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Random Quote: My dad is a T.V. repairman. He has an awsome set of tools, I can fix it. Jeff Spicoli
I bought a 2003 Yukon XL Denali in early 2005 on a dealer demo. The truck only had 11K miles and it has every option including full time 4 wheel drive (not good for gas mileage). I paid over $40K for this truck and we have had LOTS of various problems with it. I'm wondering if I've just had bad luck or if there is more to it. Since 2005 I have had to replace the following:
-Front wheel speed sensors, both left and right. ($969)
-Front hubs, sealed bearings went bad, both left and right. ($1,322)
-Auto leveling compressor. ($742)
-Power window on drivers side. ($245)
-Drivers side power seat. ($309)
-Rear wiper motor. ($179)
These repairs cost me several thousand bucks that I had not planned on paying on a relatively new vehicle. The truck now has 65K miles and we have had no problems for about 6 months. There was a period of time where we had a problem with the truck every month.
I have owned several Suburbans and Tahoe's and never had problems like I have had with this truck. Hopefully we have gotten through the issues but this seems like a lot of problems for a truck I paid more than $40K on.
Has anyone else had problems with this year GMC truck? Is the 2003 model known to have more problems than other years?
I had a 2003 Tahoe Z74 offroad. Owned it for all of 2 months......I couldn't get rid of the POS fast enough. Here was my list:
Bad cruise control
Replaced driver's side window motor
Replaced passenger side window switch
Recurrent problem with the transmission getting stuck in park.
All were warranty repairs.
I will never own another GM product. I did give the new Malibu a hard look, but I just couldn't chance it. Both GM products I have owned in the past were junk.
WolaKrab- Sorry to hear about your problems. I have owned GM vehicles for years and I will buy another GM vehicle. It just seems like this truck has been a PIA for a long time. You have replaced the power window motor in your truck just like me. I'm guessing there will be more people that comment on the similiar problems.
2002 Tahoe here with 57K miles. Only two problems were/are 1) replaced drivers side window motor and...2) had and still have a "bumping" in the steering while turning a corner. Took it back twice for this - first time they just packed something with grease and it lasted for about 6 months,,second time they say they replaced a short steering shaft that was the source of the problem, and would cure it for good. Well that was two weeks ago and guess what, "its back".
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2005 McKee 23 TE/FS with 200 Zukes
50 Ton Masters with Towing Endorsement.
Sorry to hear about your bad luck. My most recent GM product was a '99 Chevy Silverado 1500 that I traded in '05 with 90,000+ miles on it. The only repair I ever did on that truck was a ball joint.
I would have thought most of those items would be covered under warranty or under an extended warranty, if purchased.
I feel an extended warranty is a must have for any truck or SUV purchase these days. The vehicles just have too many complicated and expensive systems. I purchased a Ford warranty to 75K miles on my wife's new '02 Ford Explorer XLT V8. As I recall it was about $800 and it paid for itself several times over as the Explorer had the rear differential rebuilt twice and a rebuild of the top half of the 4.6 V8 (the SUV was in the shop 21 days for that), the extended warranty covered a rental car too for those repairs.
Despite the mechanical issues we had with the Explorer, my wife likes that size vehicle and after 51 months of ownership I traded the Explorer in with 90,000 miles on a 2006 Mercury Mountaineer Premier V8. I think the 75K extended warranty price was up to $900 this time but I think it's cheap insurance. She has 25,000 miles on the Mountaineer with no issues so far, we'll keep it until 75,000 miles I suspect. Now my wife likes the look of the current GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab so we'll have to see what they look like in 2012 and maybe I'll buy another GM product.
Sadly, the resale value on full-size SUVs is in the toilet these days so you either keep it and deal with any future repair costs or you take a bath on a trade or private party sale and try your luck at something new.
on my 10th gm vehicle, nothing ever that serious, a fuel pump or starter hear and there but other than that not much other than general maintanence. Took all but one (my 06) to over 300k miles. Guess I just have good luck. Wont buy anything else when it comes to a heavy duty truck. Cant wait for my stupid little jeep heep to sell so i can get my hands on a Sierra Duramax or 8.1 liter big block.
Have an 04 Xl Denali from new and the fuel pump failed after 85000 miles three months ago. Other than the steering going out every few months it has been a good mummy run about
I'm not trying to bash GM vehicles, my last Suburban I put 180K care free miles on it. I paid the extra money for a Denali because I hoped it was worth it. My wife drives the Yukon and she keeps her vehicles for 8-10 years. I had to talk her into getting a new truck. I was curious if others experienced similiar problems.
One thing all of you GM truck guys have to have noticed is the running lights are junk. It seems like 1/2 of all of the GM trucks on the road have one or the other running lights out, and for some reason it's usually the right side that is out. We have had to replace both running lights.
None of the stuff was under warranty and happened in a relatively short period of time.
What does this mean: "Other than the steering going out every few months it has been a good mummy run about?"
Steering going out, how does your steering go out? I would consider that a very serious problem!
One thing that is great about the AWD on the truck, it is a dream when pulling my Scarab Sport. No problem setting the cruise at 70MPH, no problem pulling it up the ramp even when its wet and slimy.
2001 Suburban LT, 115,000 miles on it. Only problems have been we lost the engine belt when the tension pully "disappeared". This left us stranded and in need of a tow. Autoride went out recently, probably need a new compressor. other than that, it has been a super vehicle and we will most certainly buy another Sub. Almost sprang on a 2007 over the weekend, my family owns a GMC dealership and I drove it around Chicago... SCHWEEET!
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1998 Albemarle 247
Fairfax, Virginia
I have three GM products in the garage:
2001 Yukon XL 155K fuel pump went out at 125K nothing else
2003 Silverado 95K wiring harness for instrument cluster replaced at 80K nothing else (class action suit in progress)
2005 Denali XL 55K nothing other than routine maint
Prior to this I had a Tahoe that was also trouble free, would buy another GM in a heartbeat.
With the number of vehicles produced each year there are bound to be a few bad ones, unfortunately manufacturers would rather mess around fixing the ones with major issues than replace them.
Another lost customer...probably for life!
Have had 2 GM vehicles in the last 5 years...Chevy Tahoe LS and Cadillac Escalade EXT (truck). In the 3 years I had the Tahoe, had a neutral position sensor that went bad (was under warranty) and that was it. In the 2 years I've had the Cadillac, only had to replace the driver's side window motor. About 90% of the vehicles I've owned for the past 20 years have been GM and I've been happy so far.
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My wife has the exact same year and model. It will be replaced with another XL Denali. I have had two issues, first the IDC went out (speedo) which was covered under a recall. Second was the back glass hinge wore out. The dealer replaced the entire component as it was also listed as defective. These were my only two problems which were minor and cost me nothing as GM and/or the dealer stepped up to the plate. It has been a great car and I will buy another one.
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We received a letter about the class action law suit on the speedo issue but we haven't had any problems with the speedo. What exactly is the problem with it? Does it just stop working? Since we haven't had any problems and the truck is out of warranty I threw the paperwork away.
We had a 2002 Denali XL that was bought with 12,000 miles, very similar to yours. It replaced a 1994 Suburban Diesel that went 120,000 miles with only a recall on the diesel fuel control and an alternator. The Denali was trouble-free until 74,000 when the tranny failed. We just sold the 2002 with 99,754 miles and got a 2007 Denali XL with the 6.2l engine and 6-speed tranny and 100,000 mile warranty. Needless to say, we like suburban/Denalis. They ride and tow better than anything else we've tried.
I hope this doesn't jinx me, but here goes...... I bought my '04 Suburban Z71 with 32K miles, now have 60K miles in 18 months. The only thing that went wrong is the tach gauge sticks sometimes. Otherwise, no problems in 28K miles.
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We received a letter about the class action law suit on the speedo issue but we haven't had any problems with the speedo. What exactly is the problem with it? Does it just stop working? Since we haven't had any problems and the truck is out of warranty I threw the paperwork away.
Russ
Russ,
I got the same letter. The issue with mine was that when you stopped it stuck at about 20mph then was off by 20. The entire instrument cluster has to be replaced and GM takes care of it at no charge.
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Here is a good one. Had a 2002 Yukon Denali with 30k on it. Went through a puddle during a rainstorm in Ft. Lauderdale 3 years ago. (maybe 25mph and 2 inches deep on city street A1A) engine sucked up water into the intake then into the engine. Engine hydro locked within 200 feet. SUV my ass! Meanwhile almost $5000 later new engine and some other stuff had to be installed. (block etc) Now have cadillac escalade and have had to replace drivers side window motor, multiple brackets for supercharger that keep breaking (finally had my friend make me some from scratch that were better than the factory) multiple Oxygen sensors in the exhaust system and lights galore because of a bad ground somewhere. Thanks GM.
Next time a new Toyota tundra. Parents have Tundra and 4 RUnner and I think they replaced a windsheild wiper motor in one of them..total...90 bucks.
I've got a 2003 Denali (74,000 miles) which just recieved $4900 worth of work on the differentials. Shavings in the front diff and fluid seeping through the metal on the rear case. Fortunately GM stepped up and agreed to pay for half. Granted, for the cost of a Denali, it shouldn't happen in the first place but I was impressed that GM stepped up to the plate considering the truck was 2 years and 40,000 miles past it's warrenty.
At around 40,000 miles it blew several AC compressors which caused other issues with the AC system. I had to pay for one of the compressors but GM eventually paid to have the entire system removed and replaced.
One failed air sensor at around 60,000 and a new running light socket about sums it up for the repairs so far.
For a family with toys to haul, I don't see how you can do better than a Denali. I've also got an '05 F-250 Diesel which is a great tow rig but the ride is just butal when compared to the Denali. Despite the mech issues, I'll probably buy another Denali at some point. At least GM stands by their vehicles.
2003 Yukon XL Denali problems 
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