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GMC Yukon XLModel year report

2019 GMC Yukon XL Problems

Compared with other GMC Yukon XL years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

28/100 0.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
68filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
102,194miles, 22 complaints with mileage
Recalls
21 do-not-drive
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
—not in EPA data

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2019 GMC Yukon XL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe engine problems around the 6.2L V8: a ticking or knocking noise that develops into lifter, camshaft or bearing damage, sometimes with a loss of power while driving. Transmission complaints are the second theme, typically lurching or shuddering shifts and, in some cases, a complete loss of drive. Reports cluster from roughly 60,000 miles upward, with a number of engine cases appearing above 100,000 miles.

  1. Engine

    Engine lifter and valvetrain failure (ticking, knocking)

    Mentioned in 30 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe a ticking or knocking sound from the engine bay that gets faster with throttle, often followed by a flashing check engine light, rough running or loss of power. Owners commonly report the dealer diagnosing failed lifters, and in some cases camshaft or bearing damage, with an engine replacement quoted. Several note the engine is the 6.2L V8 and that their vehicle is not included in a related recall, and a number mention the repair involved a long stay in the shop. Most reports fall between roughly 50,000 and 160,000 miles, with many around 100,000 miles.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Listen for a tick or knock at cold start and at light throttle, and ask for service records of oil changes and any valvetrain work. Check whether the engine has already been replaced or rebuilt.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The V8 engine on our family's 2019 GMC Yukon Denali XL check engine light came on and began ticking while taking our daughter to college in Montana. The dealer informs us the engine has probable lifter failure and will need to be disassembled to diagnose additional issues. The estimated repair costs are from $3,000 to $10,000+, may require a new engine, and we will be without the vehicle for almost two months. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11683999, filed 2025-08

    “Vehicle started showing a po308 code. Called sewell gmc In midland where I purchased the vehical they were 2 months out on diagnostic services. So I took it to another shop. They ran a camera into the problem cylinder and for scaring on the walls. They said it was due to the afm system and the engine was unrepairable. So now I am out 17,000 dollars and stranded over 700 miles from my home due to a manufactured defect.”

    NHTSA complaint #11759501, filed 2026-08
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission shudder, harsh shifts or total failure

    • 10 complaints (15%)
    • median 83,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2023–2026

    Complaints describe shuddering or shaky shifts in the lower gears, delayed engagement when going into drive, and in some cases the vehicle refusing to move in reverse or drive at all. Owners report dealers diagnosing a general transmission failure and replacing the unit, and some mention the same failure returning after repair. Reports cluster from about 60,000 to 100,000 miles, with several between 65,000 and 83,000 miles.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Drive the vehicle from a cold start through all gears and feel for shudder or hesitation, and ask whether any transmission flush, repair or replacement has been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The transmission is shaky, Lower gears the truck seems to fight it way into the next gear, I feel this is happening around 3 to 5 gears. One garage told me the power converter was failing. I changed the transmission fluid and filter and it got better, but sill, this is an expensive truck. This is power train, this should be covered to 100,000 miles.”

    NHTSA complaint #11711548, filed 2026-01

    “I actually own two GMC's one is a 2018 GMC sierra and this vehicle and they both have transmission problems. This vehicle has 100,000 miles on it and the transmission is gone, you want to charge 70,0000.00 for a vehicle that has a sup par transmission and to replace it cost over 6000.00. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11521258, filed 2023-05
  3. Brakes

    Service Trailer Brake System warning

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners describe a repeated "Service Trailer Brake System" message with a chime that comes and goes while driving, sometimes without towing anything at all. Complaints mention the dealer finding nothing wrong or replacing a fuse, and that restarting the vehicle only temporarily clears it. Reported at a range of mileages, typically during everyday driving rather than under towing loads.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the trailer brake warning has appeared and whether the trailer brake control module or wiring has been checked; confirm the fuse and battery are in good order.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Service Trailer Brake System keeps coming on while driving. Dealership says nothing wrong although they replaced fuse. Still happening. Only thing that seems to work is pulling off road and restarting vehicle. That is only a,temporary fix . Comes back a few days later. This is a safety issue as 1) distracts me while driving 2) I pull an 8,000lb travel trailer with the vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #11552452, filed 2023-10

    “I purchased this vehicle, new. I have never towed anything with this vehicle. Yet, the SERVICE Trailer Brake System warning has been flashing, endlessly for two days. The chime is distracting when it comes to driving and/or hearing emergency sirens, should they be nearby. I have not taken it in for service as this just occurred yesterday (4/27/2022). This issue makes the vehicle difficult to drive and feel safe.”

    NHTSA complaint #11462625, filed 2022-04
  4. Steering

    Power steering assist dropping out

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe a "Service Power Steering" or power steering disabled message with the assist cutting out, leaving heavy steering until the vehicle is restarted. Owners report the code was found but the dealer could not reproduce the condition, and some note the symptom appears only intermittently. Reported at varying mileages, often shortly after start-up or at highway speed.

    What to check: Ask whether the power steering warning has ever come on, and have the steering system scanned for stored codes rather than relying on a short test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Steering will all of a sudden feel disconnected. Feels like truck is sliding, till I move the wheel, then it feels connected again. Very weird feeling. This only seems to happen on the highway at highway speed. Witch is the part that worries me. This happens at least once every time on on the highway.”

    NHTSA complaint #11580752, filed 2024-04

    “Last Friday evening, while driving the vehicle on the highway, the power steering suddenly stopped working. I heard a warning chime and saw an indicator Service Power Steering message on my display. I managed to steer the vehicle into a parking lot to inspect the engine bay and fuses. When I restarted the engine, the power steering was functioning. The power steering failure has not reoccured since it initially happened. My vehicle is a 2019 year model. I noticed that GM has a recall for 2021 year models for this very same problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11455531, filed 2022-03

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection by a shop familiar with these engines is worth the cost: listen for valvetrain noise, feel for transmission shudder on a cold drive, and ask for records of any engine or transmission work. Service history and remaining coverage on those two components matter more than mileage alone on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 68 consumer complaints for the 2019 GMC Yukon XL. 22 of the complaints include a mileage, and 18% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 102,194 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 5 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns (1 marked do-not-drive) and 708 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 11 GMC Yukon XL model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 28 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (1), Suspension (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “Unintended surge of acceleration. Will happen randomly about once a week when under slight acceleration. It feels like the accelerator goes full throttle for one second, causing a huge surge of acceleration, almost plowing into the car in front of us multiple times. The last time it happened while in reverse. Dealer examined the car and said there are no codes stored in the computer and couldn't replicate the problem. We get the car back tomorrow and my file drives it with our 4 kids, so this is vary scary (for the safety of our family and others on the road). …”

NHTSA complaint #11269008, filed 2019-10, 10,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and then later restarting the vehicle, it was discovered that the transmission would not shift into reverse(R) or drive(D). The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11515094, filed 2023-04, 83,000 miles

Electrical system: “The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that on several occasions while stopped and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle reversed inadvertently and then jerked forward to accelerate. The contact added that the battery was drained but the failure was not the most important to report at this time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The issue reoccurred the same day. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …”

NHTSA complaint #11737523, filed 2026-05, 135,000 miles

Engine cooling: “The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 - 55 MPH, and slowing down to approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine started knocking. The contact noticed that the engine was one quart of oil low after an oil change and driving less than 2,058 miles. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer, but was not repaired. …”

NHTSA complaint #11722908, filed 2026-03, 62,008 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

18% of the 22 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 64,747 and 127,000 miles.

0%0–1014%10–255%25–5014%50–7514%75–10045%100–1509%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (22 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 102,194 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

2019202020212022202320242025252026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2019 GMC Yukon XL. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Yukon XL 1500 · SUV 4WD★★★★☆4 / 4543 · 20.4% risk
Yukon XL 1500 · SUV RWD★★★★☆4 / 4543 · 21.2% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2019 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.

Neighbouring years: 2018: same overall rating; 2020: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2019 GMC Yukon XL → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 708 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 708 bulletins →

Other model years of the GMC Yukon XL

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026402,6503517Too new to compareToo new
20252833,5001517Too new to compareToo new
20247524,0002417Too new to compareToo new
202322646,7304417100 · MoreToo new
202217460,995441784 · MoreRising
202123065,00012417100 · MoreRising
20204786,00024—17 · FewerRising
201968102,19424—28 · FewerRising
20185638,71424—35 · FewerRising
201714754,49814—61 · TypicalStable
201620255,30034—93 · MoreFalling
201530870,00024—74 · MoreFalling
20141152,0003417—Not enough data
20132265,0004416—Rising
20121395,0004—12—Not enough data
20114772,2003——0 · FewerFalling
201028108,4613——0 · FewerFalling
20092353,5005———Falling
200869110,1654——2 · FewerFalling
200797100,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200617103,8842———Falling
20054268,5005——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20048745,5003——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200310270,0003——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20029563,3501——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200112062,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20006969,0006——Not compared (before 2008)Rising

All GMC Yukon XL model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2019 GMC Yukon XL?

Owners of this model year most often describe engine problems around the 6.2L V8: a ticking or knocking noise that develops into lifter, camshaft or bearing damage, sometimes with a loss of power while driving. The issues reported most often: Engine lifter and valvetrain failure (ticking, knocking); Transmission shudder, harsh shifts or total failure; Service Trailer Brake System warning.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2019 GMC Yukon XL have?

NHTSA recorded 68 consumer complaints for the 2019 GMC Yukon XL as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2019 GMC Yukon XL is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 34 complaints (50% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 15.

Has the 2019 GMC Yukon XL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2019 GMC Yukon XL do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2019 GMC Yukon XL 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

At what mileage are problems with the 2019 GMC Yukon XL reported?

Among the 22 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 102,194 miles and the middle half falls between 64,747 and 127,000 miles; 18% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.