GMC YUKON DENALI · model year

2001 GMC YUKON DENALI

40 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001GMCYUKON DENALI carries 40 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 YUKON DENALI is service brakes with 8 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (4) and service brakes, hydraulic (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2001 YUKON DENALI. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

40
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

40 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE2
TIRES2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)1
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP1
SUSPENSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR1
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL1

Recalls (2)

06E02500021/03/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CERTAIN POLI-AUTO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. 11-728, 11-728D, 11-710, 11-419, 11-713, 11-703, 11-704, 11-708P, 11-735, 11-725, 11-726, 11-716 (P&C), 11-721-1, 11-733, 11-729, 11-730, AND 11-732, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THA

01V10700017/03/2001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A MISROUTED POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE ASSEMBLY THAT COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE STEERING SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT.

Recent Complaints

20161101SERVICE BRAKES

HAVING LOW SPEED (UNDER 8MPH) ABS ACTIVATION REGARDLESS OF WEATHER/ROAD CONDITIONS. BASICALLY THE SAME ISSUE AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V379000 BUT APPARENTLY MY VIN IS NOT COVERED, I LIVE IN ILLINOIS. *TR

Mileage: 144,500

20150728SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. TRAVELING 35 MPH, I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY AND THE PEDAL SUNK TO THE FLOOR. HAD MINOR RESISTANCE, THEN JUST COMPLETELY GAVE WAY. NO BRAKES! WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN INCIDENT BY VEERING INTO THE ONCOMING LANE THAT WAS LUCKILY VACANT. TURNED ONTO A SIDE STREET TO SAFELY ROLL TO A STOP. TOO SCARED TO DRIVE IT THE REMAINING 1.5 MILES HOME, I HAVE IT TOWED TO A SHOP. ADVISED THAT ALL BRAKE LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC THAT HE HAS SEEN A DOZEN TIMES. THE BRAKE LINES CORRODE, AND EVENTUALLY BURST. ABSURD! TO THINK THIS COULD OF HAPPENED ON A FAMILY ROAD TRIP AT 65MPH... I WILL BUYING A VEHICLE OUTSIDE OF GMC AND THEIR UMBRELLA OF POORLY MADE VEHICLES- ASAP!

Mileage: 190,000

20150612SERVICE BRAKES

THE BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED AND AT LEAST 1 HAS RUPTURED LEAVING VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY BRAKES. BRAKE PETAL GOES DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR AND NO BRAKE FLUID WAS FOUND IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. I HAVE READ THAT MANY OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE.

Mileage: 135,000

20141031TIRES

TIRES WERE PURCHASED SEPT. 25, 2009 AND NOW HAVE EXTENSIVE WEATHER CRACKING. COSTCO REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TIRES WHEN I REPORTED THE QUALITY DEFECT IN AUGUST, 2014, JUST 59 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. I HAVE APPEALED THAT DECISION AND EXPECT TO FIND OUT TOMORROW IF THEY WILL MAKE GOOD ON THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. THEY CLAIM THAT ALTHOUGH THERE IS WEATHER CRACKING THAT THE TIRES ARE SAFE. I DOUBT THEY WOULD USE CRACKED TIRES LIKE THAT ON THE VEHICLE CARRYING THEIR OWN FAMILY. *TR

20141029SERVICE BRAKES

WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY TRUCK ROLLED INTO THE INTERSECTION. I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT AFTER I WAS HALFWAY IN THE INTERSECTION. I FOUND OUT THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE ABOVE THE FUEL TANK ROTTED AWAY. I ALSO HAD TO HAVE BOTH STEEL LINES TO THE REAR WHEELS AND THE TWO STEEL LINE TO THE FRONT REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 168,000

20121029SERVICE BRAKES

THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATES MOST EVERY TIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, ESPECIALLY IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE THE WHEELS ARE TURNED. THIS CAUSES EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

20121029SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATES MOST EVERY TIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, ESPECIALLY IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE THE WHEELS ARE TURNED. THIS CAUSES EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

20120821SERVICE BRAKES

I WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 287 NORTH, IN MORRISTOWN, NJ WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SHORT AND I NEEDED TO APPLY MY BRAKES. WHEN I USED MY BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND I COULD NOT STOP. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, AND I SWERVED TO AVOID OTHER CARS. I ROLLED TO A STOP ON THE GRASS SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND FOUND A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE CAR. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE BRAKES DONE BY A CERTIFIED GM MECHANIC, HE FOUND THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES IN THE CAR BURST OPEN DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION LEADING TO THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM. HIS RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES IN THE VEHICLE AS NONE OF THEM WERE ABLE TO BE SALVAGED. *TR

Mileage: 156,000

20120817SERVICE BRAKES

MY BRAKE LINE RUPTURED ON ROUTE 287 IN NEW JERSEY WHEN I NEEDED TO BRAKE BEHIND A STOPPING VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. MY FOOT WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD NO STOPPING POWER. GM INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED IT HAD MULTIPLE FLAWS IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND NEEDED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

20120628SERVICE BRAKES

PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT,AND DROVE DOWN A STREET. AS I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AND STARTED TO SLOW DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR,AND I WENT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AVOIDING CARS AND THEN SLAMMING INTO A CURB TO TRY TO STOP THIS BIG SUV WITH NO BRAKE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST REPAIR SHOP ,AND THEN I WAS INFORMED THAT NOT JUST THE ONE BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT,BUT ALL WERE RUSTING OUT AND COULD BREAK ANY DAY NOW. SINCE DAY ONE THIS SUV WAS SERVICED AT A GMC DEALER,AND NOT EVEN 7 DAYS JUST WENT BY IT WAS AT THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND NOT ONCE DID ANYONE MENTION THE RUSTED BRAKE LINES. THIS SUV WAS AT THE DEALER AT LEAST 3 TO 4 TIMES A YEAR AND THEY NEVER MENTION THE PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 86,400

20110505SUSPENSION:FRONT

FRONT END SQUEAKS REAL BAD WHEN TURNED SHARP. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20100708FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

GAS GUAGE NOT WORKING ON 2001 YUKON DENALI. TANK WAS FILLED UP & THE FUEL GAUGE READ @ 'E'. THE LOW FUEL LIGHT CAME ON & THE SOUND CAME ON. IT HAS OCCURED ALL THE TIME NOW & THEN IT RE-READS THE CORRECT AMT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. *TR

20100217SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGES AT LOW SPEEDS EVERY TIME I STOP. THIS COULD CAUSE FRONT END COLLISION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLETELY STOP WHEN BRAKING AND I DO NOT HAVE CONTROL. GM WOULD NOT FIX THE ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE DUE TO HIGH MILEAGE EVEN THOUGH MILEAGE WAS NOT A FACTOR. OTHER YUKON VEHICLES WERE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT MY VIN FOR SOME REASON WAS NOT INCLUDED. *TR

Mileage: 115,000

20100217TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGES AT LOW SPEEDS EVERY TIME I STOP. THIS COULD CAUSE FRONT END COLLISION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLETELY STOP WHEN BRAKING AND I DO NOT HAVE CONTROL. GM WOULD NOT FIX THE ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE DUE TO HIGH MILEAGE EVEN THOUGH MILEAGE WAS NOT A FACTOR. OTHER YUKON VEHICLES WERE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT MY VIN FOR SOME REASON WAS NOT INCLUDED. *TR

Mileage: 115,000

20091019SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2001GMC YUKON DENALI - ABS BRAKES ENGAGE AT PARKING LOT SPEEDS INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES AT SLOW SPEEDS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS (66163) AND NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN (O5V-379000) FOR 2002+ CARS BUT NOT 2001. I BELIEVE THAT 2001 WAS THE MODEL YEAR CHANGEOVER WHERE SOME 2001S WERE OLD BODY STYLE AND SOME NEW. MINE IS THE NEWER STYLE. *TR

Mileage: 127,000

20090601ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ABS COMES ON AT 5 MPH UNTIL FULL STOP. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20090312STRUCTURE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN AN UNCOVERED DRIVEWAY IN THE RAIN. WHEN THE CONTACT OPENED THE DOOR OF THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT WATER PENETRATED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE CARPET, SEATS, AND SEAT BELTS WERE DAMAGED WITH MILDEW. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AVAILABLE. HE WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ESTIMATED THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSIS TO BE APPROXIMATELY $165 TO BE PAID BY THE CONTACT. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 78,000.

Mileage: 78,000

20080708SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

CONTINUOUS BRAKING PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, HOWEVER I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT ROTORS, CALIPERS, BRAKES, EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. FOR THE LAST 5 MONTHS MY ABS & EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF DURING DRIVING. I HAVE HAD A GMC DEALERSHIP (FOLSOM GMC) AND LES SCHWAB PERFORM DIAGNOSTIC CHECKS TO ONLY TELL ME THAT I NEED TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS AGAIN DUE TO WEAR. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETECT WHY THE TWO LIGHTS COME ON. LAST NIGHT ON MY WAY HOME THE TWO LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN, THIS TIME I NOTICED A LOUD MOTOR RUNNING, EVEN WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF THE MOTOR NOISE CONTINUED. ONCE I PULLED THE ABS FUSE OUT OF THE CONTROL BOX THE MOTOR STOPPED. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE INTO HAVE IT SERVICED AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR COMPANY PERFORM AN INVESTIGATION ON THE ANTILOCKING SYSTEM AND BRAKE SYSTEM ON THESE VEHICLES. IN MY RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND OTHERS DENALI OWNERS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE BRAKE/ANTILOCK SYSTEM FAILURES

Mileage: 128,323

20080401SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

2001 YUKON DENALI- ABS FAILS AT SLOW SPEEDS 2001 YUKON DENALI- CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 89,000

20080401ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

2001 YUKON DENALI- ABS FAILS AT SLOW SPEEDS 2001 YUKON DENALI- CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 89,000

Compare 2001GMCYUKON DENALI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI have?
The 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI has 40 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI?
Yes, the 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI?
The most-complained component for the 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI is SERVICE BRAKES with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 2001 GMC YUKON DENALI safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.