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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

What owners actually said

72 reports
220,000 miles · Jul 23, 2014
EnginePower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED. THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES TO REPAIR THE THROTTLE BODY, PEDAL SWITCH, AND WIRING HARNESS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000. UPDATE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED. THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES TO REPAIR THE THROTTLE BODY, PEDAL SWITCH, AND WIRING HARNESS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ UPDATED 3/9/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10615663

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2014
Engine

WE HAVE A 2003 YUKON THAT WILL SHUTS DOWN ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME, THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" "STABILITY TRACTION LOSS" APPEARED ON DISPLAY - I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE WAIT A FE…

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WE HAVE A 2003 YUKON THAT WILL SHUTS DOWN ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME, THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" "STABILITY TRACTION LOSS" APPEARED ON DISPLAY - I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE WAIT A FEW MINUTES THEN RESTART IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE CORRECTLY AND A COUPLE MILES DOWN THE ROAD, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IT WAS A SNOWY MESS OUT SIDE WHICH MADE THE SITUATION WORSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AS I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE IN ORDER TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I GET SCARED BECAUSE THERE COULD BE A SEMI BEHIND US AND IT WILL JUST PLOW INTO US BECAUSE WE CAN NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL WE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND RESTART. VERY SCARY. WE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE TO FIND OTHER PEOPLE ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION AND NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THIS IS A LONG STANDING ISSUE, GM IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. GM SEEMS TO BE HAVING ALOT OF PROBLEMS THAT THEY ARE NOT DEALING WITH. SHAME ON GM! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10567596

140,000 miles · Feb 24, 2014
Engine

ENGINE LEAKING OIL REAR CRANK SEAL AND PLATE. GMC SAID SEAL WILL NOT BE ENOUGH, NEED TO REPLACE PLATE. DEFECTIVE. MY MECHANIC CHARGED ME $710.41. GMC SHOULD BE REIMBURSING ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10565688

136,000 miles · Feb 22, 2014
Service BrakesCrash

DRIVING ALONG WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I NEEDED TO BRAKE FOR CURVE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I RAN OFF INTO A GRASSY FIELD TO PREVENT A SERIOUS INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10565437

125,000 miles · Feb 6, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

DRIVING ON HWY GOING APRX 65MPH. VEHICLE SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND STARTED SLOWING DOWN. I HAD TO PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. I MANAGED NOT TO BE REAR ENDED. THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN. IT IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. GMC KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND THE PROPER FIX. SOMEONE IS GOING TO D…

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DRIVING ON HWY GOING APRX 65MPH. VEHICLE SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND STARTED SLOWING DOWN. I HAD TO PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. I MANAGED NOT TO BE REAR ENDED. THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN. IT IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. GMC KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND THE PROPER FIX. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE DUE TO THEIR LACK OF ACTION. IT'S NOT SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10563226

213,000 miles · Dec 30, 2013
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, WHICH RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO D…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, WHICH RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 213,000.

NHTSA ODI #10557705

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

128,000 miles · Oct 19, 2013
EngineVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH UPHILL WHEN MY ENGINE AND TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON. MY SPEED WAS IMMEDIATELY REDUCED TO ABOUT 35 MPH EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I DROVE HOME ABOUT 8 MILES AT A REDUCED SPEED BECAUSE I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE TRUCK AND IT WAS RAINING. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY AND HE REPLA…

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I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH UPHILL WHEN MY ENGINE AND TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON. MY SPEED WAS IMMEDIATELY REDUCED TO ABOUT 35 MPH EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I DROVE HOME ABOUT 8 MILES AT A REDUCED SPEED BECAUSE I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE TRUCK AND IT WAS RAINING. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY AND HE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY. I PICKED UP THE TRUCK THAT EVENING AND AS I WAS DRIVING HOME THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO THE MECHANIC, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TC LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN HOWEVER HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. HIS THOUGHT WAS TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY AGAIN. TWO REPLACEMENTS LATER, THE PROBLEM REMAINS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10548538

67,000 miles · Sep 2, 2013
Service Brakes

I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT AFTER GETTING GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAS SHORTAGE DURING THE MAJOR SNOW STORM IN THE NORTH EASTERN UNITED STATES. AS I WAS APPROACHING A LIGHT I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I THEN BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC AND WHEN IT WAS PLACED ON A LIFT THEY NOTICED THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF…

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I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT AFTER GETTING GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAS SHORTAGE DURING THE MAJOR SNOW STORM IN THE NORTH EASTERN UNITED STATES. AS I WAS APPROACHING A LIGHT I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I THEN BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC AND WHEN IT WAS PLACED ON A LIFT THEY NOTICED THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WAS RUSTED INCLUDING THE BRAKE LINES. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10538363

127,835 miles · Aug 19, 2013
Service BrakesCrash

AFTER STEPPING ON MY BRAKES AGGRESSIVELY TO STOP FOR A DOG CROSSING THE ROAD. I RECEIVED A BRAKE STABILITY NOTICE ON MY DASH. SINCE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AFTER I PUMPED THE BRAKES, AND TRIED TO THROW THE CAR IN REVERSE TO REDUCE TH…

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AFTER STEPPING ON MY BRAKES AGGRESSIVELY TO STOP FOR A DOG CROSSING THE ROAD. I RECEIVED A BRAKE STABILITY NOTICE ON MY DASH. SINCE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AFTER I PUMPED THE BRAKES, AND TRIED TO THROW THE CAR IN REVERSE TO REDUCE THE SPEED. I COASTED INTO A PARKED SUBARU ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND BECAUSE OF THE REAR IMPACT THE SUBARU THAT I HIT PUSHED INTO TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN FRONT OF IT. THEREFORE THREE CARS AFFECTED BY THE ACCIDENT. MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR WITH ME AND THAT WAS THE WORST PART, I WOULD HAVE COASTED RIGHT INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION ON MAIN STREET HAD I NOT STOPPED THE WAY THAT I DID. AFTER TAKING THE TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC HE MENTIONED THAT I POPPED TWO BRAKE LINES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10536077

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.