GMC Yukon 2000–2006 problems by year and mileage
2nd generation · GMT800 (GMT820/830)
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,311 complaints, 904 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2000 GMC Yukon
Close- Median failure report
- 76,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 166
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2000
- Hydraulic brake circuit39 reports
- Tyres23 reports
- Visibility equipment18 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 2000: Service brakes, hydraulic — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Structure; Seats — front assembly. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2001 GMC Yukon
Close- Median failure report
- 76,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 232
- Recalls naming this year
- 7
Most reported on the 2001
- Hydraulic brake circuit64 reports · median 68,000 mi
- Brakes31 reports · median 144,000 mi
- Tyres20 reports
7 recall campaigns name the 2001: Engine and engine cooling; Service brakes, hydraulic — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Structure. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2002 GMC Yukon
Close- Median failure report
- 79,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 187
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2002
- Brakes45 reports · median 128,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit43 reports · median 65,000 mi
- Airbag system14 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2002: Service brakes, hydraulic — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Structure; Seats — front assembly. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2003 GMC Yukon
Close- Median failure report
- 82,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 276
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2003
- Electrical system78 reports · median 72,000 mi
- Brakes50 reports · median 128,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit25 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2003: Seat belts — rear/other; Service brakes, hydraulic; Structure. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2004 GMC Yukon
Close- Median failure report
- 74,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 268
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
Most reported on the 2004
- Electrical system114 reports · median 70,000 mi
- Brakes32 reports
- Engine18 reports
2 recall campaigns name the 2004: Seat belts — rear/other; Service brakes, hydraulic. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2005 GMC Yukon
Close- Median failure report
- 74,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 134
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2005
- Electrical system47 reports · median 65,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline14 reports
- Brakes14 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2005: Seat belts — rear/other; Service brakes, hydraulic — pedals and linkages; Power train — manual transmission. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2006 GMC Yukon
Close- Median failure report
- 82,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 48
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
Most reported on the 2006
- Latches and locks7 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise7 reports
- Airbag system6 reports
2 recall campaigns name the 2006: Equipment — other; Steering — hydraulic power assist. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2006 reports latest and the 2004 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2004 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2000–2006 GMC Yukon reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 77,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 160,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 904
- Recalls
- 16
Most reported
- Electrical system21.7% of complaints · median 69,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit14.6% of complaints · median 65,000 mi
- Brakes14.2% of complaints · median 130,000 mi
Documented problems
- Instrument Cluster2003–2006
- Engine - Intake Manifold2000–2002
- Steering2000–2006
- Transmission2000–2006
Owners filed 1,311 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000–2006 GMC Yukon; the electrical system leads with 21.7% of them, and half of the 904 that record an odometer reading came by 77,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 45,000 and 120,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2000–2006 GMC Yukon last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2000–2006 GMC Yukon, half of the 904 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 77,000 miles and 90% by 160,000 miles.
116 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 42 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Yukon reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · GMC Yukon 2000–2006 · 904 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 75 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 42 complaints (4.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 19,000
- 25%
- 45,000
- Median
- 77,000
- 75%
- 120,000
- 90%
- 160,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 65 | 7.2% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 29 | 3.2% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 49 | 5.4% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 58 | 6.4% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 49 | 5.4% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 71 | 7.9% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 75 | 8.3% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 73 | 8.1% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 60 | 6.6% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 50 | 5.5% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 47 | 5.2% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 44 | 4.9% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 48 | 5.3% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 39 | 4.3% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 31 | 3.4% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 25 | 2.8% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 18 | 2.0% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 14 | 1.5% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 9 | 1.0% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 8 | 0.9% |
| 200,000+ | 42 | 4.6% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Yukon problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · GMC Yukon 2000–2006
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Tyres71 reports35,00024,000–73,000Tyres: 71 reports, median 35,000 miles, middle half 24,000 to 73,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline67 reports52,00019,000–86,000Transmission and driveline: 67 reports, median 52,000 miles, middle half 19,000 to 86,000 miles.
- Hydraulic brake circuit191 reports65,00039,000–97,000Hydraulic brake circuit: 191 reports, median 65,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 97,000 miles.
- Electrical system284 reports69,00048,000–97,000Electrical system: 284 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 97,000 miles.
- Airbag system84 reports86,00036,000–130,000Airbag system: 84 reports, median 86,000 miles, middle half 36,000 to 130,000 miles.
- Brakes186 reports130,000100,000–156,000Brakes: 186 reports, median 130,000 miles, middle half 100,000 to 156,000 miles.
- Engine58 reports130,000104,000–152,000Engine: 58 reports, median 130,000 miles, middle half 104,000 to 152,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 284 | 21.7% | 69,000 | 48,000–97,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 191 | 14.6% | 65,000 | 39,000–97,000 |
| Brakes | 186 | 14.2% | 130,000 | 100,000–156,000 |
| Airbag system | 84 | 6.4% | 86,000 | 36,000–130,000 |
| Tyres | 71 | 5.4% | 35,000 | 24,000–73,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 67 | 5.1% | 52,000 | 19,000–86,000 |
| Engine | 58 | 4.4% | 130,000 | 104,000–152,000 |
| Steering | 57 | 4.3% | 55,000 | 27,000–96,000 |
| Fuel system | 56 | 4.3% | 67,000 | 30,000–90,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 52 | 4.0% | 66,000 | 50,000–125,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 77,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 21.7% of complaints (284 reports, 209 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 97,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 14.6% of complaints (191 reports, 148 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,000 and 97,000 miles.
The brakes account for 14.2% of complaints (186 reports, 174 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail late — a median of 130,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 100,000 and 156,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 6.4% of complaints (84 reports, 46 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 36,000 and 130,000 miles.
The tyres account for 5.4% of complaints (71 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 35,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 24,000 and 73,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 5.1% of complaints (67 reports, 39 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 52,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 19,000 and 86,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2000–2006 Yukon
Instrument Cluster 2003–2006
Instrument cluster gauge stepper motor failure: needles read incorrectly, stick, or die entirely — speedometer and fuel gauge most often. GM offered extended coverage on the affected clusters. Earlier 1999-2002 clusters use air-core movements and fail less often than the 2003-2006 stepper-motor units.
Engine - Intake Manifold 2000–2002
Early-production 4.8L/5.3L plastic lower intake manifold and gasket seepage allowing coolant into the oil.
Steering 2000–2006
Intermediate steering shaft wear producing a clunk or knock felt through the wheel on turn-in; addressed by GM bulletins and a redesigned shaft.
Transmission 2000–2006
4L60-E/4L65-E harsh shifting from a cracked 1-2 accumulator piston, and 3-4 clutch wear.
Before you buy a 2000–2006 Yukon: the 3-minute check
Generated from 904 mileage-tagged complaints, 16 recall campaigns, 4 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 16 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check instrument cluster on 2003–2006 primarily cars. Instrument cluster gauge stepper motor failure: needles read incorrectly, stick, or die entirely — speedometer and fuel gauge most often. GM offered extended coverage on the affected clusters. Earlier 1999-2002 clusters…
- Check engine - intake manifold on 2000–2002 cars. Early-production 4.8L/5.3L plastic lower intake manifold and gasket seepage allowing coolant into the oil.
- Check steering on 2000–2006 cars. Intermediate steering shaft wear producing a clunk or knock felt through the wheel on turn-in; addressed by GM bulletins and a redesigned shaft.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 45,000 and 120,000 miles, with a median of 77,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and the hydraulic brake circuit are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The hydraulic brake circuit in particular shows a median failure mileage of 65,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Yukon problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi36% below | At 90k mi59% below | At 120k mi74% below | At 150k mi87% below | At 200k mi95% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 48,000–97,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 39,000–97,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Brakes | 100,000–156,000 | later | later | in window | in window | earlier |
| Airbag system | 36,000–130,000 | in window | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Tyres | 24,000–73,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Transmission and driveline | 19,000–86,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 104,000–152,000 | later | later | in window | in window | earlier |
Figure 3 · GMC Yukon 2000–2006 · 904 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 36% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 59% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 74% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 87% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 95% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 95%: the remaining 4.6% of reports (42) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2000–2006 GMC Yukon recalls (16)
NHTSA records 16 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the hydraulic brake circuit (4), body structure (3), the seat belts (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Nov 2007 · 2001 · Engine and Engine CoolingIf the sensor becomes completely inoperative, the engine will quit running and will not re-start.
The defect. On certain pickup trucks equipped with an 8.1L v8 engine, the crankshaft position can operate intermittently or fail completely. If the sensor operates intermittently, the ses light may illuminate and the vehicle may run rough. The engine may stall, and if…
What can happen. If the sensor becomes completely inoperative, the engine will quit running and will not re-start. Either of these failures can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the crankshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on december 18, 2007. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Dec 2005 · 2006 · EquipmentA misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result…
The defect. Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "Tire selection and rims." These vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle…
What can happen. A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on march 31, 2006. Owners may contact…
Oct 2005 · 2006 · SteeringIf this were to occur, power steering assist would be lost and increased steering effort would be required.
The defect. Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose may fracture and leak fluid.
What can happen. If this were to occur, power steering assist would be lost and increased steering effort would be required. On vehicles equipped with hydro-boost power brakes, it could also result in loss of power…
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on october 14, 2005. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC…
Aug 2005 · 2000–2002 · Service Brakes, HydraulicThis can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a…
The defect. Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut…
What can happen. This can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
The free fix. Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface…
Apr 2005 · 2003–2005 · Seat BeltsA lap portion of the seat belt routing that is not low and snug on the hips can allow the lap belt to ride up…
The defect. On certain crew cab pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the 2nd row center occupant seat belt routing may make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of occupants, especially smaller occupants, seated in this…
What can happen. A lap portion of the seat belt routing that is not low and snug on the hips can allow the lap belt to ride up on an occupant's abdomen instead of fitting low around their hipbones, and therefore, can…
The free fix. Dealers will cut open the guide loop, remove a portion of the loop, and then the remaining two sides should be folded over and secured with a retainer free of charge. The recall began on july 21…
Mar 2005 · 2005 · Service Brakes, HydraulicThis could result in a loss of brakes which could result in a crash.
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake pedal pushrod retainer may be missing. If the retainer is missing, the brake booster pushrod could disengage from the brake pedal.
What can happen. This could result in a loss of brakes which could result in a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the vehicles for the brake pedal pushrod retainer and install one if it is missing free of charge. The manufacturer began contacting owners by telephone on march 10, 2005. Owners…
Feb 2005 · 2005 · Power TrainThe vehicle may move in an unintended direction resulting in possible injury to others outside of the vehicle.
The defect. Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, "Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." Under…
What can happen. The vehicle may move in an unintended direction resulting in possible injury to others outside of the vehicle.
The free fix. Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on february 14, 2005. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and GMC at…
Feb 2004 · 2003–2004 · Service Brakes, HydraulicConsequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture.
The defect. 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…
What can happen. Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase…
The free fix. Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; GMC at 1-866-996-9463; or hummer…
Mar 2003 · 2000–2003 · StructureThis overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
The defect. Certain pickup truck, van, and MINI van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might…
What can happen. This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began march 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do…
Feb 2003 · 2003 · StructureAs a result, the door strength may be degraded during a side impact vehicle crash.
The defect. 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…
What can happen. As a result, the door strength may be degraded during a side impact vehicle crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the welds on the left rear door upper hinge. If a weld is found out-of-specification, a bolt will be installed to secure the hinge. Owner notification began february 17, 2003.…
Sep 2002 · 2000–2002 · SeatsIf a person were to insert their finger(s) into the pinch point when the head restraint folds, it could trap…
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with rearward folding head restraints on the second row seats, two potential pinch points exist on each of the folding head restraints when the restraints are folded rearward as the seatback is folded down.
What can happen. If a person were to insert their finger(s) into the pinch point when the head restraint folds, it could trap and pinch the finger(s) causing injury.
The free fix. Dealers will install protective covers over the pinch points. Owner notification began november 8, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do…
Jul 2002 · 2000 · Air BagsIn a vehicle crash, front seat occupants may receive more severe injuries.
The defect. On certain pickup and utility trucks, some of these vehicles have an air bag sensing diagnostic module (sdm) which contains an anomaly that could result in the driver and passenger's air bag failing to deploy during certain frontal crashes.
What can happen. In a vehicle crash, front seat occupants may receive more severe injuries.
The free fix. Dealers will recalibrate the sdm on the affected vehicles. Owner notification began august 28, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
May 2001 · 2001 · Seat BeltsIn a crash, increased occupant injury could result from the no-lock condition.
The defect. Vehicle description: pickup and utility trucks. Some of these vehicles have an internal component in the outboard seat belt retractors for the 2nd and 3rd row of seats that could be cracked. With repeated actuation of the locking mechanism, the crack could…
What can happen. In a crash, increased occupant injury could result from the no-lock condition.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the outboard seat belts for specific lot numbers and replace the belts if necessary. Gm is enclosing an inspection procedure for the owners to use or they can have their dealers…
Mar 2001 · 2001 · Electrical SystemOver time this contact could cause a wear-through of the cable assembly convoluted conduit and cable…
The defect. Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles were built with a misrouted positive battery cable assembly that could come in contact with the steering shaft universal joint.
What can happen. Over time this contact could cause a wear-through of the cable assembly convoluted conduit and cable insulation exposing the wire core and resulting in intermittent electrical shorting. This could…
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the positive battery cable for proper routing and re-route the cable in necessary. The cable will also be inspected for wear of the conduit and cable insulation, and will be…
Oct 2000 · 2000 · Service Brakes, HydraulicDuring braking, the pedal will be lower than normal and stopping distances will be longer.
The defect. Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of…
What can happen. During braking, the pedal will be lower than normal and stopping distances will be longer. If this occurs when stopping distance is limited, a crash could occur.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section. If there are not…
Oct 2000 · 2000–2001 · StructureThese gases could flow into the passenger compartment if the plug is missing or loose and could cause…
The defect. Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have loose or missing rear wheelhouse plugs. Under certain vehicle operating conditions, exhaust gases can flow forward and accumulate in the rear wheelhouse.
What can happen. These gases could flow into the passenger compartment if the plug is missing or loose and could cause possible illness, unconsciousness, or death.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the vehicle for loose or missing wheelhouse plugs and install new plugs if necessary.
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,311 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 95 (7.2%)
- Fires
- 20
- Injury reports
- 57
- Fatality reports
- 3
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Yukon problems by model year
The 2003 drew the most complaints of this generation, 276, most of them about the electrical system, and the 2006 the fewest, 48. A typical year drew about 187.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 166 | 60 | 76,000 | Hydraulic brake circuit (39) | 6 |
| 2001 | 232 | 132 | 76,000 | Hydraulic brake circuit (64) | 7 |
| 2002 | 187 | 131 | 79,000 | Brakes (45) | 3 |
| 2003 | 276 | 217 | 82,000 | Electrical system (78) | 4 |
| 2004 | 268 | 215 | 74,000 | Electrical system (114) | 2 |
| 2005 | 134 | 111 | 74,000 | Electrical system (47) | 3 |
| 2006 | 48 | 38 | 82,000 | Latches and locks (7) | 2 |
What Yukon owners reported
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2004 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while attempting to trade the vehicle in, the dealer discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy, per the Carfax report. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 165,563. The actual mileage could…
2004 · 166,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2004 GMC Yukon. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The check engine warning light and another unknown warning light were illuminated, and a message was displayed that the gas port was reducing power. On a separate occasion, the vehicle started to lose…
2004 · 123,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2003 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speed, the vehicle would stall as the battery warning light appeared on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that the vehicle would shake upon depression of the brake pedal without warning. The vehicle was taken to the…
2003 · 200,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
The contact owns a 2003 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that upon purchasing the vehicle from a towing company, the vehicle would not start. The battery was instantly replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle would wobble and shut off inadvertently while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…
2003 · 150,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 904 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Yukon generations
- Yukon 1992–1999 189 reports with mileage, most about the hydraulic brake circuit
- Yukon 2007–2014 1,024 reports with mileage, most about the airbag system
- Yukon 2015–2020 697 reports with mileage, most about the exterior lighting
- Yukon 2021–2025 146 reports with mileage, most about the engine