There are 13 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Suburbanin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I NOTICE A LOSS OF POWER AND NOTICE THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO STEER. AFTER COASTING TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CAR STARTS AGAIN AND I CAN DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION. FUEL PUMP AND FUEL LINES WERE REPLACED LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO WHEN A SIMILAR PROBLEM WAS EXPERIENCED. *TR
DRIVING IN MIDDLE LANE ON HIGHWAY OUT OF STATE WITH KIDS IN THE CAR ENGINE JUST QUIT--NO POWER, COULDN'T SIGNAL TO MOVE OR GET TO SIDE OF ROAD, JUST SAT IN MIDDLE LANE. VERY SCARY!! TOWED TO A NEARBY DEALER-TOLD US THE FUEL PUMP SHORTED THE ENGINE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. NO ADVANCE WARNING-ONLY A BLOWER MOTOR SEEMED TO BE MALFUNCTIONING THAT MORNING (HAVE HAD A/C PROBLEMS). NO ISSUE WITH POWER UNTIL IT JUST QUIT. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT WHEN RESEARCHING THIS YEAR AND VEHICLE--LOSS OF POWER OR DECREASED POWER. WITH THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS FOUND, SOMEONE SHOULD RESEARCH THIS BEFORE ANOTHER CAR IS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AND THERE ARE INJURIES OR WORSE, FATALITIES. TO HAVE SOMETHING THIS MAJOR HAPPEN WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS OR WARNING LIGHTS, AND FOR THE NUMBER OF CASES FOUND, SEEMS IRRESPONSIBLE AT BEST, NEGLIGENT AT LEAST. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS! *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY SUBURBAN WHEN A MESSAGE READING "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" CAME ON AND MY CAR CUT OFF. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO ONLY BE GOING 20 MPH IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER AND HAD A CAR BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSE BEHIND, WE WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS AND STOPS EVERY 2-3 MILES. WE HAVE TO PULL OVER, LEAVE THE CAR OFF FOR 5-10 SECONDS AND THEN RESTART. WE ARE THEN ABLE TO GO ANOTHER 2-3 MILES. THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE SO WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE WITH OUR HAZARDS ON BECAUSE WE HAVE 4 KIDS AT 3 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TO DROP OFF AND PICK UP EACH DAY. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I AM SEEING THAT THIS IS OCCURRING IN HUNDREDS OF CHEVROLET AND GM CARS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE 2 ARE THE SAME COMPANY. I DO NOT DARE GET ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. CHEVROLET AND GM ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS WITH BOTH THE COMPANY AND THE NHTSA. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL TO FIX THIS? THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND COULD LIKELY LEAD TO A DEADLY ACCIDENT. I AM DISCUSSING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND ONCE THE INFO IS COLLECTED, I WILL CONTACT AN ATTORNEY. PLEASE HELP GET THESE UNSAFE VEHICLES OFF OF THE ROAD AND INTO THE DEALERSHIPS TO BE FIXED. THANK YOU. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE SO THAT IT COULD WARM UP AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IT WAS ON FIRE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED HER THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE LOWER RESISTOR CONNECTOR AND THE BLOWER MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND AN INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT DENIED HER CLAIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 132,000.
MY SUBURBAN GOES TO REDUCED POWER UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE ENGINE WILL STALL CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. MY SUBURBAN HAS BEEN TAKEN IN TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM.. THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS 9/1/2011. IT WENT TO REDUCED POWER 10 MILES AFTER LEAVING DEALERSHIP AND STALLED AS I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC FROM A RESTAURANT. A NUMBER OF CARS HAD TO BRAKE EXCESSIVELY AND SWERVE AROUND ME UNTIL I COULD ANGLE MY SUBURBAN OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER STEERING. THE TRUCK WEIGHS 6700 LBS AND I NEEDED ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL ENOUGH TO GET OFF THE ROAD. I AM FEARFUL ABOUT DRIVING MY SUBURBAN AND THE HIGH PROBABILITY OF INJURY TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. AFTER HAVING THE OIL CHANGED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SMELL A BURNING OIL ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT BEGAN TO NOTICE THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING OIL EXCESSIVELY AND WOULD REPLACE THE OIL APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK. APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR LATER, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MOTOR WAS BEING REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
I HAVE 2003 SUBURBAN 1500, THAT KEEPS GETTING A ERROR MESSAGE "REDUCE ENGINE POWER". THE VEHICLE WILL ALL OF SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING, REDUCE SPEED AND I CAN'T ACCELERATE ABOVE 25-30MPH. I WILL HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN CAR OFF FOR 10-15 SECONDS BEFORE IT RESETS, HOWEVER IT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN! IT IS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS WHEN I HAVE MY KIDS OR MY WIFE DRIVE IT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR WILL HAVE THIS HAPPEN. STRANGELY, WHEN WE DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY WE CAN USE THE "CRUISE CONTROL" FEATURE WHEN WE REACH 25MPH AND USE THE CRUISE CONTROL TO ACCELERATE THAT WAY WITH MINIMAL OCCURRENCES. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO "2 CHEVY DEALERS AND 3 MECHANICS" NEITHER CAN TELL US WHAT'S WRONG! THIS IS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ON CAR, AND WE KNOW THIS A "SAFETY HAZARD" AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SOMEBODY HAS TO LOOK INTO THIS! I ONLY HOPE SOMEONE WHO READS THESE COMPLAINTS HAS THE POWER TO HELP ME AND EVERYONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR
ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OUR 2003 CHEVY SURBURBAN HAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE CHARGED US TO PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER MACHINE AND CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF DEFAULT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE LAST TIME WE WERE MAKING A 150 MILE TRIP FROM OUR HOME TO ANOTHER CITY, AND IT STOPPED 5 TIMES. WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY AND LET IT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND THEN IT WOULD START BACK. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED AND THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU ALL INVESTIGATING THIS TO SEE IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, SINCE NOTHING SHOWS UP WHEN THEY TEST IT. AT THE PRESENT TIME I REFUSE TO DRIVE OR RIDE IN IT FOR FEAR IT WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AGAIN, AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PULL OVER AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SERIOUSLY HURT. ONCE BEFORE WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED IT , THEY FOUND OUT AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS PIN HOLES IN THE HEADS ON THE MOTOR, WHICH IT WAS TAKEN IN BECAUSE IT WAS SMOKING. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW. *JB
AT START-UP, USUALLY WHEN ENGINE HAS BEEN RUN/WARMED, A "CLICKING" (AS IF THE OIL LEVEL WAS LOW/LIFTERS) SOUND IS HEARD FOR 30-PLUS SECONDS. MY CONCERN IS THE LONG-RANGE (I.E., OUT OF WARRANTY) EFFECTS THIS CONDITION WILL HAVE ON THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE. THE CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED TO SERVICE REPS AT ANCIRA CHEVROLET, WHO, AT 3-4 OCCASIONS, REPLIED THAT IT IS "NORMAL." *JB
DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES SINCE APRIL. WHEN THE VEHICLE TURNS OVER IT JUST DOES NOT START. HE CAME BACK FROM MYRTLE BEACH, AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 80 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND STALLED. HE MANAGED TO COAST OFF THE INTERSTATE, IT THEN STARTED BACK UP WITH ONE ATTEMPT. HE TRAVELED ABOUT 150 MILES AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN AND IT STARTED BACK, THIS TIME IT STARTED AND WAS RUNNING A LITTLE ROUGH. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE NEXT EXIT AND FOUND A DEALER WHO TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD MAKE IT BACK TO OHIO IF HE DID NOT DRIVE IT VERY FAST. THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER THAT WAS NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE PRESSURE. HE DROVE BACK AT 55 MPH, AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHUT DOWN. THE NEXT MORNING HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN FARRIS OHIO WHERE HE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE FUEL PUMP, AND SOMETHING HE THINKS IS CALLED A UBECK. HE WAS FRUSTRATED THAT HE SEEMED TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME AT THE DEALER INSTEAD AT HOME.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DURING HOT WEATHER. IT WILL NOT START UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS SAT FOR 10-20 MINUTES. *CN
OIL PUMP FAILURE WITH ONLY 5,000 MILES ON ENGINE. GM WANTS TO EXTEND WARRANTY AND LEAVE IT AT THAT. WITH NO OIL CIRCULATION INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE POSSIBLE AND RELIABILITY/SAFETY/TRUSTWORTHINESS OF ENGINE IN QUESTION. WANT GM TO REPLACE MOTOR BUT THEY WANT ME JUST ACCEPT EXTENDED WARRANTY AND GO AWAY. AS A CONSUMER I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT THE RISK OF FURTHER ENGINE FAILURE AND WANT A REPLACEMENT BASED ON SUBSTANTIAL IMPAIRMENT AND VALUE IMPAIRMENT AS WELL AS SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF USE (BEEN IN REPAIR 18 DAYS SINCE FEBRUARY). *LA
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026