As pointed out the major mechanical differences are AWD vs. 4-Wheel and 6.0l vs 5.3l. Toughest decision for me was going from a standard 4wd to AWD. I am really impressed with the AWD system as for most of my driving you have better overall traction. Also better for the wife not having to decide when to engage the 4wd. The only time you really would want standard 4wd is if you are doing serious off-road or plowing snow. The 4wd with locking differential will turn more wheels giving you more traction.
As far as the trim; the running boards on the Denali are more integrated and there is no door moldings - looks better, not as good for door dings. Interior is two-town seats, color matched steering wheel, black-wood trim, covers for the cup holders and pockets and a more finished console cover, although the standard console cover is nice for holding stuff.
Larger tires and better rims also, which are still worth replacing for looks.
They did change the AWD system in 03 to a four-corner Stabili-trac system instead of a three corner. With this you could not get the locking differential in 03 and I think the Transfer case is slightly different (not 100% on this).
Check the weight of the 01/02/03. If the weight of the vehicle increased, the towing capacity listed in the specs would be reduced.
I bought the Denali XL 6 months ago and I'm totally sold on it. The ride, power, and comfort are heads and tails above the Yukon XL model (test drove both). We chose the second row bench, because we have two car seats and working on three. The bench fits well with Britax model car seats. We debated between the Excursion, Expedition, Navigator and the Denali - we haven't looked back once. The only downfall I could come up with is the console configuration (if that's all I can come up with, we're doing alright).
Has anyone ever had a problem with no heat being delivered to the feet area? Heat at the face is fine, but nothing below. My first thoughts were that a damper is not transferring the heat from face to feet but wanted to see if anyone here has had the same problem???
You're right, it's a vacuum line. When you turn the dial from "face" to "feet" the vacuum line opens/closes doors to direct air. Your line is either crimped, come off or broken. The part is super cheap. The labor is a SOB!!
Does anyone know if the GMC Navigation Radio can be installed by a dealer? The dealers in my area don't order the config I want - they have quite a few with everything BUT the Nav radio, which I want.
If you know whether this unit can be dealer-installed, please let me know! Thanks!
Yes it can be.Check sticker in glove box for these two codes UQ7 (Speakers) and Y91 (lux Amp) If so you need radio part number 10377531 (Touchscreen), GPS Antenna GM part number 15135178, DVD Mapdisk version 3 GM part number 10390370.
GM makes 3 different sound systems for their trucks/SUV's. There is the standard non-Bose system (RPO code UQ3). You have this if you dont have a center console (and the speakers dont say Bose on them). Then there is the "premium" Bose system. (RPO code UQ7) Any 03 and up GM SUV/truck that has a full center console has the Bose sound system. Then there is the "luxury" Bose sound system(RPO code UQ7 and Y91). The two Bose systems are physically identical (hence the same RPO code) except for the amplifier. The Y91 systems (which are found only in Denali's, Escalades, EXT's, and ESV's) utilize a "smart" amp which has a built in DSP and other goodies... AND this amp can "talk" with the whole rest of the car because it speaks the Class II data language that the car's main computer speaks. The "premium" or "dumb" (as it is sometimes called) amp does not in any way talk with anything in the car. It JUST amplifies whatever it is fed from the head unit. Now because these two amps talk with the Head units and receive the sound signals differently, there are obviously many different head units. This includes the navigation head units. There is a nav HU that "speaks" the LUX amp language and then a different nav HU that speaks the premium amp language. There is NO nav HU that works with the base (NON BOSE) sound system.
"2002 DXL - Has anyone experienced a "surging" when the air kicks on and off. Especially when stopped at a light or when started up and the air is on. My lights (headlight and dash) will dim and the RPM drops for a second, like it is going to stall - never does. Also how do you feel the fan noise is? I notice a clicking, but do not know if I am being too consious of it."
I was told by the dealer that this is normal operation. I had it in before for the same problem and they replace the throttle body. Shouldn't the throttel body do its job by not letting me feel this surging?
"2002 DXL - My rear doors are rubbing in the lower corner body inside where the black plastic is. The doors are not easiest to adjust and the dealer has repainted the door ajm once already. I assume that the fix is to "bend" the door alittle. I was wondering if anyone else had this and if you fixed it what the fix was. I think this also causes the door to squeak when shutting - the top of the door is too tight against the rubber. Thanks."
Again the dealer said this is normal. How many of you see this in your rear doors? They said it was a design flaw and they can cut the trim off. Anyone else experiencing this?
I had this in before and the dealer replaced the starter. It will start when cold (below 15*) but after it turns over the starter stickes open and there is a grinding noise. Dealer said this is normal for cold starts. My other DXL did not do this? Has anyone else experienced this?
I have 60k on my 02 DXL. If you see my posts above about the dealer saying these items are "normal" - do you think that they are not willing to do the work because it is not in the 3/36000 (I bought major guard 5/100k)? I spoke to the service manager to no avail. The parts were identified and replaced the first time in, now they say it is normal. What is my next step - GM customer service, another dealer?
Anyone see an issue with switching to synthetic trans oil with 60k on the vehicle? The differantials are already synthetic, but I am thinking of going to all amsoil, as I have been running that in the motor.
My '02 Denali just started making this noise. I only hear it under light acceleration. Of course, my warranty expired last month. If you get your rattle diagnosed and repaired, please post the fix.
Regarding your other issues, if you're not satisfied with your dealer's answer that everything is normal, definitely try another dealer. Your extended warranty will be honored there as well.
My 2001 cladding was rubbing on my DXL. It took 4 or more trips to the dealer, but they trimmed the cladding and adjusted the doors and the problem was eventually fixed.
Does anybody have any experience driving their Denali in the snow with 22 inch wheels? I have 305-45-22's on my 04 Denali and will be going to Tahoe in a few weeks. I was just wondering if I should bring chains with me just in case.
How is the AWD Denali with 22's in the snow? Anybody have any experience with this? Already sold my stock wheels and tires so I can't go back.
Just wondered how difficult it would be with 22"s. The BMW X5's are not recommended in the snow with the 20" wheels, they tend to slide around a lot. Could the Denali be as bad?
How deep is the snow you plan on driving in? If you're talking about driving on snow-covered roads such as that typically found on I-80 or US-50, then you should be okay as long as your tires are M+S rated. I'm running 305-40-22 Toyo Proxes S/T tires on my DXL and they hold up fine in anything other than deep (e.g., more than a few inches) snow, which lucky for me I've yet to encounter.
It never hurts to bring chains if you have them, just in case you happen to be driving on an icy road or two...
I'm running 305-45-22 with Nitto 505's. They are M+S rated.
I just bought some Z cables, do I need a set for the fronts and rears. I thought I read somewhere that cables are recommended only on the fronts on AWD vehicles. Can someone tell me if thats true for the Denali?
We have recently bought a 2002 yukon 2wd with the 4.8 engine. It has about 39K miles on and we are getting about 14 mpg in the city. I thought that the 4.8 engine was more efficient(maybe 16-17mpg). Is this reasonable milage for this engine?
Not that I can predict road conditions way ahead of time, but here's how I'd approach the dilemma you mention:
--I try to avoid roads covered in deep snow and/or ice slick enough to warrant necessary use of chains/cables. For the most part, I've stuck to driving mostly on the well-travelled roads (e.g., I-80 between Sacramento and Reno/Tahoe)
--I still have the stock wheels, so I could always slap those on (along with carrying a set of cables that'll work on my truck) if there was a strong possibility of driving on roads such as those described in the previous point
Denaliman--there are two schools of thought regarding placement of chains/cables on AWD vehicles; ideally you would want them on all four wheels. If for whatever reason you have but one set of chains/cables, you could:
--Put them on the front wheels, since that's where all the steering and the majority of braking takes place...and we all know how important steering and braking is;
--Put them on the rear wheels, because if your vehicle starts to slide...more often than not, your rear will come around before the front (even more so since there are no chains on the rears to help aid in regaining some traction). Having chains on the front probably wouldn't necessarily reduce the possibility of a rear-end slide, I might venture to say...
I know the following is apples and oranges, but I'd say that something is not right with your truck 'cuz I get that kind of overall mileage (14 mpg) on my DXL--keep in mind that it has the 6-liter engine and is AWD, which in theory contributes (albeit very little) relatively lower fuel economy than a similar 2WD vehicle. On a good day I can get 15 mpg, and on those rare great days, even 16...even when burning the reformulative cr@ppy California winter gas...:-)
I believe that the diameter of the wheel is not the issue here, but the width. The wider the tire, the worse it is going to be in the snow. Alot of people are running 20's that are just as wide as the 22's.
The 22's are just going to affect you on rough terrain as you don't have the sidewall cushion.
The other thing will be tread pattern. Are your tires M&S?
I run M&S 18's that are fairly wide as I drive occasionally on fire roads and ranches. I siped the tires which does seem to help with wet and snow conditions. I have found that in most conditions (a side from driving down a non-plowed road) that my Denali AWD gets better traction than my Blazer 4WD had with 33" All Terrain tires.
City mileage is hard to really compare as the driving conditions vary significantly. How fast are the starts, how many stops...
The 4.8l is really going to be a benefit when cruising on the highway. The city may or may not be better than a 5.3l as it takes about the same amount of energy to get the vehicle moving whether you have a 4.8l or 5.3l.
In some cases, the bigger engines can be more efficient for city driving as long as you don't put too much foot into it.
For typically city driving, 14mpg does not sound that bad for a big vehicle.
Thanks for the info. We actually do very little highway driving so the city mileage is the only mileage we really get. We are thinking about installing a k&n air filter system to improve the engine's breathing. I've heard that these systems can improve mileage and performance.
Oh no! Don't search up any ice for us. We just missed biting that bullet last night. That is one thing, Texas (at least Dallas/Fort Worth area) drivers have no concept of how to drive on ice. Most lock up the brakes. Anyone with 4WD or AWD assumes they can drive the normal Texas speed limit of 10 mph more than whatever the sign says. Makes for an interesting bumper car sort of event. Interesting if you can stay off the roads, that is. Fortunately, such ice hits at most once, very infrequently, twice a season.
I run AMSOIL in the engine also and have considered it for the trans and transfer case. Let me know what you find out and if you do it, do you see any economy improvements or seepage.
The filter can add a little, but you really need to open the exhaust to get the full benefit. I did both on my 6.0l and see about an average of .75 - 1.0 mpg on the highway. That was fairly accurate testing on the same drives using the cruise control.
Not sure if you will see any improvement around the city for mpg. It will give you a little more performance, but using that performance will not help your gas mileage.
Just before New Year's I was interested in buying a Denali and read a lot of the back posts. Seems that there was agreement earlier on this board that the '03 was the best year for Denali. After that they were decontented. Incidentally, the torque convertor on the Denali has much more fluid capacity than on the Yukon. That too was mentioned some time ago and a link to GM provided. If I were going to do any towing I'd want that tranny. Cool fluid is happy fluid.
Used '03 Denalis are available on Cars.com in the mid 30's. If a guy was sharp he probably could buy a loaded Tahoe/Yukon with close to the same equipment for a lot less than a used Denali because of the better resale on the Denali. You'd have to wade through a lot of 4.8 engine, cloth units though and endure the Chevy salesman with the hand printed business card. With Denali there are basically only two options (as I recall), the sunroof and NAV. Most have a sunroof. Since Denalis are all comparably equipped, the purchase decision on a used one is easy. It comes down to miles, color and price.
Rough terrain is a non-issue for me, as I don't plan on driving off-road (other than the occasional dirt road) in my DXL, let alone while riding on $3K worth of 22" wheels/tires... ;-)
And yes, my Toyo Proxes S/T tires are M+S rated...
Those are the two major Denali options...although the RSE and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the second-row captains chairs, are also available Denali options...at least for '03+; and if I were to nitpick even further--in '03 you could not get both factory sunroof AND RSE options at the same time. ;-)
Tdoh, thanks for the corrections. My points were though that 1) selecting a used Denali is easy because they are comparably equipped and , 2) if a guy had more time than money he could sift through used Tahoes/Yukons and find a loaded one for a lot less than the somewhat better equipped Denali.
Me? I'd pop for a Denali and enjoy the "somewhat better" equipment such as the 6.0, full time AWD, huge torque convertor, and monochromatic exterior. The late 70's Chev C10 pickup truck interior you just can't get away from. (Although I have seen Tahoes with the wood/plastic dash/door kits installed that looked much better than a Denali.)
Correction: in '03 you can either get the Sunroof OR DVD entertainment system, not both.
If you see a vehicle with both, the DVD will be an aftermarket system.
This is not all bad as I think the aftermarket systems are better. The aftermarket systems mount the screen on the roof with the player under the seat (or wherever). The factory players are a little big and hunky hanging on the roof with the integrated player, where the aftermarket ones are very streamline.
When putting the aftermarket players in, some will have interior lights, it is best to hook up the light relay off of the interior door lights. Most installers will not take the time to do this. The interior light circuit with the dimming function will give you a clicking of the relay when the lights shut down instead of a hard off.
Hi- Our 95 gmc yukon developed a wiper noise clunk /clink or "better a ping" at the end of its stroke. Should anyone know of a cause/fix for this. It used to be internmittant but now most of the time...& hasn't got louder yet.
I guess nobody has come across putting cables on their Denali with 22" wheels. Here's what I found out from the dealer. According to the Denali manual they do not recommend putting chains on the truck, but if you do find cables to fit they say to put them on the rear wheels only. The dealer recommends buying bear claw tire traction devices instead of cables or chains (for stock wheels). This system grabs the tire from the outside and has no links or cables to get caought on the inside. They don't have a size that fits 22" wheels.
After testing and putting my tire cables on the front wheels I noticed that there isn't much clearance on the inside of the wheel area. The brake line is very close to the tire. This is probably why GMC doesn't recommend chains on the fronts. The cables only have a 3/4" clearance between the tire and the brake line. Next I tried them on the rear wheels. Much more clearance from the brake lines. When I go to Tahoe this weekend and if I have to put on cables, I will put them on the rear as GMC recommends.
Hoping it doesn't snow too much so I won't have to use the cables at all. I'll let everyone know how it turns out. Denali with 22" wheels in the snow.
The problem with cables/chains on the front is usually clearance when you turn the wheel.
I would question using chains at all. The traction of the Denali is really good. In fact I have found that I can go through heavy snow conditions as good with my Denali w/ 18" Michelins as well as my old Blazer with very aggressive tires (except 3' snow drifts but that is due to ground clearance).
Chains are a pain in the a--, and I would bet that you would not need them, but always good to carry if you have them.
One thing that I have noticed on mine is if stopped on a hill in really thick snow (try to pull out of a drive), I did get alot of tire spin with and without the DSC. The second gear on that GM Trans will start the vehicle in second and makes a world of difference if stuck.
Have a great time in the snow. If you are in CA, it will be a great weekend - alot of snow coming!
Well, after reading many of your comments and drooling over the Denali XL for several years, it finally worked out today. I am not the thrilled owner of an '05 Steel Grey XLD. Love it as much as I hoped. Got one heckuva deal. Even had a good experience at the dealer! Need to spend a day learning the gadgets (replaced an '02 burb). Now I just need to do the backup camera and remote start. In time, I guess. Always enjoy your comments, just wanted to tell someone.
One question for all you experts. I was looking for a specific color combo and stumbled across 2 at a dealer that was near enough. Turns out they had the early 05 pricing which helped out a little more with the price. I knew, however, that this meant they were earlier in the model year as well. The one I bought had an invoice date of 10/14/04. Is there anything that has been fixed or updated since that time that I should be aware of?
Nope - they took 'em out. I was disappointed to figure that out on my 2004 Yukon SLT. A guy who runs a site that sells nothing but cabin air filters sent me photos and instructions on how to locate and replace - you can see where they were in the ductwork under the glove box. BUT...starting with the 2003 models it is sealed up where the access to them - there were two up there - was. I'm going to write GM and see if there is a retrofit kit or something - maybe a piece of duct from a 2002 model.
I'm looking to change the Bose deck that came with my 2003 denali with the navigational unit. I have heard that a new 2005 model "touchscreen" is available. Does anyone know the model # or the current price? Or where I can get a good deal on one?
The snow in Tahoe was great this Presidents day weekend. Didn't have any problem with the 22" Nitto 404's on my Denali. No sliding or slippage. The snow was pretty light except for the early hours of the morning when the snow got to be 3 or 4 inches thick on the road in between snow plowings.
Didn't need the chains although the weather forecasters were predicting heavy snow flurries. Just for everybodies FYI. It is very seldom in Tahoe that the Highway patrol announces that all vehicles even 4 wheel and AWD's must put on chains. When it usually gets to that point they usually close off the roads until the plows can clear them.
Comments
As far as the trim; the running boards on the Denali are more integrated and there is no door moldings - looks better, not as good for door dings. Interior is two-town seats, color matched steering wheel, black-wood trim, covers for the cup holders and pockets and a more finished console cover, although the standard console cover is nice for holding stuff.
Larger tires and better rims also, which are still worth replacing for looks.
Check the weight of the 01/02/03. If the weight of the vehicle increased, the towing capacity listed in the specs would be reduced.
-mike
If you know whether this unit can be dealer-installed, please let me know! Thanks!
I was told by the dealer that this is normal operation. I had it in before for the same problem and they replace the throttle body. Shouldn't the throttel body do its job by not letting me feel this surging?
Again the dealer said this is normal. How many of you see this in your rear doors? They said it was a design flaw and they can cut the trim off. Anyone else experiencing this?
Regarding your other issues, if you're not satisfied with your dealer's answer that everything is normal, definitely try another dealer. Your extended warranty will be honored there as well.
There are alot of discussion earlier in this forum (around page 134 and back).
How is the AWD Denali with 22's in the snow? Anybody have any experience with this? Already sold my stock wheels and tires so I can't go back.
Just wondered how difficult it would be with 22"s. The BMW X5's are not recommended in the snow with the 20" wheels, they tend to slide around a lot. Could the Denali be as bad?
It never hurts to bring chains if you have them, just in case you happen to be driving on an icy road or two...
I just bought some Z cables, do I need a set for the fronts and rears. I thought I read somewhere that cables are recommended only on the fronts on AWD vehicles. Can someone tell me if thats true for the Denali?
What is you average hwy mpg? We can still get 18 to 19 on the highway for longer trips.
How hard you drive it and letting it idle a bit can really hurt mpg.
-jay
--I try to avoid roads covered in deep snow and/or ice slick enough to warrant necessary use of chains/cables. For the most part, I've stuck to driving mostly on the well-travelled roads (e.g., I-80 between Sacramento and Reno/Tahoe)
--I still have the stock wheels, so I could always slap those on (along with carrying a set of cables that'll work on my truck) if there was a strong possibility of driving on roads such as those described in the previous point
Denaliman--there are two schools of thought regarding placement of chains/cables on AWD vehicles; ideally you would want them on all four wheels. If for whatever reason you have but one set of chains/cables, you could:
--Put them on the front wheels, since that's where all the steering and the majority of braking takes place...and we all know how important steering and braking is;
--Put them on the rear wheels, because if your vehicle starts to slide...more often than not, your rear will come around before the front (even more so since there are no chains on the rears to help aid in regaining some traction). Having chains on the front probably wouldn't necessarily reduce the possibility of a rear-end slide, I might venture to say...
Say, I use the same philosophy! That's why I live in Texas! ;-)
The 22's are just going to affect you on rough terrain as you don't have the sidewall cushion.
The other thing will be tread pattern. Are your tires M&S?
I run M&S 18's that are fairly wide as I drive occasionally on fire roads and ranches. I siped the tires which does seem to help with wet and snow conditions. I have found that in most conditions (a side from driving down a non-plowed road) that my Denali AWD gets better traction than my Blazer 4WD had with 33" All Terrain tires.
The 4.8l is really going to be a benefit when cruising on the highway. The city may or may not be better than a 5.3l as it takes about the same amount of energy to get the vehicle moving whether you have a 4.8l or 5.3l.
In some cases, the bigger engines can be more efficient for city driving as long as you don't put too much foot into it.
For typically city driving, 14mpg does not sound that bad for a big vehicle.
The Danger of Dubs
If you like, I'll search out a Texas ice storm link for you, Dilbertzzz :-)
Steve, Host
Not sure if you will see any improvement around the city for mpg. It will give you a little more performance, but using that performance will not help your gas mileage.
Used '03 Denalis are available on Cars.com in the mid 30's. If a guy was sharp he probably could buy a loaded Tahoe/Yukon with close to the same equipment for a lot less than a used Denali because of the better resale on the Denali. You'd have to wade through a lot of 4.8 engine, cloth units though and endure the Chevy salesman with the hand printed business card. With Denali there are basically only two options (as I recall), the sunroof and NAV. Most have a sunroof. Since Denalis are all comparably equipped, the purchase decision on a used one is easy. It comes down to miles, color and price.
And yes, my Toyo Proxes S/T tires are M+S rated...
Me? I'd pop for a Denali and enjoy the "somewhat better" equipment such as the 6.0, full time AWD, huge torque convertor, and monochromatic exterior. The late 70's Chev C10 pickup truck interior you just can't get away from. (Although I have seen Tahoes with the wood/plastic dash/door kits installed that looked much better than a Denali.)
If you see a vehicle with both, the DVD will be an aftermarket system.
This is not all bad as I think the aftermarket systems are better. The aftermarket systems mount the screen on the roof with the player under the seat (or wherever). The factory players are a little big and hunky hanging on the roof with the integrated player, where the aftermarket ones are very streamline.
When putting the aftermarket players in, some will have interior lights, it is best to hook up the light relay off of the interior door lights. Most installers will not take the time to do this. The interior light circuit with the dimming function will give you a clicking of the relay when the lights shut down instead of a hard off.
After testing and putting my tire cables on the front wheels I noticed that there isn't much clearance on the inside of the wheel area. The brake line is very close to the tire. This is probably why GMC doesn't recommend chains on the fronts. The cables only have a 3/4" clearance between the tire and the brake line. Next I tried them on the rear wheels. Much more clearance from the brake lines. When I go to Tahoe this weekend and if I have to put on cables, I will put them on the rear as GMC recommends.
Hoping it doesn't snow too much so I won't have to use the cables at all. I'll let everyone know how it turns out. Denali with 22" wheels in the snow.
I would question using chains at all. The traction of the Denali is really good. In fact I have found that I can go through heavy snow conditions as good with my Denali w/ 18" Michelins as well as my old Blazer with very aggressive tires (except 3' snow drifts but that is due to ground clearance).
Chains are a pain in the a--, and I would bet that you would not need them, but always good to carry if you have them.
One thing that I have noticed on mine is if stopped on a hill in really thick snow (try to pull out of a drive), I did get alot of tire spin with and without the DSC. The second gear on that GM Trans will start the vehicle in second and makes a world of difference if stuck.
Have a great time in the snow. If you are in CA, it will be a great weekend - alot of snow coming!
One question for all you experts. I was looking for a specific color combo and stumbled across 2 at a dealer that was near enough. Turns out they had the early 05 pricing which helped out a little more with the price. I knew, however, that this meant they were earlier in the model year as well. The one I bought had an invoice date of 10/14/04. Is there anything that has been fixed or updated since that time that I should be aware of?
Thanks,
Lee
Didn't need the chains although the weather forecasters were predicting heavy snow flurries. Just for everybodies FYI. It is very seldom in Tahoe that the Highway patrol announces that all vehicles even 4 wheel and AWD's must put on chains. When it usually gets to that point they usually close off the roads until the plows can clear them.