Model year 2018 · Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2018 GMC Yukon: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2018 GMC Yukon at 16–19 mpg combined across 12 versions. NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 130 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

16–19

NHTSA overall rating

4/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as YUKON DENALI, YUKON DENALI XL, YUKON XL.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a GMC dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2018 GMC Yukon recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 5 safety recalls for the 2018 GMC Yukon, newest first.

Power train: Transfer case (4-wheel drive)

NHTSA 26V289000 Reported May 7, 2026 Do not drive

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N262557620)
Units affected: 66 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.
Risk: Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, hydraulic: Power assist: Vacuum

NHTSA 20V603000 Reported Oct 1, 2020

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N202300860)
Units affected: 14,620 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
Risk: A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, 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 November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes and 2 more components

NHTSA 19V761000 Reported Oct 24, 2019

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N192261050)
Components: Service brakes; Service brakes, hydraulic: Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: Wheel speed sensor/tone ring; Electronic stability control (ESC)
Units affected: 652,967 (estimate)
Problem: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, hydraulic: Power assist: Vacuum

NHTSA 19V645000 Reported Sep 6, 2019

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N192268490)
Units affected: 3,456,719 (estimate)
Problem: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Seat belts: Rear/other

NHTSA 18V673000 Reported Sep 26, 2018

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. 18315)
Units affected: 15,800 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact 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 18315.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2018 GMC Yukon fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2018 GMC Yukon EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Yukon C1500 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/23/19 mpg	$3,550	468
Yukon C1500 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl ffv	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85 / E85	16/23/19 mpg	$3,550	468
Yukon C1500 2WD	6.2L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Premium	14/23/17 mpg	$4,850	517
Yukon C1500 XL 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/23/19 mpg	$3,550	468
Yukon C1500 XL 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl ffv	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85 / E85	16/23/19 mpg	$3,550	468
Yukon C1500 XL 2WD	6.2L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Premium	14/23/17 mpg	$4,850	517
Yukon K1500 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/22/18 mpg	$3,700	497
Yukon K1500 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl ffv	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85 / E85	16/22/18 mpg	$3,700	497
Yukon K1500 4WD	6.2L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Premium	14/22/17 mpg	$4,850	523
Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	15/22/18 mpg	$3,700	504
Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl ffv	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85 / E85	15/22/18 mpg	$3,700	504
Yukon K1500 XL 4WD	6.2L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Premium	14/21/16 mpg	$5,150	548

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2018 GMC Yukon crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2018 GMC Yukon NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2018 GMC Yukon SUV 4WD	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars	3 stars	22.2%	Optional
2018 GMC Yukon SUV RWD	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars	3 stars	22.9%	Optional
2018 GMC Yukon XL 1500 SUV 4WD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	3 stars	20.3%	Optional
2018 GMC Yukon XL 1500 SUV RWD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	3 stars	21.2%	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2018 GMC Yukon owner complaints

Owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 GMC Yukon, most recently on Oct 21, 2026. 8 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 14 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2018 GMC Yukon complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	43
Power train	27
Unknown or other	19
Service brakes	16
Suspension	13
Electrical system	8
Steering	7
Air bags	6
Fuel/propulsion system	5
Seat belts	5

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other GMC Yukon model years

GMC Yukon by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2027 Yukon	16–23 mpg	0	1	—
2026 Yukon	16–23 mpg	3	84	5/5
2025 Yukon	16–23 mpg	2	85	5/5
2024 Yukon	16–23 mpg	3	181	4/5
2023 Yukon	16–23 mpg	4	472	4/5
2022 Yukon	16–23 mpg	5	359	4/5
2021 Yukon	16–23 mpg	14	572	4/5
2020 Yukon	16–18 mpg	4	84	4/5
2019 Yukon	16–18 mpg	3	126	4/5
2017 Yukon	16–19 mpg	3	359	4/5
2016 Yukon	17–19 mpg	5	519	4/5
2015 Yukon	16–18 mpg	10	966	4/5

All GMC Yukon years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2018 GMC models

2018 GMC Acadia 2018 GMC Canyon 2018 GMC Sierra 2018 GMC Terrain

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with GMC.