GMC YUKON DENALI · model year

2003 GMC YUKON DENALI

97 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003GMCYUKON DENALI carries 97 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 2003 YUKON DENALI is electrical system with 13 filings, followed by service brakes (10) and electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (8). 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2003 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.

97
Complaints
8
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

97 filings

Crashes Reported

8 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13
SERVICE BRAKES10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL8
ENGINE8
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC4
AIR BAGS3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
STRUCTURE:BODY2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH2
SUSPENSION2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING2

Recalls (1)

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

Recent Complaints

20181127ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

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.

Mileage: 170,000

20181127UNKNOWN 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.

Mileage: 170,000

20180407STRUCTURE:BODY

I LIVE IN FLORIDA- IT WAS APPROX 8 AM, SITTING OUTSIDE DRINKING COFFEE ON MY PORCH. VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED SINCE PRIOR AFTERNOON AND WAS LOCKED (ALARM ENGAGED). SUDDENLY, MY REAR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY 'EXPLODED'. THERE WAS GLASS EVERYWHERE BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER RESEARCHING WHAT COULD'VE CAUSED SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN, THERE ARE INNUMERABLE REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER GMC OWNERS WITHOUT ANY PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION. THIS IS A VERY CONCERNING ISSUE AS GLASS FLEW EVERYWHERE IN AND AROUND MY VEHICLE AND IT IS BY PURE LUCK THAT MY 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND USUALLY AT LEAST 1-2 OF HER FRIENDS, ALONG WITH MY ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, WHO NATURALLY, IS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE MERELY WALKING BY THE VEHICLE COULD'VE BEEN INJURED JUST WALKING BY. HAD SOMEONE BEEN NEAR MY VEHICLE IN A PUBLIC PLACE, I.E. GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT, ETC. THEY COULD'VE BEEN INJURED BY THE SHARDS OF GLASS THAT SHOT OUT AND LANDED 4+ FEET FROM THE VEHICLE,

Mileage: 154,000

20180321ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

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

Mileage: 152,000

20180321ENGINE

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

Mileage: 152,000

20180321VEHICLE 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 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

Mileage: 152,000

20180104ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY VEHICLE, DUE TO FACTORY ALARM SYSTEM, IS UNSAFE AND UNFIT TO DRIVE -- A DEATH TRAP ON WHEELS. IT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, WHILE DRIVING, AND LOCKED ME INSIDE! I WAS THANKFULLY DRIVING DOWN THE FL KEYS, ON A BRIDGE BUT AT THE END OF THE BRIDGE, SO I WAS ABLE TO COAST DOWN AND OFF THE BRIDGE TO A SHOULDER... IF IT HAD DIED ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE BRIDGE OR ON AN FLAT ROAD I MAY HAVE BEEN STUCK THERE, BLOCKING TRAFFIC AT THE MINIMUM, IN AN ACCIDENT AND DEAD IF REAR-ENDED AND PUSHED OFF BRIDGE...BECAUSE THE DOORS LOCKED AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNLIKELY TO ESCAPE MY SINKING TRUCK...TO SAY NOTHING OF THE FALL ITSELF. IF I HAD BEEN GOING ON THE INTERSTATE AND I WAS IN A MIDDLE LANE FOR EXAMPLE, I COULD HAVE EASILY DIED BECAUSE MY TRUCK SUDDENLY STOPPED, WITHOUT INDICATION, AND I GOT REAR ENDED BY ANY NUMBER OF VEHICLES, INCLUDING LARGE SEMI TRUCKS. IF I HAD A DEAD KEYCHAIN FOB FOR THE ALARM, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED INSIDE THE TRUCK AS WELL -- BECAUSE ONLY THE KEYCHAIN WAS ABLE TO UNLOC

20170914CrashAIR BAGS

I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON SUMMIT CROSSING RD. FREDERICKSBURG VA. 22408 AT APPROX.45 MIL.PER HR. ,WHEN I HEARD A BIG BANG ,THE STEERING LOCKED ,THE VEHICLE WENT DIRECTLY HARD LEFT,AND STRUCK LARGE TREES DESTROYING THE FRONT END. ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG WENT OFF IN MY FACE.I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO FIND A DAMAGED FRONT WHEEL AND BROKEN AXLE ASSEMBLY NEAR THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 128,000

20170914CrashSUSPENSION

I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON SUMMIT CROSSING RD. FREDERICKSBURG VA. 22408 AT APPROX.45 MIL.PER HR. ,WHEN I HEARD A BIG BANG ,THE STEERING LOCKED ,THE VEHICLE WENT DIRECTLY HARD LEFT,AND STRUCK LARGE TREES DESTROYING THE FRONT END. ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG WENT OFF IN MY FACE.I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO FIND A DAMAGED FRONT WHEEL AND BROKEN AXLE ASSEMBLY NEAR THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 128,000

20170914CrashWHEELS

I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON SUMMIT CROSSING RD. FREDERICKSBURG VA. 22408 AT APPROX.45 MIL.PER HR. ,WHEN I HEARD A BIG BANG ,THE STEERING LOCKED ,THE VEHICLE WENT DIRECTLY HARD LEFT,AND STRUCK LARGE TREES DESTROYING THE FRONT END. ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG WENT OFF IN MY FACE.I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO FIND A DAMAGED FRONT WHEEL AND BROKEN AXLE ASSEMBLY NEAR THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 128,000

20170728SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKES LINES RUSTED WHICH LED TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF BRAKE SYSTEM. REPAIR COST $1,000. THERE ARE MULTIPLE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS TYPE OF BRAKE FAILURE IN THIS MAKE, MODEL, & YEAR. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY FACTORY RECALL. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE GM IS NOT BEING FORCED TO FIX THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL THE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOORBOARD. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD IN MODERATE CITY TRAFFIC & NARROWLY MISSED STRIKING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME ON A CITY STREET. MY MASTER CYLINDER WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY OF BRAKE FLUID WHEN EXAMINED. I WAS TRAVELING 25 MPH AND MY VEHICLE HAS 110,000 MILES. (THE NEXT PAGE WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO ENTER THE SPEED & MILEAGE INFORMATION WHERE IT WAS REQUESTED)

20160619SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREET WITH NO WARNING COULD NOT STOP AT RED LIGHT. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE FROM A BROKEN BRAKE LINE.

Mileage: 145,000

20150608ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

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!!!!

Mileage: 82,000

20150608ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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!!!!

Mileage: 82,000

20150608EXTERIOR 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 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!!!!

Mileage: 82,000

20150421ELECTRONIC 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 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 R

Mileage: 76,000

20141003CrashSERVICE BRAKES

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP AND COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. LUCKILY NOBODY WAS INJURED IN THIS COLLISION. AFTER INSPECTION, I NOTICED FLUID ON THE GROUND AT THE REAR LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE REAR), AND LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHERE THE FLUID MAY BE COMING FROM. I SAW THAT THERE WAS FLUID COATING A LARGE AREA OF THE UNDERBODY, AND ALSO SEE THE BRAKE LINE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME AS WET AND RUSTED. I HAVE PICTURES SAVED AS A REFERENCE. *TR

20140723ENGINE

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

Mileage: 220,000

20140723POWER 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. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ UPDATED 3/9/2015 *JS

Mileage: 220,000

20140306ENGINE

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

Compare 2003GMCYUKON DENALI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI have?
The 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI has 97 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI?
Yes, the 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI has 1 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 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI?
The most-complained component for the 2003 GMC YUKON DENALI is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL.
Is the 2003 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.