Most common 2001 GMC Yukon XL problems
Share of the 142 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Yukon XL complaints by model year
Best Yukon XL years: 2014, 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2015, 2024. Compare all years →
2001 GMC Yukon XL recalls (5)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
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.
Remedy: 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, reinstall the wheel…
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles were built with fuel module reservoir assemblies that contain fuel pump wires connectors May overheat under certain operating conditions.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the fuel tank, and remove the module reservoir assemblies from the tank, and install a new service kit free of charge. An interim letter to owners was mailed on May 25, 2005.
Seat belts › Front › Retractor
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 spread to the point such that the seat belt would no longer lock.
Remedy: 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 do the inspections.
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery › Cables
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.
Remedy: 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 replaced if necessary.
Structure › Body
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicle for loose or missing wheelhouse plugs and install new plugs if necessary.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 2001 GMC Yukon XL:
Unwanted low-speed ABS activation
In a letter dated August 29, 2005, GM notified odi that it was recalling certain model year 1999 through 2002 c/k pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles to correct a problem with anti-lock brake system (ABS) wheel speed sensor corrosion that May result in unwanted ABS activation and extended stopping distances during low-speed braking (recall 05v-379).GM's recall covers approximately 804,000 vehicles currently…
Overheated fuel pump wiring
The fuel pump wiring and connector May overheat and melt a hole in the top of the fuel pump module.possible consequences include fuel tank leakage and engine stall with no restart.fourteen of the 20 complaints to odi allege fuel tank leakage, including one that reported that a fire department was called to the scene after a pool of gasoline was discovered beneath the vehicle.most of the odi complaints report…
Alleged failure of 2nd row seatbelt alr
The automatic locking retractor (alr) is a feature incorporated in the subject vehicle for locking the webbing to properly secure a child safety seat into a vehicle.this pe was opened based on a GM technical service bulletin stating that with certain child safety seats the webbing May not remain locked.there are no complaints in the odi database and only two complaints to GM.GM's instructions state for the final…
Overheated fuel pump wiring
In a letter dated April 14, 2005, general motors (GM) notified odi that it had identified a defect related to motor vehicle safety in approximately 316,508 model year (my) 2000-01 1500 series Chevrolet suburban and GMC yukon xl vehicles (recall 05v-155).GM determined that some of these vehicles were equipped with fuel module reservoir assemblies (mras) that contain fuel pump wires and/or connectors that May overheat…
Throttle sticking closed
This investigation involves the general motors corporation (GM)throttle body (tb) utilized in model year (my) 1999-2002 silverado, sierra, tahoe, suburban, avalanche and yukon (subject vehicle(s)) with 4.8l, 5.3l, and 6.0l engines. The tb valve May intermittently stick in a closed position.in such a situation, an operator May apply additional accelerator pedal force to increase engine speed.the application of…
Parking brake failure
Odi's review of complaint data received since the close of ea04-011 revealed no indication that the investigation should be re-opened.more details can be found in the federal register notice enclosed in the dp05-009 public file.odi reserves the right to reopen the investigation in the future should conditions warrant.
What 2001 GMC Yukon XL owners say
Brakes all 82 →
This is the 3rd Yukon I have owned all 2001-2003. Every one of them have had serious brake issues, ABS illuminated, Parking Brake does not work, and light is illuminated, brake fluid everywhere, which when hot starts eating away at electrical components, or in my case at cooling system hoses. Which all lead too one issue after another. I really think that this shoudl be address becasue eveyone i speak with has the same issue. It's exhausting anf expensive too fix, but i have no choice becausei need 3 rows too fit all my children and cannot afford a brand new car.
The ABS system in this vehicle and many other similar GM vehicles of this year have abs pumps that malfunction and/or randomly stop working just to begin working later. My vehicle currently has the abs fuse removed because whenever it's in the abs pump runs continuously even when the vehicle is off. The vehicle I own is in good shape with only 80,000 miles. similar gm vehicles of this age with more miles have even more issues specially with the abs system it's worse in vehicles that also come equipped with traction control.
Fuel & propulsion system
I own a 2001 GMC Yukon XL. For the past 6 months... I have had problems with the fuel gauge sensor element. It randomly fails...and registers no fuel in the tank...then within a few seconds....minutes..or perhaps an hour... The fuel gauge will suddenly appear full again... Although after each event.. The accuracy of the gauge measurement seems to get worse. It also seems to happen more when the tank is at or below "half full"...
Lost power on highway 10:00 p.m car towed to dealer and was told fuel pump needs to be replaced, $966.00 this is the 2nd time first 2004 gas gauge was not marking levels dealer said "blown fuse" ? Now this. They will not cover under recall because only "module reservoir" is in the recall who's to say the module reservoir defect isn't what caused (disabled) the fuel pump. Making it necessary to replace to fuel pump.
Wheels & tires
First there was a tire blowout, tire separated with 11/32 thread left. Second at least 1 seat belt did not hold. Third no airbags went off. Fourth the roof caved in like a "v" shape in the drivers compartment, by the windshield.
I recently noticed that my spare tire was missing. I took it back to the sear auto center that has been servicing it. When they looked under the car they said that it was common for the Yukon spare tire cable to rust and snap off. So I lost the spare tire, spare wheel, and cable system to hold the spare under the vehicle. Not sure where or when it happened, but it was in the last 2 years. Just found out about this complaint service. Have also had to replace the brakes and rotors a number of times (an excessive amount), and have had to have the A/C unit repaired twice. The first time I was told that it had the wrong control head. Also, whenever I hit a bump I momentarily lose power steering.
2001 GMC Yukon XL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 15 / 13 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 11 / 15 / 12 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 GMC Yukon XL a good car?
Based on 142 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Yukon XL rates avoid: 3.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Yukon XL at the same age. It is one of the Yukon XL 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 2001 GMC Yukon XL?
The brakes — 82 complaints, 58% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (12) and wheels & tires (11).
How many recalls does the 2001 GMC Yukon XL have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2001 GMC Yukon XL, the most recent from August 29, 2005 (antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Yukon XL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2015 and 2024. See the full GMC Yukon XL years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 GMC Yukon XL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 31% 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.