Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 32 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 GMC Yukon Xl Denali, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and driver assistance categories. 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 116 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2003 | 2 | 2 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 4 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 5 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 6 |
| Dec 2004 | 1 | 7 |
| Aug 2005 | 1 | 8 |
| May 2006 | 1 | 9 |
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 10 |
| Nov 2006 | 1 | 11 |
| Dec 2006 | 3 | 14 |
| Feb 2007 | 1 | 15 |
| Jun 2007 | 1 | 16 |
| Jul 2007 | 1 | 17 |
| Sep 2007 | 1 | 18 |
| Dec 2007 | 1 | 19 |
| Jan 2008 | 2 | 21 |
| Apr 2008 | 1 | 22 |
| Jul 2009 | 1 | 23 |
| Jan 2010 | 1 | 24 |
| Oct 2010 | 1 | 25 |
| Feb 2011 | 1 | 26 |
| Aug 2012 | 1 | 27 |
| Dec 2012 | 1 | 28 |
| Dec 2013 | 1 | 29 |
| Sep 2014 | 1 | 30 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 31 |
| Dec 2018 | 1 | 32 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
ODI'S REVIEW OF COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF EA04-011 REVEALED NO INDICATION THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE RE-OPENED.MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ENCLOSED IN THE DP05-009 PUBLIC FILE.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION IN THE FUTURE SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT.
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
ABOUT A MONTH A AGO MY 2003 YUKON XL ALL OF A SUDDEN WOULD NOT DRIVE OVER15 MILES AN HR IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE SHOP TO HAVE DIAGNOSTICS RAN. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE BATTERY. THE TRUCK RAN FOR ABOUT A MONTH THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BATTERY WAS BACK DEAD. RETURNED THE TRUCK BACK TO THE SHOP ANOTHER BATTERY WAS PUT IN. IT'S BEEN ABOUT ANOTHER MONTH. THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING FROM MIAMI TO JACKSONVILLE AND THE TRUCK LOST POWER 100 MILES OUTSIDE JACKSONVILLE ON I-95 NORTH. IT HAD ALL POWER JUST WOULD NOT CRANK. HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP NOW I'M BEING TO THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL.
DRIVING HOME WHEN I PUSH THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK, BRAKE SERVICE WARNING CAME ON UPON CHECKING ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED AND WHEN IT PRESS THE BRAKES IT APPEARS THE PRESSURE PUNCTURE A LINE. *TR
WE WERE DRIVING UP IN THE MOUNTAINS AND WE LOST POWER BRIEFLY TO THE ENGINE. THE LIGHTS FLICKERED AND THE DASH BOARD WENT OUT. THEN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CAME ON AND THE STABILITY/TRACTION CAME ON TOO. THIS HAS HAPPENED WEEKLY FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. THIS LAST TIME WAS ALARMING SINCE WE WERE COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN IN A STORM AND COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED UP THERE WITH NO RUNNING VEHICLE TO KEEP US WARM. THIS NEEDS TO GET A RECALL OR INVESTIGATION GOING ON THESE VEHICLES. IF YOU GOOGLE THIS ISSUE YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED WITH THIS ISSUE. IT WILL KILL PEOPLE IF THEY EXPECT TO HAVE POWER TO GET THROUGH AN INTERSECTION FAST ENOUGH AND THE VEHICLE GIVES OUT ON THEM. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE COUNTY ROAD LOCATED IN OLDHAM COUNTY KENTUCKY AND UPON APPROACHING A CURVE, I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND PROVIDED NO BRAKING ACTION (SEVERELY RUSTED BRAKE LINES BURST AND RESULTED IN TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE ). THE CURVE WAS FOLLOWED BY AN INTERSECTION WITH A STOP SIGN IN MY LANE. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME AND NO OPPOSING TRAFFIC AT THAT MOMENT, WHICH ENABLED ME, THROUGH THE USE OF GEARS AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED JUST BEYOND THE STOP SIGN. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MODERN VEHICLES WERE DESIGNED WITH REDUNDANCY IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH WOULD PREVENT TOTAL BRAKING FAILURE, BUT APPARENTLY THAT IS NOT TRUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE READ SEVERAL ACCOUNTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES WITH THIS FAMILY OF VEHICLES AND I THINK ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN QUICKLY AS THE NEXT VICTIM MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AS ME AND MY 10 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WERE THIS PAST WEEK. *TR
DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR LOSES POWER. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! THE DASH SAYS REDUCED ENGINE POWER. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. CODES FOR THE PROBLEM P0120, P0171, P0174, P0300, P2135. I GOT EVERYTHING DONE THAT WAS SUGGESTED THE CODES ARE GONE AND IT'S STILL HAPPENING!! NOT SURE WHAT THE GMC DEALERSHIP IS UP TO BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE TO WHAT'S CAUSING IT OR HOW TO FIX IT! *TR
REDUCED ENGINE POWER, STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLED
FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS I'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE STABILITY CONTROL / REDUCED ENGINE POWER. THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR ANYTIME WHILE DRIVING OR EVEN AFTER IT HAS BEEN SITTING. I MUST STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT OFF SEVERAL TIMES FOR IT TO RESET BEFORE I CAN CONTINUE. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS AT THE DEALER, THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER SEVERAL VISITS TO REPAIR SHOPS AND SPENDING NEARLY $2000 ON REPAIRS IT STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS NEEDS TO ADDRESSED AS A FAILURE AND DANGEROUS SITUATION BY G.M. THE VEHICLE IS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. *LN
THE RIGHT HINGE OF THE REAR LIFT GLASS ON MY 2003 GMC YUKON FAILED CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONDITION WHEREBY THE REAR GLASS COULD BLOW OUT, OR OTHERWISE FALL OFF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE ENTIRE REAR LIFT GLASS MODULE MUST BE REPLACED. *TR
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G Sunset Information.
ENGINE
This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
ENGINE
This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.