Reliable Auto DB

2012 GMC Yukon reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 132 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Yukon over 15 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Yukon years here — under the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Inflator and Ignition.

2012 GMC Yukon
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

132

Per year

1

Recalls

3

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (38 of 132), then Structure (33) and Electrical system (10). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Yukon has 181 complaints, 2 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 GMC Yukon. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator 2021-02-05 · NHTSA campaign 21V051000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.
Recall air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator 2021-02-05 · NHTSA campaign 21V054000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.
Recall electrical system, ignition 2014-12-30 · NHTSA campaign 14V827000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

Complaints by component (132 total)

Air bags
38
Structure
33
Electrical system
10
Engine
8
Speed control
5
Powertrain
4
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Seat belts
2
Service brakes
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Seats
1
Steering
1
Tires
1
Visibility
1
Show 9 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120133201442015242016322017202018132019152020920211202252023220241202522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2012 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the radiator and the water pump were previously replaced due to an overheating failure. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine made…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-08-24
  • "The contact owns a 2012 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that years ago, the engine was replaced with a rebuilt engine. Recently, after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the engine. The…"
    Engine · filed 2026-02-10
  • "Driving on loop 20 overpass on Hwy 59 in Laredo Texas suddenly the engine lost power and started to skip and miss fire while a loud tapping noise was generated, due to the loss of power and skipping, alarms showed in…"
    Speed control, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-10-28
  • "Yesterday while unloading the rear of our 2021 GMC Yukon Denali the tailgate came down on me without warning and with force. I googled to see what might have caused this to happen and it stated that the struts might be…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2024-08-19
  • "Dashboard cracked, afraid that if airbag deploys shards of dashboard will come flying at both driver and passenger. It started as a little crack, than expanded across the entire dashboard"
    Unknown or other · filed 2024-01-17

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 GMC Yukon Denali SUV 4WD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Denali SUV RWD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 SUV 4WD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 1500 SUV RWD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 2500 SUV 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2012 GMC Yukon Denali Xl 2500 SUV RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2012 GMC Yukon Hybrid SUV 4WD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Hybrid SUV RWD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon SUV 4WD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon SUV RWD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Xl 1500 SUV 4WD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Xl 1500 SUV RWD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2012 GMC Yukon Xl 2500 SUV 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2012 GMC Yukon Xl 2500 SUV RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Yukon 1500 two-wheel drive 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 14 18 16 MPG $4050
Yukon 1500 two-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 15 21 17 MPG $3800
Yukon 1500 four-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 15 21 17 MPG $3800
Yukon 1500 hybrid two-wheel drive 6L, 8-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Rear-wheel drive 20 23 21 MPG $3100
Yukon 1500 hybrid four-wheel drive 6L, 8-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Four-wheel drive 20 23 21 MPG $3100
Yukon Denali 1500 all-wheel drive 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 13 18 15 MPG $4300
Yukon Denali 1500 hybrid four-wheel drive 6L, 8-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Four-wheel drive 20 23 21 MPG $3100
Yukon XL 1500 two-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 15 21 17 MPG $3800
Yukon XL 1500 two-wheel drive 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 14 18 16 MPG $4050
Yukon XL 1500 four-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 15 21 17 MPG $3800
Yukon XL 1500 all-wheel drive 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 13 18 14 MPG $4650
Yukon XL 2500 two-wheel drive 6L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 10 16 12 MPG $5400
Yukon XL 2500 four-wheel drive 6L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 10 16 12 MPG $5400

Specs and fitment

K2XX generation, 2012–2014
Body styles SUV
Oil dexos1 5W-30 (V8 per manual) , 8 qt capacity
Tire size 265/70R17, 275/55R20, 265/65R18, 245/75R16 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 8,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 13V342000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles manufactured July 9, 2013, through July 22, 2013; and 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles manufactured July 16, 2013, through July 23, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon vehicles manufactured July 13, 2013, through July 18, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon XL vehicles manufactured on July 22, 2013. The rear brake caliper bolts may not be fully tightened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems.". Loose caliper bolts may cause reduced braking performance and result in lengthened stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts on both rear brake caliper brackets. Any bolts found loose will be replaced and tightened. This service will be performed, at no charge. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC at 1-800-462-8782. GM's recall number is 13247. When NHTSA lists multiple GM nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Next year 2013 GMC Yukon See every GMC Yukon model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 GMC Yukon reliable?

Owners have filed 132 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Yukon over 15 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Yukon years here — under the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Inflator and Ignition.

What are common problems with a 2012 GMC Yukon?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (38 of 132), then Structure (33) and Electrical system (10). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Is the 2012 GMC Yukon more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Yukon has 181 complaints, 2 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 GMC Yukon been recalled?

The 2012 GMC Yukon has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 GMC Yukon?

Owners have filed 132 complaints about the 2012 GMC Yukon with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 GMC Yukon get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 GMC Yukon is 16.6 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a GMC Yukon use?

US Yukon manuals specify dexos-approved oil for your engine in the maintenance schedule.

What does NHTSA recall 13V-342 cover on the GMC Yukon?

NHTSA safety recall 13V342000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles manufactured July 9, 2013, through July 22, 2013; and 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles manufactured July 16, 2013,…

What generation is the 2013 GMC Yukon?

K2XX generation (2012-2014).