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Active NHTSA advisory: do not drive. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

GMC · Large SUV

2016 GMC Yukon

Gas

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
12 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

63 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 4 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.

Recalls1 critical 5

Complaints14 crash · 2 fire · 9 injured reported 518

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 19 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 GMC Yukon is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 12 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Yukon C1500 2WD, is EPA-rated at 19 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 518 complaints, most often about the exterior lighting. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

GMC Yukon — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — GMC Yukon · Photo: HJUdall · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Yukon C1500 2WD	Gas	RWD	5.3L 8-cyl	16	23	19	$3,550
Yukon C1500 XL 2WD	Gas	RWD	5.3L 8-cyl	16	23	19	$3,550
Yukon C1500 2WD	Gas	RWD	5.3L 8-cyl	16	23	18	$3,700
Yukon C1500 XL 2WD	Gas	RWD	5.3L 8-cyl	16	23	18	$3,700
Yukon K1500 4WD	Gas	4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	16	22	18	$3,700
Yukon K1500 4WD	Gas	4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	16	22	18	$3,700
Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	Gas	4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	15	22	18	$3,700
Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	Gas	4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	15	22	18	$3,700
Yukon C1500 2WD	Gas	RWD	6.2L 8-cyl	15	22	17	$3,950
Yukon C1500 XL 2WD	Gas	RWD	6.2L 8-cyl	15	22	17	$3,950
Yukon K1500 4WD	Gas	4WD	6.2L 8-cyl	15	21	17	$3,950
Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	Gas	4WD	6.2L 8-cyl	14	20	17	$3,950

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36617, 36618, 36615, 36616, 36625, 36627, 36624, 36626, 36694, 36695.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Yukon C1500 2WD, Yukon C1500 XL 2WD, Yukon K1500 4WD, Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-III ULEV125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Yukon C1500 2WD, Yukon C1500 XL 2WD, Yukon K1500 4WD, Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	6 / 10	Bin 4	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 2F: 7,001 - 8,000 lb (3,175 - 3,629 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	8
Displacement	5.3 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain

RWD/Rear-Wheel Drive

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Denali, SLE, SLT). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	203.9–224.4 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	80.3 in
Height	74.4 in
Wheelbase	116.1–129.9 in
Track, front	68.9 in
Track, rear	68.5 in
Curb weight	5,309–5,981 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	51/49 to 52/48

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 6 configurations: 4-door SUV 4WD Denali, 4-door SUV 4WD Sle/Slt, 4-door SUV RWD Sle/Slt, Yukon-Xl 4-door SUV 4WD Denali, Yukon-Xl 4-door SUV 4WD Sle/Slt, Yukon-Xl 4-door SUV RWD Sle/Slt. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (5)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

N192261050

652,967 vehicles 80% reported repaired built Sep 27, 2013 – Sep 16, 2019

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V761000 reported Oct 24, 2019 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

N192268490

3,456,719 vehicles 75% reported repaired built Sep 19, 2013 – Aug 30, 2017

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V645000 reported Sep 6, 2019 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

17287

40,683 vehicles 84% reported repaired built Nov 20, 2013 – Aug 9, 2016

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) softw 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. Fix 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 August 4, 2017. 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 17287.

NHTSA campaign 17V437000 reported Jul 10, 2017 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

16007

3,640,162 vehicles 90% reported repaired built Oct 16, 2013 – Aug 15, 2016

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V651000 reported Sep 8, 2016 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

!critical

Suspension

42190

Do not drive 3,738 vehicles 99% reported repaired built Feb 17, 2016 – Apr 5, 2016

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing. Risk Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Until the repairs have been made, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 42190.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V256000 reported Apr 28, 2016 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Vacuum — Brake Vacuum Pump Failure closed

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

Opened Nov 20, 2018 · closed Apr 10, 2022 · action PE18012 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Yukon

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. GMC publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →GMC’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 GMC Yukon, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

518complaints filed

14 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 9 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2015: 1 · 2016: 17 · 2017: 12 · 2018: 53 · 2019: 166 · 2020: 81 · 2021: 34 · 2022: 46 · 2023: 20 · 2024: 27 · 2025: 35 · 2026: 26

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 211

Service Brakes → 96

Electrical System → 90

Power Train → 76

Engine → 64

Unspecified 51

In depth: brake problems → · electrical problems → · transmission and drivetrain problems → · engine problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon Denali. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the contact was notified by another driver that the rear taillights were inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. Neither a dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.

Exterior Lighting at 104,000 miles Jan 24, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11638321

At less than 3 years old and 60k miles, the following has occurred at different times up until now: overall electrical malfunction including display illumination failure (display goes completely black and/or dim while driving - cannot see speedometer etc.

Electrical System Jul 9, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11230316

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon Denali. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, the engine had failed on three separate occasions. The contact stated that prior to each failure, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine.

Engine at 74,000 miles May 1, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11658125

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon Denali. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping between gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The dealer replaced the transmission fluid twice; however, the failure recurred.

Power Train at 65,000 miles Oct 23, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11621537

I took my car into a Gmc dealer due to a funny noise. I had to pay $800 to replace my brake vacuum. The vehicle was not braking properly prior to this fix

Service Brakes at 47,500 miles Mar 2, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11183704

While entering parking lot of a walmart store, the front sensors did not show an object (while in blind area of windshield and door post). Driver hit concrete base of street light in parking lot going about 10 miles per hour in speed. Air bags did not deploy nor did seat belt tighten to restrain driver.

Air Bags at 70,000 miles Apr 26, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11203908

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by GMC itself: 65 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 91 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Yukon model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 55k

miles, typically

Half the 303 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 40,000 and 74,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 12

10k–20k 5

20k–30k 18

30k–40k 33

40k–50k 53

50k–60k 50

60k–70k 43

70k–80k 23

80k–90k 18

90k–100k 20

100k–150k 24

150k + 4

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Exterior Lighting	145	52,000	1.18×
Service Brakes	55	54,000	1.35×
Electrical System	42	45,000	1.0×
Power Train	38	81,000	1.56×
Unspecified	31	44,000	—
Engine	23	74,000	1.19×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: power train (1.56×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV 4WD	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	22%
SUV 4WD	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	22%
SUV 4WD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	21%
SUV 4WD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	20%
SUV RWD	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	23%
SUV RWD	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	23%
SUV RWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	20%
SUV RWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	21%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 4,035

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 4027 service bulletins, 4 service campaigns, 4 others

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Power Train, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP5700H Service bulletin
2026-09-21 · Unknown Or Other
This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5509N Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT5509M Service bulletin
2026-05-14 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0300 P0300 on GMC →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	40 bulletins · 1 owner report
P2635 P2635 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	29 bulletins
P018B P018B on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	23 bulletins
C1114 C1114 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	20 bulletins
B3055 B3055 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	19 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	19 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	19 bulletins
C0710 C0710 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electronic Stability Control	19 bulletins
U0028 U0028 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Steering	19 bulletins
U0415 U0415 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Steering	19 bulletins
U0126 U0126 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Steering	18 bulletins
C0544 C0544 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Steering	15 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 7.5%

failed emissions

1,079 initial inspections of 1,053 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 Yukon	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	7.5%	4.2%	1,076
Failed the safety inspection	1.9%	2.2%	1,079
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.46%	0.27%	1,079
Miles driven a year	12,159	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	125,298	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Yukon by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 1 23 mpg 2026 C 3 83 Do not drive 2025 B 2 85 23 mpg 2024 B 3 181 23 mpg 2023 C 4 471 23 mpg 2022 D 5 358 23 mpg 2021 F 14 570 23 mpg 2020 D 4 84 Do not drive 2019 C 3 126 Do not drive 2018 D 5 130 Do not drive 2017 C 3 359 19 mpg 2016 this page D 5 518 Do not drive

Common questions about the 2016 Yukon

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 GMC Yukon have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 GMC Yukon, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 16V256000, covering Suspension. There is an active do not drive advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 GMC Yukon?

NHTSA gave the 2016 GMC Yukon 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 3-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (63/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 GMC Yukon?

Across the 12 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 GMC Yukon, the best EPA combined figure is 19 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 GMC Yukon?

Transport Canada measured it at 203.9–224.4 in long, 80.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 74.4 in tall, on a 116.1–129.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 5,309–5,981 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 GMC Yukon?

Owners have filed 518 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Yukon, most often about exterior lighting, service brakes, electrical system. Of those, 14 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 9 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 GMC Yukon?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 GMC Yukon runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 4, Bin 5, LEV-III ULEV125 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 GMC Yukon?

The manufacturer has filed 4035 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Yukon, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 GMC Yukon do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 GMC Yukon failed the emissions check on 7.5% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.9% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	12 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	12 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	5	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	518	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	8 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	4035	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	8 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API

2016 GMC Yukon

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Fuel Economy

Transmission

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (5)

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Air Bags

Air Bags

Suspension

NHTSA defect investigations

Whether any of this applies to one specific Yukon

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2016 GMC Yukon

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Median mileage by component

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

Yukon by model year

Common questions about the 2016 Yukon

Does the 2016 GMC Yukon have any recalls?

How safe is the 2016 GMC Yukon?

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 GMC Yukon?

What are the dimensions of the 2016 GMC Yukon?

What do owners complain about on the 2016 GMC Yukon?

How clean is the 2016 GMC Yukon?

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 GMC Yukon?

How does the 2016 GMC Yukon do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method