2003 GMC YUKON XL DENALI Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
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 T...
Mileage: 173,000
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 T...
Mileage: 173,000
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 T...
Mileage: 173,000
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
Mileage: 130,000
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 COMI...
Mileage: 166,081
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 COMI...
Mileage: 166,081
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 ). ...
Mileage: 177,880
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...
Mileage: 117,900
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...
Mileage: 117,900
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...
Mileage: 117,900
REDUCED ENGINE POWER, STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLED
Mileage: 27,000
REDUCED ENGINE POWER, STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLED
Mileage: 27,000
REDUCED ENGINE POWER, STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLED
Mileage: 27,000
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 ...
Mileage: 140,000
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
Mileage: 128,000
BURNING SMELL IN 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. EVENTUALLY FOUND CHILD'S VELOUR CAR SEAT SMOLDERING AT BASE WITH HOLES BURNED THROUGH THE LEATHER HEATED SEAT. CHILD HAD TOUCHED CONTROL WITH FOOT AND TURNED HEATED SEAT ON. WHEN DISCOVERED, THE CAR SEAT AND LEATHER SEATS WERE BEGINNING TO SMOKE.....COUL...
Mileage: 55,500
2003 GMC YUKON XL DENALI BRAKE LINES RUSTY AND BURST WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING AND LOST BRAKES. THIS CAUSED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED SEVERAL BRAKE LINES DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO THEY REPLACED THE CALIPERS DUE TO RUSTED BLEED VALVES. THEY ARE USING SUBSTA...
Mileage: 120,394
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, TACHOMETER STOPPED WORKING. TACHOMETER WOULD EITHER SHOW 8,000 RPMS OR ZERO RPMS NO MATTER WHAT SPEED OR PAYLOAD WAS ON VEHICLE. *TR
Mileage: 67,000
SPEEDOMETER FAILURE, SPEED OF VEHICLE UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND CITY ROADS.. *TR
Mileage: 70,568
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED ZERO AND THEN INCREASED TO OVER 100 MPH. THE FUEL AND WATER GAUGES INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EMPTY WHEN THE CONTACT FILLS IT UP. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT ...
Mileage: 98,000
SPEEDOMETER CLUSTER BROKEN ON 2003 GMC YUKON XL DENALI. CHEVY HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FAULTY SPEEDOMETERS. *TR
Mileage: 80,150
2003 GMC DENALI FRONT TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED A LOUD NOISE FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN IT STOPPED, SO I DROVE ON HOME AND THE NEXT MORNING I DROPPED IT OFF AT MY PERSONAL REPAIR SHOP. TO HIS FINDINGS IT WAS THE FRONT TRANSFER CASE. SO HE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSH...
Mileage: 104,531
THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI XLWAS ACTING ERRATIC. IT PERIODICALLY DISPLAYS SPEEDS MUCH LOWER THAN ACTUAL, AND THE NEEDLE JERKED AS IT ROSE AND FELL.. COULD YOU INVESTIGATE THI. (IT SEEMED TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND PUSH GM TO MAKE THIS A RECALL.*AK
Mileage: 29,000
2 INCIDENTS. 1) ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, RESTARTED AND THE PROBLEM WAS TEMPORARILY RESOLVED. 2) WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE FAILED. SAME CORRECTIVE MEASURES TAKE, AND PROBLEM WAS TEMPORARILY RESOLVED. INTERNET SHOWS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLE...
THE SPEEDOMETER QUITS WORKING. IT WILL INCREASE IN SPEED, BUT NOT GO DOWN. WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS OVER 100 MPH, OR WILL POINT STRAIGHT DOWN. *JB
Mileage: 54,000
I HAVE A 2003 GMC YUKON XL DENALI THAT HAS A FAULTY SPEEDOMETER; DOESN'T WORK, OR WORKS ERRATICALLY, READS ZERO WHEN DOING 60. IF YOU TURN THE ENGINE OFF IT SEEMS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT ONLY BRIEFLY. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT I'VE SEEN REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, I TRULY BELIEVE GM SHOULD RECALL...
Mileage: 71,202
I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS INDICATING A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF SPEED THAN I WAS GOING 120 MPH. I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED BUT THE SPEEDOMETER ONLY WENT DOWN TO 60 MPH AT A DEAD STOP. HAVE NOT REPAIRED PROBLEM. DEALER WANTS 750.00 TO REPLACE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I WAS RE...
Mileage: 103,000
I WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER HOME FROM TUTORING WHEN I REALIZED THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. I HAPPENED TO BE ON THE INTERSTATE AT THE TIME SO I KEPT UP WITH THE OTHER CARS, BUT GOING DOWN THE STREETS TO OUR HOUSE IN THE DARK MADE ME UNCOMFORTABLE. SOMETIMES IT STICKS AT ZERO AND OTHER TIM...
Mileage: 58,000
SPEEDOMETER ACTING ERRATIC, NOT READING CORRECTLY, OR AT ALL, ON MY 2003 GMC YUKON XL DENALI. READS SLOWER THAN ACTUALLY TRAVELING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT SITS AT ZERO. *JB
Mileage: 36,500
THE WINDOW HINGE ON THE REAR WINDOW OF MY 2003 GMC YUKON BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE WINDOW. THIS HAS BEEN USED VERY RARELY, AND THE VEHICLE IS ALWAYS GARAGED. IT SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, OR DESIGN FLAW...NOT SOMETHING THAT FAILED BECAUSE OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. WITHOUT REPAIR, THIS CO...
Mileage: 43,000
MY 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI HAD JUST OVER 63,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE MAJORITY OF THE DRIVING HAS BEEN ON PAVED ROADS/HIGHWAYS. THE HUB ASSEMBLIES (BOTH SIDES) BEGAN MAKING A NOISE IN MARCH OF 2006. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I TOOK IT TO A ...
Mileage: 62,000
I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE INTERSTATE FROM A 4 HOUR DRIVE AND HEARD A AWFUL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT SOUNDED LIKE "METAL AGAINST METAL". AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A BRAKE PAD, BUT THE PADS APPEARED TO BE FINE. I PARKED IT THAT NIGHT AND ON SUNDAY MORNI...
Mileage: 46,369
I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE INTERSTATE FROM A 4 HOUR DRIVE AND HEARD A AWFUL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT SOUNDED LIKE "METAL AGAINST METAL". AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A BRAKE PAD, BUT THE PADS APPEARED TO BE FINE. I PARKED IT THAT NIGHT AND ON SUNDAY MORNI...
Mileage: 46,369
WHEN THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION IS IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION THE TRANSMISSION CAN BE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE, ETC. WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PRESSED. MY 3 YEAR OLD WAS SITTING IN MY LAP IN THE DRIVERS SEAT IN A PARKING LOT LISTENING TO THE RADIO IN ACCESSORY MODE HE PULLED THE GEAR SEL...
Mileage: 25,000
8 TIRE FAILURES DUE TO SMALL DRIVEWAY PEBBLES. GM WON'T DUE A THING. GOODYEAR CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID SOMETHING LIKE " SMALL STONES CAN PUNCTURE TIRE AND TIRES SHOULD BE UPGRADED".*AK
Mileage: 24,415
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD NOISE. DEALER INDICATED IT WAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. *AK
Mileage: 15,000
CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION CAN BE SHIFTED FROM PARK WITHOUT FOOT BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKE. CONTRARY TO INFORMATION EXISTING IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL CONSUMER'S 2 YEAR OLD CHILD CHANGED GEAR FROM PARK CAUSING A COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.*AK VEHICL...
CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION CAN BE SHIFTED FROM PARK WITHOUT FOOT BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKE. CONTRARY TO INFORMATION EXISTING IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL CONSUMER'S 2 YEAR OLD CHILD CHANGED GEAR FROM PARK CAUSING A COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.*AK VEHICL...
FRONTAL IMPACT BETWEEN MY 2003 YUKON XL DENALI AND A 1992 HONDA PRELUDE. IMPACT TO MY VEHICLE IN FRONT LEFT CORNER # 40 MPH CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE WITHIN 30 SECONDS OF IMPACT. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, NOT THE IMPACT. *JB
Mileage: 3,850
FRONTAL IMPACT BETWEEN MY 2003 YUKON XL DENALI AND A 1992 HONDA PRELUDE. IMPACT TO MY VEHICLE IN FRONT LEFT CORNER # 40 MPH CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE WITHIN 30 SECONDS OF IMPACT. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, NOT THE IMPACT. *JB
Mileage: 3,850
THE SEAT BELTS IN MY 2003 YUKON XL DENALI SLOWLY TIGHTEN UP DURING OPERATION. WE NEED TO RELEASE THE BELT AND ALLOW IT TO RETRACT COMPLETLY AND THEN RELATCH IT. GMC HAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN OFFERING BELT EXTENTIONS.
THE HEATER DID NOT WORK. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT UNTIL IN THE HIGHWAY. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 29 DEGREES (F). I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD IF IT WERE NEEDED (WHICH COULD IMPAIR DRIVING). I CALLED ON-STAR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THEY DETERMINED THER...
Mileage: 1,530