2013 GMC Yukon XL Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Best The 2013 GMC Yukon XL has a complaint index of 10, the second-lowest among 21 model years, and carries a Best verdict. Its main issues are dashboard cracking near the airbag and airbag-related complaints, with 4 recalls on file.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 10/100
- #19 of 21 Yukon XL years
- Verdict
- Best
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 35
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Structure & Body
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 15
- 13.5 city / 18 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2013 GMC Yukon XL problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Other15 (43%)
- Structure & Body13 (37%)
- Airbags12 (34%)
- Engine2 (6%)
- Brakes1 (3%)
- Electrical System1 (3%)
- Seat Belts1 (3%)
- Steering1 (3%)
- Visibility & Wipers1 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Dashboard cracks near the passenger airbag housing, sometimes appearing without any impact or trauma.
- Cracked dashboard sections shake or vibrate noticeably when the brakes are applied.
- Windshield wipers have seized while driving in rain, forcing the vehicle to be pulled over.
- A driver's seatbelt has failed to lock, leaving the driver unable to buckle in.
- Owners have found excessive rust and flaking coating on the frame during inspections.
- One owner reported an unexplained loud pop and a vehicle rollaway crash while parked with the ignition off.
2013 GMC Yukon XL recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V053000Feb 5, 2021Airbags692,526 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL 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 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and 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." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
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 24, 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 N212328790.
- 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.
- NHTSA 14V614000Oct 1, 2014Electrical System106,307 vehicles
Electrical system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GMÂs number for this recall is 14515.
2013 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.
2013 compared with other Yukon XL years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 GMC Yukon XL reliable?
- Among 21 model years of the Yukon XL, 2013 ranks 19th worst (meaning it's one of the better years), with a complaint index of 10 and a Best verdict based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls.
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 GMC Yukon XL?
- NHTSA complaints show Structure & Body issues, mainly dashboard cracking near the airbag, account for 37% of complaints, and Airbags issues account for 34%, with a median failure mileage of 59,000 for airbag complaints.
- Does the 2013 GMC Yukon XL have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2013 Yukon XL, covering airbags, an electrical chassis module, and steering column inspection/replacement.
- How does the 2013 Yukon XL compare to other years?
- With a complaint index of 10, the 2013 model is far below high-complaint years like 2015 (90), 2021 (95), and 2023 (100), which are rated Avoid.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2013 GMC Yukon XL?
- EPA rates the 2013 Yukon XL at 15 mpg combined (13.5 city / 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350.