RoadVitals

2003 Chevrolet Suburban Seat belts Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Seat belts reportsComplaints 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 Feb 4, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 301 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
9

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming seat belt

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

AirbagsBody & structureSeat belts
Filed Feb 4, 2010
Crash reported4 injuries reported

2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN 4WD ROLLOVER RESULTING IN ROOF COMPACTING AND SEAT BELTS FAILING, 3 MAJOR INJURIES;: ALL WEARING SEATBELTS: DRIVER: ROAD BURN, CUT'S, BRUISES, BROKEN RIB. FRONT PASSENGER: SEVERE, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, C2, STAGE 3 SPINAL FRACTURE. WINDOW'S BROKE OUT & CAR LANDED ON RIGHT ARM RESULTING IN ELBOW DISLOCATION, FRACTURE AND MUSCLES TORN FROM THE BONE; BROKEN RIB. 2ND SEAT PASSENGER: 1/2 THROWN OUT OF THE CAR SUSTAINING 3 SPINAL FXS, RIB FX., SCAPULA FX. AND ROAD BURN. 3RD SEAT PASSENGER: THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE INTO THE FAST LANE ON ONCOMING TRAFFIC. SUSTAINING HEAD INJURY, BILATERAL COLLARBONE FRACTURE'S, SCAPULA FX. AND ROAD BURN. CHEVY SUBURBAN'S CANNOT WITHSTAND A ROLLOVER AND CHEVY WAS AWARE OF THIS. WE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A COURT TRIAL. IMPEACH OBAMA OBAMA & HIS CIRCUS FOR DEFYING OUR U.S. CONSTITUTION! *TR

NHTSA ID
10304978
Incident
May 13, 2007
AirbagsDriver assistanceSeat belts
Filed Feb 27, 2008
Crash reported4 injuries reported

VEHICLE: 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN CRASH: AS VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN TO AN APPROACHING INTERSECTION WITH A STOP SIGN (IN A NEIGHBORHOOD) SPEED LIMIT APPROX 25, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO HIGH RATE OF SPEED (CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED) CAUSING DRIVER LOSS OF CONTROL, VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD HITTING A MAILBOX, TELEPHONE POLE AND FINAL IMPACT (T-BONED) WITH A PARKED FORD F150 EXTRA CAB PICKUP TRUCK SITTING IN A DRIVEWAY WITH A LAWN TRAILER ATTACHED. SUBURBAN ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AFTER IMPACT PUSHING BOTH VEHICLES (AND THE TRAILER) APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET. NO AIR-BAG DEPLOYMENTS EVEN THOUGH FRONT BUMPER WAS IN THE INTERIOR OF THE PICKUP TRUCK AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK OR HOLD. BOTH VEHICLES TOTAL LOSS INJURIES: ALL 4 PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES DRIVER - BROKEN NOSE FROM MIRROR KNOCKED INTO THE VEHICLE FROM IMPACT WITH TELEPHONE POLE, SEVERE CHEST/ABDOMEN BRUISING CONTACT WITH STEERING WHEEL, MULTIPLE CUTS AND ABRASIONS FROM FLYING DEBRIS & GLASS. PASSENGER BACK LEFT - CUTS & ABRASIONS FROM GLASS & DEBRIS AND BRUISING FRONT PASSENGER - DEEP TISSUE/BONE BRUISING ON BOTH LEGS,AND RIGHT KNEE, BRUISING ON BOTH ARMS AND CHEST. PASSENGER BACK RIGHT - BRUISING ON KNEES AND FEET. *TR

NHTSA ID
10219340
Incident
Feb 6, 2008
Mileage
121,176 mi
BrakesSeat belts
Filed Apr 30, 2007

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLES REGARDLESS OF THE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ROTORS WERE CORRODED AT 13,000 MILES AND REPLACED THEM. THE FAILURE REPEATED ITSELF AT 18,000 MILES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,000. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR DEFECT REPAIRS AND ANY FUTURE REPAIRS DUE TO THE DEFECT. THE DEALER STATED RECALL ON SEATBELTS. UPDATED 06/26/07 *TR

NHTSA ID
10189285
Incident
Aug 12, 2005
Mileage
13,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Mar 12, 2006

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED ON MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN LT. FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN OCT 2003 UNTIL THE SEAT BELT FINALLY OUTRIGHT FAILED, I NOTICED SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE SEAT BELT TENSION LOCKING MECHANISM WOULD APPARENTLY JAM AND EITHER NOT RELEASE FOR PROPER ADJUSTMENT, OR FAIL TO ENGAGE AND TAKE UP EXTRA BELT SLACK. THIS SEEMED TO SELF CORRECT FOR SHORT PERIODS BEFORE RE-EMERGING. FINALLY, THE TENSION MECHANISM STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THIS LEFT MY SEAT BELT TOTALLY LIMP AND USELESS WITH NO SPRING-LIKE FUNCTION TO TAKE-UP THE EXCESS BELT PORTION AND UNABLE TO PROPERLY TIGHTEN AND SECURE THE DRIVER IN PLACE. I CALLED MY CHEV DEALERSHIP AND EXPRESSED MY DESIRE TO HAVE THIS FIXED IMMEDIATELY AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY ARGUED WITH ME AS TO WHETHER THE SYMPTOM I DESCRIBED WAS ACTUALLY A PROBLEM OR NOT AND INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER PARTS. APPROX. 10 DAYS LATER THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT I COULD BRING IT IN FOR REPAIR, BUT THAT THEY WOULD ASSESS CAREFULLY IF ACTUALLY A WARRANTY ITEM OR NOT. UPON BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN, THE CHEV DEALERSHIP MECHANIC DECIDED THAT YES - THEY WOULD FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. THE REPAIR HOWEVER, WAS QUITE LENGTHY IN TIME AND INVOLVED THREE CHEV MECHANICS WHO WORKED IN GRETA FRUSTRATION AND CONFUSION AS TO HOW TO REPLACE THE BELT AND TENSION DEVICE AS THEY HAD LITTLE EXPERIENCE OR KNOWLEDGE IN HOW TO ACTUALLY INSTALL THE NEW PART. I GOT THE DISTINCT IMPRESSION THAT A PROPER TECH SUPPORT MANUAL WAS EITHER LACKING OR THEY SIMPLY CHOSE NOT TO FOLLOW IT VERY WELL. REGARDLESS, SOME THEE HOURS LATER THEY DEEMED THE BELT FIXED - AND TO THEIR CREDIT, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. IN HINDSIGHT, I'M NOT SURE HOW FREQUENT THIS PARTICULAR SAFETY FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IN 2003 CHEV SUBURBANS, BUT I DECIDED TO MAKE IT A MATTER OF RECORD IN CASE CHEV NEEDS TO BETTER ADDRESS HOW DEALERSHIP MECHANICS SHOULD RESPOND TO SIMILAR CRITICAL SAFETY REPAIRS IN THE FUTURE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10152512
Incident
Oct 1, 2005
Mileage
23,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 2, 2005

MY 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS BUCKLED INTO THE SEAT BELT, HE WAS PLAYING WITH THE SEAT BELT PUT HIS LEGS THROUGH THE SEAT BELT, HE UNBUCKLED THE SEAT BELT TO UNTANGLE AND REBUCKLE, WHEN HE UNFASTENED THE SEAT BELT THE SLACK WENT BACK INTO THE HOLDER, THE SEAT BELT BEING LOCKED WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL IT WAS COMPLETELY RELEASED , THERE WAS NO WAY TO RELEASE COMPLETELY SINCE IT WAS AROUND HIS WAIST AND NO WAY FOR HIM TO GET OUT, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH SLACK FOR HIM TO MOVE, AS OUR FINGERS WOULD NOT EVEN FIT IN BETWEEN THE SEAT BELT AND HIS WAIST. WE HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT TO GET HIM OUT. ****THERE NEEDS TO BE A RELEASE BUTTON SO THAT THE SEAT BELTS RELEASE IF THIS OCCURS AGAIN.***** *JB

NHTSA ID
10131131
Incident
Jul 29, 2005
ElectricalSeat belts
Filed Sep 23, 2003
1 injury reported

SEAT BELT STRAPS IN THE DRIVER'S AND MIDDLE SEAT IN THE SECOND ROW BECOME TIGHT TO THE POINT THAT THE PASSENGER MUST UNBUCKLE THE SEAT BELT AND REATTACH AS THE RIDE PROGRESSES. ALSO, THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT HAS RELEASED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASSIONS SENDING MY DAUGHTER FLYING TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IN HER CAR SEAT ON HARD BRAKING. SECOND, THE AUDIO CONTROLS BEHIND THE CENTER CONSOLE BECOME EXTREMELY HOT, EVEN MORE SO WHEN THEY ARE IN USE.

NHTSA ID
10039401
Incident
Aug 1, 2003
Mileage
9,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jul 23, 2003

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELT BUCKLE. IF TAPPING ON THE BUCKLE IT WILL RELEASE THE SEAT BELT. MANUFACTURER WON'T DO ANY THING ABOUT IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10030001
Seat belts
Filed Jul 3, 2003

CONSUMER STATED THAT SEAT BELT WILL LOCK UP BEFORE BRAKING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10026548
Incident
Jun 26, 2003
Seat belts
Filed May 12, 2003

THE REAR SEAT BELT LOCKED AND HAD TO BE CUT TO RELEASE A CHILD FROM THE SEAT BELT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10019660
Seat belts
Filed Jan 22, 2003

THE MIDDLE POSITION IN THE 2ND ROW OF SEATS IN A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Z71 IS UNSAFE FOR A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. THERE IS A LEATHER LOOP (INTENDED TO HOLD THE SHOULDER BELT IN PLACE WHEN NOT IN USE) THAT ALTERS THE PATH OF THE SEAT BELT WHEN THE CHILD SEAT IS INSTALLED. OVERTIME THROUGH WEAR AND TEAR OR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THIS LEATHER STRAP MAY BREAK. THIS WOULD INTRODUCE MORE SLACK IN THE BELT AND MAKE THE SEAT UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID
10003201
Incident
Jan 2, 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .