2003 GMC Denali: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 32 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (16% of complaints).
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
32
owner complaints
0
fire reports
50,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No fire reportsNo recall campaignsOne of the most complained-about Denali years (#1 of 5, age-adjusted)
Common problems
Computed from 32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)16% · 5 complaints
Steering (steering wheel, rack, power assist)13% · 4 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control (unintended acceleration, cruise control)13% · 4 complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic (brakes)9% · 3 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)9% · 3 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)6% · 2 complaints
“I have had the break/steering fluid booster replaced 3 times in a 6 month period. How gmc can call this a "problem" but not a safety issue is beyond me. I have looked it up and thousands have had problems with this along with alike vehicles from the same years. The breaks and steering lock up while driving especially around turns. It is extremely dangerous!!!!! I guess not enough people have died....uugghhh .... So frustrating!!!!”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jan 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2015 (na) gmc denali. The contact stated that the exterior lighting was dim. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlight bulbs failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Jan 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 gmc denali equipped with michelin ltx ms20 tires, size: lt245/75r16. The contact stated that all four tires cracked on the sidewall. The contact also stated that all the tires had tread separation and loss of air pressure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle and tire failure mileage was 120,000. The VIN was not available.”Owner report · Tires · Aug 2013
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl*the contact owns a 2003 gmc denali. While driving 2-5 mph, the contact struck a bump or pothole in the road. He heard a loud boom similar to a gunshot. The side air bags deployed and the contact maneuvered to the side of the road. Onstar noticed the air bag deployment and called to see if medical assistance was needed. The dealer stated that the vehicle could be repaired at the cost of $5,000. The manufacturer sent a third party engineer to investigate the vehicle. He reviewed the event data recorder and decided that gmc would not assist with the repairs. The failure and current mileages were less than 90,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2008
“The suv has intermittent stops/stalls in the middle of moving traffic. At that point the traction almost as quick as the motor powers down it resets and goes again. The gmc dealer has never been able to fix it so we went to a highly rated angies list auto repair shop and they suggested replacing the transmission which we have donor last april. Unfortunately that was no help either. I have had no luck finding a solution on the internet as well. *tr”Owner report · Electronic Stability Control (Esc) · Apr 2008
“The speedometer shows inaccurate and erratic readings. Speed appears to be 20 mph off and will jump to different speeds. No specific event caused this to happen, it just started about a month ago and has progressively gotten worse over time. *tr”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2008
“Speedometer defective. Sometimes reads 120mph when not moving. Sometimes never moves. Don't feel safe with wife driving with kids. *tr”Owner report · Electrical System · Dec 2007
“Analog speedometer, intermittent, won't always set to zero. Shows inaccurate speeds. Going 65 mph, speedometer registers 110 mph. *ak”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Feb 2007
“I have a 2003 gmc yukon denali and the speedometer has stopped providing accurate speed readings. I can be traveling 10 mph according to my gps and the speedometer may read 100 mph. This is random and frequent. *nm”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2006
“Dt*: the contact stated the left front brake pipe fully fractured while driving at 25 mph. There is a NHTSA recall, # 03v151000, regarding the brake piping. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN. The vehicle was driven to the local independent repair shop for repairs. *nm”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Jan 2006
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
How other years compare
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Is the 2003 GMC Denali reliable?
NHTSA has 32 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2003 GMC Denali. The most complained-about area is electrical system (16% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2003 GMC Denali problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 50,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.