Research Another Vehicle

Total NHTSA Complaints
266
Owner filings recorded
#1 Reported Problem
Exterior Lighting
104 reports (39.1%)
Crash Incident Reports
4
Filings citing a crash
Fire & Injury Reports
4
0 fire • 4 injury filings
Defect Investigation Analysis

Executive Problem Findings

AutoUtility currently tracks 266 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2016 GMC Yukon. Exterior Lighting issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 104 complaints (39.1% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 4 filings cite a crash, 4 report one or more injuries.

Methodology Notice: Consumer complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Filings are not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and do not constitute an audited component failure rate.
Incident & Severity Profile
  • • Total Owner Reports: 266 complaints submitted under federal penalty.
  • • Primary Subsystem: Exterior Lighting accounts for 39.1% of submissions (104 reports).
  • • Secondary Systems: Brakes & Traction Control (57), Electrical System (53).
  • • Crash Incidents: 4 filings cite an impact or collision.
  • • Thermal Incidents: 0 filings cite smoke or fire.
  • • Reported Casualties: 4 injury filings • 0 fatality filings.
Category Distribution

Reported Defect Categories for 2016 GMC Yukon

Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records

Exterior Lighting
104
39.1%
Brakes & Traction Control
57
21.4%
Electrical System
53
19.9%
Powertrain & Transmission
34
12.8%
Engine & Cooling
29
10.9%
#1 39.1% SHARE

Exterior Lighting

104 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
#2 21.4% SHARE

Brakes & Traction Control

57 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 2 Crash 🩹 1 Injury
⚠️ 2 Associated Recall Campaigns
#3 19.9% SHARE

Electrical System

53 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
#4 12.8% SHARE

Powertrain & Transmission

34 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
Federal Oversight

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

ODI Action #PE18012 CLOSED Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
Opened: 2018-11-20 • Closed: 2022-04-10
Subject / Subsystem
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
Affected Component
SERVICE BRAKES
Recall Linkage
Campaign #19V645000
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon SUVs.If the brake assist vacuum pump fails to operate as intended, the amount of brake power assist supplied to the driver can be significantly reduced, extending the subject vehicle stopping distance. GM stated that the root cause of pump failures was due to foreign debris such as oil sludge in the engine oil. GM stated that this debris can become trapped by the oil inlet filter screen. Under normal operation, this screen allows a small amount of oil into the brake vacuum pump. The foreign debris can, over time, clog the pump which can cause a loss of lubrication and a reduction in the amount of vacuum produced leading to a hard pedal and extended stopping distance.On December 13, 2018, GM issued a Special Coverage (N182202780) for the brake vacuum pump issue in MY 2014-2017 trucks and 2015-2017 SUVs on the K2XX platform for 6 years or 72,000 miles. Special Coverage repair includes the replacement of the vacuum pump and vacuum pump belt. Consumers received notification of the coverage via mail. On September 6, 2019, GM notified NHTSA that it was conducting safety recall 19V-645 which reprograms the electronic brake control module (EBCM) and included approximately 3.5 million trucks and SUVs. In October 2019, GM extended the terms of special coverage N182202780 to 10 years or 150,000 miles as well as now including the entire scope of recall 19V-645. In October 2020, GM expanded the scope of coverage N182202780 to include the MY 2018 Escalade and 2019 Tahoe.The remedy implemented in GM recall 19V-645 appears to be sufficient in addressing the safety-related concerns of this issue. Loss of vacuum assist now occurs at a progressive rate as well as there being a more timely warning of a brake problem to the driver through the driver information center (DIC). In view of the recall action and revision to the special coverage, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.
Consumer Filings

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2016 GMC Yukon

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Brakes & Traction Control ODI #11759054
Filed: 08/24/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle and the ABS warning light was illuminated...."

Incident Date: 08/22/2026 NHTSA Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Steering System ODI #11751501
Filed: 07/20/2026
Defect Report

"Power steering intermittently and unexpectedly stops working."

Incident Date: 07/17/2026 NHTSA Component: STEERING
Powertrain & Transmission ODI #11747485
Filed: 06/30/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the inspection station for an inspection, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the transmission had seized, and the vehicle failed to..."

Incident Date: 06/30/2026 NHTSA Component: POWER TRAIN
Brakes & Traction Control ODI #11740130
Filed: 05/26/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal became inoperable and failed to engage properly, with no warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was parked, excessive force was needed to engage the..."

Incident Date: 05/26/2026 NHTSA Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Powertrain & Transmission ODI #11734891
Filed: 04/30/2026
Defect Report

"Transmission went out very early. Had to get it replaced whenever I reverse. I have to really smash on the break in order for it to stop if it does stop so somethings wrong with the breaking whenever I hit a bump the left side suspension feels like I’m a lose control and sometimes my radio works..."

Incident Date: 02/01/2026 NHTSA Component: POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Multi-Year Trend

Complaint History for GMC Yukon

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2015 GMC Yukon 546 10 10 View 2015 Problems →
2016 GMC Yukon Current Page 266 4 5 Current
2017 GMC Yukon 196 10 3 View 2017 Problems →
2018 GMC Yukon 69 2 3 View 2018 Problems →
2019 GMC Yukon 53 0 2 View 2019 Problems →
2020 GMC Yukon 35 0 4 View 2020 Problems →
2021 GMC Yukon 305 9 13 View 2021 Problems →
2022 GMC Yukon 168 1 5 View 2022 Problems →
2023 GMC Yukon 217 1 4 View 2023 Problems →
2024 GMC Yukon 155 0 3 View 2024 Problems →
2025 GMC Yukon 50 0 2 View 2025 Problems →
2026 GMC Yukon 0 0 3 View 2026 Problems →
Exhaustive System Audit

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2016 GMC Yukon

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 59 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Injury Entries Fatality Entries
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 80 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 24 2 0 1 0
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 21 0 0 0 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 18 0 0 0 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15 0 0 0 0
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 12 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES 4 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 4 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 4 0 0 0 0
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 4 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 3 2 0 3 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES 3 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 3 0 0 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SEATS 1 0 0 0 0
Equipment & Accessories NHTSA category: EQUIPMENT 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,LANE DEPARTURE 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 1 0
SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
Tires NHTSA category: TIRES 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
VISIBILITY,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
Related Workstations

Related Official Reports for 2016 GMC Yukon

Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year

← 2016 GMC Yukon Overview

Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.

2016 GMC Yukon Safety Recalls (5) →

Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.

2016 GMC Yukon Safety Ratings →

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.

2016 GMC Yukon MPG & Range →

EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Common Problems & Reliability Questions for the 2016 GMC Yukon

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 GMC Yukon

What are the most common reported problems with the 2016 GMC Yukon?

In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2016 GMC Yukon is Exterior Lighting, appearing in 104 records (39.1% of submitted filings).

Secondary reported categories include Brakes & Traction Control (57) and Electrical System (53).

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is the 2016 GMC Yukon a reliable vehicle?

AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 266 consumer defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns for the 2016 GMC Yukon.

Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.

Cross-reference official safety recall campaigns →
Source: NHTSA ODI & Safety Recalls Databases

Are there crash, fire, or injury reports associated with the 2016 GMC Yukon?

Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Yukon, 4 filings cite a crash, 0 cite smoke or fire, and 4 report one or more injuries.

Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Consumer Logs

Has NHTSA formally investigated defects on the 2016 GMC Yukon?

NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2016 GMC Yukon (all closed).

Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Registry
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.