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2003 GMC Yukon Xl 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

49 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 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. 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.

5 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

63 reports
89,000 miles · Aug 8, 2010
StructureVisibilityInjury

2003 YUKON BACK HATCH GLASS EXPLODED DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE GLASS WAS EVERY WHERE AND CUT MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10348063

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2010
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Electric

2003 GMC YUKON XL. TRUCK SHUT OFF AT 35 TO 40 MILEAGES AN HOUR, BRAKE LIGHT, ABS AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE SERVICE CAME ON THE DASH BOARD. ITS REALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO I WASN'T ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IT WAS VERY SCARY. I COULD IT KILL SOMEONE, FORTUNATELY NO CARS OR PEOPLE AROUND ME. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, SO I DRIVE IT ONE MOR…

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2003 GMC YUKON XL. TRUCK SHUT OFF AT 35 TO 40 MILEAGES AN HOUR, BRAKE LIGHT, ABS AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE SERVICE CAME ON THE DASH BOARD. ITS REALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO I WASN'T ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IT WAS VERY SCARY. I COULD IT KILL SOMEONE, FORTUNATELY NO CARS OR PEOPLE AROUND ME. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, SO I DRIVE IT ONE MORE TIME. BUT IT DID THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN. I'M PLANNING ON TOWING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HOPE HEY CAN HELP ME FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10339188

90,500 miles · May 13, 2010
Electrical System

INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10330366

93,000 miles · Aug 31, 2009
Electrical System

IN LATE AUGUST 2009, THE SPEEDOMETER ON OUR 2003 GMC YUKON XL STOPPED WORKING. WHEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER, HIS RESPONSE WAS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC VEHICLES OF THIS VINTAGE AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. COST TO REPAIR IS $550. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT A WORKING SPEEDOMETER, THE DEALER K…

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IN LATE AUGUST 2009, THE SPEEDOMETER ON OUR 2003 GMC YUKON XL STOPPED WORKING. WHEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER, HIS RESPONSE WAS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC VEHICLES OF THIS VINTAGE AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. COST TO REPAIR IS $550. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT A WORKING SPEEDOMETER, THE DEALER KNOWS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10282484

84,345 miles · Aug 31, 2009
Electrical System

2003 GMC YUKON XL SPEEDOMETER HANGS OR GOES 40 OR 50 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN ACTUAL SPEED. GM WANTS >$400 (TOO MUCH MONEY) TO REPAIR OCCURS ON MOST OF THEIR TRUCK AND SUVS. MINE HAS 90,000 MILE. THEY PROVIDED DEFECTIVE STEPPER MOTORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ARE PROFITING FROM THE REPAIR. GAUGE SEEMS TO FAIL ON LONG …

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2003 GMC YUKON XL SPEEDOMETER HANGS OR GOES 40 OR 50 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN ACTUAL SPEED. GM WANTS >$400 (TOO MUCH MONEY) TO REPAIR OCCURS ON MOST OF THEIR TRUCK AND SUVS. MINE HAS 90,000 MILE. THEY PROVIDED DEFECTIVE STEPPER MOTORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ARE PROFITING FROM THE REPAIR. GAUGE SEEMS TO FAIL ON LONG TRIPS AND THEN WILL EVENTUALLY START WORKING AGAIN. NEVER CAN TELL IF IT IS REALLY WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10282463

97,000 miles · Jun 26, 2009
Visibility

2003 YUKON XL- REAR WINDOW FELL OFF AN SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING THOUGH CITY TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10275074

67,200 miles · May 1, 2009
Power TrainWheels

TAKING OFF FROM A STOP OR ACCELERATING FROM A LOW SPEED THE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGE COMES ON AND VEHICLE LOOSES POWER. HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 10 THAT HAVE BEEN WITH ME WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I FEAR WE WILL BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS POWER TRAIN FA…

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TAKING OFF FROM A STOP OR ACCELERATING FROM A LOW SPEED THE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGE COMES ON AND VEHICLE LOOSES POWER. HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 10 THAT HAVE BEEN WITH ME WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I FEAR WE WILL BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS POWER TRAIN FAILURE. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROBLEM OR ERROR CODES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10267509

12,000 miles · Mar 3, 2009
Steering

I OWN A 2003 GMC YUKON XL 1500 THAT HAS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SECTION MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND AND AS THE SOUND GETS WORSE, THE STEERING BECOMES LOOSE. THE PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRING SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST 12000 MILES. THE DEALER LUBRICATED IT A NUMBER OF TIMES UNTIL THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. AT 62000 MI…

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I OWN A 2003 GMC YUKON XL 1500 THAT HAS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SECTION MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND AND AS THE SOUND GETS WORSE, THE STEERING BECOMES LOOSE. THE PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRING SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST 12000 MILES. THE DEALER LUBRICATED IT A NUMBER OF TIMES UNTIL THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. AT 62000 MILES FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SERVICE, THE DEALER SAID A REPLACEMENT PART WAS AVAILABLE THAT WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER ARGUING WITH THE DEALER, HE AGREED TO REPLACED THE PART IF I PAID FOR THE LABOR . THE PROBLEM RETURNED AT ABOUT 85000 MILES. THE DEALER LUBRICATED AGAIN. TODAY AT 102000 MILES THE NOISE AND LOOSENESS IS BACK. COULD NOT WIN THE ARGUMENT THIS TIME. HAD TO PAY $213.00 FOR THE LATEST VERSION OF THE REPLACEMENT. I THINK GM IS AVOIDING THE PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. THEY ARE WELL AWARE THAT THIS WAS A POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10260636

50,000 miles · Feb 16, 2009
Steering

FRONT RIGHT BEARING FAILED AT 50K MILES ON A 2003 YUKON XL. HAVING READ THE BLOGS THIS APPEARS COMMON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258763

97,000 miles · Feb 2, 2009
VisibilityInjury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON XL 1500. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, ACTIVATED THE HEATER, AND CLOSED THE DOOR. HE STEPPED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND, UPON RETURNING, HE NOTICED A FIVE INCH HOLE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND DOOR AND THE GLASS SHATTERED IN HIS WIFE'S FACE. THE FAILURE HAS ONLY OCCURRED ONCE, BUT TH…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON XL 1500. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, ACTIVATED THE HEATER, AND CLOSED THE DOOR. HE STEPPED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND, UPON RETURNING, HE NOTICED A FIVE INCH HOLE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND DOOR AND THE GLASS SHATTERED IN HIS WIFE'S FACE. THE FAILURE HAS ONLY OCCURRED ONCE, BUT THE CONTACT BELIEVES IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE A SEVERE INJURY COULD HAVE RESULTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 97,000.

NHTSA ODI #10257247

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.