NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1999–2015

GMC Denali recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 171 owner complaints for the GMC Denali, covering model years 1999 to 2015. The 2003 model year drew the most complaints (32), and Air Bags is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

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See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

2 recall campaigns on file
171 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
14 model years with data (1999–2015)

most complaints: 2003 (32 for that model year)
top component: Air Bags (23 complaints)
latest recall 02V253000 (reported Sep 17, 2002)

12 complaints reporting a crash (7.0%)
2 complaints reporting a fire (1.2%)
6 complaints reporting an injury (3.5%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

GMC Denali complaints by model year

14 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2003 model year has the most complaints: 32 of 171, or 18.7%. Next come 2002 (23) and 2001 (22). The fewest are for 2009, with 2 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Show the figures for all 14 model years

GMC Denali complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

GMC Denali complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury
1999	14	0	1	0
2000	21	3	0	1
2001	22	2	0	1
2002	23	3	1	2
2003	32	3	0	1
2007	3	0	0	0
2008	4	0	0	0
2009	2	0	0	0
2010	5	0	0	0
2011	11	0	0	0
2012	6	0	0	0
2013	5	0	0	0
2014	5	0	0	0
2015	18	1	0	1
All model years	171	12	2	6

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported GMC Denali components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Air Bags is the component named most often, in 23 complaints (13.5% of all 171), followed by Electrical System (21) and Power Train (20). Another 25 complaints are filed under NHTSA’s “Unknown or Other” category.

Components named most often in GMC Denali complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in GMC Denali complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Unknown or Other	25	14.6%
Air Bags	23	13.5%
Electrical System	21	12.3%
Power Train	20	11.7%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	20	11.7%
Engine and Engine Cooling	14	8.2%
Steering	14	8.2%
Exterior Lighting	11	6.4%
Service Brakes	8	4.7%
Structure	7	4.1%
Suspension	7	4.1%
Vehicle Speed Control	7	4.1%
Fuel System, Gasoline	6	3.5%
Tires	6	3.5%
Engine	5	2.9%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

GMC Denali recalls

2 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Denali, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 1999 to 2002. 4 model years tie for the most campaigns (1 each).

2 recall campaigns

GMC Denali recall campaigns covering each model year
1999: 1 campaign	2000: 1 campaign	2001: 1 campaign	2002: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 02V253000
Reported Sep 17, 2002
Seats › Front Assembly › Head Restraint
Model years 2000–2002
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with rearward folding head restraints on the second row seats, two potential pinch points exist on each of the folding head restraints when the restraints are folded rearward as the seatback is folded down.
Consequence:
If a person were to insert their finger(s) into the pinch point when the head restraint folds, it could trap and pinch the finger(s) causing injury.
Remedy:
Dealers will install protective covers over the pinch points. Owner notification began November 8, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, GMC at 1-800-462-8782, or Cadillac at 1-800-458-8006.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 00V122000
Reported Apr 27, 2000
Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Model year 1999
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with the occupant protection requirements of FMVSS No. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the right front passenger restraint systems may not meet the neck extension requirements.
Remedy:
Dealers will install a tray insert on the top of the passenger side of the instrument panel. The tray insert corrects the noncompliance.
Filed by General Motors, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

GMC Denali questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the GMC Denali have?

NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the GMC Denali, covering model years 1999 to 2015. The most recent, 02V253000, was reported on September 17, 2002 and is filed under “Seats”.

Which GMC Denali model year has the most complaints?

The 2003 model year, with 32 of the 171 complaints in NHTSA’s file (18.7%). The next are 2002 (23) and 2001 (22). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common GMC Denali complaint?

Air Bags is the component named most often: 23 complaints, or 13.5% of all 171. Electrical System (21) and Power Train (20) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my GMC Denali?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a GMC dealer.

How many GMC Denali complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 171 complaints, 12 report a crash, 2 a fire, 6 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The GMC models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the GMC VIN decoder with every GMC model page, WMI code and VIN note.

GMC Sierra 1500 1995–2026 · 60 recalls · 8,852 complaints
GMC Acadia 2007–2026 · 38 recalls · 5,557 complaints
GMC Yukon 1995–2026 · 74 recalls · 4,874 complaints
GMC Sierra 1995–2017 · 52 recalls · 3,585 complaints
GMC Terrain 2010–2026 · 22 recalls · 3,110 complaints
GMC Envoy 1995–2009 · 27 recalls · 2,459 complaints
GMC Yukon XL 1999–2026 · 54 recalls · 2,403 complaints
GMC Jimmy 1995–2004 · 18 recalls · 1,869 complaints

All GMC models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.