Chevrolet Suburban Complaints (2003)

497 consumer complaints on file.

#10148892January 28, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
MY WIFE DRIVES A CHEVROLET TAHOE 2003 LS WITH ABOUT 48 000 MILES ON IT. RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER WAS SHOWING 90 MPH. I LOOKED AT OTHER CARS AROUND ME AND DECIDED MAY BE I WAS GOING A LITTLE FAST. SO I SLOWED DOWN A BIT. THE SPEEDOMETER WENT UP TO 100. AFTER I PULLING OVER AND STOPPED IT WENT DOWN SLOWLY AFTER I STOPPED. DURING THE NEXT WEEK, THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND EVENTUALLY STUCK AT THE HIGHEST SPEED. SO I MADE SOME CALLS TO VARIOUS DEALERS , AND WAS TOLD THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST $500 TO FIX THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WANT TO NOTIFY CHEVROLET. I THINK THIS IS THEIR PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR THIS ONE. YESTERDAY EVENING, THE SPEEDOMETER APPEARED TO BE WORKING AGAIN. THIS TIME I'VE NOTICED IT WILL TRACK ON THE RIGHT SPEED AND THEN HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO SORT OF RESET IT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10148863January 27, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOOSES POWER INTERMITTENTLY. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED A RODENT HAD CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRES. THE WIRES WERE REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED A CLIP WAS LOOSE. THE THIRD TIME, THE BATTERY HAD JUST BEEN CHARGED AND AFTER DRIVING FOR 40 MINUTES THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, SO IT WAS JUMPED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AGAIN AND WOULD ONLY TRAVEL AT 10-15 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR, BUT DETERMINED BOTH COMPONENTS WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND NO CODES WERE PRESENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10146966January 5, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE SPEEDOMETER CLUSTER GEAR FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 01/25/06. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10146716January 2, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE COMPLETELY ERODED FROM SIDE POST. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10146543December 30, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS BEING PERFORMED THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR SHOULD BE PERFORMED WITHIN THE NEXT 1,000 MILES. THE BRAKE PADS DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10146180December 27, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL TANK COLLAPSED, CRUSHING THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE FUEL TANK WAS PLASTIC. THE VENT TO THE FUEL TANK WAS BLOCKED AND CAUSED A VACUUM WHICH CRUSHED THE FUEL PUMP. THE FIRST TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT 45 MPH, IT SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. AN INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED, STATING THE COMPUTER SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. LESS THAN THREE MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME, AND THE VENT FOR THE FUEL TANK WAS RETRO FITTED TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT HAD ANY MORE PROBLEMS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145618December 19, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPEEDOMETER GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. WOULD REGISTER AS GOING 20 MPH OR EVEN UP TO 80 MPH WHEN PARKED. OCCASIONALLY WOULD APPEAR TO TRACK THEN WOULD REGISTER SIGNIFICANTLY TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW (USUALLY TOO HIGH). DROPPED OFF AT DEALER & TOLD IT NEEDED INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER REPLACEMENT BUT WAS ON BACK ORDER NATIONWIDE. CALLED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WHO CONFIRMED WITH THE DEALER THAT IT IS A "HIGH FAILURE ITEM". INITIAL ATTEMPT AT REPLACING. SAME AS OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE READ. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS IS EXPENSIVE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145210December 14, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE, OVER A PERIOD OF A MONTH THE CAR FAILED TO START/TURNOVER. AFTER 5 MINUTES & REPEATED ATTEMPTS CAR WOULD FINALLY START. ON FINAL FAILURE DATE, THE CAR WOULD NOT START EVEN WITH PERIODIC ATTEMPTS OVER 2 DAYS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP & FUEL FILTER WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145213December 14, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPEEDOMETER GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. WOULD REGISTER AS GOING 20 MPH OR EVEN UP TO 80 MPH WHEN PARKED. OCCASIONALLY WOULD APPEAR TO TRACK THEN WOULD REGISTER SIGNIFICANTLY TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW (USUALLY TOO HIGH). DROPPED OFF AT DEALER & TOLD IT NEEDED INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER REPLACEMENT BUT WAS ON BACK ORDER NATIONWIDE. CALLED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WHO CONFIRMED WITH THE DEALER THAT IT IS A "HIGH FAILURE ITEM". INITIAL ATTEMPT AT REPLACING IPC FAILED, STILL AWAITING ANOTHER NEW PART & HOPING TO GET VEHICLE BACK SOON. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10143955November 29, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED, AND AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS IT STUCK. THIS OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN IT WAS HOT OUTSIDE OR WHEN THE CLUSTER PANEL HEATED UP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10140443October 21, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE IS 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, PURCHASES NEW. SPEEDOMETER WON'T READ CORRECTLY; AT FIRST IT WOULD READ 20-30 MPH FAST; THEN IT FINALLY ONLY READS BETWEEN 30-120 MPH; HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH GAS GAUGE; RAN OUT OF GAS WITH TANK SHOWING ALMOST HALF FULL, IN AN AREA WITH NO CELL PHONE RECEPTION. VERY DANGEROUS. DANGEROUS TO NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE YOUR ACTUAL SPEED. GM REFUSES TO COVER THIS PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH DEALER HAS HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES OF THESE FAILURES. GM MUST BE AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10135088October 14, 2005
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GM DEALERSHIP TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO REPAIR THE VIBRATION AND HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER. HOWEVER, GM MANUFACTURER WROTE A LETTER TO THE DEALERSHIP , TELLING THEM TO STOP ALL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE UNTIL THEY COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD HEAR A HUMMING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURRED ALL THE TIME WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS TURNED ON. IF THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS OFF THEN THE CONSUMER COULD NOT HEAR THIS NOISE. *AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10139020October 7, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
DT: ON OCTOBER 6, 2005 THE POSITIVE POST ON THE BATTERY POPPED OUT OF THE BATTERY WITHOUT ASSISTANTS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THERE WAS AN ACID LEAK. THE BATTERY WAS A SIDE POST BATTERY MANUFACTURED BY A. C. DELCO. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A ONE IN A MILLION CASE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138024September 28, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
ON BOTH MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN, AND 2002 CHEVY K2500 TRUCK, THE GAS GAUGE READS ERRONEOUSLY. TENDS TO GET HUNG UP AT 1/4 TANK, THEN LATER GOES TO EMPTY...AT WHICH TIME I'VE RUN OUT OF GAS! CHEVY REPLACED THE BURB FUEL SENSOR TWICE, AND THE TRUCK ONCE...UNDER WARRANTY. PAST WARRANTY THEY WILL NOT HELP. SAFETY ISSUE: I RAN OUT OF GAS IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA, INTERSTATE TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR, HAD TO WEAVE MY DEAD TRUCK THROUGH 70 MPH TRAFFIC TO THE LEFT SHOULDER. VERY DANGEROUS MOVE...LUCKILY WAS NOT REAR-ENDED! HAVE FRIENDS W/ SAME TRUCK...SAME PROBLEM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10136980September 19, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER 300 MILES TRAVEL. HARD SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND (FELT LIKE TRANSMISSION DROPPED FROM VEHICLE. THIS FIRST OCCURRED SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN (NEW). DEALER RE-PROGRAMMED TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. SAME PROBLEM ON RETURN TRIP FOUR DAYS LATER, AND SIX MORE TIMES IN THE PAST 2 1/2 YEARS. FOUR SEPARATE GM DEALERS, IN TWO STATES, HAVE ATTEMPTED FIX VIA: 1. RE-PROGRAM TCM, 2. REPLACE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID, 3. REPLACE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY AND RE-PROGRAM TCM. STILL NOT FIXED.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10136817September 17, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
MY 2003 SUBURBAN WOULD NOT START. I WAS GOING TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE AND WHEN I PULLED THE PLASTIC COVER OFF THE POSITIVE TERMINAL, THE ENTIRE TERMINAL FELL OUT IN MY HAND. THE ACID POURED OUT OF THE HOLD AND LANDED ON MY HAND. THE POSITIVE POST ON MY AC DELCO BATTERY FAILED AFTER ONLY 2 YEARS, 9 MONTHS. IT HAS A 6 YEAR WARRANTY. THE BATTERY WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TON MY 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, THEN THE BATTERY WAS NOT COVERED. I CONTACTED AC DELCO AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD REPLACE OR PRO-RATE THE BATTERY. THEY SAID NO. THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WAS FROM THE ACID LEAKING OUT OF THE HOLE WHERE THE POSITIVE TERMINAL WAS. THE ACID FROM THE BATTERY ATE THE PAINT OFF THE INTERIOR OF THE BATTERY SHELF. I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY FROM A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER AND INSTALLED IT IN MY SUBURBAN. IN LOOKING ON THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS, IT WAS VERY EASY TO FIND OTHERS WHO HAD AC DELCO BATTERIES AND THEIR POSITIVE POST FAILED. AC DELCO KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CONTINUES TO SELL A DEFECTIVE BATTERY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10135890September 8, 2005
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500 (52,000 MILES) WITH REAR HATCH. RECENTLY ONE OF THE SIDES OF THE WIND REAR HATCH SNAPPED IN HALF. THIS IS A PLASTIC PIECE BOLTED ON TO THE VEHICLE STRUCTURE. WHEN I CALLED A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER TO INQUIRE IF THERE MAY BE A RECALL THE ANSWER WAS NO, BUT THEY SEE THE PROBLEM OFTEN. OFTEN TELLS ME THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE FIXED AND NOT AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE. IT IS DANGEROUS AND MAY CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10133246August 17, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES SINCE APRIL. WHEN THE VEHICLE TURNS OVER IT JUST DOES NOT START. HE CAME BACK FROM MYRTLE BEACH, AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 80 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND STALLED. HE MANAGED TO COAST OFF THE INTERSTATE, IT THEN STARTED BACK UP WITH ONE ATTEMPT. HE TRAVELED ABOUT 150 MILES AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN AND IT STARTED BACK, THIS TIME IT STARTED AND WAS RUNNING A LITTLE ROUGH. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE NEXT EXIT AND FOUND A DEALER WHO TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD MAKE IT BACK TO OHIO IF HE DID NOT DRIVE IT VERY FAST. THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER THAT WAS NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE PRESSURE. HE DROVE BACK AT 55 MPH, AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHUT DOWN. THE NEXT MORNING HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN FARRIS OHIO WHERE HE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE FUEL PUMP, AND SOMETHING HE THINKS IS CALLED A UBECK. HE WAS FRUSTRATED THAT HE SEEMED TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME AT THE DEALER INSTEAD AT HOME.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10132288August 10, 2005
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
EXITING ONTO ON RAMP RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED HOWEVER TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM TIRE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10131131August 2, 2005
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
MY 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS BUCKLED INTO THE SEAT BELT, HE WAS PLAYING WITH THE SEAT BELT PUT HIS LEGS THROUGH THE SEAT BELT, HE UNBUCKLED THE SEAT BELT TO UNTANGLE AND REBUCKLE, WHEN HE UNFASTENED THE SEAT BELT THE SLACK WENT BACK INTO THE HOLDER, THE SEAT BELT BEING LOCKED WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL IT WAS COMPLETELY RELEASED , THERE WAS NO WAY TO RELEASE COMPLETELY SINCE IT WAS AROUND HIS WAIST AND NO WAY FOR HIM TO GET OUT, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH SLACK FOR HIM TO MOVE, AS OUR FINGERS WOULD NOT EVEN FIT IN BETWEEN THE SEAT BELT AND HIS WAIST. WE HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT TO GET HIM OUT. ****THERE NEEDS TO BE A RELEASE BUTTON SO THAT THE SEAT BELTS RELEASE IF THIS OCCURS AGAIN.***** *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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