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2002 GMC Yukon Xl 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

21 reports with mileage · 2 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

23 reports
138,401 miles · Feb 12, 2013
Service Brakes

WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, I PUSHED BRAKE BEFORE ENTERING STREET - PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN, BUT HAD NO BRAKE ACTION. WAS BRAKING FINE DAY BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10497924

161,053 miles · Nov 14, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE BRAKES RECENTLY FAILED ON OUR 2002 GMC YUKON XL 1500 4WD SUV. WHILE DESCENDING A MODERATELY STEEP HILL ON OUR STREET, MY WIFE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THANKFULLY, SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE UP THE NEXT HILL AND BRING IT TO A STOP. INSPECTION REV…

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THE BRAKES RECENTLY FAILED ON OUR 2002 GMC YUKON XL 1500 4WD SUV. WHILE DESCENDING A MODERATELY STEEP HILL ON OUR STREET, MY WIFE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THANKFULLY, SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE UP THE NEXT HILL AND BRING IT TO A STOP. INSPECTION REVEALED BRAKE FLUID HAD LEAKED FROM A HIGHLY CORRODED BRAKE LINE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BELOW THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THREE OTHER ADJACENT BRAKE LINES WERE ALSO SIMILARLY CORRODED. UPON CONTACTING THE NEAREST GM DEALER (TOM GILL CHEVROLET, FLORENCE, KY), THE SERVICE AGENT INFORMED ME "THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON IN A 9-YEAR OLD VEHICLE." FOUR ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED BRAKE LINES, IN JUST 8 YEARS? THAT RIDICULOUS! I HAVE A 16-YEAR-OLD TOYOTA IN THE DRIVEWAY THAT DOESN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND I SHOULDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE IT WITH MY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE AND FAR NEWER AMERICAN MADE SUV. TOM GILL SERVICE REFUSED TO GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF REPAIR, STATING I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED THE 17 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP, WITH A "WE'RE COMPETITIVE--WE'LL GIVE YOU A COMPETITIVE PRICE." COMFORTING. A FEW MORE CALLS TO LOCAL SHOPS REVEALED AN ESTIMATE OF BETWEEN $850-1,100 FOR REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR LINES. I ENDED-UP SPENDING 22 HOURS PULLING-OUT THE OLD LINES AND BENDING/FLARING/INSTALLING ENTIRELY NEW FRONT LINES MYSELF. LAST WEEK I LEARNED I'M NOT ALONE--A WCPO NEWS REPORT REVEALED THIS IS PROBLEMATIC WITH GM TRUCKS/SUVS, WITH GM DEFLECTING BLAME TO "SALT BRINE." AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS, AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS ARE STILL TAKING SHORTCUTS AND CANNING ETHICS...TOYOTA WILL CONTINUE TO WIN MARKET SHARE AS LONG AS THIS CRAP CONTINUES. I'M ANGRY BECAUSE IT'S PUTTING OUR FAMILIES AT RISK. NO ONE GOT HURT THIS TIME, AT LEAST NOT IN MY FAMILY, BUT THE POTENTIAL IS CERTAINLY THERE. I THINK GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, AND I AM HOLDING ONTO THE CORRODED BRAKE LINES AS EVIDENCE IN THE EVENT OF A FUTURE RECALL. I'D ALSO LIKE THOSE 22 HOURS BACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10365597

85,350 miles · Sep 25, 2010
Electrical System

I PURCHASED A 2002 GMC YUKON XL 2 DAYS AGO, SOLD "AS IS" WITH NO WARRANTY. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SPEEDOMETER ARE THE LIGHTS THAT INDICATE THE POSITION OF THE SHIFTER (PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, OVERDRIVE, AND GEARS 3,2 AND 1) AND ALSO THE ODOMETER READING. THESE INDICATOR LIGHTS WORKED FINE DURING THE TEST DRIVE BUT BECAME INTERMIT…

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I PURCHASED A 2002 GMC YUKON XL 2 DAYS AGO, SOLD "AS IS" WITH NO WARRANTY. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SPEEDOMETER ARE THE LIGHTS THAT INDICATE THE POSITION OF THE SHIFTER (PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, OVERDRIVE, AND GEARS 3,2 AND 1) AND ALSO THE ODOMETER READING. THESE INDICATOR LIGHTS WORKED FINE DURING THE TEST DRIVE BUT BECAME INTERMITTENT ON THE DRIVE HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SINCE THEN. YOU LOSE ALL INDICATION OF WHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN AND OF THE ODOMETER READING. THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO A DRIVER SHIFTING GEARS IMPROPERLY AND UNSAFELY, SUCH AS SHIFTING INTO A FORWARD GEAR IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE REVERSE GEAR IS INTENDED OR SHIFTING INTO REVERSE WHILE DRIVING AND SEEKING OVERDRIVE AFTER BEING IN A LOWER GEAR. I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD BY A FEW DEALERS THAT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURES ARE SOMEWHAT COMMON IN YUKON XLS AND ARE COSTING AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT $700 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHEN ONLY A SINGLE GAUGE IS HAVING AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. SINCE THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMMON AND CAN EFFECT SAFETY, AS IN THE EXAMPLES I GAVE ABOVE, PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE IF A RECALL/MANUFACTURER FIX IS WARRANTED. I JUST INVESTIGATED DRIVER COMPLAINTS AROUND THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT YUKON XL SPEEDOMETER FAILURE/INTERMITTENT, FOR INSTANCE. IF A DRIVER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SPEED HE IS TRAVELING AT HE IS A LESS SAFE DRIVER AND A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO OTHERS. EXCESSIVELY SLOW DRIVERS AND EXCESSIVELY FAST DRIVERS CAN BOTH CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN TRAFFIC, AND IN RURAL AREAS THERE MAY BE FEWER, IF ANY, DRIVERS ALONGSIDE TO HELP GAUGE THE NORMAL SPEED THAT IS APPROPRIATE. ALSO A VEHICLE COULD UNEXPECTEDLY FAIL OR STALL IN TRAFFIC, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, IF A DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF AN EXTREMELY LOW BATTERY OR LOW FUEL, ETC. INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY IN MANY WAYS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE PROBLEMS WITH INTERMITTENT AND FAILURES IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS USED IN 2002 GMC YUKON XLS. (MINE IS A 1500). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10357467

127,000 miles · Aug 20, 2010
Seat Belts

I OWN A 2002 CHEVY TAHOE, AND I'M IN CHARGE OF SERVICING THREE, 2002 AND 2003 GMC YUKONS FOR MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE MIDDLE ROW SEATS IN ALL OF THESE HAVE SEATBELT ISSUES. THESE ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO FIX OR REPLACE AND ALL FOUR VEHICLES THAT I DEAL WITH HAVE AT LEAST ONE OF THE SHOULDER BELTS IN THAT MIDDLE ROW SEAT TH…

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I OWN A 2002 CHEVY TAHOE, AND I'M IN CHARGE OF SERVICING THREE, 2002 AND 2003 GMC YUKONS FOR MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE MIDDLE ROW SEATS IN ALL OF THESE HAVE SEATBELT ISSUES. THESE ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO FIX OR REPLACE AND ALL FOUR VEHICLES THAT I DEAL WITH HAVE AT LEAST ONE OF THE SHOULDER BELTS IN THAT MIDDLE ROW SEAT THAT EITHER WONT COME OUT OR WON'T RETRACT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10350745

167,235 miles · Jul 21, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 2002 GMC YUKON XL. THIS VEHICLE THAT I RECENTLY PURCHASED HAS STALLED ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING. BOTH TIMES I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND HAD DIFFICULTY SAFELY GETTING OFF THE ROADWAY, AS I HAD NO POWER. I HAVE DONE A FAIR AMOUNT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT I AM 1 OF MANY WITH THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10344480

35,000 miles · Apr 16, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE BRAKES ON MY 2002 GMC YUKON XL SEEM TO FAIL AT LOW SPEED. YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT GOES TO THE FLOOR AND DOES NOT STOP. WE HAVE HAD THE SPEED SENOR REPLACED, RECALLED PART REPLACED IN 2005. THE DESCRIPTION SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH MY TRUCK. GMC SAYS IT WILL NOT REPLACE THIS PART FOR FREE,SINCE …

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THE BRAKES ON MY 2002 GMC YUKON XL SEEM TO FAIL AT LOW SPEED. YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT GOES TO THE FLOOR AND DOES NOT STOP. WE HAVE HAD THE SPEED SENOR REPLACED, RECALLED PART REPLACED IN 2005. THE DESCRIPTION SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH MY TRUCK. GMC SAYS IT WILL NOT REPLACE THIS PART FOR FREE,SINCE IT HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE BEFORE. THIS PART IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PART, I FEEL GMC SHOULD REPLACE IT. SAFETY FIRST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10326041

44,000 miles · Nov 22, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

AFTER THREE PREVIOUS "REPAIRS" INCLUDING ONE RECALL, OUR 2002 GMC YUKON XL ABS BRAKES ARE MALFUNCTIONING FOR THE FOURTH TIME, EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME CONDITION THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A 2005 RECALL. THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATES ON DRY PAVEMENT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT LOW SPEEDS, RESULTING IN A LONGER THAN NORMAL STOPPING…

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AFTER THREE PREVIOUS "REPAIRS" INCLUDING ONE RECALL, OUR 2002 GMC YUKON XL ABS BRAKES ARE MALFUNCTIONING FOR THE FOURTH TIME, EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME CONDITION THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A 2005 RECALL. THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATES ON DRY PAVEMENT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT LOW SPEEDS, RESULTING IN A LONGER THAN NORMAL STOPPING DISTANCE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS COLLISIONS HAVE NARROWLY BEEN AVOIDED AS THE ABS BRAKE PEDAL "CHATTERING" INTERFERES WITH NORMAL BRAKING AT CRUCIAL TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10293178

114,000 miles · Aug 11, 2009
Service Brakes, HydraulicSteeringWheels

THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL NEARLY FELL OFF OUR 2002 YUKON 1500 SLT. WE HAD JUST STOPPED TO PAY A TOLL ON THE MAINE TURNPIKE. AS WE DROVE OUT OF THE TOLL BOOTH, MY HUSBAND HAD DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE. A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE CAME FROM THE LEFT FRONT END OF OUR CAR. THE ABS LIGHT FLASHED ON. GRIPPING THE WOBBLY STEERING WH…

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THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL NEARLY FELL OFF OUR 2002 YUKON 1500 SLT. WE HAD JUST STOPPED TO PAY A TOLL ON THE MAINE TURNPIKE. AS WE DROVE OUT OF THE TOLL BOOTH, MY HUSBAND HAD DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE. A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE CAME FROM THE LEFT FRONT END OF OUR CAR. THE ABS LIGHT FLASHED ON. GRIPPING THE WOBBLY STEERING WHEEL, MY HUSBAND GUIDED THE VEHICLE ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC INTO THE NARROW BREAKDOWN LANE. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF THE VEHICLE. CARS AND TRUCKS WHIZZED BY DANGEROUSLY CLOSE AS MY HUSBAND TRIED TO REPOSITION THE WHEEL AND TIGHTEN THE BOLTS THAT HAD LOOSENED. TWO HUNDRED MILES FROM HOME, AND A FEW MILES FROM OUR DESTINATION, WE HOBBLED ON. MY HUSBAND STOPPED REPEATEDLY TO RETIGHTEN THE BOLTS. WE GOT OFF THE TURNPIKE AND INCHED ALONG SLOWLY ON BACK ROADS. STILL, THIS FINAL LEG OF OUR JOURNEY WAS TREACHEROUS. STEERING WAS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE. WE NEARLY WENT OFF THE ROAD. WHEN FINALLY SAFELY STOPPED, THE TIRE AND METAL WHEEL PARTS WERE SO HOT, THEY HAD TO BE HOSED DOWN. SMOKE CAME FROM THE WHEEL. THE METAL WAS SCORCHED. THE CALIPER HOLDING THE WHEEL WAS SEVERELY BENT, THE BRAKES DESTROYED, AND THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL SCORED AND CHARRED. PARTS HAD DISINTEGRATED. THE BEARINGS WERE GONE. IT IS INCREDIBLE WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE EVEN 10 MILES. IF I HAD BEEN BEHIND THE WHEEL, INSTEAD OF MY HUSBAND, I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. IF THE PROBLEM HAD MANIFESTED ITSELF AS WE HURTLED DOWN THE HIGHWAY INSTEAD OF EXITING A TOLL BOOTH, THE WHEEL SURELY WOULD HAVE FLOWN OFF THE CAR INTO TRAFFIC. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES. OUR TWO YOUNG SONS WERE IN THE BACK SEAT. WE WERE VERY LUCKY, BUT ARE NOW MINUS A VEHICLE WE NEED. IT SITS WHERE WE LEFT IT, 200 MILES AWAY. WE NEED TO BRING IT HOME, BUT THE TOW CHARGE WILL BE PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE, NOT TO MENTION THE REPAIRS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF KNOWN PROBLEMS RELATED TO AN ISSUE WITH THIS YUKON'S WHEELS. WHY NOT? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10280052

78,842 miles · Nov 17, 2008
StructureCrash

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE BACK LIFT GLASS BLEW OFF THE TAILGATE AND HIT A MOTORCYCLIST HE WAS NOT INJURED BUT THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO HIS BIKE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS TO THE GLASS AND THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE GLASS SO I HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OUT OF POCKET. …

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE BACK LIFT GLASS BLEW OFF THE TAILGATE AND HIT A MOTORCYCLIST HE WAS NOT INJURED BUT THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO HIS BIKE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS TO THE GLASS AND THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE GLASS SO I HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OUT OF POCKET. WHEN I WENT TO THE GLASS PLACE THE GUY TOLD ME THE SAME THING HAPPEN WITH HIS SUV AND THE DEALER SAID THEY HAD TO UPDATE HIS LIFT GLASS WITH BOLTS INSTEAD OF THE GLUE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY USED WHEN MANUFACTURED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10249021

116,500 miles · Feb 26, 2008
Power Train

ON 2/24/2008 I TRIED TO MOVE THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SELECT LEVER ON MY 2002 GMC YUKON XL TO THE PARK POSITION. THE GEAR SELECT LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE INTO THE PARK POSITION. AS A RESULT, I COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEYS OR STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING WHILE SITTING IN MY GARAGE. I COULD PLACE IT IN ANY GEAR EXCEPT PARK. AFTER LOOKING AROU…

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ON 2/24/2008 I TRIED TO MOVE THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SELECT LEVER ON MY 2002 GMC YUKON XL TO THE PARK POSITION. THE GEAR SELECT LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE INTO THE PARK POSITION. AS A RESULT, I COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEYS OR STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING WHILE SITTING IN MY GARAGE. I COULD PLACE IT IN ANY GEAR EXCEPT PARK. AFTER LOOKING AROUND THE BASE OF THE SHIFT LEVER, I NOTICED A PART OF A BROKEN SPRING STUCK IN THE PIVOT POINT OF THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER. I REMOVED THE BROKEN SPRING PARTS AND THE SHIFT LEVER WILL NOW MOVE TO PARK. AS A RESULT OF THE RETURN SPRING BEING BROKEN THE LEVER NOW MOVES FREELY AND WE HAVE TO MANUALLY MOVE IT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO STOP THE ENGINE AND REMOVE THE KEYS. WITH THE VEHICLE RUNNING, AND THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER MOVED TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE TRANSMISSION TURN OFF, AT THIS POINT IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN. I CALLED MY LOCAL CHEVORLET DEALER ON 2/25/08 AND THEY SAID THIS IS MY PROBLEM AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO EVEN GET DIAGNOSIS OR ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD EVER HAPPEN TO ANY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10219165

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.