There are 7 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Suburbanin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS GOING SLOW ENOUGH TO STOP AND AVOID INJURING MYSELF OR ANOTHER PERSON. THANK GOD I WASN'T GOING 50 MPH WITH MY WIFE AND 4 CHILDREN IN THE CAR OR I MIGHT NOT BE WRITING THIS TODAY (OR SOMEONE ELSE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED BY ME DUE TO THIS BRAKE FAILURE). I DISCOVERED THE REASON FOR THIS FAILURE WAS BECAUSE MY BRAKE LINE PREMATURELY CORRODED AND THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN TO NHTSA AND YOU HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. HOW DARE YOU AND GM PUT MY FAMILY AND OTHER INNOCENT BYSTANDERS AT RISK BECAUSE OF YOUR INCOMPETENCE!!! WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL??? A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY THOUSANDS OF CHEVY OWNERS AS WELL AS PREMATURE RUSTING OF THE BODY AND UNDERCARRIAGE WHICH I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 60K MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR, BUT I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS THAT CARS WITH 3 TIMES AS MANY MILES SHOULDN'T EXPERIENCE. PERHAPS CONGRESS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS DERELICTION OF DUTY BY NHTSA. HOW MANY AMERICANS HAVE TO DIE OR GET INJURED IN ACCIDENTS BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION??? IF TOTAL FAILURE OF A VEHICLE'S BREAKING SYSTEM DOESN'T SPUR A CALL TO ACTION BY NHTSA THEN WHAT WILL? WHAT COULD BE MORE VITAL TO SAFETY THAN BRAKES ON A 1/2 TON TRUCK? REPAIRS FOR THE BRAKE LINE WILL COST ME OVER $1,200 AND THAT JUST ADDS INSULT TO THIS WHOLE DISGRACEFUL SITUATION. I DEMAND TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS WELL KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE THAT I HAVE TO CORRECT. NHTSA HAS FAILED AND IT'S COSTING WAY MORE THAN $1,200; IT'S COSTING AMERICANS THEIR LIVES. *TR
I OWN A 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500. I NOTICED A LEAK ON THE BACK WINDOW. I HAVE A HATCHBACK WITH A LIFTGATE WINDOW. I OPENED IT TO CHECK THE LEAK AND WHEN I WENT TO CLOSE IT I COULDN'T. I NOTICED THAT THE HINGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS COMING OFF THE GLASS. I HAD TO PUSH THE TOP RIGHT OF THE WINDOW DOWN TO CLOSE IT. NOW THE REAR ACCESS DOOR WARNING IS ON. *TR
LIKE MANY OTHERS.....THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE LIFT GATE GLASS HAS COME UNBONDED ON MY 2003 SUBURBAN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE WINDOW ON THE HATCHBACK, BUT IT WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HINGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE REAR WINDOW WAS HANGING FROM THE HINGE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR $99 TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 149,830.
I NOTICED A SOUND LIKE THAT FROM AN OPEN WINDOW AND CHECK ALL DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS VERIFYING THAT THEY WERE CLOSED. UPON UTILIZATION OF THE REAR HATCH, IT WAS NOTED THAT ONE OF THE TWO (50%) LATCHES THAT HOLD THE REAR WINDOW/DOOR TO THE CAR HAD SEPARATED. I BROUGHT IT TO CHEVROLET DEALER AT THE TIME AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THE DOORS AS REQUIRED OR THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. AT THE TIME, I FOUND 1000'S OF PEOPLE ONLINE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. I'M SURE THAT THIS HAS INCREASED 10 FOLD SINCE THEN. I ONLY USE THIS CAR AS A 2ND CAR NOW AND DO NOT UTILIZE IT DAILY. I FEAR THAT THE 2ND REAR WINDOW/DOOR LATCH WILL ALSO FAIL AND CAUSE THE ENTIRE WINDOW/DOOR TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE THUS LANDING ON THE HIGHWAY BEHIND ME (HOPEFULLY) OR ON THE POOR FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME (WORSE CASE). UNFORTUNATELY, I LIVE IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA WHERE PEOPLE LIKE TO TAILGATE. TRAVELING ON HIGHWAYS WITH THE WIND RUSHING THROUGH THE WINDOW CAUSING ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE LATCH MAKE THE LATER SCENARIO MORE DEADLY AND MORE OF A REALITY. GM/CHEVROLET SHOULD FIX WHAT SEEMS TO ME AS A MINOR REPAIR TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN ADDRESSED IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE LATCH?
2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500 (52,000 MILES) WITH REAR HATCH. RECENTLY ONE OF THE SIDES OF THE WIND REAR HATCH SNAPPED IN HALF. THIS IS A PLASTIC PIECE BOLTED ON TO THE VEHICLE STRUCTURE. WHEN I CALLED A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER TO INQUIRE IF THERE MAY BE A RECALL THE ANSWER WAS NO, BUT THEY SEE THE PROBLEM OFTEN. OFTEN TELLS ME THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE FIXED AND NOT AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE. IT IS DANGEROUS AND MAY CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY. *NM
PAINT PEELING FROM DASH BOARD. WITH AIR ON, COULD FLY INTO INFANTS MOUTH AND/OR EYES. *AK
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