The Yukon happens to be the flagship model of GMC.
No wonder, you would find this model in the top ranks when you look at the best SUVs plying the American streets.
The luxurious interiors, spaciousness, and optimal comfort that the car offers speak tons about the brand.
In case you have this car on your bucket list, it’s natural to inquire about its longevity.
In this article, you will learn about GMC Yukon’s mileage, reliability, best and worst models, maintenance tips, and other relevant details.
How many miles will a GMC Yukon last?
With healthy driving habits, you can fancy your GMC Yukon to last between 200K to 250K miles.
Considering the average durability of an SUV, this looks quite respectable.
On average, these robust cars can serve you for 13.5 years.
Your driving habits, proper maintenance, and regular servicing are other factors.
Some owners have also claimed to hit the magical 400K mile mark with scheduled maintenance.
Therefore, responsible owners can extend the lifeline of these powerful SUVs to 20 years.
Forbes featured this car in its list of top 15 vehicles capable of running between 200K and 300K miles.
Well, this justifies the power that the manufacturers pack the car with.
According to reports, the car can resist rust for the first eight to ten years.
To optimize the lifeline of the GMC Yukon, try not to exceed its towing capacity which varies between 7,900 to 8,400 pounds.
Also, take care not to exert stress on the brakes, tires, chassis, or engine.
Is GMC Yukon reliable?
The GMC Yukon continues to be one of the most reliable SUVs.
An impressive 10.76% of the GMC Yukon cars reach the 150K mole mark.
For an SUV, the figure looks great, considering that owners expect at least 3% of the SUVs to reach this milestone.
Considering the models that owners list for sale, 30% of the cars have mileage under 45K miles.
Another 40% of the cars had run between 45,000 to 100,000 miles.
However, reviews reveal that this car is moderately reliable. Some of the manufacturing years fare better in terms of performance than others.
The powertrain warranty covers the first 60K miles or 5 years, while the basic warranty covers the first 3 years or 36K miles.
As per RepairPal, the car has a 3.5/5 reliability score. Out of 14 SUVs of full size, it ranks 6th.
It fares better than the average rating in this category, which is 3.0.
According to J.D. Power, the Yukon has 84 as its reliability rating out of 100, which looks better.
Therefore, in terms of reliability, the GMC Yukon turns out to be quite similar to the Nissan Armada, Dodge Durango, Jeep Commander, and Toyota Sequoia.
All these cars have 3.5/5 as the average reliability score.
Only the Mazda CX-9, with a reliability score of 4/5, performs better than the Yukon.
However, the latter has better reliability ratings compared to cars like Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Avalanche, Chevrolet Suburban 1500, Chevrolet Suburban, and the Toyota Land Cruiser.
Factors that can impact the longevity of GMC Yukon
As a responsible GMC Yukon owner, your objective would be to prolong the lifeline of the SUV.
You can keep the car in good shape with defensive driving habits, smooth acceleration, and gentle braking.
- Check out some factors that would ensure good longevity for these powerful cars.
- Check the car for rust regularly and go for proper rust-proofing solutions.
- Refrain from going for any sort of modifications in the car.
- When you purchase after-market components or spare parts, get only branded accessories.
- Adopt gentle driving habits to prolong the life of the brake pads and tires.
- Don’t skip the scheduled maintenance as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Top up the fluids regularly to boost the engine of the SUV.
- Park the vehicle in shade, preferably a garage when it lies idle.
- Get a ceramic coating to secure the SUV against minor scratches and contaminants.
- In case you drive over snow, wash the car properly.
- Make sure to adhere to the recommended towing limits to keep the chassis in proper shape.
What is the best year of GMC Yukon?
Although GMC Yukon carries its legacy of manufacturing reliable cars, some year models naturally perform exceptionally well or badly.
Accordingly, you need to choose from the best model years and refrain from purchasing a used vehicle that comes under the worst year category.
Among the best model years of the GMC Yukon, you have the ones that the brand launched in 2002, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2020.
Although the car is new, it has got 8 complaints so far.
According to Cars.com, the GMC Yukon models between 2018 and 2020 have impressive reliability scores around 4.9.
What is the worst year of GMC Yukon?
Among the worst year models, you have the ones that the company introduced in 2007 and 2015.
Also, the models of 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2016 had some technical glitches.
As per Motor Biscuit, the 2015 model of the GMC Yukon happens to be the worst one.
Car Complaints has so far registered 155 issues with this model.
Even Carproblemzoo.com has registered as many as 1,010 issues with this model.
In the 2015 model, the prime issues involved malfunctioning tail lights and excess oil consumption.
On average, the owners had to shell out $800 a year. These issues showed up around the 62K mile mark.
Other problems included issues with the engine, interior accessories, transmission, and malfunctioning AC.
Also, you should avoid the 2007 model that has 982 complaints registered against it.
Common problems of the GMC Yukon
Before you finalize your decision to settle with the GMC Yukon, it would be wise to know the common issues that the car can experience.
1. Electrical failures
Even though the Yukon is one of the most celebrated GMC vehicles, the cars face a lot of electrical glitches.
Fixing these issues can involve lots of expenses.
Refrain from purchasing the bad year models.
Also, make sure to carry out a thorough check of the electrical points in case you are going for a used Yukon.
2. Cracks in the upper dash
Although owners complain of the upper dash developing cracks, they can prevent the issue by following the prescribed maintenance norms.
However, when the car remains idle, make sure to keep it under a shade.
Try to cover the car’s dashboard when you see the rays directly falling on the surface.
This issue is mainly time-related, so you would see cracked dashboards mostly in the older models.
3. Issues with the ignition switch
Problems with the ignition switch of GMC Yukon are quite common.
The car wouldn’t crank, preventing the owner from going to the planned destination.
After carrying out a diagnosis, the mechanic would probably recommend replacing the switch.
While you need to shell out around $100 for the diagnosis, be prepared to pay another $180 for replacing the switch.
4. Malfunctioning power locks
Issues with the power locks in your GMC Yukon might cause problems while you try to lock the door.
The automatic mechanism wouldn’t work, and you need to manually close the doors.
The problem arises due to an issue with the door lock actuator. Replacing the component would require you to shell out around $280.
This problem, too, is more evident in the older models.
5. Issues with the differentials
As a GMC Yukon owner, you should be ready to experience problems with the front and rear differentials.
In these differentials, you have bearings that might experience wear and tear.
So, when you go for a used vehicle, the abnormal grinding sounds might startle you.
Fixing this issue requires a complete check-up. Depending on the severity of the issue, the repair expenses greatly vary.
For a complete overhaul, owners need to fork out around $350.
However, if you need to install new gears, the cost might escalate to more than $1,500.
How Long Do the Tires Last?
Considering that the average owner drives around 15K miles a year, you can expect the tires of a GMC Yukon to serve you around 3 years.
These tires come with a lifeline of up to 50K miles.
To make the most of these branded tires, maintain proper tire pressure and get the tires rotated and balanced at the right interval.
Usually, you need to do this between every 5K to 8K miles, as per the instructions in the warranty guidelines.
How Long Do the Spark Plugs Last?
Although the manufacturers configure the spark plugs of GMC Yukon to last between 30K to 60K miles, you can extend the lifeline to 80K miles with professional care.
Sometimes, you need to tune up these spark plugs.
This ensures that they would perform seamlessly to give you the needed spark and ignite the fuel-air mixture and power the engine.
How Long Do the Batteries Last?
On average, the GMC Yukon batteries last for three to five years.
However, your driving habits as well as climate affect this lifeline significantly.
In case you live in a place with a warmer climate, the battery would degrade faster as a result of sulfation.
Besides, the battery life tends to shorten in case the battery spends a significant time in the discharged state.
How Long Do the Brakes Last?
GMC Yukon owners can expect around 30K to 40K miles of service from the brake pads.
The longevity of these brake pads largely depends on your driving habits.
In case you tend to brake your car a lot or apply the brakes abruptly, you need to get them replaced faster.
Besides, drivers who bring the SUVs to complete stops while driving at full speed end up lowering the lifeline of the brake pads.
Under these conditions, they tend to wear away faster.
How Long Do the Transmissions Last?
The transmission of your GMC Yukon would last between 130K to 180K miles.
In case your Yukon travels more than 150K miles, experts advise checking the transmission thoroughly.
This way, you can detect probable glitches before they affect your SUV.
Is it expensive to maintain the GMC Yukon?
Coming to the maintenance cost, Yukon owners need to fork out around $747 a year to keep their SUVs in proper shape.
If you go for a new model, expect to pay less than this average amount.
GMC Yukon owners would be happy with the low insurance costs of these cars.
The annual cost of insuring these vehicles comes to $1,630, which is below the national average.
At 16%, the probability of this SUV requiring severe repairs looks moderate.
Some models like the Mazda CX-9, Nissan Armada, Dodge Durango, Jeep Commander, and the Toyota Sequoia have better statistics in terms of low maintenance cost and probability of severe issues.
However, the Yukon fares better than its competitors like the Chevrolet Avalanche, Chevrolet Suburban, and the Toyota Land Cruiser considering both these parameters.
Conclusion
The Yukon from GMC is currently one of the most dependable SUVs.
In the first five years after buying your Yukon, you may expect around 42% depreciation of the model.
The SUV has performed well under various tests.
Although the users have reported certain problems with the car, most of them have their roots in the lack of proper maintenance.
Therefore, with proper upkeep, the car shouldn’t disappoint you.
If you purchase a new Yukon, go for the models the manufacturer launched in 2020 onwards.
However, if you decide to buy a used Yukon, it would be advisable to purchase one with low mileage.
So, if you get a used vehicle with the mileage around the 45K mark, you wouldn’t repent of the depreciation value.
Rather, you can use the car for another 250K miles with proper maintenance.
