2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL

Routine

Owners filed 49 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
103,000 milesMedian miles at failure

47 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 150,000200,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes15
200
Electrical System13
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
000
Electronic Stability Control (esc)4
000
Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel4
000
Steering2
100
Engine2
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Jan 20, 2019190,000 milesNY

STABILITY CONTROL DISABLED COMES ON WITH ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THIS HAPPENED AS I AS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY. SPEED DRASTICALLY REDUCED FORM 65 TO 10 MPH. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. GM IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WILL NOT ACT UNTIL THERE'S A FATALITY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. NHTSA HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND HAS NOT ACTED. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS NOT CORRECT -THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS

Electrical System
Filed Sep 24, 2018240,000 milesOH

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS FAULTY DO TO BATTERY DRAIN. THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS WITH A MAJORITY OF TRUCKS AND SUV'S OF THE SAME GENERATION AS MY 2004 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. THE COST FROM THE DEALER TO REPLACE THIS PART IS APPROXIMATELY $2000. THERE ARE AFTERMARKET INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO REPLACE THIS PART AT A COST OF ALL MOST $600. THIS REQUIRES PROGRAMMING BY THE DEALER FOR A COST OF ANOTHER $500+ ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE REPEAT IT SELF AT LATER DATE.

Service Brakes
Filed Feb 4, 2018240,000 milesWY

WITHOUT WARNING THE BRAKES FAILED. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT TIME OF FAILURE, VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STOPPED AND AT 30 MPH RAN THROUGH THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT A BUSY CITY INTERSECTION. FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE. INVOICE STATED: "BRAKE LINE WORE THROUGH FROM STEERING COLUMN RUBBING ON FLEXIBLE SECTION."

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Jun 19, 2016177,000 milesNJ

STABILITY CONTROL DISABLED COMES ON WITH ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THIS HAPPENED AS I AS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY. SPEED DRASTICALLY REDUCED FORM 65 TO 10 MPH. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. GM IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WILL NOT ACT UNTIL THERE'S A FATALITY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. THIS IS CRIMINAL. NHTSA HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND HAS NOT ACTED.

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Nov 3, 2015162,500 milesKY

I GET THIS (COMFORT RIDE CONTROL) WHEN I TURN THE KEY OFF AND BACK ON IT THERE AGAIN. WHEN I START IT UP.

Service Brakes
Filed Sep 30, 201582,700 milesMD

STEEL BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING LEAKAGE AND TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE DURING APPLICATION. CALIPERS AND BLEEDER VALVES ALSO RUSTED, PREVENTING NEW BRAKE LINES FROM BEING RE-ATTACHED.

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Sep 30, 201563,031 milesMD

02/09/2012-RECEIVED WARNING IN MESSAGE CENTER ADVISING TO CHECK RIDE CONTROL. LOCATED BROKEN RIGHT FRONT HEIGHT SENSOR ACTUATOR FOR BROKEN CONTROL ARM LINKAGE. SENSOR REPLACED (MILEAGE 63,031). ON 09/27/2015, THE LEFT SENSOR BROKE, ALSO REQUIRING REPLACEMENT (MILEAGE 82,700).

Engine
Filed Sep 23, 2015120,000 milesRI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TAC MODULE AND ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 8, 2015123,000 milesWA

VEHICLE STARTED FINE, THEN AS I WAS DRIVING IN NEIGHBORHOOD ENGINE SHUT OFF AND I LOST ALL POWER, COULD NOT TURN CAR WITHOUT STEERING AND CRASHED INTO CURB UP THE STREET, CAR WOULD NOT START, HAD AAA COME TOW TO OUR HOME. HAD A NEW BATTERY, AND WOULD ONLY TAKE A CHARGE WHEN BYPASSING BATTERY DIRECTLY INTO ENGINE. NOW SOMETHING IS DRAINING BATTERY AND IF I DON'T START AND RUN EVERY TWO DAYS , BATTERY DEAD. ELECTRICAL CLUSTER ALSO GOING BAD AND INSTRUMENTS NOT WORKING, AIR CONDITIONING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM , WILL BLOW COLD OUT OF ALL BUT TWO VENTS, WHERE IT BLOWS 90 DEGREES. BACK WINDOW WIPER STOPPED WORKING, ALL ELECTRICAL RELATED. DEALER SAID NO ERROR CODES TEST DROVE FOR A WEEK TO GET TO REPRODUCE STALL DRIVING, RETURNED TO ME SAYING CAN'T DIAGNOSE. SO FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS.

Service Brakes
Filed May 21, 2015178,700 milesNJ

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON A HIGHWAY I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL SUNK AND I LOST BRAKES. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST DROVE INTO A GUARD RAIL. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I OBSERVE THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE WAS CORRODED CAUSING IT TO BREAK. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH GMC AND THE COMPANY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. USING STAINLESS WOULD PREVENT INCIDENTS LIKE THESE AND POSSIBLE INJURIES OR DEATHS.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 20, 201540,000 milesMD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC YUKON DENALI XL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED DURING ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND THE TRACTION ACTIVE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR FILTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE BG FUEL INDUCTION SERVICED NEEDED TO BE DONE, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SERVICE NEEDED TO BE DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

Service BrakesCrash
Filed Jan 2, 201584,196 milesVA

DRIVING AT 35 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING WITH NO INDICATION PRECEDING INCIDENT. VEHICLE MADE CONTACT WITH CURB BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. DISCOVERED REAR BRAKE LINES HAD COMPLETELY CORRODED THROUGH AND VEHICLE WAS LOSING FLUID. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT GM REFUSES TO FIX. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Nov 10, 2014155,000 milesGA

MY KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION AND THEN THE POWER WENT OF AND I DROVE INTO A TERR IT AFFECTED THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE TRUCK. I HAVE REPLACED THE KEY ONCE ALREADY AND NOW IT NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, IM NOT GOING TO FIX IT IM GOING TO SELL IT GET A TOYOTA. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Nov 8, 2014116,000 milesCA

TACHOMETER GAUGE NO LONGER FUNCTIONS, WRONG SPEED READING ON SPEEDOMETER AND OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READING TOO MUCH PRESSURE. FUEL GAUGE READING ADD FUEL WHEN I KNOW IT HAS MORE THAN "LOW". FUNNY HOW SPEEDOMETER WAS PEGGED OUT WHEN I WAS ONLY GOING 60. *TR

Engine
Filed Oct 5, 2014154,000 milesCA

HELLO OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, MY TRUCK HAS HAD THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT MESSAGE FLASH ACROSS THE DASH "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" AND "STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLED", AND THE TRUCK IS LIMITED TO 25MPH.. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IN TRAFFIC, FORCING MY WIFE, OR MYSELF TO HAVE TO TURN ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AFTER SITTING FOR 5-10 MINUTES THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF, AND THE ENGINE WILL BE FINE. THE DESCRIBED SCENARIO JUST OCCURRED AGAIN TODAY FOR THE 3RD TIME IN ONE DAY,, SO THINGS APPEAR TO DEGRADING RAPIDLY, AND I WILL NEED TO HAVE THE SYSTEM REVIEWED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS I HAVE FOUND A THREAD WITH NUMEROUS RELATED CONCERNS AT EDMUNDS,COM (HTTP://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/5759/GMC/YUKON-DENALI/GMC-YUKON-REDUCED-ENGINE-POWER-MESSAGE), AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THEIR IS A VALID RECALL FOR MY VIN. I AM NOT CLEAR WHAT MAY BECOME OF THIS COMPLAINT, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT MY WIFE MAY BE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF THE ENGINES KEEPS REDUCING POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Sep 22, 2014115,000 milesPA

HAD JUST BACKED OUR BAY BOAT INTO IT'S SPOT AFTER HAULING IT ON I95,THE BLUE ROUTE AND PA TURNPIKE .WHEN I RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PULL AWAY FROM THE BOAT,THE SERVICE BRAKE LIGHT APPEARED,AND IMMEDIATELY LOST MOST OF MY BRAKING POWER .I FOUND THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUPTURED .IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY ,TOWING THE BOAT,IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW COMMON A PROBLEM THIS HAS BEEN UNTIL I FOUND UNTOLD NUMBERS OF OTHER OWNERS ON THE WEB WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Sep 3, 2014168,000 milesMO

THE BRAKE TUBING MOUNTED ALONG THE FRAME TOWARDS THE ABS AND AWAY FROM THE ABS ARE VERY RUSTED FLAKING ETC. THEY HAVE NOT BUSTED JET BUT COULD ANY MOMENT, I'M HAVING THEM CHANGED. AS MANY PEOPLE HAD BUSTED TUBING FOR ME IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I'M AN MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND I UNDERSTAND THE DEFECT. *TR

Service BrakesCrash
Filed Aug 7, 201480,000 milesNY

DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES, MY BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING A CRASH. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 7, 201459,299 milesNY

A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SHORT BECAUSE A CAR WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF HIM. I APPLIED THE BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO STOP BUT IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. I WENT TO DRIVE A FEW FEET AND TRIED TO STOP WHEN I REALIZED I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL AND THE WHITE SMOKE WAS STILL COMING OUT. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP. THE BRAKES LINE FAILED BECAUSE OF CORROSION. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS SPRAYING ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CREATING THE WHITE SMOKE. *TR

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jul 31, 201470,000 milesTN

FUEL GAUGE IS ERRATIC, MOST OFTEN SHOWING THE TANK EMPTY WHEN UP TO HALF FULL. *TR

20 of 49 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2011
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20182000Routine
20174000Routine
201629000Routine
201565000Routine
20145000Routine
201313000Routine
201223010Routine
201169010Routine
201029000Routine
200922000Routine
200842000Routine
200761020Routine
200611000Routine
200534010Routine
2004 — this page49000Routine
200332000Routine

Compare every Yukon Denali XL year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.