Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 301 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. 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.
Showing 1–25 of 301 · page 1 of 13
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 291,000 and at the time of inspection, it was discovered that the odometer was tampered with, and without disclosure of these modifications.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the contact noticed the trailer attached was moving from left to right independently, and the trailer detached from his vehicle. The contact mentioned that he lost control of the vehicle into a parallel position when another vehicle collided with his vehicle on the front left driver side, causing the contact to get T-Boned. The contact stated that he sustained three fracture injuries to his spine, three fractured ribs, bruise on his kidney. Medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The contact mentioned that both the trailer and vehicle were towed to a lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
The cluster of the speedometer
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD 0% OF MY BRAKES AND ALL THE BRAKE FLUID WAS GONE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE ALSO FAILED PRIOR TO THIS I PUT IN BRAKE FLUID AND IT ALL LEAKED OUT WITHIN A MATTER OF MOMENTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TOWING HIS DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE AT ABOUT 60 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE BEING TOWED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD AND LOWER BACK INJURY. THE FRONT PASSENGER (HIS DAUGHTER) SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY. THE TWO WENT TO THE DOCTOR THREE DAYS LATER. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT. THE VEHICLE BEING TOWED WAS DAMAGED AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE DAUGHTER'S DORM WHERE IT WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OTHER DRIVER'S INSURANCE DENIED ANY COMPENSATION TO THE CONTACT, STATING THAT THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE (THE VEHICLE TOWING THE DAMAGED VEHICLE) WAS NOT HIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 173,000.
LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, BRAKE LINE LEAKED ALL OF THE FLUID OUT, I DID NOT HAVE ANY BREAKS, AWFUL TIME TRYING TO STOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED, IT HAPPENS A LOT WITH SUBURBANS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLY TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH AN INDICATION TO REDUCE BRAKE POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, SHE COULD HEAR THE AIR AND A HUMMING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE REAR WINDSHIELD DETACHED COMPLETELY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 388,000.
SERVICE AIR BAG POPPED UP ON DISPLAY. NO DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE AND IT SHOWED UP ONE DAY BUT THEN IT WOULD GO OFF AFTER I STARTED DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT LOW SPEEDS. NEXT TIME I TURNED IT ON IT WASN'T ON THE DASH AT ALL. IT CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND THEN IT HAS NOT TURNED OFF AT ALL WHILE THE CAR IS ON. WAS NOT SURE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON IT BUT NONE WERE FOUND. IN THE PAST BOTH OF MY SUBARUS HAS THIS SAME SERVICE SIGN POP UP AND BOTH WERE RECALLED. *TR
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN OCTOBER 2019. IT HAS 180,000 MILES BUT IS IN GOOD OVERALL CONDITION. THE PROBLEM IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO THIS VEHICLE OR EVEN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. THE ISSUE IS RUSTY HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES. THIS PROBLEM HAS PLAGUED OLDER VEHICLE OWNERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE RUST BELT MIDWEST, SINCE HYDRAULIC BRAKES WERE INVENTED. SOME CONSCIENTIOUS MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS VOLVO, HAVE SWITCHED TO A BRAKE LINE MATERIAL CALLED CUNIFER OR NICOPP, A COPPER NICKEL ALLOY C70600. THIS MATERIAL PERFORMS LIKE CONVENTIONAL STEEL LINES BUT WITHOUT THE CORROSION PROBLEM. I AM A ASE CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN,AND HAVE BEEN REPAIRING VEHICLES AS WELL AS RESTORING CARS AS A HOBBY FOR WELL OVER 50 YEARS. OVER THIS TIME PERIOD I HAVE BLOWN MANY BRAKE LINES. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY IN THAT IT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME IN AN EMERGENCY STOP WHERE DAMAGE AND OR SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED EARLY IN THE MORNING AT A STOP SIGN IN MY RESIDENTIAL AREA. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE AROUND. I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TURN AROUND AND SLOWLY MOVE BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY. SINCE MODERN VEHICLES ARE LASTING LONGER AND DO TO NEW VEHICLE COSTS MOTORISTS ARE KEEPING THEIR CARS LONGER. THE BASIC AMERICAN VEHICLES BRAKE LINES HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH IN THE LAST 50 YEARS,OTHER THAN SOME CHEAP ATTEMPTS AT EXTERNAL COATINGS. WHY NOT MANDATE ALL MANUFACTURERS USE THE VASTLY BETTER COPPER NICKEL LINES. IT WOULD DEFINITELY SAVE LIVES AND INJURIES NOT TO MENTION COSTLY VEHICLE DAMAGE.
SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON.I JUST PURCHASED THE SUBURBAN.
WHILE SITTING AT THE MAILBOX CHECKING MAIL AND PRESSING ON THE BRAKES FIRMLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED RED REPEATEDLY SAYING TO CHECK THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE PLACE. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ENOUGH BRAKING ABILITY LEFT TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY. ALSO, I AM THANKFUL THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY.
RE: "G.M. RESISTS RECALLING TRUCKS OVER BRAKE LINES", NY TIMES, JULY 7, 2014 IN SPITE OF MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN PASSING NEW HAMPSHIRE'S MANDATORY SAFETY INSPECTION IN MAY OF 2018, IN AUGUST OF 2018 A BRAKE LINE BURST, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FUNCTION. THE LINE BURST AT A POINT BELOW THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND JUST FORWARD OF THE ABS MODULATOR, WHERE THE LINES CROSS OVER THE TOP OF THE FRAME AND ARE EXPOSED TO WHEEL SPRAY. AT THE POINT OF FAILURE, THE LINES ARE OVERLAID AND OBSCURED BY A LARGE BUNDLE OF ELECTRIC WIRES. THE ATTACHED PHOTO SHOWS THE FAILURE POINT, WITH THE SHEATHED WIRE BUNDLE MOVED UP OUT OF THE WAY. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 167500. WITH REGARD TO THE NHTSA DETERMINATION NOT TO RECALL "ALMOST 1.8 MILLION FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FROM THE 1999 TO 2003 MODEL YEARS FOR CORROSION-RELATED BRAKE FAILURES", AS SUMMARIZED IN THE 7/7/14 NY TIMES ARTICLE, DOES NHTSA'S DECISION TO ABSOLVE GM OF RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS ISSUE ALSO ABSOLVE NHTSA AND/OR GM OF RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY OWNERS THAT THEY ARE IN GRAVE DANGER IF THEY ARE STILL OPERATING THEIR VEHICLES WITH THE ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES? NHTSA SHOULD KNOW FROM THEIR OWN RECORDS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES ARE STILL ON THE ROAD. I KNOW BECAUSE I SEE THEM EVERY DAY. AS FOR GM'S EXCUSES: '"G.M. HAS RESISTED RECALLING THE PICKUPS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, TELLING REGULATORS THAT RUSTED BRAKE LINES ARE A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ISSUE." OBRAKE LINES ARE NOT A MOVING PART. HOW ARE THEY "MAINTAINED"? I HAVE MORE TO SAY, BUT YOU ARE LIMITING ME. *TR
MY COMPLAINT IS THAT GM USED SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS IN OF ALL THINGS THE BRAKE LINES! I LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY WHEN ONE OF MY BRAKE LINES BLEW DUE TO RUST. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? I SHOULD HAVE HAD AT LEAST PARTIAL BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO THE FRONT AND REAR LINES BEING SEPARATE. LUCKILY FOR ME THIS HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE MY FAMILIES THANKSGIVING TRIP, OR ELSE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING 70 ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED! PLEASE DON'T LET GM GET AWAY WITH THIS!
BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND LEAKING. BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR BRAKES LEAKING ON DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT AS FAR BACK AS REAR DOOR LATCH, ABOUT HALF WAY BACK OF THE GAS TANK. BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR WITH MINIMAL STOPPING ABILITY AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS.
THIS TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH A SUPPLIMENTAL VACUUM PUMP ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER, WHEN IT FAILS BRAKING IS REDUCED BY 50%. THE PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY CHEVY WITH NO PLANS FOR A REPLACEMENT. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN 3 SHOPS COMPLAINING OF POOR BRAKES, AND FINALLY THERES A SOLUTION. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO, SCRAP OUT A $10,000 VEHICLE ? IM SURE THIS HIDDEN PROBLEM HAS CAUSED A MANY ACCIDENTS THAT COULD OF BEEN AVOIDED.
I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME STOPPING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY. PEDAL WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ABS NEVER ACTIVATES BECAUSE WHEELS WILL NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO LOCK UP. (EXCEPT IN SNOW OR ICE) WHEN SITTING STILL PEDAL WILL PUSH ENTIRELY TO THE FLOOR. HAVE REPLACED ALL BRAKES AND ROTORS AND FRONT CALIPERS AND MASTER CYLINDER. SEEMS TO HAVE ALL THE SYMTOMS OF CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V045000, BUT WHEN I ENTER MY VIN NUMBER, THAT RECALL DOES NOT COME UP. I REARENDED SOMEONE ABOUT A YEAR AGO ( NO DAMAGE) SINCE THEN I MAKE SURE TO LEAVE ABOUT 150 FEET BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. AT VARIOUS TIMES, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 225,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INADVERTENTLY DISABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 02/14/17*LJ CONSUMER STATED TECHOMETER, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS OFFER LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. UPDATED 7/16/18*JB
SATURDAY, I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 TO 50 MPH ON A SPLIT TWO LANE ROAD TO PICK UP MY GRANDCHILDREN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY INSTRUMENT PANEL STOPPED WORKING. ALL GAUGES WENT TO 0. THERE WAS NO DIGITAL READINGS EITHER. IT JUST WENT DEAD. PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, NOTHING CHANGED. PLUGGED MY GARMIN GPS IN FOR MY SPEED GUIDE AND FILLED MY GAS TANK SO I KNEW THAT IT WAS FULL. CALLED MECHANIC TO BRING VEHICLE IN FOR HIM TO CHECK OUT ON TUESDAY. TUESDAY, (TODAY) ON MY WAY TO WORK, DRIVING ON 4 LANE INTERSTATE, 60 TO 70 MPH, ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL OF THE GAUGES AND DIGITAL READINGS CAME ON AND BEGAN WORKING CORRECTLY. I STILL TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, HE STATED THAT HE WILL LOOK AT IT AND CALL ME LATER. I DEPEND ON MY CAR, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. I CAN NOT JUST GO OUT AND BUY A NEW ONE EVERY TIME SOMETHING GOES WRONG. I PRAY THAT THIS DOES NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I TRANSPORT MY GRANDCHILDREN AND WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. I AM A SAFETY DIRECTOR AND SAFETY IS VERY PASSIONATE TO ME. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I LOVE MY SUBURBAN AND PLAN ON PURCHASING ANOTHER ONE SOME DAY. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY DEPENDABLE VEHICLE BUT THIS ISSUE HAS ME SPOOKED. *TR
WHILE SLOWING FROM 55MPH TO MAKE A TURN OFF OF STATE HIGHWAY, BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH DUE TO RUPTURED STEEL LINE. PEDAL WENT FULLY TO FLOOR, BRAKES RELEASED AND TURN OFF WAS MISSED. THANKFUL NOBODY WAS IN THE WAY! SHOCKED THAT THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AT JUST 13YRS AND 150K MILES!!
VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED GOING INTO REDUCED POWER MODE AND PROVIDING AN ERROR CODE INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE CONTROL SENSOR. FROM THE HUNDREDS OF ONLINE POSTS (SOME BY GM MECHANICS) THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MANY 2003-2008 TRUCKS AND SUVS MADE BY GM. WHEN I BEGAN TRYING TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM MYSELF, I FOUND OUT FROM MY LOCAL CHEVY PARTS DEPARTMENT THAT "THEY CAN NOT KEEP THESE THROTTLE CONTROL ASSEMBLIES IN STOCK BECAUSE WE ARE REPLACING SO MANY OF THEM..." THERE SEEMS TO BE A KNOW PROBLEM THAT GM IS NOT ADEQUATELY BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY, LOCAL STREETS AND AT STARTUP. THIS BECOMES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES INTO REDUCED POWER MODE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN TRAFFIC.
WHILE DRIVING WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS AND HUSBAND, WE ATTEMPTED TO COME TO A STOP AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. LUCKILY WE WERE NOT GOING THAT FAST JUST 20 MPH. HUSBAND DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM, NO BRAKE FLUID. DROVE VERY SLOWLY TO LOCAL AUTO STORE, FILLED UP BRAKE FLUID. NO CHANGE IN BRAKES. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY HOME WITH HAZARDS ON. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC, UPON INSPECTION, BRAKES LINES COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT! ENTIRE BRAKE LINE TO BE REPLACED, OVER 2000.00 JOB!
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!!!
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.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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