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ProblemsByVin File / 2013-GMC-YUKON NHTSA data synced 1 day ago
GMC

2013 GMC Yukon problems

The 2013 GMC Yukon has 2 critical safety recalls on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 181 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.

The 2013 GMC Yukon has 181 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 58 complaints, typically surfacing around 75,317 miles (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.

GMC Yukon owner complaints by model year
Model yearOwner complaintsRecalls
2010 Yukon 224 4
2011 Yukon 388 5
2012 Yukon 131 3
2013 Yukon (this page) 181 4
2014 Yukon 56 3
2015 Yukon 528 10
2016 Yukon 265 5
2013 GMC Yukon
Photo: Alexander Migl / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · representative photo of the GMC Yukon
0 5 10
Reliability score
6.0 / 10

Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.

2
Critical
2
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2013 Yukon?
Acceptable — with caveats

Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.

Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.

NHTSA crash-test safety ratings 4 / 5 overall

Overall 4/5
Frontal crash 5/5
Side crash 5/5
Rollover 3/5

Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2013 GMC Yukon SUV RWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.

Buying a used 2013 GMC Yukon? Check these first

Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.

What to inspect on this specific car

⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 40,000 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.

Recalls to confirm are done

Run the VIN from the listing — 4 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.

Verdict for buyers: 6.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.

We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.

See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →
✦ Ask the data · AI

Ask anything about your 2013 GMC Yukon

A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.

Dash light, leak, worn part — snap it and we'll read it against this car's record.

Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.

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Top trouble spots 7 categories with 3+ complaints

airbags
58 reports · fails ~75,317 mi · avg $1,100
moderate
body
32 reports · fails ~63,327 mi · avg $1,500
moderate
engine
7 reports · fails ~136,654 mi · avg $3,100
moderate
electrical
6 reports · fails ~163,333 mi · avg $850
moderate
powertrain
5 reports · fails ~40,000 mi · avg $2,500
severe
steering
5 reports · fails ~138,000 mi · avg $700
moderate
brakes
3 reports · fails ~102,000 mi · avg $450
severe
Buyer's checklist
Going to look at one? Use the pre-purchase inspection list.
Generated from this 2013 Yukon's actual NHTSA complaint history — every item points at a documented failure pattern on this exact vehicle, not generic walkaround filler.
See the checklist ->
Honest Calculator
Should you buy an extended warranty on this 2013 Yukon?
We pulled the math: risk-weighted exposure, typical contract cost, and our verdict on whether coverage pencils out for this specific vehicle.
See the calculator ->

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2013 Yukon · engine
The hydraulic lifters 'afm' collapsed, lifter was in locked position causing lifter to tap on camshaft, by taping on camshaft caused de-lamentation of hardening on camshaft, which damaged camshaft and lifters. The acceleration and de-acceleration of the vehicle became a major…
12/28/2016 · at 119,140 mi · NHTSA ODI #10937793.0 · see engine pattern →
2013 Yukon · airbags
The dash is cracking over air bags which could throw pieces as air bag deploys or could puncture airbag as it deploys.
12/21/2019 · at 75,000 mi · NHTSA ODI #11290635.0 · see airbags pattern →
2013 Yukon · body
2013 yukon xl was found to have excessive rust on the frame and other parts underneath the vehicle during an annual inspection. The wax coating if flaking off the frame leaving bare metal that quickly rusts. Gm claims that the damage is environmental and the issues is the salt…
12/21/2016 · at 30,000 mi · NHTSA ODI #10936721.0 · see body pattern →
2013 Yukon · airbags
Dash issues have plagued the 2007-2014 GMC trucks. Mine is included in this. There is cracking all around the area where the passenger airbag is. I'm worried that in a deployment, pieces of dash would be projected at passengers. The dash material is clearly very brittle and…
12/19/2018 · at 30,000 mi · NHTSA ODI #11162389.0 · see airbags pattern →
View all 181 owner complaints →
Had a problem with your 2013 GMC Yukon? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

0 mi 200k mi
At 80,000 miles
Likely repair cost in next 24 months
$0

Active recalls showing 3 of 4

critical NHTSA 21V053000 February 5, 2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.
critical NHTSA 21V054000 February 5, 2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.
severe NHTSA 14V614000 October 1, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles

If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM’s number for this recall is 14515.
View all 4 recalls →

Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA

EA Air Bags › Frontal · opened September 2021

NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →

How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →

Common questions

Is the 2013 GMC Yukon reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.0 out of 10 based on 181 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 GMC Yukon has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

Should you avoid the 2013 GMC Yukon?

The 2013 GMC Yukon is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.0/10 — around the segment average; 4 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.

What should I check before buying a used 2013 GMC Yukon?

Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 58 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 75,317 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.

Is the 2013 GMC Yukon a good used car to buy?

It scores 6.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 181 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Typical failure occurs around 75,317 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.

What's the most common problem on the 2013 GMC Yukon?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 58 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 75,317 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 75,317 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my GMC Yukon has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2013 GMC Yukon?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 181 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.

Related

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 1 day ago. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/GMC/Yukon. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with GMC. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.
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