2016 GMC Yukon brake problems
98 of the 517 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Yukon name the brakes (NHTSA’s “Service Brakes” heading — the hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist). Filed under the same heading: 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the brakes
Source: NHTSA complaint database7 of the 98 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 31 · 2020: 14 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 3
Half of the 55 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the brake problem between 42,000 and 70,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
517 complaints in all about the 2016 GMC Yukon, 3 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Service Brakes” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: GMC Yukon brake problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the brakes. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Rear brake light LED strip is out. Vehicle only has 37k miles on it. Dealership will not repair it but wants to sell a new brake assembly for $750 each. If you tap on the light assembly, it comes on momentary and goes out again.
When in traffic at slow speeds the brake system shuts down and takes my body weight to stop car. Had checked and no visible leak. Now Gmc has a fix but charge to fix if over warranty mileage. Second issue is the transmission went at 96,000 miles while highway driving loosing all top end gears at 65 MPH.
Faulty break lights. The LED circuit is faulty and cracks which requires the entire light assembly to be replaced
Vehicle in motion and brakes would not work unless you put all your body weight on the brakes, and then just barely. Happened multiple times on and off both at high rate of speed on highway and on city streets. Took into Gmc dealership and they replaced the vacuum pump for the brakes -- problem solved after spending $800.
My 2016 Gmc Yukon Xl recently began having a hard brake pedal when reversing out of parking spots, or when rolling downhill. A couple of times, when rolling forward downhill it malfunctioned causing me to run into a ditch. . The hard brake pedal had caused me to not be able to stop the vehicle several times.
What is on file about the brakes
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 19V645000 HighSep 6, 2019 · 3,456,719 vehicles
- 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.
NHTSA investigation
- PE18012 Brake Vacuum Pump Failureopened Nov 20, 2018 · closed Apr 10, 2022
- 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 S…
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 GMC Yukon names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 GMC Yukon
Source: the same files- electrical problems 90 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 75 complaints
- engine problems 64 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre brake problems common on the 2016 GMC Yukon?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 98 owner complaints naming the brakes on this model year (19% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the brakes on the 2016 GMC Yukon?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 19V645000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do brake problems show up on the 2016 GMC Yukon?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 54,000 miles; half of them between 42,000 and 70,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Service Brakes" heading cover?
The hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.