2013 GMC Yukon Denali: common problems

Owners of the 2013 GMC Yukon Denali filed 29 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 29

What fails most often

1 Air bags 52% of all complaints
2 Structure 31% of all complaints
3 Engine 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 15 complaints (52% of all).
Structure: 9 complaints (31% of all).
Engine: 1 complaints (3% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 29 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

door locks, latches, handles1 · 3%
warning lights, check engine1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Air bags	15	0	0
Structure	9	0	0
Engine	1	0	0
Other	15	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Live in arizona. Was driving in august 2018 in afternoon vehicle failed to accelerate in intersection. Almost got tboned. Took to gmc dealership. We were so scared as we had our son in the car.
Engine · 2019-04-27 · NHTSA complaint #11204170
Have had 2 cracks in my dashboard, passenger side from rear/left side toward windshield from airbag and another over instrument panel. They have been there for over a year, I didn't realize how common this problem was or I would have reported sooner.
Air bags · 2019-02-27 · NHTSA complaint #11182700
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 gmc yukon denali. While the vehicle was stationary, the contact noticed that the dashboard was cracked near the front passenger side air bag.
Structure · 2018-11-06 · NHTSA complaint #11149750
I took vehicle into gmc service center after airbag service light came on. Technicians diagnosed that the passenger airbag module required replacement. It has never deployed and presents a potential highway safety issue.
Air bags · 2018-08-13 · NHTSA complaint #11119706
"takata recall. Dash is cracked and continues to crack on the passenger side next to the passenger airbag. I'm worried that the dash could splinter in a vehicle crash if the passenger airbag deploys.
Structure · 2018-04-27 · NHTSA complaint #11090507
I have stress cracks in a faulty dashboard that has had no blunt force. These cracks are located at the instrument cluster, center speaker and another at the passenger airbag. Behind the instrument cluster a portion of the dash has collapsed now. My vehicle has been garaged for most of the time since purchased.
Structure · 2017-09-05 · NHTSA complaint #11021499
Yesterday the outside passenger door handle broke off --- again, plastic parts instead of metal. If there was an accident, that passenger might not have an airbag properly deployed and nobody could open that door from the outside to rescue them!
Air bags · 2017-07-07 · NHTSA complaint #11003683

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20162
201713
20187
20197

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,958 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Yukon Denali has 45 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 29, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2013 GMC Yukon Denali?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, structure, engine. Total complaints: 29. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (3%), warning lights, check engine (3%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 GMC Yukon Denali?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2013 GMC Yukon Denali from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2013 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.