Chevrolet Suburban Complaints (2003)

497 consumer complaints on file.

#10823383February 1, 2016
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD BOTH HWY AND CITY. THE SUBURBAN WILL GO INTO REDUCED ENGIN AND LOSE ALL ITS POWER AND SPEED. I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND CUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT AND IT'S FINE TO GO FOR MAYBE A MILE AND IT DOES IT AGAIN. THEY CAN NOT PIN POINT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS . IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10823307January 31, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE LINE FAILURE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10817679January 4, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE APPLYING MY BRAKES ON HIGHWAY ROUT 87, NEAR ALBANY NY, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WE CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. AFTER BEING TOWED TO A AAA REPAIR FACILITY THEY TOLD US THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE BUT THE STEEL BRAKE LINE HAD BLOWN OUT AND THE FLUID HAD LEAKED CAUSING LOSS OF STOPING POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING... WE SPENT $890.00 PLUS A HOTEL ROOM FOR ONE NIGHT AS WE WAITED FOR THEM TO MAKE A REPAIR TO ONE BRAKE LINE. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE ROTTED OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS MAKES NO SENSE.....THERE IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE HERE. PLEASE REOPEN THE CASE AND ADVISE A RECALL BEFORE A BIG SUV LIKE OURS HURTS SOMEONE IN A SMALL CAR BECAUSE THERE BRAKE LINES FAILED. THEY WON'T KNOW UNTIL ITS TO LATE!!!
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10777784September 25, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LINE BROKE. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY INFORMED ME THE OTHER SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED. TWO MONTHS LATER TWO MORE LINES BROKE. THE MAIN REAR LINE AND FRONT SUPPLY LINE FROM THE MASTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10763849September 15, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY PERFORMED AN INTERIM REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NEED THE FUEL PUMP LINE REPLACED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10748175August 12, 2015
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10747829August 11, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR I HAD DRIVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. THE RIGHT FRONT STEEL HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE FAILED DUE TO RUST.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10746215August 4, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE TOWING A BASS BOAT AND SLOWING TO TURN INTO A DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR CAUSING ME TO DRIVE INTO AN OPEN FIELD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUMP BRAKES TO STOP. ONCE STOPPED I CHECKED TO FIND A LARGE LEAK IN A BRAKE LINE RUNNING ALONG DRIVERS SIDE REAR FRAME. FORTUNATELY I HAD JUST DRIVEN DOWN A STEEP CURVED HILL. ADDITIONALLY, A SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED ON 8/3/2015 WHEN DRIVING TOWARD AN INTERSECTION STOP SIGN. AGAIN THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CAUSING A NEAR MISS AS THE STOP SIGN WAS DRIVEN THROUGH WHEN I COULDN'T STOP. THIS TIME THE DRIVERS FRONT LINE RUPTURED. ON EXAM HALF THE LINES ARE CLEAR OF RUST AND HALF ARE ALL RUSTED OBVIOUSLY FROM DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS. THIS TIME ALL WILL BE REPLACED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10743783July 27, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ALL GAUGES IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT LOW OR NO READING, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, FUEL, TACHOMETER, TEMP. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT WILLIE'S AUTO REPAIR INC.AT 901 S. CLIFF AVE. IN SIOUX FALLS, SD. THE GM REMANUFACTURED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PART WAS $453 AND LABOR WAS $126, WITH TAX THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $613 WHICH GM SHOULD BE PAYING FOR !! I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE AT WORK THAT HAVE HAD TO HAVE THIS DONE TO THEIR GM TRUCKS AND TAHOES, SUBURBANS. THIS IS SO WIDESPREAD THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT !! YOU KNOW THE COMPONENT THEY REPLACE CAN'T BE MUCH ON A BOARD IN THESE "REMANUFACTURED CLUSTERS" GM NEEDS TO REPLACE THESE AT THEIR EXPENSE !!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10735894July 22, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE REAR LIFT TAILGATE AND WINDOW WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN USING THE REMOTE KEY BUTTON, OR WHEN USING THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE DRIVERS DOOR ARM REST. THERE IS NO MANUAL KEY LOCK FOR THE REAR LIFT TAILGATE OR WINDOW, NOR ANY INSIDE BUTTON TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE TAILGATE. WHEN SLEEPING IN THE REAR OF THE SUBURBAN YOU HAVE DO WAY TO EXIT THE CAR EXCEPT BY CLIMBING OVER SEATS AND EXITING USING THE FRONT DOORS. DRIVING THE CAR AND STOPPING TO TRY TO UNLOCK THE REAR LIFT GATE WILL EVENTUALLY ALLOW YOU TO UNLOCK THE TAILGATE, SOME TIMES AFTER MANY TRIES. ALSO IT SOME TIMES WILL UNLOCK WHEN ALTERNATING BETWEEN THE DRIVER DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON AND THE REMOTE UNLOCK BUTTON. THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM . THIS FAILURE OF THE REAR TAILGATE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBURBANS. THIS LINK PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM: " HTTP://WWW.CHEFSEATTLE.COM/BLOG/SITE-NEWS/SUBURBAN-REAR-LIFTGATE-WONT-UNLOCK-HOW-TO-FIX/ "
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10735125July 20, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10734101July 15, 2015
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I NOTICED A SOUND LIKE THAT FROM AN OPEN WINDOW AND CHECK ALL DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS VERIFYING THAT THEY WERE CLOSED. UPON UTILIZATION OF THE REAR HATCH, IT WAS NOTED THAT ONE OF THE TWO (50%) LATCHES THAT HOLD THE REAR WINDOW/DOOR TO THE CAR HAD SEPARATED. I BROUGHT IT TO CHEVROLET DEALER AT THE TIME AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THE DOORS AS REQUIRED OR THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. AT THE TIME, I FOUND 1000'S OF PEOPLE ONLINE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. I'M SURE THAT THIS HAS INCREASED 10 FOLD SINCE THEN. I ONLY USE THIS CAR AS A 2ND CAR NOW AND DO NOT UTILIZE IT DAILY. I FEAR THAT THE 2ND REAR WINDOW/DOOR LATCH WILL ALSO FAIL AND CAUSE THE ENTIRE WINDOW/DOOR TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE THUS LANDING ON THE HIGHWAY BEHIND ME (HOPEFULLY) OR ON THE POOR FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME (WORSE CASE). UNFORTUNATELY, I LIVE IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA WHERE PEOPLE LIKE TO TAILGATE. TRAVELING ON HIGHWAYS WITH THE WIND RUSHING THROUGH THE WINDOW CAUSING ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE LATCH MAKE THE LATER SCENARIO MORE DEADLY AND MORE OF A REALITY. GM/CHEVROLET SHOULD FIX WHAT SEEMS TO ME AS A MINOR REPAIR TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN ADDRESSED IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE LATCH?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10731767July 2, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10730379June 25, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
MY BRAKES FAILED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN SW OHIO IN TRAFFIC. I AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BY CHANGING LANES ABRUPTLY AND COASTING TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE REPAIR FACILITY INDICATED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF A RUSTED BRAKE LINE THAT FAILED. THE REPAIRS COST ME $1300 PLUS THE COST OF A RENTAL CAR WHILE THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE FEEDBACK OF THE REPAIR FACILITY THAT GM IS AWARE OR THIS DEFECT BUT HAS NOT ELEVATED IT TO A "RECALL". IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A "CAMPAIGN". I WAS NOT INFORMED BY ANYONE, INCLUDING A DEALERSHIP/ THE CAR IS LOW MILEAGE, BUT I DO LIVE IN THE NE WHERE THE CAR HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO CHEMICALS ON THE ROAD. I HAD THE CAR AT A DEALERSHIP NOT MORE THAN 2 WEEKS AGO FOR AN AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR. THIS ISSUE WAS NOT REPORTED TO ME AT THAT TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10721464May 26, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10721311May 25, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
THE METAL BRAKE LINE BETWEEN THE ABS MODULATOR VALVE AND FRONT RIGHT WHEEL RUPTURED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE LINE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. ALL BRAKE LINES IN THE VEHICLE HAD SIMILAR LEVELS OF CORROSION NEAR THE AREA THE AFOREMENTIONED LINE RUPTURED, AND AT VARIOUS OTHER LOCATIONS ON THE VEHICLE. A BRAKE LINE BETWEEN THE MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS MODULATOR HAD FAILED IN A SIMILAR MANNNER APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY. THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES HAD ALSO FAILED DUE TO CORROSION APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO. THE CORROSION AND RUST ON MANY OTHER COMPONENTS BENEATH THE VEHICLE AND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS RATHER CONCERNING. POWER STEERING LINES (INCLUDING POWER BRAKES, SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS HYDRO-BOOST BRAKES) APPEAR TO BE NEXT. ALL METAL BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MOST RECENT FAILURE FOR AN OWNER COST OF ABOUT $500. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NHTSA RECENTLY CLOSED AN INVESTIGATION OF BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION ON SEVERAL GM TRUCKS AND SUVS. AFTER ABOUT 4 YEARS, THIS INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT "A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME." APPARENTLY THEY DON'T READ THE COMPLAINTS ON THEIR OWN WEBSITE...
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10702698March 30, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY '03 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HAS DEVELOPED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON CONDITION WHERE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECOMES INOPERABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW, IN TOWN SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL HAVE READINGS IN THE 60S, 70S' AND 80S. WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 55MPH. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM REALLY SHOCKED THAT THE NHTSA HASN'T FORCED A RECALL. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF REPORTS ONLINE OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM, AS THEY EVEN EXTENDED. GENERAL MOTORS EVEN PROVIDED OWNERS WITH A SPECIAL COVERAGE THAT EXTENDS THE WARRANTY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FOR THE CONDITION DESCRIBED ABOVE, AS LONG AS THE VEHICLES AGE AND MILEAGE FALLS WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS. THOSE PARAMETERS ARE THE MAIN REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT. THOSE PARAMETERS ARE 1) 7 YEARS OF THE IN SERVICE DATE, AND 2) 70,000 MILES, WHICH EVER OCCURS FIRST. MY CLAIM TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN MY VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER THE SPECIAL COVERAGE WAS DENIED ON 9/4/09 BECAUSE THE MILEAGE OF MY VEHICLE WAS 93,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF MY REQUEST. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A LARGE SCALE SAFETY PROBLEM THAT WARRANTS A RECALL BY GENERAL MOTORS RATHER THAN AN EXTENSION OF WARRANTY WITH UNREASONABLE MILEAGE PARAMETERS. EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ALONE IS A CLEAR ADMISSION OF A KNOWN WIDESPREAD ISSUE. IS NHTSA IN BED WITH GM TOO? I GUESS I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10693353March 10, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. A MONTH LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND ALL THE METERS, GAUGES, AND WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10683661February 16, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING
10/11/2 BRAKES FAILED PLUS PARKING BRAKE FAILED AND PARKING BRAKE SHOE ASSEMBLY WAS NOT FOUND UPON DEALER INSPECTION. REPLACED DISC BRAKES AND HAD PARKING BRAKE SHOE INSTALLED. 11/09/12 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REVEALED IGNITION PROBLEM. NEW IGNITION WIRE SET INSTALLED. 01/29/13 DASH CLUSTER FAILED, HAD NO HORN, NO HEADLIGHTS, NO INTERIOR LIGHTS, NO SPEED CONTROL , NO STEERING WHEEL LIGHTS FOR CONTROL BUTTONS, NO SPEEDOMETER READING, NO RADIO. REPLACED DASH CLUSTER. 05/05/14 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND STRANDED WHEN VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. MISFIRE MESSAGES ON DEALER EQUIPMENT READING. 06/16/14 STRANDED AGAIN , VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. 07/15/14 STRANDED AGAIN , VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. REPLACED STARTER RELAY. 02/16/15 DRIVER HEATED SEAT COMING ON/OFF WHILE DRIVING ON ITS OWN. 4 WD ENGAGED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING AND MADE DRIVING UNCONTROLLED. AWD ENGAGED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING ON DRY SMOOTH ROAD. STRANDED, WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE AT DEALER AGAIN TODAY FOR THIS LIST OF PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10681942February 7, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
WAS DRIVING WITH MY CHILDREN IN VEHICLE. AS I WAS APPROACHING INTERSECTION, STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT COMPLETELY TO FLOOR. THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AT ALL. I HAD TO DOWNSHIFT AND USE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO AVOID COLLISION. HAD TO HAVE SUBURBAN TOWED. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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