YearToAvoid

2017 GMC Yukon Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

47/100

#9 most-complained of 16 Yukon years

The 2017 GMC Yukon has a complaint index of 47, ranking 9th worst of 16 model years, earning a "Good" rating relative to other Yukon years. Electrical System issues lead at 32% of complaints, with 3 recalls on file including two brake-related campaigns.

Complaints
208
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
10 / 1
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18
15.5 city / 22 hwy

Top 2017 GMC Yukon problems

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

  1. Electrical System67 (32%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain50 (24%)
  3. Brakes47 (23%)
  4. Engine38 (18%)
  5. Other24 (12%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires15 (7%)
  7. Fuel System11 (5%)
  8. Structure & Body4 (2%)
  9. Collision Avoidance & Cameras3 (1%)
  10. Airbags2 (1%)

What owners report

  • Brake pedal occasionally fails to respond at low speed, requiring drivers to push very hard or use two feet to stop, sometimes resulting in minor collisions in driveways or parking lots.
  • Brake assist and check engine warning lights illuminate along with intermittent brake failure while driving at low speeds.
  • LED brake light strips fail intermittently on the left or right side, with connection issues inside the light assembly seal.
  • Airbags did not deploy during a reported crash despite impact.
  • Transmission shifts roughly in slow traffic with delays of one to two seconds and a loud thump when engaging gear.
  • Rear tailgate unexpectedly comes down while loading or unloading items, even after replacing the lift gate support and actuator.
2017 GMC Yukon complaints: complaints filed per quarter212017 Q12018 Q32019 Q42021 Q12022 Q22023 Q32024 Q42026 Q1
266 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q2 (21).

2017 GMC Yukon recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V761000Oct 24, 2019Brakes652,967 vehicles

    Service brakes

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.

    Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

  2. NHTSA 19V645000Sep 6, 2019Brakes3,456,719 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.

    Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.

  3. NHTSA 16V651000Sep 8, 2016Airbags3,640,162 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

    Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

2017 GMC Yukon fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15.5 MPG
Highway
22 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
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.

2017 compared with other Yukon 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
2015Avoid1006021017.5
2016Caution672855 !18
2017Good47208318
2018Good2771318
2019Best20582 !17

All GMC Yukon years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 GMC Yukon reliable?
Relative to other Yukon model years, the 2017 is rated "Good." It has a complaint index of 47, ranking 9th worst out of 16 model years tracked, well below the 2015 Yukon's index of 100.
What is the top problem area for the 2017 GMC Yukon?
The Electrical System accounts for 32% of complaints (67 of 208), with a median mileage at failure of 54,285 miles. Brakes and Transmission & Powertrain follow at 23% and 24% respectively.
Does the 2017 GMC Yukon have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2017 Yukon: two brake-related campaigns (19V761000 and 19V645000) involving EBCM reprogramming, and one airbag recall (16V651000) involving SDM software reflashing.
How many complaints and crashes has the 2017 Yukon had?
NHTSA has recorded 208 complaints for the 2017 GMC Yukon, including 10 crashes, 1 fire, and 3 injuries, with no deaths reported.
How does the 2017 Yukon compare to other years like 2015 or 2021?
The 2017 Yukon's complaint index of 47 is much lower than the 2015 Yukon's index of 100 and the 2021 Yukon's index of 93, both rated "Avoid." The 2017 model performs better than those years.

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.