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GMC Yukon XL DenaliModel year report

2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali Problems

Complaints
32filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
67,000miles, 29 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 32 consumer complaints for the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali. The part named most often is electrical system, with 13 complaints (41% of the total), followed by electronic stability control (4) and brakes (3). 29 of the complaints include a mileage, and 34% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 67,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 101 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 19 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Air bags (1), Fuel system (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Body and structure (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “About a month a ago my 2003 yukon xl all of a sudden would not drive over15 miles an hr in rush hour traffic. I took the truck to the shop to have diagnostics ran. I was told it was the battery. The truck ran for about a month then all of a sudden the battery was back dead. Returned the truck back to the shop another battery was put in. It's been about another month. This time I was driving from miami to jacksonville and the truck lost power 100 miles outside jacksonville on I-95 north. It had all power just would not crank. …”

NHTSA complaint #11161032, filed 2018-12, 173,000 miles

Electronic stability control: “Driving 65 MPH on the highway and all of a sudden my car loses power. This is very dangerous! The dash says reduced engine power. Engine light comes on. Codes for the problem p0120, p0171, p0174, p0300, p2135. I got everything done that was suggested the codes are gone and it's still happening!! Not sure what the Gmc dealership is up to but they don't have a clue to what's causing it or how to fix it!”

NHTSA complaint #10489118, filed 2012-12, 117,900 miles

Brakes: “I was traveling on a two lane county road located in oldham county kentucky and upon approaching a curve, I attempted to apply the brake to slow the vehicle but the brake pedal went to the floor and provided no braking action (severely rusted brake lines burst and resulted in total brake failure ). The curve was followed by an intersection with a stop sign in my lane. Luckily there were no vehicles in front of me and no opposing traffic at that moment, which enabled me, through the use of gears and the emergency brake, to get the vehicle stopped just beyond the stop sign. …”

NHTSA complaint #10557441, filed 2013-12, 177,880 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “2003 Gmc denali front transfer case failure. While driving on the highway I noticed a loud noise for a few seconds, then it stopped, so I drove on home and the next morning I dropped it off at my personal repair shop. To his findings it was the front transfer case. So he called the local dealership and talked to someone he knew that worked at the dealership in the parts department and they told him that the dealership had repaired several denali's with the same or similar problem just this year.”

NHTSA complaint #10203496, filed 2007-09, 104,531 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

34% of the 29 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 36,500 and 117,900 miles.

7%0–107%10–2521%25–5024%50–757%75–10024%100–15010%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (29 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 67,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’03’056’07’09’11’13’18
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 101 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 101 bulletins →

Other model years of the GMC Yukon XL Denali

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20033267,0000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200226106,6000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20012297,5321———Stable

All GMC Yukon XL Denali model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali have?

NHTSA recorded 32 consumer complaints for the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 13 complaints (41% of the total), followed by electronic stability control with 4.

Has the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 GMC Yukon XL Denali reported?

Among the 29 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 67,000 miles and the middle half falls between 36,500 and 117,900 miles; 34% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.