YearToAvoid

2014 GMC Yukon XL Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

0/100

#16 most-complained of 16 Yukon XL years

The 2014 GMC Yukon XL ranks 16th out of 16 worst, meaning it's actually the best year based on NHTSA data, with only 16 complaints, a complaint index of 0, and 3 recalls. Airbags are the top reported problem area.

Complaints
16
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
16.5
14.5 city / 19.5 hwy

Top 2014 GMC Yukon XL problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other10 (63%)
  2. Airbags3 (19%)
  3. Brakes2 (13%)
  4. Electrical System1 (6%)
  5. Engine1 (6%)
  6. Structure & Body1 (6%)

What owners report

  • Owners report dashboard cracking in multiple places, raising concern that shards could fly if the airbags deploy.
  • Some drivers describe sudden acceleration paired with brake failure after exiting a parking lot, with the vehicle dropping into a low gear before taking off.
  • One owner reported the vehicle's doors locked on their own while stationary with a child inside, at 16,000 miles.
  • Owners report the vehicle failing to start with the key in the ignition, accompanied by a yellow anti-theft warning symbol, at 120,079 miles.
  • A brake-related complaint described difficulty stopping in time before a crash, with the owner noting changes in stopping distance over long periods of use.
2014 GMC Yukon XL complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2015Jan 2017Sep 2017May 2018Nov 2018May 2019Jul 2019Aug 2025
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2015 to Aug 2025; peak Apr 2015 (2).

2014 GMC Yukon XL recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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). GM’s number for this recall is 14515.

  3. NHTSA 13V342000Aug 6, 2013Brakes10 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic

    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."

    Risk: 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.

2014 GMC Yukon XL fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14.5 MPG
Highway
19.5 MPG
Combined
16.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,925
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.

2014 compared with other Yukon XL years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012Best1341415
2013Best735415
2014Best016316.5
2015Avoid873722—
2016Caution732303 !—

All GMC Yukon XL years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 GMC Yukon XL reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2014 Yukon XL is the best-ranked year in the lineup, with a complaint index of 0 and only 16 complaints logged.
What are the main problems with the 2014 GMC Yukon XL?
Airbags are the top reported problem area, making up 19% of complaints, followed by brakes at 13% and electrical system issues at 6%.
Does the 2014 GMC Yukon XL have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2014 Yukon XL, covering airbags, the electrical system's chassis module, and rear brake caliper bracket bolts.
How does the 2014 Yukon XL compare to other years?
The 2014 model ranks 16th out of 16 years worst, the best position, while later years like 2015, 2021, 2022, and 2023 carry an 'Avoid' verdict with complaint indexes of 87, 93, 80, and 100.
What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2014 Yukon XL?
The median mileage at failure across reported issues is 52,000 miles, though brake complaints show a higher median of 92,415.5 miles and electrical complaints at 120,079 miles.

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.