2012 GMC Yukon Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report cracked or separating dashes, particularly around the passenger airbag and above the instrument cluster, and many say the cracks appeared while the vehicle was parked with no impact. A second common theme is the Takata passenger-side airbag inflator recall and the difficulty owners describe in getting the parts replaced. Engine top-end noise (lifters), fuel-fill and gauge problems, and door/liftgate hardware come up less often.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Cracked dashboard, often near airbag and cluster

   • 44 complaints (70%)
   • median 68,000 mi at 5.7 yrs old (27 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2024

   Complaints describe cracks appearing in the top of the dashboard, most often at the corner of the passenger airbag cover, above the instrument cluster, or both; several owners say a piece of the dash has separated and rattles. Many state the cracks formed while the vehicle was parked or during ordinary driving over bumps, with no collision involved. Owners also express concern about what a cracked cover could do if the passenger airbag deploys. According to the complaints, dealers generally declined to repair it as a warranty item or quoted a repair cost, and owners report covering or gluing the dash themselves. Reported from very low mileage (a few thousand miles) up through about 120,000 miles, with many appearing between roughly 24,000 and 100,000 miles, including on garaged trucks.

   Recall 21V051000

   What to check: Inspect the top of the dash carefully in daylight for hairline cracks at the airbag cover seam and above the cluster, and press lightly around the speaker grille. Ask whether the dash has been repaired or replaced and whether the passenger airbag inflator recall work has been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Large crack in dash at corner of passenger air bag cover appeared in sept 2013. Another large crack appeared over steering wheel column in august 2014. I have researched and found that this is an inherent defect in several GM models since at least 2007 and that GM may offer to pay half of the replacement fee. I am concerned that, if the passenger air bag were to deploy, the plastic would shatter at the cracked area and act as shrapnel.”

   NHTSA complaint #10653531, filed 2014-11, 14,000 miles

   “My dash is cracking and some of those cracks are right near the passenger air bag. I'm concerned during a crash if the air bag is deployed, the dash could splitter causing fragments to fly at occupants faces and/ or puncture the air bag rendering it useless.”

   NHTSA complaint #11354119, filed 2020-09, 95,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Passenger airbag inflator recall not yet completed

   • 15 complaints (24%)
   • median 60,330 mi at 6.5 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • filed 2014–2023

   Several complaints concern the passenger-side airbag inflator recall: owners describe being told they are in a later priority group with no repair date, or being told the recall repair depends on parts availability. Others mention the airbag warning light staying on, with one owner tracing it to corrosion in the underhood fuse panel. Recall completion and owner notification are the main themes rather than a new failure mode. Filed from about 2016 through 2023, across a wide mileage range including vehicles with no mileage reported.

   Recall 21V051000Recall 21V054000

   What to check: Ask for written confirmation that the passenger airbag inflator recall has been completed, and check that the airbag warning light goes out after bulb-check on start-up.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Two weeks ago, a crack in the dashboard near the passenger air bag suddenly appeared. In doing some research, I have found that many other people have had a similar experience. This problem seems to have affected the following models: Gmc Yukon, cadillac escalade, Gmc sierra, chevrolet silverado, chevrolet tahoe, chevrolet suburban, and chevrolet avalanche. My concern is with the fact that this crack is very close to the passenger airbag and is a safety concern. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11184978, filed 2019-03, 86,820 miles

   “While working on an airbag warning light I encountered 2 distinct problems with my airbag and vehicle system. 1. The main underhood fuse panel on my vehicle has portion of oxidation on the fuses themselves. This oxidation is causing fuses to appear intact but are causing the circuit to open. This was the root cause of my airbag system to not be operating properly. 2. While diagnosing the airbag system, I was cautious about unpluggin the battery during any troubleshooting that I was performing. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11376110, filed 2020-11, 187,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine lifter noise and top-end failure

   Mentioned in 4 of 48 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a sudden loud ticking or knocking from the engine while driving, sometimes followed by loss of power and, in one case, the engine shutting off. Complaints mention lifter failure as the diagnosis, along with oil-fouled spark plugs, and one owner reports a failed engine bearing on a rebuilt engine. Repairs described include diagnosis at an independent shop, with parts availability cited as a delay. Mostly reported between roughly 45,000 and 100,000 miles, with some at higher mileage.

   What to check: Listen for ticking at cold start and during a test drive, check service records for lifter or camshaft work, and check the oil and spark plug condition for contamination.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Lifter failure. Hoping no camshaft damage. 3 weeks waiting on parts that apparently can't be found. Was driving approx 35 MPH when horrible ticking noise occurred. Quickly assessed nothing in wheel well. Noise coming from engine. Limped car directly to mechanic as feared more damage or complete engine failure if driven more miles. Since become aware of issues with this engine and that changes were made in 2014. Less than 90k miles on the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11282313, filed 2019-11, 90,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2012 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that the radiator and the water pump were previously replaced due to an overheating failure. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine made a knocking sound. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where it was diagnosed with engine lifter failure. The contact replaced the spark plugs on several occasions; however, the failure persisted, and oil contamination was found on the spark plugs. The vehicle was not repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11759070, filed 2026-08, 175,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Door handles and liftgate struts failing

   Mentioned in 4 of 48 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe interior/exterior door handles breaking or pulling out when the door is opened, with one owner reporting repeated replacement sets. Others describe power liftgate struts weakening so the gate opens partway and then closes on its own, or closes with force, and one owner reports the liftgate motor burning out repeatedly. Reported from very low mileage to about 120,000 miles, spread across the model's life rather than clustered at one point.

   What to check: Open and close each door several times and check handle play and fit, and test the power liftgate through full open and close cycles to see whether it holds position.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased this vehicle new in 2012 ,it has 32,000 miles on ,it one owner, one driver, always in the garage. Yesterday the drivers side door handle literally came off in my hand. It is composed of a flimsy piece of plastic which broke and rendered the door unusable. This is an extremely dangerous situation if this were to happen and you cannot access the vehicle due to a wreck or access your children or simply get into your car in an area where you need to get in quickly. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11361490, filed 2020-09, 32,000 miles

   “Power lift gate malfunction. The power lift gate struts failed which caused the lift gate to open only 1/3 of the way before closing unexpectedly. Sometime it would open all the away, the power arm would then disengage causing it to unexpectedly close. Sometime it would close as dead weight with enough force to seriously injure an adult and possible kill a child or pet. When I took my vehicle to the dealer, I was told the struts needed to be replaced. I have had this vehicle for two years. I purchased it as certified used. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10855200, filed 2016-04, 117,500 miles

Buying note. Check the dashboard for cracks and confirm the passenger airbag inflator recall was completed, since those are the two most frequently reported concerns. On a test drive, listen for engine ticking at start-up and confirm the fuel gauge and liftgate behave normally.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 48 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.