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2003 GMC Yukon Denali

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 GMC Yukon Denali do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

58 reports with mileage · 14 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

7 reports
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170,000 miles · Nov 27, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other

LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING , WHILE ON HIGHWAY. FROM 65MPH TO 0 WITHOUT WARNING. ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH PILE UP....WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. VERY DANGEROUS...WHOLE FAMILY CHILDREN AND ALL WAS IN THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11154144

152,000 miles · Mar 21, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE A 2003 YUKON DENALI I PURCHASED AND IT HAS GIVEN ME THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT AND ALMOST HAD A FEW ACCIDENTS ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE IT DROPS THE SPEED TO 20 MPH ALSO IT HAS THE CHECK ENGINE CODES AS P0120 AND P2135 I HAVE BEEN AWARE THAT GM HAS NOT FOUND A SOLUTION TO THIS AND WANTED TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY RECALLS A…

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I HAVE A 2003 YUKON DENALI I PURCHASED AND IT HAS GIVEN ME THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT AND ALMOST HAD A FEW ACCIDENTS ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE IT DROPS THE SPEED TO 20 MPH ALSO IT HAS THE CHECK ENGINE CODES AS P0120 AND P2135 I HAVE BEEN AWARE THAT GM HAS NOT FOUND A SOLUTION TO THIS AND WANTED TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY RECALLS AS I AM VERY AFRAID OF BEING IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND REQUESTED WITHDRAW THE COMPLAINT. *JS

NHTSA ODI #11080681

82,000 miles · Jun 8, 2015
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

TRUCK STARTED TO HAVE MAJOR ELETRICAL ISSUES. BLUBS BURNING OUT OFTEN SOCKETS BURNING OUT HAD TO REPLACE TOO OFTEN. LIGHT COVERS MELTING. HEADLIGHTS OUT AND WILL NOT COME BACK ON FOR DAYS, HAVE TO TAP THEM TO GET THEM TO COME BACK ON. HORN BLOWS FROM ALARM ALL TIMES OF THE DAY AND NIGHT. INSIDE LIGHTS ON DASH, STEERING WHEEL AND…

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TRUCK STARTED TO HAVE MAJOR ELETRICAL ISSUES. BLUBS BURNING OUT OFTEN SOCKETS BURNING OUT HAD TO REPLACE TOO OFTEN. LIGHT COVERS MELTING. HEADLIGHTS OUT AND WILL NOT COME BACK ON FOR DAYS, HAVE TO TAP THEM TO GET THEM TO COME BACK ON. HORN BLOWS FROM ALARM ALL TIMES OF THE DAY AND NIGHT. INSIDE LIGHTS ON DASH, STEERING WHEEL AND DOORS WILL NOT WORK AT TIMES ALL LIGHTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. LIGHTS AT TIMES TOO OFTEN WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. STABILITY WARNING LIGHT COMES OFTEN. AFRAID TRUCK WILL CATCH FIRE FROM THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES.. PLEASE HELP!!!!

NHTSA ODI #10724161

76,000 miles · Apr 21, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN SHE HEARD A "DING" AND THE INFORMATION CENTER SAID "SERVICE STABILITY" "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" IT THEN TOOK ALL ENGINE POWER FROM THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CAUSING IT TO SLOW TO A VERY UNSAFE 20 MPH ALMOST INSTANTLY AND CAUSED HER TO NARROWLY AVOID BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. THIS HA…

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN SHE HEARD A "DING" AND THE INFORMATION CENTER SAID "SERVICE STABILITY" "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" IT THEN TOOK ALL ENGINE POWER FROM THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CAUSING IT TO SLOW TO A VERY UNSAFE 20 MPH ALMOST INSTANTLY AND CAUSED HER TO NARROWLY AVOID BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND WERE TOLD WE NEEDED A NEW THROTTLE BODY CABLE WHICH WE BOUGHT AND HAD THEM INSTALL, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NEVER GONE AWAY. I HAVE READ MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET BUT AFTER YEARS OF COMPLAINING NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? IT CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE IT. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE GOVERNMENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I AM SURE MANY OTHERS HAVE AS WELL. NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN DONE. TO CAP IT OFF, AND THE REASON I AM ON THIS AGAIN, IS BECAUSE THIS PAST WEEKEND I RENTED A BUICK ENCLAVE FROM BUDGET RENTAL CARS IN LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS. THIS WAS A NEW VEHICLE THAT HAD ONLY 5 MILES ON IT WHEN I LEFT THE LOT. AT AROUND 65 MILES LATER THE VEHICLE DID THE SAME EXACT THING, AND REDUCED MY SPEED TO 25 WITH AN 18 WHEELER BEHIND ME THAT HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS ME AS I SWERVED TO THE SHOULDER TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712107

83,000 miles · Nov 11, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL TURN ON AND THE INFORMATION CENTER ON MY CLUSTER READS "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND "STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLE", THEN MY SPEED IS REDUCED AND ONLY RUNS BETWEEN TEN AND TWENTY MILES PER HOUR. I HAVE TO TURN OFF MY TRUCK AND TURN IT BACK ON AFTER A FEW MINUTES TO CONTINUE, BUT THIS PROBLE…

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THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL TURN ON AND THE INFORMATION CENTER ON MY CLUSTER READS "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND "STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLE", THEN MY SPEED IS REDUCED AND ONLY RUNS BETWEEN TEN AND TWENTY MILES PER HOUR. I HAVE TO TURN OFF MY TRUCK AND TURN IT BACK ON AFTER A FEW MINUTES TO CONTINUE, BUT THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ON A DAILY BASIS. I THINK GMC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND MORE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10551843

97,000 miles · Dec 16, 2011
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ONGOING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. STARTING IN 2005, THE EXTERIOR ELECTRONICS (I.E. SIGNAL LIGHTS, STOP LIGHTS, HEAD LIGHTS, ETC) BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD TRIGGER THE SIGNAL FOR ONE DIRECTION AND ALL OF THE SIGNALS FOR ALL DIRECTIONS WOULD TRIGGER... EVEN PRESSING THE BRAKES TRI…

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I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ONGOING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. STARTING IN 2005, THE EXTERIOR ELECTRONICS (I.E. SIGNAL LIGHTS, STOP LIGHTS, HEAD LIGHTS, ETC) BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD TRIGGER THE SIGNAL FOR ONE DIRECTION AND ALL OF THE SIGNALS FOR ALL DIRECTIONS WOULD TRIGGER... EVEN PRESSING THE BRAKES TRIGGERED ALL OF THE EXTERIOR SIGNALS. THE DEALER HAD A HARD TIME ISOLATING MY PROBLEM, BUT AFTER SEVERAL VISITS, THE DEALER WAS FINALLY ABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND RECTIFY IT... THEY ISOLATED IT TO A JUNCTION BOX WHERE ALL OF THE ELECTRONICS TERMINATE. HOWEVER, BY THIS TIME, MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I HAD TO COVER THE COSTS FOR REPAIRING THE PROBLEM MYSELF. MY MOST RECENT ISSUES, WHICH, BY THE WAY, SEEM TO BE COMMON ISSUES, ARE TRIGGERED BY A MESSAGE STATING, "REDUCED ENGINE POWER". THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE DOES NOT ALWAYS RENDER THE SAME RESULTS... SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE'S SPEED WILL SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE TO NEARLY A HALT, BUT OTHER TIMES I MAY JUST EXPERIENCE INCREASED IDLING OF THE ENGINE, EVEN IF I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP. MY UNDERSTANDING, ACCORDING TO HUNDREDS OF REPORTS THAT I HAVE READ ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS, IS THAT THIS ISSUE IS CAUSED BY EITHER A WIRING HARNESS THAT LEADS FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO THE THROTTLE BODY OR IT'S A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY ALTOGETHER. I HAVE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH MY WINDOWS AS WELL, BUT THIS APPEARS TO BE A MINOR ISSUE WHEN COMPARED TO THE OTHER TWO THAT I ADDRESSED ABOVE. I WILL FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH GMC CORPORATE OFFICE TODAY AND SEE WHERE THAT GOES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10440123

117,000 miles · Nov 22, 2011
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine And Engine Cooling

DECEMBER 2008- INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT- SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKING DECEMBER 2008- BATTERY GAUGE NO LONGER WORKING MARCH 2009- STABILITRAK ISSUES...SOMETIMES THE STABILITRAK WOULD WORK AND AT TIMES IT WOULD NOT WORK JULY 2009 TO JANUARY 2010- REDUCED ENGINE POWER (ALMOST CAUSE 2 WRECKS) COULD NOT PERFORM A DIAGNOSIS...C…

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DECEMBER 2008- INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT- SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKING DECEMBER 2008- BATTERY GAUGE NO LONGER WORKING MARCH 2009- STABILITRAK ISSUES...SOMETIMES THE STABILITRAK WOULD WORK AND AT TIMES IT WOULD NOT WORK JULY 2009 TO JANUARY 2010- REDUCED ENGINE POWER (ALMOST CAUSE 2 WRECKS) COULD NOT PERFORM A DIAGNOSIS...COULD NOT READ COMPUTER. CHANGED FUEL PUMP. NO MORE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE AUGUST 2011- WHEEL BEARING ISSUES. REDUCED ENGINE POWER (ALMOST CAUSED WRECK...BACKED UP TRAFFIC) SEPTEMBER 2011- GAS PEDAL STICKING NOVEMBER 2011- REDUCED ENGINE POWER...HAPPENS 5 TIMES WITHIN A 30 MILE TRIP. ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES, BUT RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS. HAVE TO KILL CAR IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY OR INTERSECTION TO GET CAR TO WORK PROPERLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10436741

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP05009 · Parking Brake Failure

Opened Dec 20, 2005 · Closed May 31, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake; Parking Brake:conventional; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical

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.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Parking Brake:conventional

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:conventional:mechanical

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

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.