Full-size SUVs · 5 model years, 2015 to 2022
Ford Expedition vs GMC Yukon: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Expedition and the Yukon split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 22, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2015 to 2022 | Expedition | Yukon |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 4.1% | 2.2% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 2.3% | 0.3% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 67,000 | 60,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 4.6 | 5.4 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 1 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 6 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Expedition owners complain about most is transmission and drivetrain; for the Yukon it is exterior lighting. Complaints citing transmission and drivetrain make up 22% of all Expedition complaints, against 13% on the Yukon. The Yukon leans the other way on exterior lighting: 28% of its complaints, against 1.0% for the Expedition.
Ford ExpeditionGMC Yukon
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Expedition is brake wear (13% of its complaints). On the Yukon it is tail light failure (26% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Expedition.
| Problem | Expedition | Yukon |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 13% 141most in 2017 · 70k mi | 13% 196most in 2015 · 62k mi |
| Tail lights or brake lights fail | 0 | 26% 387most in 2015 · 56k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 11% 121most in 2017 · 64k mi | 11% 171most in 2021 · 50k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 12% 132most in 2017 · 92k mi | 2.9% 4342k mi |
| Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing | 0 | 11% 168most in 2021 · 52k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 3.5% 3869k mi | 6.5% 97most in 2021 · 80k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 4.5% 49most in 2021 · 37k mi | 4.6% 68most in 2017 · 80k mi |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 4.1% 44100k mi | 4.5% 67most in 2015 · 65k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Yukon owners report problems earlier. Half the Yukon complaints that give a mileage come before 60,000 miles; for the Expedition the halfway point is 67,000. 31% of Expedition reports and 37% of Yukon reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Ford ExpeditionGMC Yukon
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 510 for the Expedition and 796 for the Yukon.
Worst and best years
The 2019 Expedition draws 2.5 times the complaints of a typical Expedition year for its age. The 2023 Yukon draws 2.5 times the complaints of a typical Yukon year for its age.
Ford ExpeditionGMC Yukon
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 4.6 campaigns per model year for the Expedition and 5.4 for the Yukon. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Ford Expedition
23 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: backup camera (5), visibility (4) and service brakes, hydraulic (3).
- 22V-648 (visibility) covers 3 model years
- 25V-572 (backup camera) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE24019: Low-pressure fuel pump failure (closed, led to a recall)
GMC Yukon
27 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (5), airbags (4) and steering (3).
- Do not drive 16V-256 (suspension), model years 2016
- 19V-645 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
- 19V-761 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- EA26005: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (open)
- RQ26001: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (closed)
- EA25007: Loss of motive power due to engine failure (open)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Expedition complaints report a crash: 4.1%, against 2.2% for the Yukon. Fire reports: 25 for the Expedition and 5 for the Yukon.
Ford ExpeditionGMC Yukon
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Ford Expedition or the GMC Yukon more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Expedition and the Yukon split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Expedition has 1,082 complaints and the Yukon 1,491 for the 5 model years from 2015 to 2022 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Expedition or the Yukon?
The Expedition has 23 recall campaigns and the Yukon 27 across the 5 model years from 2015 to 2022 that both have on file. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 4.6 campaigns per model year for the Expedition and 5.4 for the Yukon.
What are the most common problems on the Expedition and the Yukon?
The most reported problem on the Expedition is brake wear (13% of its complaints). On the Yukon it is tail light failure (26% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Expedition.
More comparisons
- Chevrolet Tahoe vs Ford Expedition2015 to 2022
- Chevrolet Tahoe vs GMC Yukon2015 to 2026
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