2003 Gmc YUKON DENALI XL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
32 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
130,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 31 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 32 complaints (34.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 50.0% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 15.6% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 9.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 9.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 6.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 6.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 11 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 8 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Engine | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Steering | 3 |
Service Brakes: 11; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 8; Electrical System: 5; Engine: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Steering: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 11
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 6; 2012: 4; 2013: 3; 2014: 6; 2015: 6; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10253936 · 2009-01-06 (January 6, 2009)
PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVE. DOES NOT HOLD / STOP VEHICLE. FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 70-90K MILES. NOTICED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN DATABASE. REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253936 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10253943 · 2009-01-06 (January 6, 2009)
ERRATIC SPEED ODOMETER. SPEED GAUGE SLOW TO ZERO AND OR DOES NOT ZERO. SPEED INACCURATE DUE TO NON ZEROING PROPERLY. RESETTING THE LOGIC BY TURNING IGNTIION ON/OFF REPEATEDLY RESETS THE GAUGE. PROBLEM STARTED @ APPROX 100,000 MILES AND AS BECOME MORE PERSISTENT. I HAVE HEARD AND READ SIMILAR REPORTS. BEEN INFORMED THAT GMC HAS AGREED TO WARRANTY REPAIRS AT LESS THAN 70K MILES. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE BECAUSE I HAVE EXCEEDED 70K. THIS SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL. CAUSES ERRATIC / DIFFICULT JUDGMENT IN HIGH TRAFFIC SENARIO…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253943 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10325444 · 2010-04-13 (April 13, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER STATED THAT ALTHOUGH NOT CERTAIN, THE FUEL TANK COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. IN JANUARY 2010, THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 115,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10325444 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10357278 · 2010-09-23 (September 23, 2010)
COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE TRAVELING IN CAR OVER A BRIDGE IN NEW YORK CITY. I HAD BEEN ROUTINELY DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. WHEN I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES IN TRAFFIC, MY FOOT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE CAUSED THE SAME TO OCCUR. NEARLY MISSED A MAJOR REAR END COLLISION WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND POSSIBLE INJURIES BY DROPPING THE TRANSMISSION INTO THE LOWEST GEAR AND SLAMMING ON THE PARKING BRAKE. DEALER SAYS MY ENTIRE BRAKE LINES ARE CORRODED AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10357278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10376048 · 2011-01-09 (January 9, 2011)
"REDUCED ENGINE POWER/STALILITY CONTROL DISENGAGED" MESSAGE DISPLAYED, ENGINE WENT TO IDLE AND WOULD NOT EXCEED 5-10 MPH. TRAFFIC FROM BEHIND SERVED TO AVOID DECELERATING VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SOMEWHAT COMMON WITH THESE GM MODELS. THE POSSIBILITY OF REAR END COLLISIONS MAY BE EXPERIENCED DUE TO RAPID DECELERATION DUE TO LOSS OF POWER. HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN DURING THE DAY. IT CLEARS ITSELF AFTER THE VEHICLE SITS FOR A WHILE BUT THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN IT MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN. INFORMATION RECEIVED FORM VARIO…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,787 miles reported. Look up ODI 10376048 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10378669 · 2011-01-25 (January 25, 2011)
2003 YUKON DENALI. REDUCED ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, HIGHWAY AND OR STREET. NO MATTER WHAT THE SPEED WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER SHUTS DOWN AND YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO TRY TO GET THE SIDE AND TURN OFF THE KEY AND LET IT SIT. THEN TRY AGAIN. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP SIX TIMES OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS STILL NOT REPAIRED AND ONGOING HAZARD TO ME AND WHOEVER IS IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME OR BEHIND ME. HELP PLEASE! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10378669 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10386352 · 2011-03-03 (March 3, 2011)
2003 GMC YUKON DENALI XL HAD FRONT BREAK LINES BURTS WHILE DRIVING IN AUGUST 2010. IN FEB 2011 THE MAIN BRAKELINES TO THE REAR BURSTED. ALL LINES ARE METAL AND COMPLETELY CORRODED THRU. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 79,380 miles reported. Look up ODI 10386352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10432820 · 2011-10-25 (October 25, 2011)
I WAS DRIVING MY YUKON 2003 DENALI AND THE ERROR MESSAGE SHOWED UP "REDUCED ENGINE POWER". I WASN'T ABLE TO GET THE SPEED UP TO 30 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND HAD SOMEONE COME PICK ME UP. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE, THE MESSAGE NO LONGER APPEARED AND IT FUNCTIONED AT NORMAL SPEEDS. I AM NERVOUS ABOUT TRAVELING WITH MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE NOW. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 175,981 miles reported. Look up ODI 10432820 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.