Most common 2004 GMC Yukon XL 1500 problems
Share of the 36 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Yukon XL 1500 complaints by model year
Best Yukon XL 1500 years: 2000, 2006, 2012. Years to avoid: 2007, 2003, 2004, 2005. Compare all years →
What 2004 GMC Yukon XL 1500 owners say
Electrical system
Our Yukon on numerous occasions will just display reduced engine power and speed will decrease rapidly. I have pulled off the road and turned vehicle off removed key waited a few minutes then started the truck and it May run fine or May just continue to have reduced engine power. Between the tow bills and shop fees I have spent more than the truck is worth. We have taken to the shop and spent over 5K for them to state the can not find an issue. They say there are no codes. Then it May or May not run normal for a short period and there is no pattern. It has on numerous occasions just completely shut down and therefore loss of power steering and brakes occurs. Making this very dangerous. The last time it happened I was on the highway traveling at 80 MPH. The result could have been deadly. I am not sure why GMC has done nothing to fix this issue. …
Blower motor resistor failed in the truck..when the car is off motor will run and eventually kill the battery... Made several attempts to fix it but the company no longer make this resistor because of the malfunction... So not years later still can't fix it..can't find the resistor and now I have no air no heat for 3 years now.
Engine & cooling
Our Yukon on numerous occasions will just display reduced engine power and speed will decrease rapidly. I have pulled off the road and turned vehicle off removed key waited a few minutes then started the truck and it May run fine or May just continue to have reduced engine power. Between the tow bills and shop fees I have spent more than the truck is worth. We have taken to the shop and spent over 5K for them to state the can not find an issue. They say there are no codes. Then it May or May not run normal for a short period and there is no pattern. It has on numerous occasions just completely shut down and therefore loss of power steering and brakes occurs. Making this very dangerous. The last time it happened I was on the highway traveling at 80 MPH. The result could have been deadly. I am not sure why GMC has done nothing to fix this issue. …
When driving whether highway or city streets, the car will without notice slow down to about 15mph. A code of "reduced engine power" is displayed on the dash. The car will not go any faster than 15mph, even with you foot on the gas petal. I have had the car in the shop more times than I can count. They keep replacing different parts thinking that it would fix the problem. Almost within a week after being in the shop the same thing happens again without notice. I have noticed that other people are having the same problem. I treasure my kids and I do not want this to happen whenever I am on the freeway going 60 or 70 MPH and a semi truck runs into the back of me whenever this happens without any notice. Apparently GMC does not know how to fix this problem. There needs to be a recall on this particular GMC model. …
Brakes
I was traveling on Saturday morning, in my dads 2004 Yukon luckily it was early enough not much traffic at the time, it was raining and I was not driving very fast normal speed on the highway is 40 miles per hour on us11 because of congestion and traffic lights, I was traveling between 30 and 35 MPH because of rain, anyways a light changed and I had time to stop, but the vehicle did not stop the pedal went almost to the floor and the light came on stating brake failure, from that point I slowed down as slow as I could and tried to test the brakes, it would stop, but needed plenty of distance, so I slowed for a turn off, and when I got home, started to brake before entering the driveway so that I would not hit the garage or anything else, in fact I stopped the vehicle at the end of the driveway near the road.
Driving when entire instrument panel went black. Off/on at random. Knocking sound started about the same time. Took car in to be checked out. Was told brake lines were completely rusted, and needed a new transmission. We paid for repair of the instrument panel. Talked to our dealership, holman in cincinnati oh, about breaks. No recall listed. They have never told us the brake lines were rusted. Offered us $150 brake kit to do ourselves (cant do) or they can do it for $1500-2000. Can't afford. It sits in our driveway, epic fail GMC. We bought a Honda.
2004 GMC Yukon XL 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 GMC Yukon XL 1500 a good car?
Based on 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Yukon XL 1500 rates avoid: 2.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Yukon XL 1500 at the same age. It is one of the Yukon XL 1500 years we suggest avoiding. 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 XL 1500?
The electrical system — 18 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the engine & cooling (7) and brakes (4).
How many recalls does the 2004 GMC Yukon XL 1500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2004 GMC Yukon XL 1500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Yukon XL 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000, 2006 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007, 2003, 2004 and 2005. See the full GMC Yukon XL 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 GMC Yukon XL 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 19% 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.