2015 GMC Yukon XL · symptom sheet
Tail lights or brake lights fail
- 122owner reports
- 71,000median miles
- $800median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Mar 26, 2024 · checked Oct 2, 2026
140 of the 307 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 122 of those describe tail light failure, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2015 Yukon XL.
Tick what matches of 122 reports
Tail light failure on other Yukon XL years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2026.
What this problem usually is
These owners find a tail light or brake light dead, and then learn the fix is a whole lamp assembly rather than a bulb. Water inside the lens comes up again and again.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the LED module (61 reports), the tail light assembly (29 reports) and the bulb (13 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
52 of the 122 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $700 to $1,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 53,000 and 85,000 miles, from the 92 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 GMC Yukon XL that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This service bulletin provides information on Exterior Lamp Condensation and Water Leak Information and Replacement Guidelines.
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Exterior Lamp Condensation and Water Leaks and Replacement Guidelines.
What owners wrote
“The brake lights intermittently come on and off. Not reliable and the entire assembly has to be replaced per light in order to work. Sometimes if you hit a bump it will work for a bit then go back out. They have been removed, cleaned, but there is no way to fix them without replacing them. This is a known problem with GMC and they will not warranty or recall this issue.”
Filed Jul 8, 2023
“This is a common issue that is not being resolved by GM. First one, now BOTH of my rear tail lights are malfunctioning due to manufacturing defects. This is a well publicized problem and I feel that GM should be responsible for continuing to ignore the issue. Replacement tail lights are approximately $750 each. There are many businesses that have sprung up solely to repair these tail lights.”
Filed Jun 17, 2023
“Tail lights are very inconsistent of working or not working. Sometimes they work but most times they don't.”
Filed Jun 15, 2023
“Tail light failure with no ability to change out bulb. Entire assembly must be changed which costs nearly $1000.”
Filed Aug 10, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 122 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 64 reports