Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 GMC S Utility submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILURE. MECHANIC SAYS IN 25 YEARS HE HAS NEVER SEEN AS MANY FAILURES AS IN THESE MODELS,AS IT IS USUALLY VERY RARE FOR THEM TO FAIL. IN RESEARCHING ON LINE I HAVE FOUND IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN '03 THROUGH '08 MODEL GMC ENVOYS AND CHEVY TRAILBLAZERS. *TR
I RECENTLY HAD $2,900 WORTH OF REPAIRS DONE TO MY 2002 FORD ESCAPE XLT IN JULY. MY VEHICLE WAS BUCKING AND ALMOST STALLED WHEN I PULLED INTO THE NEAREST SERVICE CENTER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS CLOGGED CAT CONVERTERS. THE CAR HAS THREE SETS OF THEM. THIS IS THE EFFECT OF THE CAUSE WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS FAULTY OXYGEN SENSORS AS WELL AS BAD SPARK PLUGS. AT THE END OF SEPT THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING WELL AND I WENT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO SAID THE EGR VALVE WAS BLOWN AND THEIR WAS BROKEN BOLTS WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS REPLACING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I WAS FURIOUS AND PROCEEDED TO RETURN TO THE MERRICK BELLMORE SERVICE CENTER. HE TOLD ME IF THE PROBLEM WAS ON HIS END THAT HE WILL TAKE CARE OF IT AND THEN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATS WHERE CLOGGED AGAIN. HE DIDN'T PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE CATS GETTING CLOGGED THE FIRST TIME. THE MECHANIC HAS SINCE REPLACED THREE SETS OF CAT CONVERTERS AND HE HAS A BILL FOR $1600 AND HAS HAD MY CAR AT HIS SHOP FOR TWO MONTHS NOW. THE SHOP IS "TRYING" TO GET FORD TO PAY FOR THE EXHAUST PARTS. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO SPEAK WITH THE OWNERS OF THIS SERVICE STATION TO NO AVAIL (THE CLERKS TELL ME 5 DIFFERENT SET OF NAMES AS TO WHO IS THE OWNER) ALL I WANT IS MY CAR BACK AND LET THIS SERVICE STATION "EAT" THIS CURRENT BILL DUE TO THE FACT THAT ON THE BILL THAT I PAID IN JULY THE WARRANTY ON PARTS IS ONE YEAR OR $12,000 MILES. I AM FRUSTRATED, ANGRY AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN. *TR
FIRST THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE DEALER REPLACED A BELT FOR 200.00. SECONDLY THE GAS GAUGE STOPPED READING FUEL LEVELS, DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR WAS DEAD AND WOULD COST 300.00 TO REPLACE. NEXT THE ENGINE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TURN OVER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON. ALSO THEY HAD A SUNROOF INSTALLED FOR ME. A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE THE SUNROOF STARTED TO OPEN AND CLOSE EVEN WHEN THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF, IT WAS REPAIRED BUT NOW I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. *NM
VEHICLE HAD AN ENGINE MISS FIRE THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD. MISS. RETURNED SHORTLY AFTER REPAIRS. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO MISS. VEHICLE FILLED UP WITH WATER DURING A RAINSTORM. ALL INTERIOR HAD TO BE REMOVED AND DRIED OUT. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED THAT REQUIRED FOUR BATTERIES OVER 12 MONTHS. DEALER STATED IT WAS MY PROBLEM, BECAUSE I HAD A SMALL INVERTER FOR COMPUTER. SOLD THE VEHICLE TO THE HUMMER DEALER AT A LOSS OF $15,000. HUMMER REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE AFTER FIRST STATING THEY WOULD. *JB
WE HAD PURCHASE A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTE FE ON 07/05/05 MOTOR WAY AUTO GROUP. THE CAR STARTED TO RIDE ROUGH. SO WE TOOK IT TO OUR REPAIR GUY, AT THIS TIME WE THOUGH IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. BEFORE HE COULD CHECK ANYTHING I TOOK MY CAR HOME AND IT JUST STOPPED AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. AT THIS TIME HE CHANGE THE CRANKSHAFT ASSEMBLY-WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT. A LOT OF COSTLY REPAIRS. HE TOLD US THAT IT IS RARE THAT ALL THOSE SENSORS WENT BAD AT ONE TIME. SO I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT SYSTEM AND I GOT THIS REPORT. HOW DO I GO BY GETTING MY CAR FIX RIGHT.*JB
PURCHASED MY SATURN VUE USED IN MARCH 2005...AT THAT TIME I HAD 6K MILES LEFT ON THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY...IN JUNE 2005 TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP TO TAKE CARE OF ALL NORMAL ISSUES & GET A MAINT CHECKUP...AT THAT TIME THEY REPLACED THE RESISTOR- ENGINE COOLING FAN (DUE TO BLOWING HOT AIR WHEN AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON), HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY COMPOSITE ON FRONT LEFT (CRACKED WHERE BOLTED TO FRAME), OBD SYSTEM UPGRADE (RECALL), REPLACEMENT OF REAR LATERAL LINK ASSEMBLY (RECALL), AND LAST THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE WAS REPLACED/ADJUSTED & LUBED DUE TO GOING BAD - AT THAT TIME THEY NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME THAT THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED 3X'S SINCE JAN 2003. ON DEC 24TH @ 10:00AM...MY ENTIRE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY FAILED AND LEFT ME STRANDED...THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM...DUE TO ME BEING 5,000 OVER MY WARRANTY...THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPLACE IT...APPROX COST OF $450. I WENT DIRECTLY OVER TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP....FORT WAYNE, IN SATURN...A SERVICE CONSULTANT PULLED UP THE HISTORY OF MY VUE AND DISPLAYED TO ME THAT THE GEAR SHIFT HAD BEEN WORKED ON 4 OTHER TIMES...HIS SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF IT DUE TO THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED & IT WAS NOT HIS FAULT...I CALLED SATURN'S CORPORATE OFFICE INFORMED THEM OF THE ISSUE...THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD GET IT TAKEN CARE OF WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED...WAITING TO SEE WHAT IS DONE...MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP....AS FOR THE SERVICE MANAGER @ FW, IN SATURN DEALERSHIP...I HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW HE TREATS CUSTOMERS FROM FRIENDS THAT ARE ALSO SATURN OWNERS... 8JB
MY BOYFRIEND(MARIO DIEGO) AND I (CARMENIA) PURCHASED A 1998 CHEVY TAHOE. FROM BROOKS MOTOR COMPANY ON APRIL 1,2005. FROM APRIL 1 TO JUNE 29,2005. THE TAHOE HAD TO BE RETURNED TO BROOKS MOTOR SERVICE CENTER 8 TO 9 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR REPAIRS. NOW MY CAR REAR END HAS BROKE AND NOT DRIVABLE. *JB
LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. COULD SMELL BURNING COOLANT TURNS OUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK. PAID $900 IN REPAIRS. CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND THE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING AT THIS TIME. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THIS HAPPENED AT 71,000 MILES. *JB
DAY OF PURCHASE, MAJOR ENGINE FAILURES REPLACEMENT OF NEARLY EVERYTHING THEN SOME. CONTINUES TO ARC ELECTRICAL SPARKS UNDER THE HOOD. ELECTRICAL SHORTING OF ALL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE VAN INTERNAL ENGINE ISSUES NOT CORRECTABLE JUST BANDAIDING FUEL ISSUES WITH OIL COOLANT AND ARCING CONSTITUTES A FIRE AND POSSIBLY DEATH. I HAVE ALL SERVICED REPAIR DOCUMENTS IF ONE SHOULD NEED TO VIEW THEM. *NM
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT COULDN'T DRIVE-REPAIRED/ REAR WINDOW WON'T ROLL-UP/SEATBELT WON'T RETRACT, LATER FIXED, BUT STILL WON'T WORK ON OCCASION/ BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT 5+ TIMES REPAIRED STILL NOT OPERATIONAL/ WATER PUMP EXPLODED/REAR WINDOW WON'T LOCK FIRST TRY/ CHECK ENGINE LLIGHT STAYS ON. *AK
1995 GMC JIMMY SLS 4 DOOR 4WD VORTEC 4.3 L V6. WE HAVE HAD THIS THING FOR 7 YEARS AND NOTHING I HAVE EVER OWNED HAS TAUGHT ME MORE ABOUT BEING A "SHADETREE" MECHANIC! THE LIST IS AS FOLLOWS, BREAK BOOSTER REPLACED 2 TIMES. EGR VALVE REPLACED 3 TIMES. FRONT BRAKES REPLACED AT LEAST 12 TIMES (THEY FAIL EVERY 1500 TO 1800 MILES!) BACK HATCH WONT OPEN. BOTH SET OF WIPERS, FRONT AND BACK DO NOT WORK( SAFETY ISSUE!) ENGINE OVERHEATS. WATER PUMP REPLACED 2 TIMES. THERMOSTAT REPLACED 3 TIMES. LIGHTS FLICKER AS IF THE ALTENATOR IS GOING BAD,(RESULTING IN POLICE ASKING ME TO CHECK INTO THIS.) BATTERY REPLACED 4 TIMES (AVERAGE LIFE OF NEW BATTERY, 4 YEARS!) TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD WHEN ENGINE IS COOL/ HOT! STARTING TO SEE RUST IN TRANS, DIPSTICK. SOMETIMES CANT SHIFT FROM 2 WD TO 4 WD AND WHEN ABLE, TRANSFER CASE MAKES CLICKING SOUND. THIS IS NOT A PHONY COMPLAINT! I NEED HELP WITH THIS AS I NEVER SEE A RECALL, WARRANTY IS OUT AND I CANT AFFORD TO TAKE IT IN. I DON'T THINK I LEFT ANY THING OUT, BUT IM SURE MY WIFE WILL LET ME KNOW. YOU CAN GIVE MY NAME TO WHO EVER WHEN EVER IF IT WILL HELP US FIX THIS SITUATION. *NLM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM. ENGINE COOLANT HAS BROKEN DOWN AT 60,000 MILES 10/1/2001, 70,000 MILES 6/1/2002, 79,000 1/30/2003 AND HAS BECAME SLUDGE. OWNER'S MANUAL STATES 100,000 MILE MAINTENANCE. DEALER (GMC)WANTS TO REPLACE THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR, HEATER CORE AT MY EXPENSE. SYSTEM HAS BEEN SUPER FLUSHED, CLEANED AND NEW DEX-COOL COOLANT PER DEALER RECOMMENDATIONS. DEALER EVEN STATES COOLANT IS BAD. GMC STATES IIT IS MY FAULT.
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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