2012 GMC YUKON — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
4/5
Safety Rating
88
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
13
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2012 GMC YUKON
The 2012 GMC YUKON has received a total of 88 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 6 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. 13 technical service bulletins have been issued by General Motors, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Unknown Or Other (35 complaints), Air Bags (17 complaints), and Structurebody (9 complaints).
Recalls for the 2012 GMC YUKON
NHTSA has recorded 6 recalls for the 2012 GMC YUKON, potentially affecting up to 5,987,866 vehicles.
Recall 21V054000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 1,778,128 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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...
View full details →Recall 21V054000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 1,778,128 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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...
View full details →Recall 21V054000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 1,778,128 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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...
View full details →Recall 21V051000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 284,645 vehicles affected
Defect: 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),...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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...
View full details →Recall 21V051000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 284,645 vehicles affected
Defect: 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),...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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...
View full details →Recall 14V827000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
| 84,192 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
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)....
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2012 GMC YUKON
88 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 GMC YUKON. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasoline | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
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 banging sound continued, and the vehicle shut off without warning. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that an engine bearing had failed, and the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
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 the main console requiring immediate service to the engine, traction and braking sys, the lack of engine power place me in a very critical and unsafe situation wherein I was about to be rear collision by the vehicle behind me. This event happened on October 17th, 2025 . I brought the vehicle to Powell Watson Motors who is the GMC dealership in Laredo Texas for inspection but they refused to accept the vehicle due to the age of the vehicle. I feel this safety issue must me corrected and resolved in order to avoid accidents and deaths.
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 the main console requiring immediate service to the engine, traction and braking sys, the lack of engine power place me in a very critical and unsafe situation wherein I was about to be rear collision by the vehicle behind me. This event happened on October 17th, 2025 . I brought the vehicle to Powell Watson Motors who is the GMC dealership in Laredo Texas for inspection but they refused to accept the vehicle due to the age of the vehicle. I feel this safety issue must me corrected and resolved in order to avoid accidents and deaths.
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 the main console requiring immediate service to the engine, traction and braking sys, the lack of engine power place me in a very critical and unsafe situation wherein I was about to be rear collision by the vehicle behind me. This event happened on October 17th, 2025 . I brought the vehicle to Powell Watson Motors who is the GMC dealership in Laredo Texas for inspection but they refused to accept the vehicle due to the age of the vehicle. I feel this safety issue must me corrected and resolved in order to avoid accidents and deaths.
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 worn out. (I am having that checked out today) Fortunately, I am a 6 foot 220 pound man and was not hurt but just the day before my 14 year old, 100 pound grand daughter was taking things things out of the rear of the vehicle. If the rear door would have come down on her it would have been a lot worse
Safety Rating for the 2012 GMC YUKON
The 2012 GMC YUKON received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2012 GMC YUKON
General Motors, LLC has issued 13 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2012 GMC YUKON. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
PIT5206E — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THIS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION COMMUNICATION PROVIDES INFORMATION TO THE TECHNICIAN WITH THE STEPS ON DIAGNOSING AND REPAIRING VEHICLES THAT MAY HAVE UNWANTED GRADE BRAKING, REDUCED ENGINE POWER WITH NO DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER MESSAGES BRAKE PEDAL OVERRIDE FEATURE , TRANSMISSION BUSY OR FREQUENT SHIFTING UP OR DOWN, AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES...
PI-1343-C — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THIS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO RESET THE TRANSMISSION ADAPTS AND TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT A CUSTOMER CONCERN ON A HARSH (DETENT) 6-4 DOWNSHIFT.
10-06-01-008M — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to correct the customers concern to replace the left side valve cover and active fuel management oil deflector to reduce oil consumption.
PI1343A — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
This preliminary bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the tcm to correct the customers concern of a harsh, tie up feeling from a 6-4 downshift.
10-06-01-008L — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to correct the customers concern to replace the left side valve cover and active fuel management oil deflector to reduce oil consumption.
PI1290 — EQUIPMENT
This preliminary bulletin provides a procedure to replace the windshild to correct the customers concern of a loose mirrior and/or bracket fell off.
03-03-10-007I — TIRES
This informational bulletin explains a normal condition of new tires may shake and vibrate for the first few miles.
PIP5168A — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on the steps to diagnose and repair vehicles that may have a no crank concern. Technician will need to check the valve train for movement when the engine is cranked. If the valve train is not moving while the crankshaft is...
PIT4116E — STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have power lift-gate that is inoperative from all the switches and the keyless entry transmitter only with the ignition in the off position. Technician will need to inspect circuit 5985 for battery voltage. Repair any damaged wires or...
05-09-40-002G — SEAT BELTS
This technical bulletin provides a revision of 05-09-40-002F to add the 2013-2014 model years.
Showing 10 of 13 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2012 GMC YUKON
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the GMC YUKON
- 2007 GMC YUKON — 578 complaints
- 2008 GMC YUKON — 248 complaints
- 2009 GMC YUKON — 116 complaints
- 2010 GMC YUKON — 149 complaints
- 2011 GMC YUKON — 216 complaints
- 2012 GMC YUKON (current)
- 2013 GMC YUKON — 148 complaints
- 2014 GMC YUKON — 79 complaints
- 2015 GMC YUKON — 673 complaints
- 2016 GMC YUKON — 357 complaints
- 2017 GMC YUKON — 244 complaints
Other GMC Models
- GMC SIERRA 1500 — 10,327 total complaints
- GMC ACADIA — 7,420 total complaints
- GMC SIERRA — 4,896 total complaints
- GMC TERRAIN — 4,098 total complaints
- GMC JIMMY — 3,778 total complaints
- GMC ENVOY — 3,269 total complaints
- GMC YUKON XL — 2,820 total complaints
- GMC SUBURBAN — 2,323 total complaints