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2017 GMC Yukon problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
54%
144 of 268 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

54% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2017 GMC Yukon are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 71% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 91 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 40%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 GMC Yukon have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 144 of 268 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Yukon concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (54%), and the largest group is filed under power train (87). For comparison, the 2016 scores 44% and the 2018 scores 54%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
144
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
359
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
17 crashes · 6 injuries

Complaints by component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING90 · 25%
POWER TRAIN87 · 24%
SERVICE BRAKES72 · 20%
ENGINE61 · 17%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM54 · 15%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER46 · 13%

The years either side

2010
17%
21 of 229
2011
13%
30 of 399
2012
15%
15 of 138
2013
15%
18 of 186
2014
19%
12 of 77
2015
36%
179 of 992
2016
44%
131 of 517
2017
54%
144 of 359
2018
54%
61 of 126
2019
73%
88 of 126
2020
80%
63 of 83
2021
85%
453 of 560
2022
82%
279 of 350
2023
82%
371 of 460

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 GMC Yukon

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM07/30/2026
While traveling at highway speeds, my 2017 GMC Yukon SLE suffered a sudden, catastrophic Active Fuel Management (AFM) valvetrain lifter and camshaft collapse. This caused an immediate and highly dangerous loss of vehicle propulsion in live moving traffic on I-95, creating an extreme physical safety hazard for my family…

One of 144 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 GMC Yukon?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2017 GMC Yukon, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: wheel speed sensor/tone ring19V761000 · Oct 2019
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,…
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum19V645000 · Sep 2019
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…
air bags: frontal16V651000 · Sep 2016
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…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 GMC Yukon? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2017 GMC Yukon

Does the 2017 GMC Yukon have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 144 of 268 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Yukon concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (54%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 GMC Yukon?

No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2017 GMC Yukon, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which GMC Yukon years are better?

Among the GMC Yukon years we track, the 2011 (13%), the 2012 (15%) and the 2013 (15%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2017 (54%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2017 GMC Yukon?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2017 GMC Yukon has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 4 body styles NHTSA files separately.