GMC YUKON XL · model year

2003 GMC YUKON XL

114 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003GMCYUKON XL carries 114 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 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 2003 YUKON XL is electrical system with 19 filings, followed by electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (17) and service brakes (16). 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 4 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 2003 YUKON XL. 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.

114
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

114 filings

Crashes Reported

3 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 SYSTEM19
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL17
SERVICE BRAKES16
STEERING4
TIRES4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP3
TIRES:TREAD/BELT3
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
STRUCTURE2
STEERING:LINKAGES2
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)2
SUSPENSION2

Recalls (4)

03V01900027/01/2003

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, VEHICLES, DURING A 30 DEGREE LEFT ANGLE FRONTAL IMPACT OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY, A TEAR COULD DEVELOP IN THE MID-FRAME CROSS MEMBER AT ITS ATTACHMENT TO THE LEFT FRAME RAIL. IF THE MID-FRAME CROSS MEMBER TEARS DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AND PRODUCES A S

07E10600017/12/2007

WHEELS:HUB

CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS. THE INBOARD RETENTION NUT USED TO M

03V03700006/02/2003

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 214, "SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES ARE BUILT WITH FOUR WELDS ON THE REAR DOOR UPPER HINGE. ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, ONE OR TWO OF THE WELDS MAY NOT BE TO SPECIFICATION.

04V04500004/02/2004

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND PASSENGER VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, ?PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.? SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION BRAKE HYDRO-BOOST HOUSING RELIEF VALVE BORE.

Recent Complaints

20200806ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON XL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY CHAIN WAS ATTACHED TO THE KEYS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START HOWEVER, WHEN THE KEY CHAIN WAS REMOVED, THE VEHICLE START AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 220,000.

Mileage: 220,000

20200223ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

HEADLIGHTS AS WELL AS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON HIGHBEAMS DO HOWEVER

20200223EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS AS WELL AS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON HIGHBEAMS DO HOWEVER

20191202SUSPENSION

CONCERNED ABOUT THE SERVICE NOTICE ON MY DIC WITH THE AUTO RIDE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. P0660 CODE DETECTION. NO INDICATION OF WHAT THE CONDITION OF THE SYSTEM IS INOPERABLE AND IF THE VEHICLE IS IN A SAFE MODE UNTIL REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT OF PARTS ARE MADE.CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE HAS LOCKED THE AIR RIDE SUSPENSION TO WHICH THE COMPRESSOR WILL NOT ACTIVATE. SHOCKS ARE IN A MAINTAINED PRESSURE TO WHICH THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A FIRM PRESSURE MAKING A SOLID RIDE AS IF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE IF IN TOW MODE.NOT SURE IF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HANDLING ARE EFFECTIVE.

Mileage: 250,000

20191008SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO LEAK FROM RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINE UNDER DRIVER SEAT AREA AND LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID.

Mileage: 130,000

20161028ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON XL. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STABILITY CONTROL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS ALSO A GRINDING SOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 195,633.

Mileage: 195,633

20161009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. GAUGES RANDOMLY STICK OR FALSELY READ TO INCLUDE SPEEDOMETER. SOMETIMES IT WILL STICK AT A RANDOM SPEED. OTHER TIMES IT WILL PEG AT ITS MAX. UNKNOWN IF ODOMETER IS INVOLVED. SOMETIMES THEY RESET AFTER REPEATED START/OFF CYCLES. WAS COVERED UNDER A GM RECALL BULLETIN NO: 07187B, PAGE 8. CURRENT ODOMETER IS 145,369. SHOULD GM NOT REPAIR THIS AFTER THE WARRANTED PERIOD? THIS IS JUST AS DANGEROUS NOW THAN IT WAS AT 70,000 MILES. OIL PRESSURE GAUGE VERY RARELY READS CORRECTLY. I TRAILER TOW OFTEN AND CORRECT OIL PRESSURE IS IMPERATIVE AS IS A CORRECT SPEEDOMETER READING. ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE I DOWNLOADED FROM NHTSA IS THE NUMBER CSC-10026542-8984. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BEGAN TWO YEARS AGO WITH A FAULTY AMP GAUGE BUT WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IT HAS NOW AFFECTED ALL GAUGES BUT THE FUEL GAUGE, WATER TEMP AND TRANSMISSION TEMP. POSSIBLY RELATED IS THE HEATED SEAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE HEAT IS ON ALL THE TIME (ON HI) AND CAN ONLY BE SHUT OFF BY UNPLUGGING THE SEAT

Mileage: 145,369

20161003SERVICE BRAKES

THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO NEARLY STRIKE A NUMBER OF CHILDREN AT A CROSSWALK. AFTER EXAMINATION BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD CORRODED AND BURST UNDER PRESSURE. I HAVE RECEIVED NO NOTICE OF THIS POTENTIAL FAILURE FROM GMC EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. SHOULDN'T THE MANUFACTURER HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REPAIR THIS POTENTIALLY LETHAL PROBLEM? AT A MINIMUM I FEEL THAT GMC AND/OR THE NHTSA HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES THAT THEY ARE DRIVING A POTENTIALLY DEADLY VEHICLE.

Mileage: 498,000

20151126AIR BAGS

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT OR IMPACT. THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED AND WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED.

Mileage: 237,954

20141202SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE FAILED WHEN APPLIED.MECHANIC SAID LINE IS RUSTED CAUSING LEAK. *JS

Mileage: 50,000

20141120ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND KEEPING UP WITH TRAFFIC, I NOTICED MY SPEED WAS 75MPH. SLOWING DOWN TO THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT I WAS SUDDENLY GETTING PASSED UP BY EVERYONE. IT WASN'T UNTIL I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND WHILE WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER WAS READING 10MPH (WHILE STANDING STILL). CHECKING GMC AND CHEVROLET FORUMS ONLINE, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN. THE READING ON THE SPEEDOMETER WHILE IN PARK NOW VARIES BETWEEN 10-20 MPH, AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA HOW FAST I'M ACTUALLY TRAVELING WHILE DRIVING. I'VE MADE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, AND I'M SURE THE REPAIRS WILL BE EXPENSIVE! *TR

Mileage: 106,158

20141117SERVICE BRAKES

TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE, NO BRAKES. STEEL BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH ON FRAME RAIL NEAR GAS TANK CAUSING FLUID CONTAINER TO EMPTY COMPLETELY. NO ADVANCED WARNING LAMP OR INDICATION OF FAILURE. TO REPLACE THE LINE, THE FUEL TANK MUST BE REMOVED. DEALER CHARGE $800.00 AND UP. *TR

Mileage: 143,000

20141115SERVICE BRAKES

I HAD A PANIC STOP WHILE DRIVING MY SUV, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, OFFERING ALMOST NO BRAKING ABILITY. THIS CAUSED ME TO SHARPLY SWERVE AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, DRIVE THROUGH A RED LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AND FIND A SAFE PLACE TO LAND. I HAD MY 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND 9 YEAR OLD SON WITH ME, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

20141015SERVICE BRAKES

CAR PULLED IN FRONT OF ME, HAD TO APPLY MAXIMUM BRAKING EFFORT. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK GRADUALLY SLOWED. FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO DRIVE AND BRAKE WERE FUTILE. *TR

20140925SERVICE BRAKES

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX. 60 MPH... WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A CHIMING NOISE AND MY "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" ALERT CAME ON! I THEN ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN AND TO MY UNFORTUNATE DISCOVERY THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. (SCARY) I LET THE VEHICLE COAST A BIT TO SLOW DOWN AND TRIED PUMPING MY BRAKES.. NOW PLEASE KEEP IN MIND I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 2 CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. (SCARIER) I WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY STOP AND PULL OVER. I DISCOVERED THE REAR BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING.. LONG STORY SHORT MY HUSBAND CAME AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME.. BUT BASICALLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD!!! I DID SOME RESEARCHING- CALLING A FEW DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE LOCATIONS AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ANYWHERE FROM $1,500 TO $600.00 TO HAVE THE LINES REPLACED,ECT. I AM FURIOUS THAT GM IS TRYING TO THROW THIS ON THE CONSUMER STATING THIS WAS A "MAINTENANCE ISSUE"... I HAVE READ NUMEROUS STORIES OF PEOPLE (REAL PEOPLE) HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT GM WANTS TO SAY THIS IS OUT FAULT!!

Mileage: 90,550

20140830SERVICE BRAKES

I WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 GMC YUKON XL HOME AND THE BRAKES WENT THE FLOOR, LET ME TELL YOU THIS IS VERY SCARY ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH A LARGE VEHICLE. LUCKILY I WAS A BLOCK AWAY AND MADE IT HOME PUMPING THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE LINES BROKE JUST ABOVE THE REAR AXLE. BOTH LINES COME OUT OF A CONNECTOR AND THEY WERE VERY SEVERELY RUSTY, IT IS TOUGH TO SEE UNLESS YOU REMOVE THE SPARE TIRE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SAME BRAKE LINES THAT RUN ACROSS THE REAR AXLE, THEY LOOK FINE. DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU, THEY MAY BE VERY RUSTY UP FARTHER WHERE YOU CAN'T SEE. DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME, BUT WE ALSO LOST OUR BRAKES WITH NO WARNING IN OUR 2002 GMC YUKON. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH 2/2 GMC FROM 2002 AND 2003 THERE MUST BE MANY OTHERS AND ACCIDENTS FROM THIS HAPPENING, ITS A VERY FAST LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID WITH NO WARNING. GM HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS IF THEY WANT OUR BUSINESS AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 133,000

20140813SERVICE BRAKES

I WAS DRIVEN MY VEHICLE AND MY ABS AND SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP. I RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO A FIELD MY PADS AND BRAKE FLUID IS GOOD. I CHECK ONLINE AND DISCOVERED RECALLS ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE. THE RECALL # IS 75641 WHEEL CAP COVER HUB RECALL DATE DEC 17,2007. ALSO THE WAS RECALL ON SERVICE BRAKES HYDRAULIC RECALL # 42659 RECALL DATE FEB 2004. I CONTACTED GMC 800# AND SPOKE WITH [XXX] HIS AGENT I.D # [XXX] HE HAD A SPECIALIST CONTACT ME AND HE GAVE ME REFERENCE# OF[XXX]. I WENT LOCAL GMC SPOKE WITH A[XXX] AND GMC SPECIALIST [XXX] DON'T REFUSE TO INSPECT WITHOUT A CHARGE. MY SUV DOING THE SAME AS RECALL STATED THEY SAID NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 102,000

20140708EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THE AIR CONDITIONER SWITCHES TO HEAT WHILE DRIVING. *JS

20140528SERVICE BRAKES

TRAVELING AT 25 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING THE BRAKES HELPED STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANT TO THE NEAREST DEALER. UPON THEIR INSPECTION, THEY STATED THE BRAKE LINES HAD CORRODED AND THE FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT. FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND TRAFFIC WAS NOT IN THE WAY AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 200,000

20140307SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO RUSTED THROUGH LINE. UPON DIAGNOSIS ALL LINES RUSTED AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. HAD TO PUSH PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR HARD TO COME TO SOFT STOP. *TR

Mileage: 178,465

Compare 2003GMCYUKON XL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 GMC YUKON XL have?
The 2003 GMC YUKON XL has 114 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 GMC YUKON XL?
Yes, the 2003 GMC YUKON XL has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 GMC YUKON XL?
The most-complained component for the 2003 GMC YUKON XL is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 19 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2003 GMC YUKON XL 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.