YearToAvoid

2011 GMC Yukon XL Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2011 GMC Yukon XL has a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 11th out of 21 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 128 complaints and 5 recalls, led by airbag issues (40% of complaints, median failure mileage 80,734).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
50/100
#11 of 21 Yukon XL years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
128
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
2
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2012
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13.5 city / 18 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2011 GMC Yukon XL problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other63 (49%)
  2. Airbags51 (40%)
  3. Structure & Body32 (25%)
  4. Electrical System8 (6%)
  5. Engine7 (5%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain5 (4%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers2 (2%)
  8. Brakes1 (1%)
  9. HVAC1 (1%)
  10. Seat Belts1 (1%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report cracked dashboards near the passenger airbag, sometimes forming a hole with sharp edges close to the airbag housing.
  • Rear seat heaters have reportedly overheated and ignited while the seat was occupied, in one case while the vehicle was moving.
  • Front passenger airbags tied to the Takata recall reportedly failed to deploy during crashes.
  • Some owners noted a burning odor and illuminated airbag warning light while waiting on the Takata recall repair.
  • Power tailgates have reportedly reopened and fallen shut unexpectedly after being triggered, striking whoever was near it.
  • One owner described an unintended acceleration event where the vehicle would not slow using the brakes and had to be stopped with the emergency brake.
2011 GMC Yukon XL complaints: complaints filed per quarter132011 Q32015 Q12016 Q22017 Q32018 Q42020 Q12022 Q12026 Q2
128 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q3 to 2026 Q2; peak 2017 Q2 (13).

2011 GMC Yukon XL recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V050000Feb 5, 2021Airbags2,641,272 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles 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." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." 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.

    Risk: 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 mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. 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 N212328760.

  2. NHTSA 21V054000Feb 5, 2021Airbags1,778,128 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: 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 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V827000Dec 30, 2014Electrical System84,192 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    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.

    Risk: 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). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

See all 5 recalls for the 2011 GMC Yukon XL →

2011 GMC Yukon XL fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13.5 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
15 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,350
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Gasoline or E85
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other Yukon XL years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2009Good3556516
2010Best2065316
2011Caution50128515
2012Best1541415
2013Best1035415

All GMC Yukon XL years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 GMC Yukon XL reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2011 Yukon XL a Complaint Index of 50, a Caution verdict, and a rank of 11th out of 21 model years for this model, so it sits in the middle of the pack.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 GMC Yukon XL?
Airbags account for 40% of the 128 complaints, followed by structure and body issues at 25%, largely dashboard cracking near the passenger airbag.
Does the 2011 GMC Yukon XL have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2011 Yukon XL covering airbags, the electrical system/ignition lock housing, steering, and suspension, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2011 Yukon XL compare to other years?
Its Complaint Index of 50 is worse than Best-rated years like 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014, but better than Avoid years like 2007, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 GMC Yukon XL?
EPA rates it at 15 mpg combined (13.5 city, 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.