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2003 Chevrolet Chevy Van

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 10 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports
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49,698 miles · Jun 4, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

WE HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN V6 3.4L, ODOMETER-49698. VEHICLE MADE AN ODD SOUND WHEN STARTING. THIS SOUND HAPPENED SUDDENLY. WE TOOK IT TO THE CLOSEST AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP THEIR COMPUTER INDICATED A MISFIRE CODE AND THEY SUGGESTED CHANGING THE PLUGS. WE OPTED TO TAKE THE VAN TO OUR MECHANIC. THEY CHECKED THE PLUGS AND …

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WE HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN V6 3.4L, ODOMETER-49698. VEHICLE MADE AN ODD SOUND WHEN STARTING. THIS SOUND HAPPENED SUDDENLY. WE TOOK IT TO THE CLOSEST AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP THEIR COMPUTER INDICATED A MISFIRE CODE AND THEY SUGGESTED CHANGING THE PLUGS. WE OPTED TO TAKE THE VAN TO OUR MECHANIC. THEY CHECKED THE PLUGS AND THEY LOOKED BRAND NEW AND WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION IS STRAIGHT FROM THE SERVICE ADVISOR OF THE AUTOMOTIVE SHOP : ONE CYLINDER ONLY HAS 35 PSI AND THERE IS A TAPPING NOISE IN THE TOP HALF OF THE ENGINE. WILL NEED TO TEAR THE UPPER END DOWN FOR INSPECTION (UPPER AND LOWER INTAKES AND THE VALVE COVER GASKET). THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD ON THE #3 CYLINDER, THE STUDS THAT HOLD THE ROCKER ARMS HAVE PULLED OUT OF THE HEAD. THE MACHINE SHOP FOUND THE THREADS FOR THE ROCKER ARM STUDS ON THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD WERE PULLING OUT. HAD TO HAVE ALL THE ROCKER ARM STUDS HOLES REPAIRED. BASED ON THE MACHINE SHOP'S ADVICE THE FRONT CYLINDER HEAD WAS REMOVED AND TO HAVE THE ROCKER ARM STUD HOLES INSPECTED. THEY WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE PULLING OUT. ALL STUD HOLES ON THE FRONT CYLINDER HEAD WERE REPAIRED. REINSTALLED THE CYLINDER HEADS AND INTAKES. ALL IN ALL START TO FINISH THE REPAIR BILL WAS A RIDICULOUS $2609.48 AND A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO LISTEN TO ANY COMPLAINTS, SIMPLY SAYING THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP IS THE SAME PLACE WHERE WE HAVE ALL OUR OIL CHANGES PERFORMED. THEY HAVE ALL THE RECORDS. AMAZING THIS IS THE FOURTH STRAIGHT GM VEHICLE WE HAVE BOUGHT. BASED ON THE WAY WE WERE TREATED BY THE DEALER WE WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10158941

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA04012 · Hydraulic Pump Failres

Opened Apr 30, 2004 · Closed Feb 28, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.