2009 GMC Yukon XL: common problems

Owners of the 2009 GMC Yukon XL filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 23

What fails most often

1 Air bags 43% of all complaints
2 Engine 13% of all complaints
3 Structure 13% of all complaints
4 Backover prevention 4% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
7 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
8 Fuel system 4% 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: 10 complaints (43% of all).
Engine: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Structure: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Backover prevention: 1 complaints (4% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (4% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 23 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

loss of power / limp mode2 · 9%
warning lights, check engine2 · 9%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 4%
oil leak or consumption1 · 4%
rust, corrosion1 · 4%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 4%
steering or power steering problems1 · 4%
transmission slipping1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Air bags	10	0	0
Engine	3	0	0
Structure	3	0	0
Backover prevention	1	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Powertrain	1	0	0
Steering	1	0	0
Visibility	1	0	0
Wheels	1	0	0
Other	7	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.

The dashboard cracked in 3 places shortly after we purchased vehicle. Above steering wheel and passenger side by airbag.
Visibility · 2021-07-09 · NHTSA complaint #11424142
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 gmc yukon xl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v053000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Air bags · 2021-03-05 · NHTSA complaint #11399340
Dash is brittle and cracking. While driving small pieces of dash come loose and could get in your eyes
Backover prevention · 2020-11-29 · NHTSA complaint #11376934
We just took in to have vehicle looked and and said it was first the electrical and now is the membrane of the vehicle, causing the remote start and engine light to not work. Also causing the vehicle to cut out due to a problem in the fuel system.
Engine · 2020-04-14 · NHTSA complaint #11321076
I work in a dealership and purchased my vehicle used in april 2016. At the time it had small cracks that extended from the dash airbags about 1" or so towards the windshield. The cracks are now quite large. If the airbags were to deploy, the plastic from the dash would also become airborne.
Air bags · 2020-01-28 · NHTSA complaint #11302481
The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and, when the wheel was removed, it disintegrated due to corrosion. The technician also noticed that the area around the lug nut was also corroded. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
Wheels · 2019-10-28 · NHTSA complaint #11271452
Takata recall. I have contacted gm, dealerships as gm told me and now here. I do not feel safe driving my vehicle with this current situation and no fix for this make of vehicles. I'm requesting some better answer other than "don't put a passenger in that seat" or "disengage the airbag".
Air bags · 2018-04-10 · NHTSA complaint #11084302
Broken/cracked motor mount bracket. Unsure if it happened during motion or was faulty.
Engine · 2017-12-22 · NHTSA complaint #11056047

When owners complained

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

20102
20111
20131
20142
20151
20163
20173
20181
20191
20205
20213

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Yukon XL has 85 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 23, below average.

What to check before buying

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

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2009 GMC Yukon XL?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, structure. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (9%), warning lights, check engine (9%), door locks, latches, handles (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 GMC Yukon XL?

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 2009 GMC Yukon XL 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 2009 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.