GMC YUKON XL · model year

2008 GMC YUKON XL

86 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008GMCYUKON XL carries 86 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 YUKON XL is air bags with 42 filings, followed by electrical system (11) and latches/locks/linkages (7). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2008 YUKON XL. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

86
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

86 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS42
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES7
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
STRUCTURE:BODY5
ENGINE3
STRUCTURE2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
POWER TRAIN1
STEERING1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recalls (4)

08V44100028/08/2008

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

GM IS RECALLING 857,735 MY 2006-2008 BUICK LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MY 2007-2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL, SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MY 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WIP

21V05000005/02/2021

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally s

21V05200005/02/2021

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the

10V24000004/06/2010

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUT

Recent Complaints

20220803AIR BAGS

Sorry I speak Spanish Le cambiaron sensor bolsa de aire pero sigue teniendo lo el mismo problema y después de eso no se si le esta afectando porque ya no me sirve la alarma, el tablero en ocasiones se detiene o no prende nada, el stereo derrepente deja de oírse incluso lo de navegación yo regrese ese mismo día y reclame pero me dijo la señora de atención a clientes que con el tiempo se iba arreglar hasta que acepte el sensor y ya paso algo de tiempo y cada vez más ahí problemas si llega a explotar la bolsa de aire yo tengo el recibo por cualquier acción que tenga que hacer por si llega haber un accidente que dios no lo quiera espero respuesta de ustedes y por dentro por no hablar ingles

20220803ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Sorry I speak Spanish Le cambiaron sensor bolsa de aire pero sigue teniendo lo el mismo problema y después de eso no se si le esta afectando porque ya no me sirve la alarma, el tablero en ocasiones se detiene o no prende nada, el stereo derrepente deja de oírse incluso lo de navegación yo regrese ese mismo día y reclame pero me dijo la señora de atención a clientes que con el tiempo se iba arreglar hasta que acepte el sensor y ya paso algo de tiempo y cada vez más ahí problemas si llega a explotar la bolsa de aire yo tengo el recibo por cualquier acción que tenga que hacer por si llega haber un accidente que dios no lo quiera espero respuesta de ustedes y por dentro por no hablar ingles

20210719UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Large dashboard cracks near airbags. Apparently widespread problem among GM products. I do not know if this will affect airbag safety or not. No incident involved yet.

20210709UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My driver side back glass (quarter panel long glass) spontaneously exploded this morning with my young child in her car seat. No one was nearby, the car was in park. Nothing caused the glass to break it just randomly occurred.

20210709VISIBILITY/WIPER

My driver side back glass (quarter panel long glass) spontaneously exploded this morning with my young child in her car seat. No one was nearby, the car was in park. Nothing caused the glass to break it just randomly occurred.

20210709STRUCTURE:BODY

My driver side back glass (quarter panel long glass) spontaneously exploded this morning with my young child in her car seat. No one was nearby, the car was in park. Nothing caused the glass to break it just randomly occurred.

20210614CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owned a 2008 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving at an intersection, another vehicle unexpectedly cut into the middle lane. As a result, the contact crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained hematomas on his knee and hip while the passenger sustained a busted knee. Medical treatment was required. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and the contact filed a complaint. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 21V050000 (Air bags). The failure mileage was 227,000.

Mileage: 227,000

20210302ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE HATCH WILL NOT STAY OPEN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GOES DOWN INTO THE 50'S IT SHUTS ON MY HEAD AND WON'T STOP. IT IS STATIONARY WHEN I AM LOADING OR UNLOADING THE BACK HATCH.

Mileage: 195,000

20210214AIR BAGS

WE HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER 3 YEARS FOR THIS MATTER TO BE PUT IN TO AN ACTION PLAN. WE DRIVE THE NOTED 2008 YUKON DENALI DAILY TO AND FROM WORK AS WELL AS TAKE OUR PASSENGERS TO SCHOOL. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE AND WISH TO REQUEST THAT THE AIR BAG NOTED BE SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT. WE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE NOTED ISSUES THAT IT MAY CAUSE AND FEEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN P PUT IN HARMS WAY VIA THE KNOWLEDGE AND DECISON TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG. PLEASE ADVISE WHEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE NEW PRODUCT SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION. TK HOLDINGS INC. ('TAKATA') HAS DECIDED THAT A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXISTS IN THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONTAL AIRBAG INFLATORS INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT IN CERTAIN 2007 TO 2014 MODEL YEAR CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, AND ESCALADE EXT VEHICLES; CERTAIN CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO 1500, SILVERADO 2500/3500, SUBURBAN, AND TAHOE VEHICLES; AND CERTAIN GMC SIERRA 1500, SIERRA 2500/3500, YUKON, AND YUKON XL

20201117AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V383000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED BALLAS BUICK GMC (5715 CENTRAL AVE, TOLEDO, OH 43615; (419) 535-1000) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.*DT CONSUMER STATED GM HAS AGREED TO THE RECALL BUT DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE.*JB

20201110AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V383000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BOMMARITO BUICK GMC WEST COUNTY (15736 MANCHESTER RD, ELLISVILLE, MO 63011) WAS CONTACTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.*DT *TR

20201110AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RECENTLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FRANK KENT CHEVROLET (401 I-45, ENNIS, TX 75119) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ASSURED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 145,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 145,000

20201104UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE HATCH DOOR WILL NOT STAY OPEN IN COLD WEATHER. EVEN AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE 60'S, IT OPENS AND THEN CLOSES AND IS VERY FORCEFULLY, EVEN KNOCKED ME IN THE HEAD AND KEPT SHUTTING. IT IS ALWAYS STATIONARY AND ONLY IN COOLER WEATHER, ALL OTHER TIMES IT WORKS CORRECTLY.

Mileage: 175,000

20201104SERVICE BRAKES

WHEN I ENGAGE THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THEY GRAB, ALL THE TIME ON ANY STREET.

Mileage: 1

20201104AIR BAGS

I RECEIVED MY FIRST NOTICE ABOUT THE TAAKA AIRBAG RECALL IN 2018 AND GM STILL DOES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE AIRBAGS. VERY UNTIMELY MANNER FOR REPAIRS, WHEN DRIVING DAILY.

Mileage: 175,000

20201005AIR BAGS

NHTSA HAS NOT RESOLVED THE TAKATA AIRBAG ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN 4 YEARS AND 1 YEAR SINCE GM'S LAST PETITION TO IGNORE THE SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN IS NHTSA GOING TO ACT ON NHTSA-2016-0124?

Mileage: 39,000

20200817FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. FIRE INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL AND PAID SUBSTANTIAL ATTENTION TO THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE DASH AREA ON BOTH THE INBOARD AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT SIDES OF THE DASH. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH PAST REPORTS OF FIRES STARTING DUE TO THE HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM WHICH THIS VEHICLE HAD. THERE WAS NO ACTIVE RECALLS ON THIS CAR.

Mileage: 153,455

20200731AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER GUNN BUICK GMC LOCATED AT 16440 INTERSTATE 35 FRONTAGE RD, SELMA, TX 78154, (210) 265-6143, WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 277,000.

Mileage: 277,000

20200731ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER GUNN BUICK GMC LOCATED AT 16440 INTERSTATE 35 FRONTAGE RD, SELMA, TX 78154, (210) 265-6143, WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 277,000.

Mileage: 277,000

20200608AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V383000 (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. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Compare 2008GMCYUKON XL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 GMC YUKON XL have?
The 2008 GMC YUKON XL has 86 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 GMC YUKON XL?
Yes, the 2008 GMC YUKON XL has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 GMC YUKON XL?
The most-complained component for the 2008 GMC YUKON XL is AIR BAGS with 42 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES.
Is the 2008 GMC YUKON XL safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.