2003 Itasca Sunova 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 2003 Itasca Sunova, 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
- Brakes342.9%
- Electrical228.6%
- Interior & seats114.3%
- Tires & wheels114.3%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ITASCA SUNOVA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ABNORMALLY PULLING TO THE LEFT. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO STICK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES WERE OVERHEATING, CAUSING THE CALIPERS TO STICK AND THE HYDRO BOOST TO STOP FUNCTIONING. THE MECHANIC THEN ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,600.
BRAKE FAILURE ITASCA RV. *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
BRAKE FAILURE ITASCA RV. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ITASCA SUNOVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THEY WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER WAITING A WHILE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL MODULE. THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,800. UPDATED 03/24/11*LJ UPDATED 1/4/11 *CN
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE CONSUMER HEARD AN EXPLOSION. AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE INSIDE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AT THE SIDE WALL. ALSO ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE OUTSIDE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT AT THE SIDE WALL. *LA THE PROBLEMS WERE AS FOLLOWED: FRAYED VALVE STEM EXTENDER, GAUGES WERE INOPERATIVE AND THE STORAGE LOCK WAS INOPERATIVE. TWO DAYS AFTER THE CONSUMER PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM REPAIR AND WITHIN TWO MILES, THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AND ANOTHER TIRE HAD A BULDGE. ONE HUNDRED AND TEN MILES LATER, ANOTHER TIRE BLEW, FOURS HOURS LATER IT WAS REPLACED AND AFTER STOPPING FOR GAS, ANOTHER TIRE WAS REPAIRED DUE TO A FLAT. THREE TIRES WERE REPLACED AND THERE TWO FLAT TIRES WITH NO SIGN OF CAUSE. *SC *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE CONSUMER HEARD AN EXPLOSION. AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE INSIDE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AT THE SIDE WALL. ALSO ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE OUTSIDE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT AT THE SIDE WALL. *LA THE PROBLEMS WERE AS FOLLOWED: FRAYED VALVE STEM EXTENDER, GAUGES WERE INOPERATIVE AND THE STORAGE LOCK WAS INOPERATIVE. TWO DAYS AFTER THE CONSUMER PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM REPAIR AND WITHIN TWO MILES, THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AND ANOTHER TIRE HAD A BULDGE. ONE HUNDRED AND TEN MILES LATER, ANOTHER TIRE BLEW, FOURS HOURS LATER IT WAS REPLACED AND AFTER STOPPING FOR GAS, ANOTHER TIRE WAS REPAIRED DUE TO A FLAT. THREE TIRES WERE REPLACED AND THERE TWO FLAT TIRES WITH NO SIGN OF CAUSE. *SC *JB
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 .