2007 Chevrolet Express 3500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2007 Chevrolet Express 3500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system433.3%
- Seat belts216.7%
- Driver assistance18.3%
- Electrical18.3%
- Other / unspecified18.3%
- Airbags18.3%
- Transmission18.3%
- Body & structure18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE MISFIRED AND STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS SEVERELY RUSTED DUE TO A FUEL TANK LEAK, AND BOTH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A VERY STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT, WHICH WAS NOTICED APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER (RAYMOND CHEVROLET IN ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS) WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING A YEAR AND A HALF AGO; HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
I OWN 4 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500'S AND TWO OF THE FOUR HAVE LEAKING GAS TANKS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT COULD NOT BE PULLED BACK OUT AFTER IT RETRACTED. HIS WIFE COULD NOT MOVE WHILE STRAPPED IN THE SEAT BELT. THERE WAS NO ROOM IN THE SEAT BELT; THEREFORE, SHE HAD TO RIDE IN THE VEHICLE WITHOUT BEING RESTRAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DEALERS WITH OPPOSING OPINIONS. ONE DEALER STATED THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO PULL THE SEAT BELT OUT AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE "PLAY IN IT" AFTERWARDS. THE OTHER DEALER STATED THAT HE COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND THAT HE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE "PLAY IN THE SEAT BELT". THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000. UPDATED 11/6/08 *CN UPDATED 11/10/08.*JB
I TOOK MY 2007 CHEVY EXPRESS 15 PASSENGER VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING TO HAVE "STRONGER" TETHERS INSTALLED, ALSO ADDITIONAL TETHERS INSTALLED. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER TETHERS THAT COULD BE INSTALLED. ALSO, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING STRONGER THAN WHAT IS ALREADY IN OUR VEHICLE. FROM EVERYTHING I HAVE READ THE VEHICLE INSTALLED TETHERS ONLY HOLD UP TO 48 LBS. OUR CARSEAT ALONE IS 30 LBS AND MY TWO CHILDREN ARE 40 AND 30 LBS EACH. THAT TELLS ME THAT NEITHER OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE SAFE WITH THE TETHER SYSTEM IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH IN OUR VEHICLE. NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER BABY ON THE WAY AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THERE IS NO WAY TO INSTALL ANOTHER TETHER SYSTEM INTO OUR VAN. HOW DO YOU PICK WHICH CHILDREN ARE PROTECTED FROM BEING THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE AND WHICH ONES ARE NOT? I HAVE READ OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT YOU SHOULD "CONTACT THE DEALER FOR HELP WITH TETHERS" AND MY DEALER ACTED LIKE HE DID NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY WERE. HELP! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM HAS BEGUN TO ACTUATE INTERMITTENTLY UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE IMPROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY AN ALARM AND FLASHING ABS WARNING LIGHT WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN DECEMBER OF 2006. THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONED CORRECTLY FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF SERVICE AND THEN FAILED IN FEBRUARY OF 2009 WITHOUT WARNING. THE SYSTEM WILL ACTUATE EITHER WHILE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE OR MAKING TURNS ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE SEVERITY OF THE EVENT VARIES. SOMETIMES THE SYSTEM IS BRIEFLY ENGAGED WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION TO THE VEHICLE DYNAMICS. AT OTHER TIMES, THE BRAKING IS APPLIED AGGRESSIVELY AND THE THROTTLE IS FULLY ATTENUATED. THIS CAN RESULT IN VARIOUS DANGEROUS BEHAVIORS SUCH AS VIOLENT LURCHING OF THE VEHICLE PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT, LOSS OF POWER MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY, SIGNIFICANT SLOWING OF THE VEHICLE BELOW LEGAL SPEEDS WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SURFACE ROAD OR FREEWAY AND COMPLETELY STOPPING IN INTERSECTIONS WHEN EITHER TURNING OR PROCEEDING ACROSS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED THREE TIMES BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WITHOUT RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED THAT THEY ONLY READ A GENERAL FAULT CODE SO THEY UNDID AND RESECURED THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS TO THE ABS WHEEL SENSORS AND RESET THE FAULT CODES. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED A SENSOR. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE THIRD TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE CONTROL MODULE BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL JUST AS BAD. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT HAS MADE THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO USE. I AM AFRAID TO LET MY WIFE OR SON DRIVE IT ANYMORE. WHEN PULLING OUT OF OUR SUBDIVISION OR MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN IN AN INTERSECTION, I CANNOT BE CERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE IS GOING STOP UNEXPECTEDLY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DRIVERS WINDOW BUTTONS CAUGHT FIRE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAFETY HANDLE ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS USED TO ASSIST PASSENGERS ENTERING THE VEHICLE, LOOSENED FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES, BUT THE BAR DID NOT FULLY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,000. UPDATED 07/15/08 *BF UPDATED 07/15/08
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER BLACKED OUT AND VAN WENT DOWN 20FT EMBANKMENT AND HIT TREE AT APROX 40-45 MPH. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
I GOT AN HUGE BANG AND JERK WHEN STARTING OFF FROM A STAND STILL. THE 2007 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 WITH 6 LITRE ENGINE, ONLY HAD JUST 30,112 KM ON IT WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED TO HAPPEN. IT HAS NOT BEEN HEAVILY USED. NO TOWING OR HEAVY LOADS. IT CURRENTLY HAS 34088 KM ON THE TRUCK AND NOW DOES THE BANG AND JERK ALMOST EVERY TIME YOU START FROM A STAND STILL. RIGHT AFTER THAT FIRST TIME A RED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON. I BOUGHT AN INNOVA 3030 TO CHECK THE ERROR CODE. THE ERROR CODE WAS P0894 - I DID A SEARCH ON A SITE AND FOUND A NHTSA: ACTION NUMBER: 10021019 SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 222381 FOR THIS CONDITION - SLIP CONDITION IN 2ND, 3RD, OR 4TH. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAFETY HANDLE ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS USED TO ASSIST PASSENGERS ENTERING THE VEHICLE, LOOSENED FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES, BUT THE BAR DID NOT FULLY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,000. UPDATED 07/15/08 *BF UPDATED 07/15/08
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .