1999 GMC Yukon Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the antilock brake system engaging when it shouldn't, mostly while braking at low speed and typically accompanied by a longer-than-expected stopping distance; many link this to a numbered campaign and say they were told their vehicle was outside it. Brake line corrosion and steering twitchiness are also reported, and several complaints describe stalling or no-start faults traced to fuel and electrical components at higher mileages.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS activates at low speed, longer stopping distance

   • 47 complaints (23%)
   • median 89,500 mi at 7.7 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2016

   Complaints describe the antilock system engaging during ordinary stops, especially below about 10 mph, with the pedal pulsing, chattering or dropping and the vehicle rolling farther than expected before it stops. Several owners say they compared their symptoms to a published campaign and were told by the manufacturer or a dealer that their vehicle identification number was not covered, so they paid for repairs themselves. Where repairs were done, wheelspeed sensors, hub and bearing assemblies or sensor contacts were commonly replaced, and some owners report the symptom returning or being only partly resolved. Reported at mileages spread across the sample, from under 20,000 to over 200,000 miles, and described as happening repeatedly in normal driving rather than in one isolated event.

   What to check: During a test drive, brake gently from walking pace on a flat lot and watch whether the pedal pulses or the truck rolls on. Ask whether wheelspeed sensors or hubs have been replaced and keep the receipts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When stopping the antilock brake system activates at slow speed greatly increasing stopping distance. Specially when towing my boat. I had a slight fender bender with no injuries. This condition happens daily. My wheel speed sensors were replaced by a dealer. I was told that there was a recall for yukons 2000 and up. Our Yukon is a 1999 with the same issue. See NHTSA action number pe05020 and NHTSA campaign id number 05v379000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10245760, filed 2008-10, 89,000 miles

   “The anti- lock brakes at lower speeds feel like the vehicle wants to keep going, and pulsate when applied before stopping. This happens most of the time, at low speeds. There has been no complete failure at this time (I expect it know when to stop it). I tried having this fixed at a garage and they replaced the wheel baring because they said it contains the speed sensor (it didn't work). The ABS kicks in when going forward and reverse”

   NHTSA complaint #10129089, filed 2005-07, 50,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Rusted brake lines leaking or bursting

   • 10 complaints (5%)
   • median 130,000 mi at 12.7 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2016

   Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking to the floor after a line corrodes through, with fluid loss and the master cylinder running low; one owner used the parking brake to stop. In several cases the truck was towed and a shop replaced multiple lines, since corrosion was found on more than the failed one. Some owners say the vehicle had been registered in states that salt roads in winter. Usually reported over 100,000 miles, and in several complaints the vehicle had spent years in cold-weather, road-salt states.

   What to check: Look underneath along the frame and above the fuel tank for flaking or wet brake lines, and ask whether any hard lines have been replaced. A pressure check is cheap compared with a tow.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I went to pull my horse trailer forward to load horses and the brake pedal went to the floor. I was able to turn the vehicle uphill to get it to stop. A neighbor took the protective panel off of the front undercarriage and found brake fluid leaking from the tubing. The truck is scheduled to go to the repair shop tomorrow to fix this.”

   NHTSA complaint #10406161, filed 2011-06, 203,000 miles

   “(rear brake line rupture) my wife was on her way to work when she applied the brakes the brake warning light came on. The pedal became real soft as if the vehicle wasn't going to stop. After returning home, upon investigation the brake master cylinder was almost empty. I found brake fluid coming out of a badly corroded brake line just behind the fuel tank. This could have been a very bad situation. We are the second owners on this vehicle, purchased in 2001. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10371144, filed 2010-12, 129,000 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Steering wheel twitches or jerks on its own

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the wheel twitching, jerking away or binding mid-turn and then releasing too far, so the truck veers in the direction of the turn. Dealers variously replaced the power steering gear box, the steering position sensor or the exhaust valve opening components, and in some cases could not reproduce the symptom and returned the vehicle as operating normally. Mostly reported between roughly 60,000 and 130,000 miles, at any road speed according to the complaints.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Turn the wheel slowly through a full lock-to-lock sweep with the engine running and feel for binding, uneven effort or a spot where the wheel jumps. Ask whether the steering gear or position sensor has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The steering wheel started jerking uncontrollably. The steering wheel would release and move back and forth on its own. The consumer was able to maintain control, and drove the vehicle to a local dealer. The mechanic determined that the problem could not be duplicated, and the vehicle was operating as designed. The steering position sensor was replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #10105365, filed 2005-01, 79,000 miles

   “Steering has become erratic. When turning, the ratio of wheel turn to steering wheel movement varies, increasing greatly at approx. 2 o'clock to the right thus causing the vehicle to veer unexpectedly in the direction of the initial turn. Now it is happening while turning left also but always happens to the right.”

   NHTSA complaint #10154940, filed 2006-04, 102,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Stalling or hard starting from fuel and electrical faults

   • 21 complaints (10%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 6.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2010

   Complaints describe the engine quitting without warning at speed and then refusing to restart, with one owner reporting repeated fuel pump replacements; another had a leaking injector that filled the control module with fuel, causing the speedometer, brake lights and shifting to act up. Separately, owners report intermittent no-start with the security light blinking, more often in rain or high humidity, where key cylinder or passlock repairs did not always solve it. Generally reported from about 50,000 to 160,000 miles, with the no-start complaint tied to damp weather rather than mileage.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask about fuel pump and injector service history and whether the security light has ever blinked. Start the truck from cold and again after a short stop to see whether it restarts cleanly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Gm has an anti-theft device called a passlock. The systems seems to be faulty on a very large number of their vehicles. It makes the auto not start and maybe even sometimes die while running. I'm quite concerned of the possibility of the engine failing while driving down the road. They told me it would cost $400 - $500 to fix it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10082533, filed 2004-07, 50,000 miles

   “My Yukon would not start I waited 5 minutes and then it started. The next time it would not start at all I waited over night it still would not start. I have talked to alot of people and they are having the same problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10227273, filed 2008-05, 156,000 miles

Buying note. This model year draws consistent brake complaints, so budget for a close look at the hard lines and antilock behavior before purchase and confirm what brake work has already been done. Service records for the fuel pump, steering gear and ignition security system are worth asking about, since those are the other recurring items owners report.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.