2003 GMC Yukon Denali Xl Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 GMC Yukon Denali Xl, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes1632.7%
- Driver assistance1122.4%
- Engine918.4%
- Electrical714.3%
- Steering36.1%
- Powertrain (other)24.1%
- Other / unspecified12.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS NO WARNING CODE FOR THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER WHEN IT STARTS TO GO BAD THAT SHOWS UP ON THE ABS/ODB SCANNER. YOU WILL BE DRIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN YOUR STEERING GETS STIFF, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD TO PRESS AND YOU CAN'T STOP AS GOOD AS YOUR USED TO IN THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS IF SOMEONE STOPS SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES ON MY VEHICLE. THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK, AS YOU HAVE TO PUSH ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPS. I HAVE HAD BRAKE LINES REPAIRS AND THE PROBLEM STILL IS THERE. WE CANNOT USE VEHICLE UNTIL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED. OUR MECHANIC ADVISED US TO FILE A COMPLAINT ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS AN ACTIVE ISSUE WITH GMC DENALI YUKON'S FOR YEARS. WE NEED ASSISTANCE TO HAVE THIS RESOLVED TO USE OUR VEHICLE.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CLUSTER FROM ALL THE DASHBOARD HAS STOP WORKING THE SPEEDOMETER THE GAUGES EVERYTHING
THERE IS NO WARNING CODE FOR THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER WHEN IT STARTS TO GO BAD THAT SHOWS UP ON THE ABS/ODB SCANNER. YOU WILL BE DRIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN YOUR STEERING GETS STIFF, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD TO PRESS AND YOU CAN'T STOP AS GOOD AS YOUR USED TO IN THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS IF SOMEONE STOPS SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF YOU.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE WENT INTO REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND STABILTRAK WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. REDUCED SPEED FROM 60 TO 10MPH. NOW OCCURS ON A REGULAR BASIS. *TR
VEHICLE POWERS DOWN WITHOUT ANY PATTERN, RHYME OR REASON. IT WILL DO IT AT 5 MPH, AND AT 55 MPH, WHEN DRIVEN A LOT, AND WHEN NOT. REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT TURNS ON, VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWS TO 25 MPH MAX, STEERING BECOMES HARD, BRAKES TOO. THEN WILL TOTALLY SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY, THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY AND WIRING HARNESS TWICE. FUSES, FUEL PUMP AND FILTERS, OIL, AND EVERYTHING ELSE AS RECOMMENDED. IT PUT ME IN THE DITCH. IT STRANDED ME IN THE CENTER OF A FREEWAY IN WINTER. WHEN IT SITS FOR A WHILE, IT RESETS, ONLY TO DO IT AGAIN. T/C LIGHT TURNS ON ALSO. I FOUND OUT THAT I CAN MANUALLY RESET THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER FOR A FEW MOMENTS (TO GET OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE ROAD) BY TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH ON AND OFF VERY FAST. IT IS A EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD! I HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT IN MONTHS DUE TO ABSOLUTE FEAR FOR MY LIFE. WHEN ITS IN REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE, I CAN'T GET IT TO GO ABOVE 25, AND GOING UP HILLS CAN'T GO ABOVE 5MPH. IF I AM PULLING A TRAILER, IT STARTS TO GO BACKWARDS. THIS THING IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP *TR
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CLUSTER FROM ALL THE DASHBOARD HAS STOP WORKING THE SPEEDOMETER THE GAUGES EVERYTHING
JUST BOUGHT CAR ELECTRICAL HAS BEEN ACTING UP FOR A WHILE NOW (30 DAYS) AND NOW DASH HAS GONE OUT SUNROOF WONT OPEN PR CLOSE AND DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER WINDOW DOESNT WORK AUTO STORE WONT FIX OR TAKE BACK CAR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 1 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT INTO A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO RESUME TO NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 91,000. UPDATED 9/18/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. UPDATED 2/11/2015 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 YUKON DENALI XL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SHOCKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE POWERS DOWN WITHOUT ANY PATTERN, RHYME OR REASON. IT WILL DO IT AT 5 MPH, AND AT 55 MPH, WHEN DRIVEN A LOT, AND WHEN NOT. REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT TURNS ON, VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWS TO 25 MPH MAX, STEERING BECOMES HARD, BRAKES TOO. THEN WILL TOTALLY SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY, THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY AND WIRING HARNESS TWICE. FUSES, FUEL PUMP AND FILTERS, OIL, AND EVERYTHING ELSE AS RECOMMENDED. IT PUT ME IN THE DITCH. IT STRANDED ME IN THE CENTER OF A FREEWAY IN WINTER. WHEN IT SITS FOR A WHILE, IT RESETS, ONLY TO DO IT AGAIN. T/C LIGHT TURNS ON ALSO. I FOUND OUT THAT I CAN MANUALLY RESET THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER FOR A FEW MOMENTS (TO GET OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE ROAD) BY TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH ON AND OFF VERY FAST. IT IS A EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD! I HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT IN MONTHS DUE TO ABSOLUTE FEAR FOR MY LIFE. WHEN ITS IN REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE, I CAN'T GET IT TO GO ABOVE 25, AND GOING UP HILLS CAN'T GO ABOVE 5MPH. IF I AM PULLING A TRAILER, IT STARTS TO GO BACKWARDS. THIS THING IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP *TR
INTERMITTENTLY AT HWY AND SIDE ROAD SPEEDS, TRUCK WILL SHUT DOWN, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLE AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURS. HAVE FOLLOWED ALL RECOMMENDED FIXES BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. ENGINE CODE 1516, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR OUT F RANGE +- .05 VOLTS. SCARY PROBLEM, AS THIS OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSES IMMEDIATE LOSS OF SPEED. MANY MANY COMPLAINTS POSTED ON THE INTERNET OF THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT NO GMC RECOMMENDED FIXES OR ASSISTANCE. REFUSE TO TAKE THIS TO A DEALER AND LET THEM POKE AROUND AT $95 / HOUR AND OR TO THROW PARTS AT TRUCK IN HOPES OF CORRECTING. GMC NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEM. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 20-25 MPH WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 90,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .