Most common 2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL problems
Share of the 49 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Yukon Denali XL complaints by model year
Best Yukon Denali XL years: 2006, 2014, 2003. Years to avoid: 2011, 2015. Compare all years →
What 2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL owners say
Brakes all 20 →
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.
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.
Electrical system
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.
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.
Stability & traction control
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL a good car?
Based on 49 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Yukon Denali XL rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Yukon Denali XL at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL?
The brakes — 20 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (19) and stability & traction control (9).
How many recalls does the 2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Yukon Denali XL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2014 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011 and 2015. See the full GMC Yukon Denali XL years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 GMC Yukon Denali XL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 103,000 miles; 6% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.