Car · GMC problems

2016 GMC Yukon problems

271 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Yukon. The most reported area is exterior lighting (38% of them). NHTSA also lists 665 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 5. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 271 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Exterior lighting104 · 38%
• Service brakes55 · 20%
• Electrical system53 · 20%
• Power train (transmission and drive)36 · 13%
• Engine and engine cooling34 · 13%
• Other or unknown32 · 12%
• Steering10 · 4%
• Fuel system7 · 3%

13 smaller areas not shown (41 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 665 repair bulletins from GMC for the 2016 GMC Yukon. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. PIT5698FReceived September 30, 2026

   This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

2. PIP5700HReceived September 29, 2026

   This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering.

3. PIT5099JReceived July 29, 2026

   PI to help diagnose A/C concern.

4. PIT5509NReceived July 29, 2026

   This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.

5. PIT3271QReceived April 7, 2026

   Information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

6. PIT6483Received February 11, 2026

   An issue with aftermarket LED headlights causing IPC warning messages and MIL along with several low speed lan DTCs.

7. PIT6400AReceived January 19, 2026

   This PI Communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform 19-NA-255: Wax Coating on Frame Peeling, Metal Shows Corrosion/Rusting due to issue with getting product...

8. PIT5984AReceived December 29, 2025

   A diagnostic tip for an issue where the starter stays engaged after the engine starts.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 GMC Yukon. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 19V761000October 24, 2019

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   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...

2. 19V645000September 6, 2019

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.

3. 16V256000April 28, 2016Do not drive notice

   Suspension

   The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.

See all 5 recalls for the 2016 GMC Yukon, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Yukon will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Exterior lighting 104 complaints · 38%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Service brakes 55 complaints · 20%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Electrical system 53 complaints · 20%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 36 complaints · 13%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2016 GMC Yukon: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 GMC Yukon?

Of the 271 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Yukon, 104 (38%) name exterior lighting, and 55 (20%) name service brakes. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2016 GMC Yukon reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 4 of the 271 complaints as involving a crash and 0 as involving a fire. They also reported 5 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2016 GMC Yukon have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 GMC Yukon. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 665 repair bulletins for the 2016 GMC Yukon.

More

• 2023 Yukon problems
• 2021 Yukon problems
• 2015 Yukon problems
• 2016 recalls
• All GMC recalls
• GMC problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.