Showing the 2016 Yukon SLT. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2016 Yukon
The 2016 GMC Yukon has 1 recall campaign marked do-not-drive. Lights draw the most owner complaints, 210 of 518 complaints filed with NHTSA. Fuel economy is 17 to 19 mpg combined, with a 5-year fuel cost of $17,100 to $19,110 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. The car has 5 recall campaigns that may apply, covering suspension, stability control, brakes, and others.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
17–19 mpgcombined; city 14–16, highway 20–23; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$17,100–$19,110U.S. average; Ohio $15,280–$17,070 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2016 Yukon. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 518 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Yukon. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Exterior lighting
210
1
0
0
Service brakes
95
7
0
1
Electrical system
90
3
2
0
Power train
76
0
0
0
Engine
63
1
0
0
Unknown or other
51
2
0
1
Steering
22
1
0
0
Suspension
19
0
0
1
Structure
13
1
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
12
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
10
1
0
0
Air bags
8
5
0
6
13 more parts
Forward collision avoidance
6
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
0
0
0
Lane departure
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
3
1
0
2
Seats
3
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
0
0
0
Chest clip, buckle, harness
2
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Yukon over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Electronic stability control (ESC); Service brakes; Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.
Risk: Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Until the repairs have been made, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 42190.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,868 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 Yukon, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (623), electrical system (400), power train (231), engine and engine cooling (221), engine (206).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2016 Yukon.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: standard sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3–4 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Yukon C1500 Rear-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 23 / 19
Yukon C1500 Rear-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
16 / 23 / 18
Yukon C1500 Rear-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 22 / 17
Yukon C1500 XL Rear-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 23 / 19
Yukon C1500 XL Rear-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
16 / 23 / 18
Yukon C1500 XL Rear-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 22 / 17
Yukon K1500 4-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
16 / 22 / 18
Yukon K1500 4-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 22 / 18
Yukon K1500 4-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 21 / 17
Yukon K1500 XL 4-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
15 / 22 / 18
Yukon K1500 XL 4-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 22 / 18
Yukon K1500 XL 4-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
14 / 20 / 17
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data