2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
393 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 393 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 26.2
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel the vehicle at the gas station, fuel was leaking out of the fuel tank. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was lifted. The mechanic then informed the contact that the fuel pump was rusted and that the frame were severely rusted. The contact was informed that the frame was fractured and had holes an…
Recurring System Problems: My vehicle continues to exhibit intermittent system failures, causing unpredictable and potentially dangerous driving conditions. These issues have included: engine stalling, braking issues, electronic system malfunctions].
There are several incidents reported regarding ongoing assessment with GMC interplay activity I have noticed this have become a dangerous drive ability inside acceleration controls Governor sets whiling driving engine play transmission shifts this have gone beyond everyday practices during drive times this have been very noticeable during anyone time RPM gauges constantly disrupted radio functions remote controls are…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 11V007000 | Suspension:Rear:Axle:Spindle | GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, COLORADO, EXPRESS, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; AND GMC CANYON, SIERRA, SAVANA, YUKON AND YUKON XL VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE CROSS PINS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND COULD FRACTURE AND BECOME DISPLACED WITHIN THE REAR AXLE. |
| 11V339000 | Steering:Linkages | GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV; CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD, SILVERADO LD, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; AND GMC SIERRA HD, SIERRA LD, YUKON, AND YUKON XL VEHICLES. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ATTACHING BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 17 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600 · EPA range 413 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Unknown Or Other186 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Air Bags161 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Structure73 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Engine20 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System15 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train13 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other GMC Yukon XL 1500 years
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FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (186 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 45/100, computed from 393 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500's most common problem?
186 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 cost to run per year?
About $6,587 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $32,938 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/01/2011. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 393 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 393 NHTSA complaints on record (26.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (10.2/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems