2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 Problems & Complaints

Average20% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Yukon XL 2500 at the same age

Owners have filed 7 complaints about the 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is about average for the Yukon XL 2500 at the same age. The most reported problem area is the engine & cooling (3 complaints, typically around 100,000 miles).

7complaints
0recalls
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
0deaths

Most common 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 problems

  • Engine & cooling~100,000 miles
    343%
  • Brakes~110,000 miles
    343%
  • Electrical system~105,000 miles
    114%

Share of the 7 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

GMC Yukon XL 2500 complaints by model year

20012002200320042007187968
Owner complaints per model year, GMC Yukon XL 2500. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Yukon XL 2500 years: 2004, 2002. Years to avoid: 2001. Compare all years →

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500:

Trailer hitch receiver failure

NHTSA investigation PE07025 · opened May 14, 2007 · closed Sep 14, 2007

GM provided additional data regarding allegations of failure of the trailer hitch.odi reviewed that as well as other data provided by peer manufacturers.based on our review, odi finds the need to further investigate this issue.this preliminary evaluation is upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea07-013) for further assessment and study of this issue.

Trailer hitch receiver failure

NHTSA investigation EA07013 · opened Sep 14, 2007 · closed Sep 12, 2008

Complaint reports allege poor weld quality and/or bending of the subject vehicle original equipment trailer hitch receiver.the agency's investigation included analysis of manufacturer and agency incident reports, review of police reports, analysis of the agency's fatal analysis reporting system, a vehicle owner survey, inspection of tow vehicles/hitches and analysis of failed parts.incidents of weld failure were…

What 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 owners say

Engine & cooling

Ref - pe06016 - vehicle stalls while at speed. Has occurred three times. Mechanic finds no problems with engine, cooling system, fuel system, but finds a diagnostic code of a crank position sensor failure. In each case, vehicle stall resulted in loss of power, power steering and power brakes, creating a dangerous situation. Problem has not been resolved but based on other reports will replace the crank position sensor.

87,000 miles · Jul 2006

The engine can stall intermittently at highway speed without warning. This situation can severely impair high speed steering and braking ability. After stalling engine will not start while coasting it will start normally after coming to a complete stop.

100,000 miles · Oct 2009

Brakes

One of the two steel brake lines between the master cylinder and the ABS module failed upon application of the brakes while the vehicle was in motion, causing a severe brake fluid leak near the ABS module, low brake pedal efficacy, low brake pedal return pressure and substantially increased stopping distance as I maneuvered the vehicle to a safe stopping location.

110,000 miles · Jun 2014

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500. The contact stated that brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The contact noticed that when the brakes were applied brake fluid would spew out from the brake lines. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,000.

Fluid · 59,000 miles · Jun 2014

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 a good car?

Based on 7 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Yukon XL 2500 rates average: 20% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Yukon XL 2500 at the same age. It is one of the best Yukon XL 2500 years by this measure. 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 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500?

The engine & cooling — 3 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (3) and electrical system (1).

How many recalls does the 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 have?

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the GMC Yukon XL 2500?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001. See the full GMC Yukon XL 2500 years comparison.

At what mileage do 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 105,000 miles; 0% 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.