2017 GMC Yukon Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2017 GMC Yukon most often describe two kinds of trouble: rear tail and brake light assemblies that stop working, and an eight-speed transmission that shifts hard, hesitates or slips. Brake complaints are also frequent and center on a pedal that goes hard or to the floor with reduced stopping power, often at low speeds. Many of these reports arrive between roughly 40,000 and 80,000 miles, and several involve repeated dealer visits with the problem still present.

1. 1
   Exterior lighting

   Rear tail/brake light assembly failure

   • 54 complaints (28%)
   • median 55,250 mi at 3.2 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 20 quotes)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners report that one or both rear tail/brake light units stop working, sometimes intermittently, so the light comes back on over bumps or after closing the hatch. Many describe turn signal and hazard functions still working while the brake light does not. According to the complaints, dealers typically quote replacement of the whole light assembly, often several hundred dollars per side, and say the vehicle is out of warranty and not covered by a recall. Reported from around 30,000 to 80,000 miles, with many between 50,000 and 65,000.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the engine on, have someone watch each rear corner while you press the brake, use the turn signal and switch the lights on; also close the rear hatch and tap the quarter panel to see whether the light drops out. Ask whether either rear assembly has already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving from prescott, az to phoenix, az with my husband and 3 year old son. We were heading east on sr-69 when we were pulled over. We were informed that our passenger side brake light was non-operational. After inspection it was found that turn signal and hazard lights worked but not break. A repair order was issued. We took it to the Gmc dealership and was told the whole tail/brake light housing, wire, and potentially the fuse needed replaced and that it would cost $700. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11207537, filed 2019-05, 62,000 miles

   “Drivers side LED brake light strip inop. Dealer says its 650 per side plus labor to replace. Gmc is aware of issue but will not stand behind there product. They also lie and say it's the first they have heard of this type of failure. This is a safety concern and customer is liable for a ticket that may result from faulty GM parts.”

   NHTSA complaint #11257113, filed 2019-09, 40,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard, hesitant or slipping 8-speed transmission

   • 29 complaints (15%)
   • median 31,000 mi at 2.3 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe harsh or delayed shifts, a lurch or thump when pulling away from a stop, shuddering at low speed and, in some cases, hesitation or loss of power when accelerating. Several owners say the dealer called the behavior normal for this transmission, while others were told the transmission or torque converter needed replacement, sometimes with parts unavailable. A few report the vehicle failing to shift or slipping out of gear while driving. Mostly reported between about 5,000 and 80,000 miles, with some failures noted above 100,000.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the vehicle from cold and do several slow-speed starts and stops, feeling for lurching or a delayed engagement; ask whether transmission fluid has been flushed or the unit serviced, and whether any diagnosis was recorded.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have taken it in to the dealership several time for inspection. The first time involved a repeated vibration while driving. The resolution was to change or flush the transmission fluid to get rid of any metal shavings. Since then I've taken it back into the dealership twice with reports of jerking, a delayed start when accelerating, and most recently a lurching when shifting between reverse and drive. Each time they have said this is normal.”

   NHTSA complaint #11252552, filed 2019-08, 24,000 miles

   “When traveling at low speeds (10-20 MPH), I have continuously experienced lunging and jerkiness with my transmission for over 2 years now. Despite approximately a dozen separate evaluations and/or repairs by GM-certified technicians, the problem continues to exist. I am told that the issue is normal and that I must live with the issue as being normal. Not only am I concerned about the ongoing maintenance cost, but the safety of myself and passengers should the vehicle strike an object or person accidentally. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11404991, filed 2021-03, 31,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes hard or to the floor

   • 32 complaints (16%)
   • median 50,350 mi at 3.5 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe the brake pedal becoming hard or sinking toward the floorboard with reduced stopping power, often at low speed in driveways, parking lots and school lines. Some say a 'Service Brake Assist' message appeared, and a few report that a recall repair or a vacuum pump replacement was performed but the symptom returned or continued. Complaints also describe dealers replacing pads and rotors without resolving the concern. Reported from a few thousand miles up to around 95,000, most commonly between 24,000 and 75,000.

   Recall 19V645000Recall 19V7610001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether recall 19V645000 (vacuum pump) and 19V761000 have been completed for this vehicle, and test the pedal repeatedly at walking speed in a safe open area to check for a hard pedal or long travel.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While pulling into a parking space, the brakes shuttered and they wouldn't hardly work. Almost couldn't get the vehicle stopped. A warning on my dash said service brake assist. There was a recall issued in canada but non here for my vehicle so far. This is a dangerous safety hazard that needs to be fixed. Gmc needs to establish a recall as soon as possible.”

   NHTSA complaint #11360973, filed 2020-09, 38,000 miles

   “When driving occasionally you have to push really hard on the brakes to stop. 9/10 times brakes work normal but once in a while you have to press very hard to stop. Was pulling into my driveway at a very low speed brakes were hard to press and ran into the wall of the garage. Brought to the dealer numerous times since I bought it brand new and still not fixed.”

   NHTSA complaint #11220265, filed 2019-06, 12,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Rough idle, misfire and stalling

   • 10 complaints (5%)
   • median 50,711 mi at 3.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe rough idle at cold start, misfires at stoplights, a flashing check engine light and occasional stalling, sometimes with a reduced power message. Several owners were told the fuel injectors needed replacement, with quotes above $1,500, and some note injectors were on back order. Others describe an engine misfire or lifter-type noise diagnosed as a cylinder or valve train problem. Reported from under 15,000 miles up to over 80,000, with many between 11,000 and 64,000.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the engine cold and listen for rough idle or ticking, watch for a check engine light, and ask whether injectors, lifters or the camshaft actuator have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Check engine light came on and flashing, stabilitrack light comes on, vehicle idles rough and eventually stalled out. This has happened to me twice in my 2017 Gmc Yukon. Once at ~53k miles, again at ~64k miles. One time it stalled on the side of the road with my kids in the vehicle with me late at night on vacation and had to be towed in the middle of the night and we had to stay in a hotel out of town unexpectedly. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11342517, filed 2020-07, 53,422 miles

   “I have 47,078 miles on this vehicle. It currently has a random misfire that is being blamed on bad fuel injectors. To replace all of my fuel injectors will cost me approximately $1783.00 at my local dealership as my vehicle is 10,000 miles over warranty. I shouldn't have to be replacing fuel injectors on a 1 year old vehicle. It runs on limited power mode when I start it. I have to start it and then shut it off again for it to run in normal operation but it still shows a misfire code.”

   NHTSA complaint #11128192, filed 2018-09, 47,000 miles

Buying note. Check the rear lights, transmission behavior from cold and brake pedal feel on a test drive, and ask for recall 19V645000 and 19V761000 completion records. Service history on injectors, transmission fluid and the A/C condenser is worth reviewing before purchase.

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.