Illustration2003 CHEVORLET SUBURBAN - TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 45, 000 MILES. SINCE IT WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY ANY LONGER, PURCHASED A NEW TRANSMISSION FROM GM WITH A 3 YR 100, 000 MILE WARRANTY. AFTER 3YRS, 4MONTHS, THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 91,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AGAIN. EACH TIME THE COST IS OVER $2500. *TR
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Suburban 1500 years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Suburban 1500 years →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
40–25K
1825–50K
3450–75K
3375–100K
37100–150K
25150K+
151 reports with mileage · 24 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Power Train complaints
6 reports(REDUCED ENGINE POWER) WILL NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 30 MPH. SHUT OFF ENGINE FOR 15 SECONDS AND START UP AGAIN AND IT HAPPENS 10 TO 15 TIMES A DAY, EVEN AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. (NO POWER) AND NO HELP FROM GM DEALER SHIP. *LN
I GOT A 2003 CHEVROLET SURB. THE REAR DOOR KEEP COMING OPEN ON IT OWN,THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK,OIL GAUGE,AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NOT WORK. IT HAD START NOW WHEN START TO CRANKED IT THE BRAKE BOOSTER LIGHT COME THE BATTERY LIGHT COME SAYING NOT CHARGING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MOVED SLIGHTLY WHILE PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS EXPECTING A CALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER T…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MOVED SLIGHTLY WHILE PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS EXPECTING A CALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO ANSWER HER QUESTIONS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.
2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH TRACTION CONTROL. CONTROL CUTS IN WHEN MAKING SHARP TURN FROM SIDE ROAD ONTO MAIN HIGHWAY. THIS CAUSES VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY SLOW TO ALMOST A STOP UNTIL TRANSMISSION CATCHES UP AND VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES. DEALER SAYS IT IS BECAUSE OF SENSORS IN WHEELBEARING AND THE WHEELBEARINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED.…
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2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH TRACTION CONTROL. CONTROL CUTS IN WHEN MAKING SHARP TURN FROM SIDE ROAD ONTO MAIN HIGHWAY. THIS CAUSES VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY SLOW TO ALMOST A STOP UNTIL TRANSMISSION CATCHES UP AND VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES. DEALER SAYS IT IS BECAUSE OF SENSORS IN WHEELBEARING AND THE WHEELBEARINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A DEFINITE HAZARD WHEN ENTERING A HIGH SPEED (55 MPH OR HIGHER) HIGHWAY FROM A SIDE ROAD. I COMPLAINED TO GM AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS ABOUT THIS. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEM ON SEVERAL VEHICLES. *TR
2003 SUBURBAN 1500 4WD , RATTLE AND CLUNK IN STEERING COLUMN, NOTHING LOOSE IN THE STEERING JUST CLUNKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS 26000 MILES ON IT, BUT WAS OVER 3 YEARS OLD. CURT WARNER CHEVROLET SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM... NO WARRANTY OR RECALL. IN FACT HE PULLED A U-JOINT AND SHAFT FROM HIS DESK TO SHOW ME WH…
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2003 SUBURBAN 1500 4WD , RATTLE AND CLUNK IN STEERING COLUMN, NOTHING LOOSE IN THE STEERING JUST CLUNKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS 26000 MILES ON IT, BUT WAS OVER 3 YEARS OLD. CURT WARNER CHEVROLET SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM... NO WARRANTY OR RECALL. IN FACT HE PULLED A U-JOINT AND SHAFT FROM HIS DESK TO SHOW ME WHAT THE NOISE WAS COMMING FROM IN THE COLUMN. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.