2017 GMC Yukon XL · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 25owner reports
- 70,000median miles
- 5involved a crash
Newest report Aug 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
25 of the 147 complaints on this car describe brake wear. Only tail light failure is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 25 reports
Brake wear 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
Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the ABS module (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the brakes covers the 2017 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the brakes on the Yukon XL
Brake vacuum pump failure. Closed apr 10, 2022, led to recall 19V-645.
Unwanted low-speed abs activation. Closed sep 13, 2005, led to recall 05V-379.
None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 49,200 and 99,000 miles, from the 14 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 7 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 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 for tire pressure monitoring (TPM) system concerns.
This technical bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of pulsing, grinding, scraping noise from brakes, uneven front brake pad wear.
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to add PET tape to the brake cables if the cause of the customers concern.
N182202780 Special Coverage Adjustment. In some circumstances, some 2014-2017 model year Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, and GMC Yukon vehicles may have a condition where customers may experience increased brake ...
3 more on the 2017 GMC Yukon XL page.
What owners wrote
“When backing down a boat ramp for a day on the lake I experienced extremely high rake pedel effort and abs engaging with no wheel slip for skid. In order to keep the vehicle from going into the lake I had to apply the parking brake. No warning lamps illuminated. The dealer states it is a faulty vacuum pump.”
Filed May 15, 2023
“My brake lights work intermittently. If you tap the actual brake light they will flicker on and off. This puts others and my self at risk as the indicator for by braking system is not functioning properly. My vehicle has been to my local GMC dealer with a replacement cost of $950.00. I also received a written warning from my local police department. There are no warning notices.”
Filed Jul 9, 2022
“The rear break lights malfunctioned and will quite working periodically there has been no inspection from a dealership at this moment and driving at night time puts me and my family at risk due to the fact that I could be rear ended and cause a major accident and my vehicle has no warning light or service light for this problem.”
Filed Apr 5, 2022
“The brake lights fail. First the left light failed, and two days later the right light failed. After researching, this is a common problem with GM and these models. The fix is not just a bulb- the whole rear light assemblies (each side) needs replacing with GM price quotes of $900 a side. We were over 1000 miles away from home.”
Filed Jul 5, 2021 · 1,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 5 of 25 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
- Tail lights or brake lights fail 33 reports