RoadVitals

2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
175
Latest Apr 10, 2019
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Dec 17, 2007
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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.
7
4 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 175 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500, most frequently naming the brakes, electrical and body & structure categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 94 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

WHEELS:HUB

Dec 17, 2007
130,000 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS. THE INBOARD RETENTION NUT USED TO MAINTAIN HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY CAN LOOSEN RESULTING IN AN ABS LIGHT INDICATION, NOISE, AND/OR WHEEL SEPARATION.
The risk: WHEEL SEPARATION CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
FEDERAL-MOGUL CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

BrakesFuel system
Filed Apr 10, 2019

SUBPAR MATERIAL USED IN BRAKE/FUEL LINES THEY RUST PREMATURE

NHTSA ID
11195482
Incident
Apr 10, 2019
Mileage
190,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 24, 2018

MY ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK WHEN I START MY TRUCK. IT WILL OCCASIONALLY COME TO LIFE AFTER DRIVING A BIT OR SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. NO PATTERN AS TO WHEN, WHERE OR DRIVING CONDITIONS. STARTED A FEW MONTHS AGO WHERE IT WOULD ALWAYS WORK SHORTLY AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE,

NHTSA ID
11142362
Incident
Jul 1, 2018
Mileage
188,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 17, 2018

BRAKE LINES RUSTING. TWICE IN A MONTH THE BRAKES FAILED AFTER A HARD STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. LUCKY FOR ME & OTHERS THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME OR TRYING TO CROSS THE INTERSECTION. AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE HARD TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DID NOT STOP. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND THEREFORE THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT OF THE SYSTEM

NHTSA ID
11111983
Incident
Jul 13, 2018
Mileage
190,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 1, 2018

WITHOUT WARNING BRAKE LINE BLEW A HOLE AND NO BRAKES. NO WARNING AND TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES. SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON. NO HELP WITH THAT. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO PASS ON RIGHT SHOULDER THREW THE GRASS. ALMOST A THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENT. NEED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ADDRESSED AND TAKEN CARE OF. PEOPLE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN INJURED OR KILLED.

NHTSA ID
11099259
Incident
Jun 1, 2018
Mileage
242,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceFuel system
Filed Apr 6, 2018

TAMARA INFLATORS I'M LOOSING BRAKE FLUID AS I DRIVE I'M LEASING THE AUTOMOBILE FROM QUALITY AUTO ALSO THEY SAID IT'S OKAY TO STILL DRIVE THE CAR WITH A GAS IN THE TRUCK BUT IT'S SAYING NEEDS GAS I KEEP SMELLING GAS AFTER HE SAID IT PASSED ROAD INSPECTION TEST ! I'M VERY CONCERNED IT MORE WRONG IF I JAM OR PUMP THE BRAKES I CAN NOT STOP I'M IMMEDIATELY. IM UNSURE WHAT MY ACTUAL MILEAGE IS . THE SENSORS ARE NOT WORKING WHEN I WENT TO UNCLE ED'S OR EVEN OTHER AUTO SHOPS I DO HAVE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

NHTSA ID
11083689
Incident
Apr 6, 2018
BrakesFuel systemVisibility
Filed Apr 6, 2018

I JUST STARTED LEASING THE VEHICLE FROM QUALITY AUTO THAT SAYS THAT THE CAR IS ROAD READY BUT HAVE LOTS OF HAZARDOUS THINGS TO IT A VERY BAD GAS LEAK THAT THERE TAKING THERE TIME TO FIX AND MY HOOD OF MY CAR WON'T STAY DOWN ...IT'S 7 DAYS INTO MY CAR LEASE AND THERE PROMISES HAVE BEEN BROKEN AND WON'T TRADE ME ANOTHER CAR .

NHTSA ID
11083684
Incident
Mar 30, 2018
Mileage
170,630 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 19, 2018

BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING MY HOUSE WHILE DRIVING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY. THE BRAKES WERE WORKING FINE WHEN I STARTED THE TRUCK AND COMPLETED A 3 POINT TURN TO TURN THE VEHICLE AROUND IN MY DRIVEWAY. AS I STARTED GOING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY AND WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN THAT'S WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING SLOW, UNDER 15 MPH, WHEN I EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE: THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE BARELY SLOWED DOWN. I STARTED TO PUMP THE BRAKES WHICH DID SLOW THE VEHICLE SOME AND I ALSO EMPLOYED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHICH ENABLED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. HAD I BEEN IN TRAFFIC, AND NOT JUST IN MY DRIVEWAY, I MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AS I HAD VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER STOPPING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENED. THE ISSUE WAS DUE TO A RUSTED REAR BRAKE LINE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE SINGLE BRAKE LINE FEEDING BOTH OF THE REAR BRAKES HAD BURST IN THE VICINITY UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. THE BRAKE LINE BURST WHILE I WAS GOING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY AS EVIDENCED BY THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID SPAYED ONTO MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I FIRST ATTEMPTED TO APPLY MY BRAKES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND AT EACH POINT WHERE I PUMPED THE BRAKES. I WAS SHOCKED THAT A SINGLE BRAKE LINE BURSTING WOULD LEAVE MY ENTIRE VEHICLE WITHOUT BRAKES. WHY IS THERE A FRONT AND REAR RESERVOIR IF THEY DON'T MATTER? THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST A SAFETY ALERT ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL DANGER SO I WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO WATCH FOR THIS OBVIOUS SAFETY FLAW ON MY CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. AFTER INSPECTING THE REST OF MY BRAKE LINES I HAVE FOUND THAT 100% OF ALL MY BRAKE LINES ARE SEVERELY RUSTED AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP NEAR MY HOUSE HAS ALREADY QUOTED ME A REPAIR ESTIMATE OF $2,100 OVER THE PHONE, BUT WILL NEED TO SEE THE VEHICLE FIRST TO BE MORE PRECISE IN THEIR ESTIMATE.

NHTSA ID
11063827
Incident
Jan 19, 2018
Mileage
168,651 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 11, 2017

DURING COLD MONTHS ONLY VEHICLE HAS POWER SURGES WHENEVER DRIVING. INTERIOR LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS FLICKER CONSISTENTLY TO WHERE IT APPEARS I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS. THE HIGHER THE RPMS, FLICKERING IS MORE FREQUENT. APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE WITH NO SOLUTION OR RECALL. ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY TESTING OUT GOOD.

NHTSA ID
11053994
Incident
Nov 19, 2015
Mileage
170,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PIP5601C

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

23-NA-001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G Sunset Information.

03-06-01-023I

ENGINE

This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.

03-06-01-023H

ENGINE

This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.

PIT3271P

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.

General Communication

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Suburban 1500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026103052.6
2025271043.9
2024010
2023171137.6
2022000
2021101
2011802043.2
2010531035.3
2009550030.0
20081010240.3
20071900246.6
2006312045.9
2005941037.1
20041821036.7
2003Viewing1751037.8
20021201038.7
2001921045.8
2000671046.8
1999740038.2
1998140027.1
1997160032.3
1996900
1995800
1994900

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.