RoadVitals

2003 Chevrolet Chevy Van Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Oct 24, 2018
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Mar 17, 2003

What this page shows

Our database holds 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Chevy Van. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–10 of 10

Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 24, 2018

NEW VEHICLES HAVE BLINDING HEADLIGHTS. VERY BAD. WHY ARE THESE BEING ALLOWED ON THE ROAD!?

NHTSA ID
11142494
Incident
Oct 2, 2018
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 2, 2014

2003 CHEVY VENTURE SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AND CONTINUALLY GAIN SPEED EVEN WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I ACTUALLY HAVE TO RIDE THE BRAKES TO GET WITHIN THE 25 MPH SPEED LIMIT ALL THE WAY. THIS EVENT REPEATING THEMSELVES EVERY TWO DAYS WAITING FOR AN ACCIDENT. I WENT ATLEAST 4 MECHANICS THEY CLEANED EVERYTHING THEY KEPT MY CAR THREE DAYS EACH. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. I WANT GM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR IS 10 YEARS OLD. THIS DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE TO FLY UP TO THE MOON WITH IT, KILLING MY FAMILY AND OTHER PEOPLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10576926
Incident
Apr 10, 2013
Mileage
83,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 24, 2012

FUEL FILLER NECK LEAKS DUE TO CORROSION. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE LH DOORS AND THE FUEL NECK IS ROUTED IN THE WHEEL WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10456403
Incident
May 10, 2011
Fuel system
Filed Dec 2, 2011

I NOTICED A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GAS EVERY TIME I FILLED THE CAR. IN DECEMBER, I SAW A LARGER POOL OF GAS UNDER MY CAR AS I WAS FILL THE TANK. I LOOKED UNDER AND SAW MOST OF THE GAS WAS SPILLING ONTO THE GROUND. TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEAL AND FOUND OUT THE FILLER TUBE WAS RUSTED THROUGH. THE REASON FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM ON A CAR THAT IS 8 YEARS OLD STEMS AROUND THE COVERING AROUND THE TUBE. WATER GETS TRAPPED AND CANNOT DRY. BAD DESIGN. LUCKILY, I DO NOT SMOKE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10438046
Incident
Aug 2, 2011
Mileage
120,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 26, 2010
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET 1500 CONVERSION VAN.(N/A) THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE DRIVER SEAT INDEPENDENTLY BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND SCORCHED THE SEAT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID
10345296
Incident
Jul 23, 2010
Mileage
80,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 4, 2006

WE HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN V6 3.4L, ODOMETER-49698. VEHICLE MADE AN ODD SOUND WHEN STARTING. THIS SOUND HAPPENED SUDDENLY. WE TOOK IT TO THE CLOSEST AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP THEIR COMPUTER INDICATED A MISFIRE CODE AND THEY SUGGESTED CHANGING THE PLUGS. WE OPTED TO TAKE THE VAN TO OUR MECHANIC. THEY CHECKED THE PLUGS AND THEY LOOKED BRAND NEW AND WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION IS STRAIGHT FROM THE SERVICE ADVISOR OF THE AUTOMOTIVE SHOP : ONE CYLINDER ONLY HAS 35 PSI AND THERE IS A TAPPING NOISE IN THE TOP HALF OF THE ENGINE. WILL NEED TO TEAR THE UPPER END DOWN FOR INSPECTION (UPPER AND LOWER INTAKES AND THE VALVE COVER GASKET). THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD ON THE #3 CYLINDER, THE STUDS THAT HOLD THE ROCKER ARMS HAVE PULLED OUT OF THE HEAD. THE MACHINE SHOP FOUND THE THREADS FOR THE ROCKER ARM STUDS ON THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD WERE PULLING OUT. HAD TO HAVE ALL THE ROCKER ARM STUDS HOLES REPAIRED. BASED ON THE MACHINE SHOP'S ADVICE THE FRONT CYLINDER HEAD WAS REMOVED AND TO HAVE THE ROCKER ARM STUD HOLES INSPECTED. THEY WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE PULLING OUT. ALL STUD HOLES ON THE FRONT CYLINDER HEAD WERE REPAIRED. REINSTALLED THE CYLINDER HEADS AND INTAKES. ALL IN ALL START TO FINISH THE REPAIR BILL WAS A RIDICULOUS $2609.48 AND A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO LISTEN TO ANY COMPLAINTS, SIMPLY SAYING THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP IS THE SAME PLACE WHERE WE HAVE ALL OUR OIL CHANGES PERFORMED. THEY HAVE ALL THE RECORDS. AMAZING THIS IS THE FOURTH STRAIGHT GM VEHICLE WE HAVE BOUGHT. BASED ON THE WAY WE WERE TREATED BY THE DEALER WE WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10158941
Incident
Apr 6, 2006
Mileage
49,698 mi
Body & structure
Filed May 28, 2006
2 injuries reported

CHEVY VENTURE MINIVAN REAR SLIDING POWER DOORS DO NOT REVERSE AND ARE VERY DANGEROUS CAUSING AN INJURY TO MY 12 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHILE ENTERING THE VAN WHEN THE DOOR SUDDENLY CLOSED ON HER AND POTENTIAL DEATH TO A YOUNG CHILD. *NM

NHTSA ID
10158473
Incident
May 28, 2006
Seat belts
Filed May 19, 2005

THE SHOULDER STRAPS IN THE REAR OF THE VAN LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND THE PASSENGERS UNFASTEN IT IN ORDER TO READJUST THE BELT. THE BELT GETS TIGHTER AND TIGHTER IF NOT TAKEN OFF. THIS IS NOT SAFE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD TO HAVE TO TAKE OFF YOUR SEATBELT. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVER SINCE I OWNED THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE A CHEVY VENTURE 2003 WHICH I PURCHASED NEW.

NHTSA ID
10121424
Incident
Jun 28, 2003
Electrical
Filed Dec 23, 2004

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE STARTING MECHANISM SEEMS TO STAY ENGAGED EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10104423
Incident
Oct 13, 2003
Seat belts
Filed Mar 17, 2003
1 injury reported

I WAS GETTING INTO THE REAR SEAT OF A BRAND-NEW CHEVROLET FULLSIZE VAN AT THE LA QUINTA INN AT THE APEX IN RALEIGH-DURHAM NC. THERE IS A CIRCULAR DISK OF HARD PLASTIC WHICH HOLDS ON A SMALL BUNGEE WHICH IN TURN HOLDS A CHILD SEAT BELT ADJUSTER. AS I WAS GETTING IN, MY ARM CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE PLASTIC DISK AND VERY NEATLY SLICED SEVERAL LAYERS OF MY SKIN OFF. IT WASN'T AN ATYPICAL ENTRANCE TO A VEHICLE, IN OTHER WORDS, I WASN'T FOOLING AROUND OR BEING INCAUTIOUS IN ANY WAY. I'VE NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE, BUT I DON'T WANT MORE PEOPLE TO GET ACCIDENTALLY CUT. THAT HARD PLASTIC DISK IS AS SHARP AS A KNIFE! *NLM

NHTSA ID
10010613
Incident
Mar 13, 2003

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .