RoadVitals

2002 GMC Yukon Denali Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
19
Latest Jul 16, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
66%
of 29 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 GMC Yukon Denali submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Jul 16, 2016

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN AN APPROXIMATE 12 MONTH PERIOD, I HAD TO REPLACE A BRAKE LINE FAILURE. UNTIL NOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT GM HAS A "REPLACEMENT REBUILD KIT". HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME MY SISTER WAS DRIVING AND HAD A BRAKE FAILURE WITH A CAR LOAD OF FAMILY ABOARD, IN JACKSONVILLE FL. A NATIONALLY KNOWN COMPANY REPLACED THE PORTION OF THE BRAKE LINE THAT RUPTURED, BUT THEY DID WARN ME THAT RUST WAS RAMPART BECAUSE OF THE SALT. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON I495, D.C. BELTWAY AT 50 MPH, WHERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TRAVEL DAILY AND I HAD ANOTHER CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE AT 50 MPH. THAT SCENARIO, JUST THINKING ABOUT IT AGAIN, SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH AND I JUST FIXED THE SAME THING LAST YEAR FOR 600.00+ AND UNEXPECTEDLY IT HAPPENS AGAIN. ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED OR HAD SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE. WHAT I FOUND OUT LATER AFTER INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM, AND THE SAME COMPANY WHO REPLACED THE FIRST BRAKE LINE SAID IT WOULD BE 1500.00 TO FIX A PORTION OF THE BRAKE LINE. THIS ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN BY GM AND HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED FOR 5 YEARS AND GM DID NOT DO A RECALL BECAUSE MOST WARRANTIES HAVE EXPIRED. HOWEVER, WITH THE SNOW-BELTS STATES SALTING THE ROADS HAVE DAMAGED MANY GM AND OTHER VEHICLES. FROM 1999 TO 2007 GM TRUCKS AND SUVS WERE USING NON-PV COATED BRAKE LINES. BY THESE BRAKE LINES NOT BEING COATED WITH PROTECTANT, CORROSION RUNS RAMPART ON YOUR BRAKE LINE SYSTEM, THIS IS PROBABLE IN ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED VEHICLES. I THINK THAT EVERY DEALER SHOULD DO THIS REPLACEMENT FOR THE GM RECOMMEND PRICE. I TALKED TO MY SERVICE MANAGER AT CHEVY/GM TODAY AND HE SAID GM DOESN'T OWN THIS DEALERSHIP AND THE RECOMMENDED TIME TO INSTALL (4.5 HOURS) @ 100.00 PER HOUR IS NOT REALISTIC. I SAID YOU SALE AND SERVICE THESE VEHICLES, YET NO ONE WANTS TO STEP UP TO FIX THEM UNTIL SOME GETS KILLED, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

NHTSA ID
10885218
Incident
Jul 15, 2016
Mileage
128,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 23, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC YUKON DENALI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT INDEPENDENTLY REMOVED THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE FUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID
10736099
Incident
May 12, 2015
Mileage
200,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 10, 2014

WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. I PUMPED THEM REPEATEDLY WHICH DID NOT HELP MUCH AT ALL. I WAS NOT ABLE TO SLOW DOWN, MUCH LESS STOP AT THE STOP SIGN. WITH NO CHOICE, I ROUNDED THE TURN AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THANKFULLY THE APPROACHING VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO AVOID ME. HAD I ARRIVED AT THE INTERSECTION A FEW SECONDS LATER THE RESULT WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN DIFFERENT. AS THIS OCCURRED LATE AT NIGHT WITH ALMOST NO TRAFFIC, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED WITH HEAVY BRAKE PUMPING. UPON INSPECTION IN MY DRIVEWAY I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT A CORRODED BRAKE LINE THAT LEADS TO THE REAR BRAKES HAD BURST. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS PART ON TOP OF THE FRAME RAIL PREVENTS INSPECTION BY OWNERS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10632277
Incident
Sep 7, 2014
Mileage
89,740 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 24, 2014

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2002YUKON DENALI WITH 105,000 MILES WE HAD BRAKE FAILURE FOR THE SECOND TIME. WE WERE TOWING OUR 21 FOOT GULF STREAM AMERILITE TRAVEL TRAILER AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US STEPPED ON THEIR BRAKES MY HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO BEGIN SLOWING DOWN. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, WE HAD NO BRAKES. IT IS A MIRACLE THAT WE WERE NOT KILLED. THIS IS THE SECOND BRAKE LINE RUPTURE WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS EXTEMELY WELL MAINTAINED. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. IT HAS BEEN VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE OUR VEHICLE TOWED TWICE AND REPAIRED. I WILL BE CONTACTING GMC AND ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT. OUR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN PUT IN DANGER HERE. WHY IS THEIR NOT A RECALL WITH SO MANY POSTINGS OF THE THIS PROBLEM? ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH STAINLESS STEEL LINES THAT WILL NOT RUST. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE PRIOR TO CONTACTING AN ATTORNEY. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10627817
Incident
Aug 17, 2014
Mileage
105,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 17, 2014

DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON MY 2002 YUKON DENALI, HEAVY RUST/CORROSION WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED ON THE BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS UNDER THE RADIATOR. AS I FOLLOWED IT BACK, MORE RUST/CORROSION IS VISIBLE. THEY ARE RUSTING/CORRODING IN EXPOSED AS WELL AS PROTECTED AREAS. CONCERNED FOR SAFETY AND A POTENTIAL FAILURE I STARTED TO INVESTIGATE, ON LINE, AND FOUND THAT THIS ISSUE HAS AFFECTED MANY TRUCKS AND SUV'S IN AND AROUND MY MODEL YEAR. I ALSO FOUND THAT GM IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT HAS FAILED TO INITIATE A RECALL. VEHICLES OF THIS SIZE ARE PURCHASED FOR LARGE FAMILIES, TOWING AND HAULING HEAVY LOADS. ALL THE MORE REASON FOR GM TO RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL DANGER AND ACT ACCORDINGLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10611391
Incident
Jul 16, 2014
Mileage
131,506 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 16, 2014

REAR BRAKE LINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING. CAR TOWED TO VAN CHEVROLET IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ. DEALER ONLY REPLACED ONE FAILED LINE. APPROX. 1 YEAR LATER, FRONT LEFT LINE FAILED, AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, AND WAS REPLACED. AFTER INSPECTION ALL HARD BRAKE LINES ARE SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEED REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10564574
Incident
Nov 1, 2012
Mileage
160,000 mi
BrakesFuel system
Filed Sep 27, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED REPEATEDLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE WHILE SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO REVERSE, THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD UPON ENGAGEMENT. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID
10545720
Incident
Sep 23, 2013
Mileage
135,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 29, 2013

I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AND STARTED TO BRAKE AND THEN THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD THE STAND ON IT TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE I FOUND A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE. FURTHER REVIEW FOUND ALL 4 LINES 8 INCHES BELOW THE MASTER CYLINDER AND LOWER SERIOUSLY CORRODED. FLUID RESERVOIR WAS STILL FULL OF FLUID. THE LINE BROKE OUT UNDER THE CARRIAGE, FRONT DRIVER SIDE, JUST BEHIND THE FRONT WHEEL WELL. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE OF THE CORRODED LINES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10532280
Incident
Jul 27, 2013
Mileage
113,706 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 9, 2012

BRAKES FAILED DUE TO CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE. BRAKING WAS NOT EXISTENT AS THE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOOR. THANK GOD FOR NOT BEING IN A BUSY STREET AND BEING ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP. THIS IS A HEAVY VEHICLE AND WITHOUT BRAKING ABILITY IT COULD EASILY KILL PEOPLE. AFTER ADDING SOME BRAKE FLUID (MOST OF WHICH LEAKED THROUGH THE BROKEN LINE) THERE'S NOT EVEN A WARNING LIGHT ON TO ALERT OF A BRAKING PROBLEM DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. THE OTHER IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE IS THAT THE FAILURE IN THE LINE APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED IN A PART OF THE LINE THAT APPEARS TO BE INSIDE THE CAR FRAME WHICH MAKES IT THE MOST PROTECTED LINE FROM THE OUTSIDE ELEMENTS. IF THAT'S THE FIRST LINE TO FAIL, IT WOULD SUGGEST SUB STANDARD MATERIALS BEING USED IN MANUFACTURING THESE LINES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10450846
Incident
Mar 1, 2012
Mileage
103,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 6, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKING, THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD ENGAGE AND CAUSE THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.

NHTSA ID
10410776
Incident
Jul 3, 2011
Mileage
167,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 25, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 3-10 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) WOULD ENGAGE. THE DEALER ADVISED ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 05V379000: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK), HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000.

NHTSA ID
10339967
Incident
Jun 19, 2009
Mileage
56,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 2, 2009

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE ON 2002 YUKON DENALI IN MICHIGAN. MY VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM OF THE RECALL. THOUGH MY VEHICLE FALLS UNDER THE RECALL. GM IS REFUSING TO FIX MY VEHICLE BECAUSE MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE DOES NOT SHOW UP IN THE GM COMPUTER SYSTEM AS REQUIRING THE RECALL. PLEASE GET GM TO PUT VEHICLE REQUIRED BY RECALL IN THEIR SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10253580
Incident
Jan 2, 2009
Mileage
60,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 19, 2008

I HAVE A 2002 YUKON DENALI AWD. I TOOK A LONG TRIP THIS WEEK FOR VACATION AND NOTICED THAT THE ABS LIGHT AS BEEN COMING ON AND OFF, AND NOW ITS ON ALL THE TIME. WHENEVER IM MOVING AT LOW SPEEDS IT TENDS TO PULSE WHEN I BRAKE OR HAVE THE ABS ACTIVATE MAKING AN EASY SLOW STOP BECOME AND LONG STOP THAT HAS MADE ME SWERVE TO MISS MANY NEAR COLLISIONS IN THE PAST FEW DAYS. IM ALSO HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND AT LOW SPEEDS IN THE DRIVE SIDE WHEEL ONLY WHEN I TURN RIGHT, BETWEEN THE 2 THAT HAVE JUST RECENTLY APPEARED MADE MY 900 MILE TRIP A NIGHTMARE, NOT KNOWING WHAT IT IS. I'VE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND NOTICE THERE WAS A RECALL IN CANADA FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT THE COMPLAINTS ARE NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO GET IT IN THE U.S. SO HOW MANY PPL NEED TO RISK BEING INJURED OR KILLED FOR GM TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THEY OBVIOUSLY NO SOMETHING IS WRONG AND IS NOT WILLING TO HELP THE CONSUMERS. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ID
10224994
Incident
Apr 18, 2008
Brakes
Filed Dec 19, 2007

ANTILOCK BRAKES PULSE AND MAKE ACTIVATION NOISE AT LOW SPEED REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10212359
Incident
Dec 5, 2007
Mileage
212,850 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 6, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH, THE ABS ENGAGED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA ID
10170075
Incident
Oct 6, 2006
Mileage
70,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 22, 2006

WHILE PARKING THE TRUCK THE PARKING BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND DOES NOT HOLD THE TRUCK FROM MOVING , EVEN AFTER PARKING IN THE DRIVEWAY. MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS AND MAY NEED TO REPLACE ROTORS AND PADS DEPENDING ON SEVERITY. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM AS NOTED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS. DON'T HAVE LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO CORRECT WITH NEW PART COSTS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10166269
Incident
Apr 1, 2005
Mileage
52,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 29, 2005

I OWN A 2002 YUKON DENALI, AND MY ABS KICKS IN AT LOW SPEEDS. THERE IS ALREADY A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BUT MY [XXX] EXCLUDES ME TO OBTAIN THIS RECALL. I OWN A 2002 YUKON DENALI, I LIVE IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES (NEW JERSEY), I AM EXPERIANCING UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS, MY VIN DOES NOT MATCH THE SUV'S MENTIONED FOR THIS RECALL. I MEET ALL QUAILIFATIONS FOR THIS RECALL EXCEPT ONE (MY VIN). SO MY SUV IS NOT COVERED. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10146513
Incident
Dec 29, 2005
Mileage
76,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 26, 2005

ABS SYSTEM ALWAYS ACTIVATES WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AT SLOW SPEEDS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES. *NM

NHTSA ID
10143686
Incident
Nov 24, 2005
Mileage
30,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 18, 2005

I HAD TO REPLACE A SET OF REAR DISC ROTORS THAT WERE RUSTED ON INSIDE DISC WALLS. WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10118068
Incident
Apr 18, 2005
Mileage
27,300 mi

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

Data on this page last refreshed .