GMC Yukon / Yukon Denali

rl1856 · May 2003

When using the AC directed to either the dash, or the dash and floor, I ALSO get warm air from one of the floor ducts.

Why does this happen and how can the problem be corrected ?

Is there any way to disable the daytime running lights ?

Thanks in advance !

Ross

iskowitz · May 2003

OK I am in teh Club. Just picked bought a 2002 YDXL in outstanding condition, not sure if anyone has even sat in any seat but the drivers. Love it already and have not even driven it. I was really looking for a reguler YXL but teh Denali just looks so much better and has some features (Autoride) that I really wanted. Any tips or tricks out there for a new owner, let me know. Does anyone use synthetic oil?

cornellpinoy · May 2003

For those of you who may be hearing noises from your Denali, here are 2 repairs I recently had done on my '02 Denali:

A vibration noise was coming from the rear only at 1500 rpms. The dealer wasn't able to duplicate the noise until I insisted on taking the tech with me for a test drive. The problem was a bad heat shield for the exhaust.

A clicking noise was coming from the front of the truck only when the truck was moving. The clicking would increase with the truck's speed. Again, the dealer didn't hear anything until I had the service manager ride along for a test drive. The problem turned out to be a loose wiring harness hitting the drive shaft.

These were 2 separate incidents that happened a few months apart. My Denali has never been off road and only has 14,000 miles now. I'm hoping that it holds up better than it has during its first year.

avolvofan · May 2003

If those two items (heat shield and wiring harness fastening) are the only complaints in 14,000 miles, I would consider your truck to be in great shape. People on this forum have reported much more serious problems. Some times you have to take the technician along to demonstrate the noise or whatever is causing the complaint.

cornellpinoy · May 2003

I WISH those 2 problems were the only ones I've had. I've posted earlier messages describing some of my other problems - particularly with the transmission replacement needed 2 weeks after I took delivery.

erinsquared · May 2003

cornellpinoy, sorry about your bad service experience with your D. One would expect better reliability from a $50K vehicle. In general, I think most have experienced better than average reliability with their vehicles and are pretty happy. We'll see more as these vehicles age...

avolvofan · May 2003

Cornellpinoy, have you considered asking GM for either a free or reduced cost GM Protection Plan for your Denali? It would seem that you should have some leverage in the discussion.

pmaggan · May 2003

I ordered a Volant Airbox, Granatelli MAF and the Volant air scoop a few weeks ago and finally got them all installed today. I got the Volant airbox and Granatelli MAF about two weeks ago, but did not get the air scoop till today. Not being one to wait around, I installed the Volant Airbox and Granatelli MAF as soon as I got them. Installation was pretty straightforward, but the Volant Airbox mounting holes did not match up to the factory holes. They weren't off by much, so I simply enlarged two of the holes with my drill. Perfect.

Result: I didn't notice a bit of difference. Mileage and power seemed about the same to me. Upon considering the design of the factory airflow, I'm wasn't too surprised. The cold air somehow enters the airbox through the right front fender. I'm still somewhat baffled at how this setup works at all. In any case, I was prepared to wait for the Air scoop to see what it does.

Got the Volant Air Scoop in the mail today and headed straight for the garage. Hmm.... looks like I'm gonna have to remove the airbox....which means disconnecting the MAF and the air intake to the throttle body. Got everything taken apart and got the Air scoop in place. Re-assembled everything and fired up the truck. Good, no check engine light.

Time for the test drive. Backing out of the driveway I notice a rubbing sound when I turn the wheel about half way to the left. Hmm..... Pull back in the garage and inspect. Looks like the Air scoop is pushing back on the wheelwell liner. Not much, but just enough to rub. Oh well, I'll worry about that later. Back o nthe road, throttle response seems much improved right off the line. The Denali feels a lot quicker from 30-50mph. Engine seems much more eager to rev up and go. Not surprising, IMHO, since the engine is actually being force fed cold air.

So, except for the rubbing issue, I'm pretty impressed with the Volant Intake and Air Scoop. I definitely would not do just the Airbox without the Scoop. I think I can engineer a way to eliminate the rubbing issue, but for now, it's fine as is.

I called Volant to inquire about the rubbing issue and they then tell me that the Air Scoop was not compatible with the Denali, only the 1500 series trucks. Now they tell me!!! In any case, it's staying on and I'm gonna fix the rubbing.

lobsenza · May 2003

Any pictures?

pmaggan · May 2003

I didn't take any pictures of my truck, but here is the link to the Volant Website:

http://volantperformance.com/Images/Parts_truck/15953/15953instal- l.jpg

http://volantperformance.com/Images/Parts_truck/35853/35853instal- l.jpg

erinsquared · May 2003

pmaggan, great writeup on the Volant air intake. This is an upgrade that I may make soon if I cannot find a way to channel sufficient cool air into the factory intake. Too bad Volant does not support an exact-fit kit for the Denali - nothing more aggravating than making a part work. Maybe that's why you had to increase your mounting holes to get the intake box to fit.

I just pulled off the rear rotors on my Denali with 39k miles to investigate why the emergency brakes does not engage (have not worked since I purchased this used 2k miles back). Looks like the E-brake pads were pretty worn: maybe previous owner drove with E-brake engaged over long distances? Anyway, when I looked at the wear on brake pads, the pad on the cup side of the caliper was almost completely worn, but the pad on the opposite side showed very little wear. On both pads, there was a gradual reduction of pad material from back to front (less material on front). This is what I would expect if there was some flex in the caliper as the brakes are applied and I have seen this on other brake systems, although not to this degree. I was impressed that the rear caliper has two cylinders which is seen in more performance applications. I do wonder why there is so much uneven wear between the pads. One thing, is the rotor is in excellent shape with no visible signs of wear or pitting. Perhaps the pad material is so soft that the pad wears relatively quickly while retaining the integrity of the rotor.

bertram60 · May 2003

does anyone know of any changes in the '04 model DXL? I have been holding out for two things, quadrasteer and true Xenon headlamps. As the Escalade can be had with Xenons, i'm hoping that the Denali will get them too. Quadrasteer stll seems like a no go, but as this will be my new rdie, i'm not too worried, just would like to hae it for tight spots and when my wife drives it. Any advice where to get some inside news on the '04 changes?

pmaggan · May 2003

A brief search on the Internet and I found someone else who has the Volant Intake and Air Scoop. He installed the same setup in a Z71 Tahoe and also had the rubbing issue. He did not have the mounting problem though. We exchanged a few emails and figured out a couple of ways to possibly solve the problem. I'll report back after I get another chance to work on it.

blockislandguy · May 2003

From the their web site that pmaggen gave us it looks like this Volant air intake is pointed down at the ground. If my visualization of the web site illustration of their white Chev pickup is correct, isn't this going to grab dirty, dusty air? Maybe LandRover with their vertical upward pointing perioscope type off road intake kit has the only way to get clean, cold air?

iexplore2000 · May 2003

Per your request:

Deletions

  Exterior color (11U) Pewter Metallic
  Exterior color (72U) Garnet Red Metallic
  Front passenger door lock cylinder
  Transmission oil cooler ( KNP)

New Features

  Front passenger seat belt reminder
  Tire inflation monitor (UJ6)
  Exterior color (59U) Silver Birch Metallic
  Exterior color (63U) Sport Red Metallic

Changes

  XM satellite radio antenna is smaller for a better appearance
  (CF5) Sunroof and (U42) Rear seat entertainment system can now be combined

Hope this helps!

IExplore2000

iexplore2000 · May 2003

FYI...

Deletions

  Exterior color (11U) Silver Sand
  Exterior color (47U) Green Envy
  Exterior color (72U) InfraRed

New Features

  Exterior color (25U) Blue Chip
  Exterior color (59U) Quicksilver
  Exterior color (63U) Red E
  Standard (UJ6) Tire pressure monitor

Changes

  (CF5) Sunroof and (U42) Rear seat entertainment can now be combined
  Exterior color (41U) has name change from Sable Black to Black Raven
  (Z82) Trailering Package now standard
  (U2K) XM Satellite Radio now standard
  (AL4) Second row bucket seats now standard
  (AT5) Second row bench seat now no charge option

Thanks!

IExplore2000

rfdjr · May 2003

I have a 2003 Denali. My passenger side headlight is aimed higher than the driver side. Is this intentional? I was guessing this illuminates the road higher to the right, while not blinding on-coming traffic. A friend driving in front of me mentioned it. Thanks for any help.

namser · May 2003

Thanks for the information about changes to the Yukon.

This helps.

obyone · May 2003

Actually your driver's side light is aimed lower and towards the center to not blind oncoming traffic.

avolvofan · May 2003

It would seem that the 2003 Denali is a better choice than the 2004 if GM is going to be deleting the Transmission Oil Cooler.

orwoody · May 2003

Seems like it has been a while since we had any pictures on this site. Soooooo I finally got a digital camera, and I posted a couple of the first shots I took with it...
Link here:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4290131443

two shots of my Polo Green 2001 Denali, 36k miles... still loving the beast.

erinsquared · May 2003

I have a sneaking suspicion that GM is slowly decontenting the later models of the Denali as they see profits erode from these models from heavy discounting. Removing the trans cooler is a pretty significant loss since this vehicle is chosen as a tow vehicle for many of us. Removing the passenger side lock is just a cost cutting measure which is not too significant, but could prove inconvenient in the rare situation where the driver's door lock fails. What has me wondering is what other cost cutting measures have been taken that are not so readily obvious?

Good pics orwoody. We all should add pictures to the owner's group to check out each other's rides.

avolvofan · May 2003

I would tend to agree with erinsquared that there appears to be a gradual trend toward decontenting. I could handle losing the Denali inserts on the door trim as well as the lock cylinder on the passenger side door. However, as erinsquared observes, one of the reasons that people buy Denali's is to be able to tow. Not having a transmission cooler is really an ommission. Maybe the transmission cooler will be available as part of a separate option package. Hopefully, at least. If anyone from GM Product Planning is reading this thread, take a hint.

lobsenza · May 2003

I believe it was built into the radiator. My guess is they switched from a 2500 radiator to a 15oo series radiator.

ahesq · May 2003

This follows my February post regarding front gear whine. Turns out most if not all denalis make this noise and installing new front diffs. doesn't solve the problem (noise comes back after gear break in). Instead, GM installs a new "tuned" front drive shaft to eliminate transmission of the noise to the cab. For my truck, it did eliminate the whine at 60-65 mph, but made it reappear at 45-50 mph instead. Another 2003 was in the shop and tech said it made the same sound (but its owner apparently didn't notice or complain). I'll drive it a while and see if I can get used to it. I'm fearful that if a new front diff is installed, it may sound worse than what I currently have. Has anyone else who had their front diffs. replaced noticed the re-appearance of the sound after break in ?????

erinsquared · May 2003

I don't know how loud or sensitive you are to gear noise, but I think most vehicles will allow a certain degree of gear whine to make it into the passenger compartment. Since the Denali is AWD, there is a differential approximately below your feet and it may be more pronounced than in other vehicles you have owned since these are heavy duty units built for strength instead of refinement. I have heard gear whine from transmissions or differentials in most of the vehicles I've owned including a Ford Econoline, BMW, Isuzu Trooper etc.. This sound comes exactly like you mention usually at some cruising speed. Maybe your dealer will let you drive around a demo unit for a day (get something with a few miles) and you can see if you notice the same noise on the demo?

russell29 · May 2003

Does anyone have input on what they hare paying for the Danali-no additional options. I would be willing to contact other dealers outside of Oregon. Thanks for your help! Portland, OR

apk · May 2003

I'm in the process of buying a new SUV, and I stumbled onto this board after doing my pricing homework on Edmunds. This is a great forum and I'm hoping some of you can help me in the decision making process. I'm a typical suburbanite with 3 kids and lots of stuff, but no real towing needs (Minivan may be more practical but I won't do it). Just need lots of extra room.
I've narrowed my choices to the Denali XL and the new Cadillac ESV. I've seen both, and it seems that that they are essentially the same vehicle with minor differences:
1. Same engine but the ESV has 345 hp v. 300 hp for the Denali. Anyone know why the difference and if it is really that significant in every day driving? Apart from cosmetics, this seems to be the biggest difference between the two and is an important issue for me.
2. Seats. Both leather, but the ESV seats seem to be of a higher quality, more supple. Denali leather almost seems vinyl-like, and is not as comfortable.
3. Outside styling. I like the ESV styling and lines much more, but that's just personal preference. However, I can't stand the discus-sized Cadillac Badge on the tailgate, which is butt ugly and thorougly pretentious. Denali grill looks good , but is nothing more than cheap plastic.
4. Dash. Actually like the Denali dash better. ESV dash with all the wood (which looks fake and tends to fade with sun)doesn't appeal to me much. Also the new "BVLGARI" clock is nothing more than an expensive gimmick, and is particularly useless where it is placed, forcing the driver to constantly look down and over.
5. Price. I'm shopping both vehicles, and so far I'm finding that it's much easier to get and negotiate on a Denali. I'm looking for a sunroof, the chrome wheels, and the 2nd row captain's chairs on both vehicles. So far, I'm getting prices of about $47,500 (just over invoice on the Denali) and $55,800.00 on the ESV.
I'm not sure that I can justify spending an extra $8,000 for essentially the same vehicle, unless I'm missing something.
I'm looking to do a deal by next week so any thoughts, suggestions, comments, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Specifically, I'd love to hear how Denali XL owners like their rides, pro and con. Thanks very much.

erinsquared · May 2003

Correction - the Denali has 320HP to Esc. 345HP. Denali is designed to run on unleaded fuel vs. the Cadillac is designed to run on premium. If you ran premium on the Denali and possibly got a hypertek program upgrade, performance may be the same. I think the choice eventually comes down to would you prefer to pocket the cash difference or are you willing to pay extra for slightly more refinement, Esc. styling, and better/longer warranty service.

lobsenza · May 2003

I have an 01 DXL with 37,000 miles on it and am very happy with it.

orwoody · May 2003

I have an 01 Denali with 36k on it and am very happy, it's been very reliable and practically trouble free. Get the longer XL if you use the 3rd row seats regularly. I posted some comments on one of the other GMC boards you posted your message to. For my $$ it's the GMC.

avolvofan · May 2003

My vote is for the Denali also. I would echo orwoody's comments about his ownership experience. The sum total of my warranty repairs to date have been an adjustment to the rear hatch to cure an intermittent hatch open message and then a re-packing of bearings in the steering column. The ride of the truck is nothing like a truck's ride. People that own Mercedes and BMW sedans (5 and 7 series for the BMW and S series for the Mercedes) are amazed at the ride quality of the Denali. The amount of stuff that can be put into the Denali is likewise amazing (even more can go into the DXL). In my opinion, the Denali is the better choice. If you are concerned about the plastic grill logo, there are billet aluminum replacements for sale in a number stores (both physical and Internet-based).

erinsquared · May 2003

Obviously, you are going to get a Denali bias on this particular thread since we are all on the Denali/Yukon boat here. I have all of the service records for my Denali since day 1 (I am the second owner on an '01, 39,000 miles) and all that has been replaced was a skipping factory CD player. I also concur with the avolvofan about the suspension dynamics on the Denali being some of the best in the business. I think this is attributable to the autoride which yields sporty handling, yet is extremely comfortable and effective in masking the fact that you are driving a 6000lb. live-axle truck! Since these vehicles are essentially the same except for cosmetic and a few features, I think the Esc. should give you a similar experience. If you get to pocket $8,000 difference, think of all the custom mods you could add (or gas you can buy since you'll need plenty

.

I personally prefer the GMC styling over the Esc. and would rather take home a new truck and $8000 cash.

russell29 · May 2003

Looking to buy a Denali and want to hear what others are paying. Thanks for your input. Oregon

stacy · May 2003

I have 02DXL. Love the truck. Needed trunk space. If you spend this much money, money is probably not so much of an issue so get the truck you like best, you can always remove logos. I did.

OK, for you mechanic types. When sitting in the third row there is a clicking noise coming from the right side (read that driver side) rear wheel well area. Service said he could not hear it so I will have to go with him next time. However, it is there though I cannot hear it when I am in the front seat driving, only when I am sitting in the third row. The A/C on or off does not make a dfference. Any ideas would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks in advance.

stever · May 2003

It's ok to post your good (or bad!) dealers, but please don't post the name of your salesperson, emails, links, phone numbers, etc. Thanks.

Steve, Host

orwoody · May 2003

In Portland Metro area, you should be able to get a Denali at close to invoice then take off $3k rebate or 0%/low% financing on them. My D is a 2001 which I basically got for invoice back then. I bought a 2003 Pontiac GP from the same dealer a couple months ago (via their internet sales manager) and got it for invoice plus license fee and a $150/$200 ad fee (then they knocked off all the rebates so ending balance was over $3k less than invoice)

russell29 · May 2003

what dealer in OR. I have seen a few pre owned denali xl's. thanks for your input.

apk · May 2003

Thanks for all the input. It's pretty clear that the Denali XL has great support, and since the ESV is really just a slightly more refined version of the Denali XL,I can't really go wrong with either truck. It just a matter of personal preference and as always,a few extra $$$. Anyway, I'm still mulling it over, and seeing what deals the end of the month brings.
As for prices, I'm getting quotes on the Denali XL at sticker to $500 over sticker in the NY metro area.

avolvofan · May 2003

If you are referring to MSRP when you say "sticker", the dealers in your area must be in love with their trucks and not wanting to sell them. I hope you are instead referring to invoice when you say sticker. If you are in fact referring to MSRP, I would suggest a trip to somewhere where the pricing is more reasonable.

orwoody · May 2003

Because of the member rules not to promote or self promote products, dealers, brands etc... I think I can say I've had my best deals in Gresham.

apk · May 2003

Sorry for the confusion. I meant invoice or "dealer's sticker." In fact, in two cases, the dealers actually faxed me a copy of their actual invoices . . .

avolvofan · May 2003

apk, I would check the Edmunds TMV price model for your area against the prices that you have been quoted. Dealer invoice could be a reasonable quote in your area. I have been negotiating with the dealer that I bought my 2001 Denali from for a 2003 model and at least in northern California, there appear to be some additional incentives available.

blockislandguy · May 2003

Here's is a layup for erinsquared, lobsenza, and other Denali fans. (And the question is asked in all sincerity. I'm puzzled.)

Roughly speaking, a loaded Tahoe LT with moonroof, etc. etc. is going to go out the door for about 9 to 10K less than a Denali. What exactly do you get for the 10K difference besides the accented running boards, extra body cladding (that won't look so good in 4 years), .7 liter more in engine, and full time AWD?

If the Tahoe/Yukon interior isn't fancy enough there are lots of companies offerring the wood grain contact-paper type kits. And with the money you save you could have a real big transmission cooler installed and switch to Red Line synthetic ATF before you hooked up your trailer that first time and cooked something. (50K for a Denali without a tranny cooler and regular ATF?? Even Jeep puts coolers and synthetic ATF in their Grand Cherokees.)

Gentlemen?

pmaggan · May 2003

I wish I had found this before I bought my Denali back in March. This price is even below what I paid with my GM Supplier Discount. I was browsing Ebay and found the following:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate- gory=6249&item=2416549547

AND

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate- gory=6249&item=2416550308

apk · May 2003

I am negotiating with this dealership and they are very professional, responsive and above all, have great prices. Even with shipping costs of $800- $1,000, the Denali XL I'm looking for is a about $1,500 under invoice . . .

blockislandguy · May 2003

Is the reserve price equal to dealer invoice less the consumer rebate less the dealer holdback from GM? If this computes out to be the Ebay reserve, the dealer is just trying to wash the vehicle out of his inventory before MY2003 becomes very soon MY2004. If the reserve is above invoice less rebate less holdback the dealer is trying to make money on a soon to be one MY old vehicle. When can you order a MY2004?

pmaggan · May 2003

Looks like the Buy It Now price is $40,073 including the $3,000 rebate. So, $40,073 + tax and you're out the door. I paid $42,574 including the $2,000 rebate back in March and that is the GM Supplier price. Your point is correct, however, that the 2004 models are just around the corner.

lobsenza · May 2003

When I purchased my Denali in 2001, there was (if I recall correctly) about a $3000 difference in price. At that time, I felt that the differences between the 2 vehicles was worth the difference in price. Now, most of the Denali specific items are available on the lower models. So, if I was in the market today, I would have to redo my analysis to see which vehicle I would go with. I can tell you that I would be much more likely to go with a regular YXL today than I was in 2001.

orwoody · May 2003

I can't speak to all the differences and lack of between 2003 models because mine is a 2001. I drove both before deciding on the Denali.(drove Y then D then Y again.) here are the major differences I noticed.
- Power: D has 6l vs 4.8l/5.3l feel very different
- Handling: D p/s is a notch or two less assisted, D felt more crisp in handling
- Autoride: D has it and it felt very different (better) over the side streets, bumps and hwy. It may have been option on Y but none of the Y's on the lot had it.
- Quiet: D is distinctly more quiet(road noise, wind noise, other vehicles passing).
- 6 CD player: wasn't available on the Yukon. A must for road trips.
other items that were not as important but came std on the

auto climate, Michelin Cross terrains on nice 6 spoke wheels, 3rd row seat...
all in all after driving them both I decided that the D was worth the extra $. (basically for invoice)
My wife who thinks the sun rises and sets with Volvo likes the D and has even complimented it. She drove both and definitely noticed the differences.

GMC Yukon / Yukon Denali

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