2009 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 2009 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
- Airbags731.8%
- Body & structure313.6%
- Electrical313.6%
- Engine313.6%
- Interior & seats313.6%
- Powertrain (other)14.5%
- Driver assistance14.5%
- Brakes14.5%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT IS ON, OIL PRESSURE FLUCTUATION OCCURS AND THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AFTER NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE INSTALLED.
IN JAN. 2018 NOTED CRACK IN DASHBOARD ON DRIVERS SIDE. ALSO THERE WAS A SMALL SLIT IN MIDDLE OF DASH. IN ABOUT 2 WKS NOTED SPLITS ON PASSENGER SIDE OF DASH. ? WHEN IT HAPPENED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
IN JAN. 2018 NOTED CRACK IN DASHBOARD ON DRIVERS SIDE. ALSO THERE WAS A SMALL SLIT IN MIDDLE OF DASH. IN ABOUT 2 WKS NOTED SPLITS ON PASSENGER SIDE OF DASH. ? WHEN IT HAPPENED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. WHILE STATIONARY, THE DASHBOARD OF THE VEHICLE BECAME CRACKED ACROSS THE AIR BAG SECTION. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 8-3684476402. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR THREE YEARS. ROUGHLY EVERY 3 MONTHS IT WILL HAVE ERRATIC ELECTRICAL SHORTS AND MOST COMMONLY THE CAR WILL NOT START BECAUSE THE BATTERY IS DEAD. SOMETIME THE SHORTS HAPPEN WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE RADIO/NAVIGATION SYSTEM TURNS OFF AND ON, THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY FLASHES OFF AND ON, THE POWER DOOR LOCKS GO UP AND DOWN. ON A FEW OCCASIONS THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS SWITCHED OVER TO HEAT ONLY WHILE THE BLOWER CONTINUED AS BEFORE. ON A FEW OCCASIONS THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TURNED OFF AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF,ONLY TO THEN TURN BACK ON. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN AND THEN TURNED BACK ON. THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DECELERATED AND THEN TURNED BACK ON AND LUNGED FORWARD. WE CONSIDER THE VEHICLE UNSAFE AT THIS POINT. WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT ANY MORE, OTHER THAN TO GET IT TO ANOTHER REPAIR PERSON WHERE IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS. WE HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY THREE TIMES AND THE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED THREE TIMES AT TWO SEPERATE GM DEALERS. WE HAVE ALSO CONTACTED THEIR PHONE SUPPORT. THEIR ONLY SUGGESTION IS TO BRING IT INTO THE DEALER EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. I FEEL THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND I HAVE INFORMED GM OF THIS.
DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED ON 2 OF OUR 4 DOORS. GM REFUSES TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. I'M WAITING FOR OTHERS TO FAIL NOW AS THIS IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH SIMILAR FAILURES FOR THE 2009 MODEL YEAR. DEALER WANTS OVER $350 PER DOOR TO FIX. IT'S SO BAD THERE'S A YOU TUBE VIDEO ON HOW TO FIX IT YOURSELF. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT IS ON, OIL PRESSURE FLUCTUATION OCCURS AND THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AFTER NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE INSTALLED.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD SAID ''ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" AND MY ENGINE SHUT OFF, BRAKES WERE HARDLY WORKING AND I COULD HARDLY STEER OR TURN THE WHEELS. MY CAR COPMLETLY LOST CONTROL AND I WAS LUCKY THERE WERE NO CARS BY ME OTHERWISE AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN INEVITABLE. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVE NO ANSWER AND THEY SUGGESTED TO REPLACE MY IGNITION SWITCH AND CAMSHAFT SENSOR TO BEGIN WITH. NO GUARANTY THAT IT'LL FIX MY PROBLEM THEY SAID. READING ONLINE FORUMS LOOKS LIKE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT OTHERWISE SOONER OR LATER LIFES WILL BE LOST.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS NOT OPERATING. 2 OF OUR DOORS FAIL TO LOCK OR UNLOCK WITH THE POWER DOOR LOCK BUTTON OR KEY FOB. WE MUST MANUALLY PUSH OR PULL THE DOOR LOCKS TO GET THEM TO FULLY LOCK OR UNLOCK CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE. OUR YOUNG KIDS COULD OPEN THE REAR DOORS AT ANY TIME IF WE DON'T MANUALLY LOCK THEM. ALSO DOORS WILL NOT LOCK LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY FOB. THIS ISSUE IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND THERE'S EVEN A YOUTUBE VIDEO ON HOW TO REPLACE THEM! THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
LOCKS JUST STOPPED WORKING. *TR
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
The contact owns a 2009 GMC Yukon Denali XL. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle experienced delayed acceleration. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING AT ROUGHLY 50 MPH. WENT TO PASS CAR ON TWO LANE HIGHWAY. ACCELERATOR STUCK TO FLOOR (NOT STUCK ON FLOOR MAT OR OTHER OBJECT). VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 95 MPH, SLOWED TO 70 WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED FULLY. SLOWED TO 50 WITH BRAKE AND EMERGENCY BRAKE DEPRESSED. ACCELERATED WHEN DOWNSHIFTED INTO MANUAL. FINALLY PUT IN NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP. HAD COMPLAINED OF ROUGH IDLE, STALLING AND REDUCED POWER FOR 3 YEARS (SINCE WE HAD CAR FOR ONLY A FEW MONTHS). SEE SOME DISCUSSION THAT A DIRTY THROTTLE BODY COULD LEAD TO ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. 3 YEARS WITH 3 DIFFERENT GM SERVICE SHOPS AND NO SOLUTION. FORTUNATELY THE ROAD WAS NOT CROWDED AND WAS STRAIGHT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL PROBLEM FOR US. IT WAS MY WIFE, MYSELF, AND OUR THREE CHILDREN UNDER 4 YEARS OF AGE IN THE VEHICLE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT IS ON, OIL PRESSURE FLUCTUATION OCCURS AND THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AFTER NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE INSTALLED.
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 .