SUBURBAN/YUKON PROBLEMS AND RELIABILITY

JSJJ388

JSJJ388

GREEN GREMLIN
Joined
Aug 31, 2016
Location
HAMPTONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Updated the title to be a little more open. Looking for any experiences and suggestions on yukons or suburbans. She is really liking the 07-15 Yukon Denali.


I've heard horror stories about GMs AFM on its V8s. We are getting a Suburban or Yukon Denali and it seems they all have it. So let's hear your thoughts.
 
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JSJJ388 said:
I've heard horror stories about GMs AFM on its V8s. We are getting a Suburban or Yukon Denali and it seems they all have it. So let's hear your thoughts.
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What year? The earlier years were more prone to lifter failure which leads to pulling the heads. The newer models seem to hold together but chew up transmissions. Jasper and all trans shops recommend killing it
 
That being said we have a 2020 Denali and I haven’t cut it off yet….. laziness! But I plan to this week and see if it even hurts the mileage, which the wife is scared of?!? Drives a freaking tank and worries about a mpg or 2
 
Noel said:
What year? The earlier years were more prone to lifter failure which leads to pulling the heads. The newer models seem to hold together but chew up transmissions. Jasper and all trans shops recommend killing it
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Haven't settled on one yet. Really looking at a 07 denali. Checks all the boxes except awd instead of 4x4 and is priced right.
 
JSJJ388 said:
Haven't settled on one yet. Really looking at a 07 denali. Checks all the boxes except awd instead of 4x4 and is priced right.
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I have a 05 Denali AWD and the only complaint I have ever had is it being AWD and not 4x4. Think that one through. Sucks not having 4 low. But the 07 era is notorious for lifters, catch it in time when ticking and will save the cam. But that being said there has to be millions on the road with no issue.
 
Noel said:
I have a 05 Denali AWD and the only complaint I have ever had is it being AWD and not 4x4. Think that one through. Sucks not having 4 low. But the 07 era is notorious for lifters, catch it in time when ticking and will save the cam. But that being said there has to be millions on the road with no issue.
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Yea, the awd is really my only hangup. If it were for me, I'd not even consider it. But for the wife, awd isn't a deal breaker. Her edge (mine now I guess) is awd and it's great. But definitely not a substitute for 4x4.

What was/are your complaints? Got in a bind and needed 4x4 or problems with the AWD. Odds of this thing seeing more than a dirt driveway are slim to none.
 
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You can get a plug and play module that lives in the obd port. My understanding is the lifters fail when returning from deactivated. The module won't do you any good if the lock in the lifter has already failed.
You can swap out the whole system, but if it is functional, I would just toss the bypass module on there and call it good. Only if it fails would I dig into swapping out parts.
 
shelby27604 said:
You can get a plug and play module that lives in the obd port. My understanding is the lifters fail when returning from deactivated. The module won't do you any good if the lock in the lifter has already failed.
You can swap out the whole system, but if it is functional, I would just toss the bypass module on there and call it good. Only if it fails would I dig into swapping out parts.
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Yea Ive looked at those. The one we are looking at tonight has 220k on it and he says it runs like a top. So hopefully its in good shape. Its a denali and is loaded, hes asking 7500 for it.
 
I've had an 07 and currently have a 10 suburban, both with 5.3s. Had to do the oil pressure sensor on the 07 at around 200k or so. I like the extra gears in the '10, and knock wood no probs with the trans yet at a bit over 200k now. I got one of those obd port jobbers to turn off the cylinder/fuel mgmt a few years back and it almost completely stopped consuming oil between changes.

The better maintained they are, the longer they will go. I would take one with higher mileage and better maintenance over another with lower miles that looks like it was rode hard and put away wet.

edit: oh and listen for front diff noises. Esp in an AWD. I run mine in rwd mostly to keep the wear and tear down.
 
paulevans76 said:
I've had an 07 and currently have a 10 suburban, both with 5.3s. Had to do the oil pressure sensor on the 07 at around 200k or so. I like the extra gears in the '10, and knock wood no probs with the trans yet at a bit over 200k now. I got one of those obd port jobbers to turn off the cylinder/fuel mgmt a few years back and it almost completely stopped consuming oil between changes.

The better maintained they are, the longer they will go. I would take one with higher mileage and better maintenance over another with lower miles that looks like it was rode hard and put away wet.

edit: oh and listen for front diff noises. Esp in an AWD. I run mine in rwd mostly to keep the wear and tear down.
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Awesome. Thanks for the insight. If I could find an 07 yukon denali xl in 4x4 Id be all over it.
 
Front diffs like to wear out in the awd denalis.
Be prepared to buy a trans at 150k.
We paid $6k? for the trans in our ‘12. Plus we replaced motor mounts while we were there.
 
getstucksome said:
@Spence has a newer burb and swapped in a two speed transfer case. Maybe he can chime in on what all was involved.
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Mine may have been a little different because i wasnt AWD, but swapping the single speed to 2 speed was stupid cheap/easy. I think I had about $400 in the entire swap. Low mile junkyard T-case was only about $150, then you need to buy the dash switch and the t-case control module. i went to a friends house with a lift and the entire process took less than 2 hours. Best thing i have done for my burb.

Edit: mine is a 2019.
 
orange150 said:
Front diffs like to wear out in the awd denalis.
Be prepared to buy a trans at 150k.
We paid $6k? for the trans in our ‘12. Plus we replaced motor mounts while we were there.
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Good to look out for.
 
I think you also want to stay on top of fluid changes in that awd box. I had an 04 Denali, I think there was a model switch where the case became serviceable (or less serviceable), but I remember a vicious coupling that didn't like mistreatment.

I feel like my Denali was also pretty tough on front tires, but this is also an AWD thing.
 
shelby27604 said:
I think you also want to stay on top of fluid changes in that awd box. I had an 04 Denali, I think there was a model switch where the case became serviceable (or less serviceable), but I remember a vicious coupling that didn't like mistreatment.

I feel like my Denali was also pretty tough on front tires, but this is also an AWD thing.
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I figured. Yea, our edge is a little hard on tires, but handles well.
 
Had a 14 suburban.
Put 165k hard, kid toting, travel ball playing, vacation sand griming, occasional emergency tow pig duty miles on it.

Drive train was rock solid.
Had a front hub/bearing go out at ~50k miles that wasnt covered under the 100k mile warranty. Whatever.
Oil pressure sensor a couple times.
Couple of wheel speed sensors (rears are stupid easy, the front is a PITA)
O2 sensor.
1 battery
Never wore the rear brakes pads out.

all that said...the interior in the 14 was junk.
The dash cracks over the speedometer all the way to the windsheild on eveyrone Ive ever seen,
The interior door pulls break an interior support structure and feel like pule pulling a wet spaghetti noodle. Mildly aggravating and the only fix is to ghetto shove a woodn dowel rod through and super glue or replace the whole door panel at $500. We just dealt with it.
I think I replaced a window regulator or power window switch somewhere about every 45k miles.
The notorious paint flaking off all the radio buttons.
The console lid like to fall off.
The built in dvd player was a boss though.

All in all I bought our 14 with ~10k miles on it in 14 for $28k and sold it in 2020 for $15k and beat the shit out of it in between.
Never turned AFM off - gave it an Italian tune up weekly or so and rocked on. It was gutless and uninspiring but a family war wagon. From keywest/bai hundai (sp?)beach - to Canada, to San Antonio, multiple flroida and new orleans trips...it never left us stranded.
Though I did more road side tire changes on it than a @rockcity trailer trip....but I blame the wife and the 45' wheelbase for that
 
Ron said:
Had a 14 suburban.
Put 165k hard, kid toting, travel ball playing, vacation sand griming, occasional emergency tow pig duty miles on it.

Drive train was rock solid.
Had a front hub/bearing go out at ~50k miles that wasnt covered under the 100k mile warranty. Whatever.
Oil pressure sensor a couple times.
Couple of wheel speed sensors (rears are stupid easy, the front is a PITA)
O2 sensor.
1 battery
Never wore the rear brakes pads out.

all that said...the interior in the 14 was junk.
The dash cracks over the speedometer all the way to the windsheild on eveyrone Ive ever seen,
The interior door pulls break an interior support structure and feel like pule pulling a wet spaghetti noodle. Mildly aggravating and the only fix is to ghetto shove a woodn dowel rod through and super glue or replace the whole door panel at $500. We just dealt with it.
I think I replaced a window regulator or power window switch somewhere about every 45k miles.
The notorious paint flaking off all the radio buttons.
The console lid like to fall off.
The built in dvd player was a boss though.

All in all I bought our 14 with ~10k miles on it in 14 for $28k and sold it in 2020 for $15k and beat the shit out of it in between.
Never turned AFM off - gave it an Italian tune up weekly or so and rocked on. It was gutless and uninspiring but a family war wagon. From keywest/bai hundai (sp?)beach - to Canada, to San Antonio, multiple flroida and new orleans trips...it never left us stranded.
Though I did more road side tire changes on it than a @rockcity trailer trip....but I blame the wife and the 45' wheelbase for that
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Yea, a nearly 10' wheel base is gonna be fun while the wife adjusts lol. Shes never drove a full size truck AFAIK. Now that you mention it, the 07 we are going to look at has a cracked dash.
 
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JSJJ388 said:
Yea, a nearly 10' wheel base is gonna be fun while the wife adjusts lol. Shes never drove a full size truck AFAIK. Now that you mention it, the 07 we are going to look at has a cracked dash.
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Check for the clunk between drive and reverse. The 07 era is also known to have driver engine mounts fail often. Not a fun job to do either
 
We have a ‘16 Denali xl. Biggest piece of crap I’ve ever owned.

The 6.0 (or maybe it’s a 6.2, can’t remember) with the V8/v4 is crap. Seized a lifter and had to do $7k worth of engine work on it at about 65k miles.

The led tail lights fail and are $800 each plus labor to replace only to have to do it again.

The shark fin antenna leaks constantly, even after “fixing” it twice

There is a drivetrain shudder that GM can’t figure out

Had to do the transmission flush and upgrade to get rid of the first shudder/vibration.

Wheels suck and bend and crack easily.

Driver window doesn’t want to stay closed. Sensor is bad and keeps wanting to roll down.

Magna ride shocks went out at 70k miles and GM wants $4500 to replace only to have it happen again. Suitable aftermarket replacements are better but are still thousands of $.

Temp sensor is going bad

And I’m sure there are some other things that I’m forgetting but now at 116k miles and the inflated price tag, I’d expect a vehicle that’s more reliable and doesn’t require as much TLC to keep going.
 
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rockcity said:
We have a ‘16 Denali xl. Biggest piece of crap I’ve ever owned.

The 6.0 with the V8/v4 is crap. Seized a lifter and had to do $7k worth of engine work on it at about 65k miles.

The led tail lights fail and are $800 each plus labor to replace only to have to do it again.

The shark fin antenna leaks constantly, even after “fixing” it twice

There is a drivetrain shudder that GM can’t figure out

Had to do the transmission flush and upgrade to get rid of the first shudder/vibration.

Wheels suck and bend and crack easily.

Driver window doesn’t want to stay closed. Sensor is bad and keeps wanting to roll down.

Magna ride shocks went out at 70k miles and GM wants $4500 to replace only to have it happen again. Suitable aftermarket replacements are better but are still thousands of $.

Temp sensor is going bad

And I’m sure there are some other things that I’m forgetting but now at 116k miles and the inflated price tag, I’d expect a vehicle that’s more reliable and doesn’t require as much TLC to keep going.
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Good thing we are too poor for that generation then! :D
 
Noel said:
Check for the clunk between drive and reverse. The 07 era is also known to have driver engine mounts fail often. Not a fun job to do either
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I'll make sure and listen for that.
 
Well, we bought the 07 Denali AWD. 200xxx on it with no ticks or knocks. Runs and drives smooth as can be. Everything seems to work as it should. I'm not crazy about the AWD, but the wife loved it. Paint is peeling on the hood and it needs new tires. 7k. I felt like it was a good deal. What say ye?
 
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