YearToAvoid

2012 GMC Yukon Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2012 GMC Yukon ranks 18th of 21 model years with a complaint index of 15 and earns a Best verdict. NHTSA lists 91 complaints and 3 recalls, with airbags and structure/body issues (dashboard cracking, door handles) as the top concerns.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
15/100
#18 of 21 Yukon years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
91
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
17
15 city / 21 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2012 GMC Yukon problems

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

  1. Other46 (51%)
  2. Airbags25 (27%)
  3. Structure & Body23 (25%)
  4. Engine9 (10%)
  5. Electrical System7 (8%)
  6. Fuel System4 (4%)
  7. Seat Belts2 (2%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain2 (2%)
  9. Brakes1 (1%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers1 (1%)

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

What owners report

  • Dashboards crack spontaneously near the passenger airbag cover and steering column, sometimes spreading into multiple cracks over months.
  • Front door handles pop out and fail repeatedly, with owners reporting no permanent fix available.
  • The fuel tank pump shuts off repeatedly during fill-ups due to pressure not releasing, extending fill time.
  • During acceleration from a stop, the vehicle hesitates and loses power while the engine continues to rev.
  • Power liftgate struts fail, causing the gate to open only partially or slam shut with force.
2012 GMC Yukon complaints: complaints filed per quarter82013 Q22016 Q42018 Q12019 Q32020 Q42022 Q22024 Q3
91 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2017 Q3 (8).

2012 GMC Yukon recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V051000Feb 5, 2021Airbags284,645 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    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 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.

  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.

2012 GMC Yukon fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
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.

2012 compared with other Yukon 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
2010Good40158317
2011Caution65254517
2012Best1591317
2013Good35146417
2014Best1056316.5

All GMC Yukon years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 GMC Yukon reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Yukon ranks 18th out of 21 model years with a complaint index of 15, giving it a Best verdict relative to other Yukon years.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 GMC Yukon?
NHTSA data shows airbags (27% of complaints) and structure & body issues (25%), largely dashboard cracking and door handle failures, as the top problem areas, followed by engine and electrical complaints.
Does the 2012 GMC Yukon have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Yukon, two covering airbag inflator replacement and one covering an ignition lock housing inspection and replacement. None are do-not-drive recalls.
What year Yukon should I avoid instead of the 2012?
Among Yukon model years, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2023, and 2024 carry Avoid verdicts with much higher complaint indexes, ranging from 75 to 100, compared to 15 for 2012.
How many complaints does the 2012 GMC Yukon have?
NHTSA lists 91 complaints for the 2012 GMC Yukon, with a median mileage at failure of 66,000 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.