RoadVitals

2003 GMC Yukon Xl 1500 Electrical Problems

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

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
24
Latest Dec 12, 2017
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.
38%
of 63 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 GMC Yukon Xl 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 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 electrical

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

Electrical
Filed Dec 12, 2017

VEHICLE RANDOMLY GOES INTO REDUCE ENGINE POWER MODE AND STALLS WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND GOING UP A HILL WHERE IT NEARLY CAUSED A THREE CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENTS. BASIC RESEARCH SHOWS THAT GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE THE VEHICLES WERE A FEW YEARS OLD AND IT AFFECTS MANY YEARS OF GM VEHICLES. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH BAD GROUNDING CONNECTORS RELATED TO THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR AND AND WIRING HARNESS.

NHTSA ID
11054219
Incident
Dec 9, 2017
Mileage
230,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 16, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON XL 1500. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING INDICATOR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED BEFORE THE CONTACT OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE WARNING LIGHT RANDOMLY FLASHING, WHICH DRASTICALLY REDUCED THE SPEED TO LESS THAN 20 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONSTANTLY TURN OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO PROGRESS RANDOMLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING, 02 SENSOR, THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME, THE BATTERY, AND THE ALTERNATOR. THE REPAIRS FAILED TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT SOLUTION AND THE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE FOR THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.

NHTSA ID
10874699
Incident
Mar 10, 2016
Mileage
188,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 5, 2016

REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE ON HWY AT 70 MPH

NHTSA ID
10818211
Incident
Dec 15, 2015
Mileage
250,000 mi
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Sep 28, 2015

WHILE TRAVELING TO WORK MY VEHICLES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED POWER WARNING CAME ON AT WHICH TIME I HAD COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCELERATION, COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING, AND COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING POWER. I THEN HAD TO COAST TO A STOP AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE 6 TIMES BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET THE REDUCED POWER WARNING TO GO OFF AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ALTHOUGH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN 2 DAYS WITH THE LOSS OF POWER. I HAVE HAD THE REDUCED POWER WARNING ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS YEARS PAST BUT NEVER HAVE I LOST TOTAL / ABSOLUTE POWER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, THIS IS A TOTAL DEATH TRAP FOR ANYONE WHO HAS HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY ON THE FREEWAY OR HIGHWAYS AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE AFFECTING OTHER GMC OWNERS AND HAVE SEEN NO RESOLUTIONS OR ANY RECALLS FROM GMC. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE THROTTLE HOUSING AND HARNESS COMPONENTS, ACCELERATION PEDAL SENSOR AND YET THE ISSUE CONTINUES, SOMEONE IS GOING TO ( DIE ) BECAUSE OF GMC'S LACK OF CONCERN AND RESPONSIBILITY TO OWNERS OF THEIR PRODUCTS. I WILL NEVER EVER OWN ANOTHER GMC ASSOCIATED PRODUCT.

NHTSA ID
10778119
Incident
Sep 28, 2015
Mileage
168,260 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Sep 20, 2011

WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED, THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER LIGHT COMES ON AT I LOSE ALL POWER. I MUST TRY AND PULL OVER AT A SAFE PLACE, STOP THE CAR, TURN OFF IGNITION AND WAIT 10-15 SECOND BEFORE STARTING AND JUST HOPE IT WILL RETURN TO NORMAL MODE. THIS CAN HAPPEN MANY TIMES IN ONE DAY AND THEN IT MAY NOT HAPPEN AT ALL FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. VERY DANGEROUS! I HAVE BEEN DRIVING 70 MPH AND HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TRY AND PULL OVER OUT OF SPEEDING TRAFFIC, ONTO A SHOULDER AND STOP MY CAR WITH MY CHILDREN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10426498
Incident
Sep 23, 2010
Mileage
160,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 11, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON XL K1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS READING INACCURATELY AND REMAINED STUCK ON A SPECIFIC SPEED. SHE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW FAST OR SLOW SHE WAS TRAVELING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. IN MAY 2011, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT A SPECIAL POLICY BULLETIN WAS ISSUED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE MILEAGE EXCEEDED THE LIMITATIONS AND DID NOT PERFORM ANY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF UPDATED 09/26/11

NHTSA ID
10411850
Incident
May 1, 2011
Electrical
Filed Apr 3, 2011

I WAS JUST DRIVING MY YUKON AND THE SPEEDOMETER WAS READING 100 MILES I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE WHEN I STOP AND TURN IT OFF THE SPEEDOMETER STAYED AT 40 MILES AND I DONT KNOW AT WHAT SPEED AM AT WHEN AM ON THE FREEWAY, I AS A MECHANIC SHOP AN THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO GO TO THE DEALER FOR THAT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10394102
Incident
Apr 2, 2011
BrakesElectrical
Filed Jun 20, 2010

2003 GMC YUKON XL. TRUCK SHUT OFF AT 35 TO 40 MILEAGES AN HOUR, BRAKE LIGHT, ABS AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE SERVICE CAME ON THE DASH BOARD. ITS REALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO I WASN'T ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IT WAS VERY SCARY. I COULD IT KILL SOMEONE, FORTUNATELY NO CARS OR PEOPLE AROUND ME. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, SO I DRIVE IT ONE MORE TIME. BUT IT DID THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN. I'M PLANNING ON TOWING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HOPE HEY CAN HELP ME FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10339188
Incident
Jun 10, 2010
Electrical
Filed May 13, 2010

INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10330366
Incident
May 12, 2010
Mileage
90,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 31, 2009

IN LATE AUGUST 2009, THE SPEEDOMETER ON OUR 2003 GMC YUKON XL STOPPED WORKING. WHEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER, HIS RESPONSE WAS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC VEHICLES OF THIS VINTAGE AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. COST TO REPAIR IS $550. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT A WORKING SPEEDOMETER, THE DEALER KNOWS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10282484
Incident
Aug 25, 2009
Mileage
93,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 31, 2009

2003 GMC YUKON XL SPEEDOMETER HANGS OR GOES 40 OR 50 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN ACTUAL SPEED. GM WANTS >$400 (TOO MUCH MONEY) TO REPAIR OCCURS ON MOST OF THEIR TRUCK AND SUVS. MINE HAS 90,000 MILE. THEY PROVIDED DEFECTIVE STEPPER MOTORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ARE PROFITING FROM THE REPAIR. GAUGE SEEMS TO FAIL ON LONG TRIPS AND THEN WILL EVENTUALLY START WORKING AGAIN. NEVER CAN TELL IF IT IS REALLY WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10282463
Incident
Apr 15, 2009
Mileage
84,345 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 28, 2009

SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READ INCORRECTLY OR NOT ALL . INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE ISSUE COMES ON GRADUALLY SO THERE IS A PERIOD OF TIME WITH THE SPEEDOMETER YOU REALLY DOT NOT KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE TRAVELING. WITH SOME SIMPLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET IT IS OBVIOUS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACROSS GM LINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10256628
Incident
Nov 1, 2008
Mileage
110,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 12, 2008

SPEEDOMETER INDICATOR SETTLES AT VARIOUS PLACES WHEN STOPPED, AND INDICATE INACCURATE FORWARD TRAVEL SPEED. AS AN EXAMPLE, THE SPEEDO WILL INDICATE 90MPH WHEN ACTUALLY TRAVELING 55MPH. THE SETTLE POINT, AND RESULTING INDICATOR POSITION AT ANY SPEED IS RANDOM. I HAVE BEEN READING SEVERAL FORUMS ABOUT THE HIGH RATE OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IN GMC VEHICLES, AND FEEL THAT IT IS CERTAINLY A RECALL ITEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10217824
Incident
Feb 11, 2008
Mileage
131,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 24, 2008

SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10215953
Incident
Jan 23, 2008
Electrical
Filed Oct 30, 2007

SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. NO CRASH OR INJURIES. THE PART WAS REPLACED. THE OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. THE NEW PART HAS INTERMITTENT FLUCTUATIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10207431
Incident
Apr 30, 2007
Electrical
Filed Oct 21, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

MY SPEEDOMETER BEGAN ACTING ERRATICALLY, INDICATING 80 MPH WHEN SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT, STICKING WHILE ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING. SOMETIMES IT INDICATES 20 MPH WHEN I AM ON THE FREEWAY. I RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED OVER 1,000 POSTS FROM CHEVROLET AND GMC OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE IS AN EFFORT FROM OWNERS TO DEMAND A RECALL. I DIDN'T DISCOVER THIS UNTIL JUST AFTER I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I CHECKED MY SPEED AS I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING A SAFE SPEED (I WAS UNDER THE POSTED LIMIT). A CAR PULLED IN FRONT OF ME AND I COLLIDED WITH IT. EVEN THOUGH THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT MY FAULT, THE DAMAGE TO THE OTHER CAR WAS MORE THAN I EXPECTED THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED AT MY INDICATED SPEED. I DIDN'T KNOW MY SPEEDOMETER WAS GOING BAD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10206480
Incident
Sep 17, 2007
Mileage
61,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 6, 2007

SPEEDOMETER IN OP MOST OF THE TIME, WORKS SOMETIMES BUT WILL NOT READ CORRECT SPEED, CHECKED WITH DEALER BUT HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM, HAD SYSTEM REPROGRAMED STILL NO LUCK AND NOT COVERED UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY, TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH GM TRUCKS SAME PROBLEM

NHTSA ID
10202065
Incident
Sep 1, 2006
Mileage
60,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 21, 2007

2003 YUKON XL SPEEDOMETER ON 75 MPH AT REST AND READING 120+ ON HIGHWAY. STOPPED TOWARD END OF HIGHWAY TRIP, CAR SLOWED SPEEDOMETER STUCK AND SEEMED LIKE NEEDLE GEARING SKIPPED. ACCELERATE AND 0 EQUALS 75 AND 65 EQUALS 120+. LOOKED FOR REPAIR ADVICE AND FOUND MANY WITH SAME PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10179302
Incident
Jan 20, 2007
Mileage
95,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 30, 2006

IN OCT 06 MY SPEEDOMETER STARTED STICKING AND 120+ EVEN WHEN SITTING STILL. I CHECKED WITH A LOCAL SHOP AND WAS ADVISED IT WOULD NEED TO BE RECALIBRATED WHICH INVOLVED TAKING THE DASH APART SENDING IT OFF AND BEING WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 5-7 DAYS. I COULDN'T DO THAT AT THE TIME. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER IT JUST STARTED WORKING AGAIN AND HAD WORKED FINE UNTIL 12/22/06 AND NOW IT IS DOING IT AGAIN ALL THE TIME. I JUST THINK FOR WHAT THESE VEHICLES COST THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. I FEAR EVERYDAY OF GETTING A TICKET, BUT AT THIS TIME I CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR OR BEING WITHOUT MY VEHICLE FOR A WEEK. *NM

NHTSA ID
10177397
Incident
Dec 22, 2006
Mileage
72,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 30, 2006

SPEEDOMETER HAS QUIT WORKING. REGISTER 0 AT ALL TIMES. *NM

NHTSA ID
10177392
Incident
Dec 28, 2006
Electrical
Filed Dec 27, 2006

SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10177118
Incident
Dec 19, 2006
Electrical
Filed Oct 21, 2006

ARRIVED HOME ONE EVENING AND NOTICED MY SPEEDOMETER WAS READING 43 MPH WHILE SITTING STILL IN THE DRIVEWAY. AT FIRST IT WAS ACCURATE BY SUBTRACTING THE ERROR TO CALCULATE THE SPEED BUT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BECOME ERRATIC IN IT'S INACCURACY TO THE POINT OF TOTAL UNRELIABILITY. I FEAR THE CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO NOT BEING ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED, SUCH AS TRAFFIC TICKETS AND SUCH. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS I TRAVEL THROUGH NUMEROUS SCHOOL ZONES IN MY DAILY TRAVELS. IT REMAINS UNREPAIRED AND WILL BE SO SINCE I DON'T HAVE $500 LAYING AROUND TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER. UPON SEARCHING THE INTERNET I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM, WHICH TELLS ME THERE IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN, AND AS SUCH I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE RESOLVED WITH THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP. *NM

NHTSA ID
10171480
Incident
Oct 18, 2006
Electrical
Filed Sep 6, 2006

I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY IN MY 2003 GMC YUKON XL AND ONLY WENT A SHORT DISTANCE WHEN I NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS VERY SLUGGISH AND THE DIC SHOWED "REDUCED ENGINE POWER". I TURNED AROUND AND WENT HOME. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. WHEN I STARTED IT UP A LITTLE WHILE LATER IT WAS FINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS COMMON AND IT WAS DUE TO REFUELING WITH THE VEHICLE RUNNING OR A LOOSE GAS CAP...NEITHER OF THESE HAD HAPPENED IN MY CASE. THE NEXT DAY I HAD MY THREE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE AND WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON RT. 95 WHEN THE VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN. I LOST ALL ABILITY TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE MECHANIC THAT TOWED IT READ THE DTC'S AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING: -CLASS 2 DATA LINK MALFUNCTION. - BODY CONTROL MODULE. - PCM TO TAC MODULE SERIAL DATA CONNECTION. I PLACED A CALL TO GMC ON 9/2 TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND THE DANGER IT HAD PLACED MY FAMILY IN. THEY TOLD ME IT HAD TO GO TO A DEALERSHIP FOR AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSIS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I HAVE FOUND THAT THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES W/ OTHER YUKONS AS WELL AS 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHES. AFTER READING THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THIS ISSUE IT IS VERY APPARENT THAT GMC IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BUT HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE IT PUTTING MILLIONS AT RISK EVERY DAY. SOMEONE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10167435
Incident
Aug 31, 2006
Mileage
83,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 16, 2006

MY SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN STICKING. SOMETIMES IT RESETS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. RECENTLY IT HAS BEEN STUCK PAST THE 120 MPH. REPAIR SHOPS RECOMMEND TAKING IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE BUT HAVE NOT DONE SO YET. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING OFF AND ON FOR AT LEAST 4 MONTHS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10159996
Incident
Dec 18, 2005
Mileage
75,000 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.

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Data on this page last refreshed .