactured 14 years apart. The first was a 1999 GMC suburban with mechanically operated throttle control. The second was my present GMC Yukon XL Denali with electronic throttle control. The defect: The close proximity of the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal makes it possible to have the right foot on both pedals at the same time. This results in high engine RPM and full breaking pressure, however, the anti-lock breaking system releases and re-applies the break pressure repeatedly allowing the vehicle to lunge forward a short distance on each cycle. To remove ones foot from the both pedals so as to apply it to just the break would result in the vehicle, engine being at high RPM, to allow the vehicle to speed forward resulting in a serious collision. True one could use the left foot, if able, on the break and then remove the right foot, allowing the engine to return to idle but on modern automatic transmission equipped cars where the left foot plays essentially no part in driving, such an action is not likely to occur. Also the ignition key could be turned off but with both hands employed to apply maximum pressure on the steering wheel to ensure maximum braking effort, that is not likely to occur either, besides that would result in lack of power steering and vacuum boost to the break system. A proposed solution: In a drive by wire environment it would be simple to send an idle signal to the throttle body every time the break pedal is pressed and this is the condition which occurs in a normal breaking situation. I have related this to the service manager of my local dealer and have also communicated it to General Motors Customer Support even offering to demonstrate the problem but have received no response. After all I am only a lowly customer and it matters not that I am also a retired Engineer!

NHTSA ODI 11494401

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 20 MPH the driver's side curtain, passenger side curtain and ceiling air bags deployed with no accident occurring. The contact stated her son did not see any warning light illuminated. The contact's son safely pulled over to the side of the road and turned the vehicle off. The contact's son attempted to restart the vehicle, however it took several attempts to restart the vehicle. The son suffered injuries to the left side of his face and top of head, but did not seek medical attention. The vehicle had not been taken to local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

NHTSA ODI 11457127

The contact’s son owned a 2013 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while her son was driving 25 MPH on an icy roadway while slowing down to change lanes he lost control of the vehicle after hitting a patch of ice. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle went off the road ran through a residential fence, then collided with a parked vehicle with the rear end, ricocheted off that vehicle, then slid and collided with a tree on the driver’s side door. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact stated her son was not injured. The vehicle was drivable and driven back to the contact's residence. Later the vehicle was towed to a local dealer where an insurance adjuster declared the vehicle a total loss. The contact stated that she had received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 174,000.

NHTSA ODI 11454133

MY YUKON DENALI WAS BACKED INTO WHILE PARKED AT MY WORK PARKING LOT AND WHEN I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE TO THE REPAIR SHOP I NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED IN THE UPPER LEFT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. I INFORMED THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER ABOUT THE CRACK AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. HE INSTRUCTED THAT I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO GMC AND HAVE THEM FILE A CLAIM. I THEN WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT GM WOULD PROBABLY DENY MY CLAIM, WHICH THEY DID. SO NOW IM STUCK WITH A CRACKED DASHBOARD IN MY OTHERWISE PERFECT VEHICLE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW.

NHTSA ODI 11317832

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC YUKON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, SHE WALKED AROUND TO REMOVE A SMALL CHILD FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN IT STARTED TO ROLL AWAY IN REVERSE. THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE WAS SECURED IN PARK. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO ROLL AWAY UNTIL CRASHING INTO A FENCE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS STILL OPEN AND WAS PUSHED UNTIL ABNORMALLY BENDING THE DOOR FORWARD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BRUISED ANKLE WHEN THE DOOR SLAMMED INTO HER. THE CHILD WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 10548784