2003 GMC YUKON Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

AS I WAS DRIVING ON 95N OF COLLEGE PARK, MD, MY VEHICLE POWER SEEM TO SHUTDOWN ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE "REDUCE POWER ENGINE" MESSAGE APPEARED IN MY INSTRUMENTATION PANEL. FORTUNATELY I WAS CLOSE TO THE EMERGENCY PULL OFF OF THE LEFT LANE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. I TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND BACK ON, AND THE MESSAGE WENT A WAY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WITH MY JOURNEY. HOWEVER, JUST RECENTLY, IT HAS DONE IT AGAIN, THIS TIME MY SPEED WAS AROUND 35MPH. ONCE AGAIN, I TURNED IT OFF, THAN ON AND THE MESSAGE WENT AWAY AND I HAD POWER IN MY ACCELERATION AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I'M TAKING IT BACK IN TO THE MECHANIC TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. *TR

Mileage: 232,710

REDUCED ENGINE POWER. TRUCK GOES INTO TRACTION CONTROL WHILE DRIVING OR TURNING STABILITY CONTROL IS OFF. CHECK ENGINE LITE GOES ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING MASS FLOW SENSOR KEEPS COMING ON. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

WE CAME HOME FROM VACATION TO FIND OUR 2003 YUKON'S BATTERY DEAD. MY HUSBAND JUMPED IT AND TOOK IT FOR A RIDE. IT WOULDN'T RUN OVER 20 MPH. THE "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" LIGHT IS ON. HE SHUT IT OFF AND IT'S RUNNING OK RIGHT NOW. I CHECK OUT A COUPLE OF FORUMS ON THIS PROBLEM. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE ENDLESS NUMBERS OF CONSUMERS REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM COMING BACK EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE HAD IT SERVICED BY THE DEALER. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO COME WITHOUT ANY NOTICE TO THE DRIVER AND HAS ALMOST CAUSE ACCIDENTS. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE CLAIM TO BE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING THE SPEED LIMIT WHEN THEIR CAR SUDDENLY DROPS TO 20-30 MPH. GMC DOES NOT SEEM TO BE OVERLY CONCERNED WITH THIS PROBLEM AND HAS NO RECALLS ON IT. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Mileage: 60,000

ENGINE TICKING ON STARTUP, LASTS FOR 5 MINUTES CURRENTLY - LONGER ON COLD STARTS OR AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT OVERNIGHT. PROGRESSIVELY HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND LONGER IN DURATION SINCE REPORTING THE FAILURE LAST YEAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS PISTON "SLAP" NOISE DESCRIBED APPEARS TO BE MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN 5.3 LITER ENGINE WHERE SHIPMENT OF ENGINES WITH CYLINDER HEADS THAT ARE OVERSIZED OR PISTONS SHIPPING AS UNDERSIZED IS CAUSING WARPING ON PISTON HEAD, HENCE THE REASON WHY THE NOISE PROGRESSIVLY GETS LOUDER AND LONGER LASTING AS TIME PROGRESSES. ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP HAS DOCUMENTED THE REPORT OF THE NOISE WITH NO RESULT OR ATTEMPT TO FIX. CUSTOMER HAS PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY PRIOR TO THE EVIDENCE OF THIS FAILURE, AT TIME OF PURCHASE. SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS HAVE DIRECTED CUSTOMER TO FILE A DIRECT COMPLAINT WITH MANUFACTURER AS ENGINE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED THAT PROLONGED WEAR WITH THE "SLAP" THAT IS CAUSING THE TICKING NOISE WILL CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ENGINE OVER TIME. ONLY SUGGESTED RECOURSE IS TO REPLACE ENGINE WITH 5.3 THAT SHIPPED AFTER SEPTEMBER 2002 AND WAS NOT MANUFACTURED FROM ONE OF THREE GM PLANTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF THE DEFECTIVE ENGINES.

Mileage: 53,836

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMERHEARD A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WILL MAKE CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

I HAVE A 2003 GMC YUKON SUV WITH A 5300 ENGINE. THE IDLE IS VERY ROUGH. THE DEALER SAYS "ITS THE NATURE OF THE BEAST". I ALSO HAVE A 2003 GMC YUKON XL, WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND IT DOES NOT DO THIS. ARE THEY SHIRKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES?*AK

THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT GMC MANUFACTURED A LARGE NUMBER OF 5.3 LITER ENGINES WITH EITHER UNDER SIZED PISTONS OR OVER SIZED COMBUSTION CYLINDERS WHICH RESULTED IN PISTON SLAP. THE NOISE IS VERY LOUD WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD BUT AFTER A PERIOD OF 10-15 MINUTES THE NOISE GOES AWAY. *LA THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD ISSUE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO CONSUMER'S WHO CONTACTED THEM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD EITHER REPLACE THE ENGINE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *NM

WHILE DRIVING OVER FIFTEEN MINUTES CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, IT SOUNDED LIKE DRIPPING WATER. VEHICLE HAD BEEN SEVERAL TIMES AT THE DEALERSHIP, AND DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

Mileage: 2,000

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. *AK

ENGINE SHUT DOWN AT 65 MPH ON EXPRESSWAY LOSE OF STEERING, DIFFICULTY WITH BRAKES WAS NEARLY IN AN ACCIDENT TRYING TO GET TO SIDE OF EXPRESSWAY. *AK

Mileage: 10,316

WHILE DRIVING AT CALIFORNIA FREEWAY AT 55MPH AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE SHUT OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK