New 2003 Yukon Owner - have questions

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boulderado

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Hi all,

I just picked up a new to us 2003 Yukon Denali with about 84,000 miles. It seems to be in pretty good shape except the speedometer is acting weird. From what I've read here and other places this is a known issue. When I first start out it works OK, then as you drive it keeps dropping until it is at 0 even when going 60 mph. I have talked to the dealer, but no good solution yet. Do I need a new cluster, everything else seems to be working.

Also, I noticed on the day I picked it up it has a K & N CAI. It seems to be professionally installed, but I don't know if this happened 7 years ago or more recently. Any concerns here, should I just go ahead and buy a new filter (about 50 bucks on eBay) to be on the safe side?

The dealer installed four new Falken High Country tires. They look nice, but seem to be a little rough for my use (no offroading). What is the best replacement if I decide to get new rubber? I will be using it year round here in Colorado so some snow and rain, but mostly dry pavement.

Driving it home the other night I noticed the lights are completely out of alignment and I could barely see in the dark. Is this in easy DIY to adjust or should I leave this to the dealer? The vehicle is in good condition, but both the front and rear light assemblies are looking a bit tired (faded from the Colorado sun, I suspect). Are there any replacements that would make it look a bit sharper.

Since I have no idea on the service record of this vehicle (dealer did do oil and filter) are there any items that I should pay attention to do ensure longevity of the vehicle? Also, does this unit have a cabin air filter?

Thanks.
 

chistoso

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First off, the speedo, these clusters have been known for having bad stepper motors, you should be able to get it rebiult for a lot cheaper than new or going thru the dealer, you can also have a tranny temp gauge installed which makes it a sweeter deal or you can spend the $$ and get an updated denali/Escalade cluster that will work and make your dash look sleeker.

The filter element should be washable but if you wanna play it safe, $50 is a fair price for a replacement

There are adjustment tabs/screws on the top part of the composite headlights, should be visible with the hood opened, they look like 6pointed torx screws. There are plenty of aftermarket headlightsand taillights from regular filament bulb use to LED for good pricing it just depends on taste. Look around at some of the rides and you can get an idea

On the maintenance aspect, I would go and change out all the fluids and filters with synthetics. Start fresh and you can begin to keep track. Properly maintained these trucks will be around for a long time. I've seen 'em run in the 300k plus mile range. Like I said check out the rides and get a feel for whats out there for you..

Welcome to TYF!!
 

ilmk123

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I bought all of the stepper motors off of ebay for less than $50 and replaced all of them. Pretty easy. You can find links on Youtube......Scott
 
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boulderado

boulderado

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Thanks for your answers, here is a photo taken on the dealer's lot. As you can see the lights are pretty faded, but there seem to be several online sources for inexpensive replacments.

This unit already has the trans temp gauge. Also, what is the typically coolant temp on these? Mine seem to be running at the 210 mark, especially around town at lower speeds.

denali_132.jpg
 
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