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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

175 reports
68,000 miles · Apr 2, 2009
Structure

NORMAL USE FOR FOUR YEARS. THE FAILURE WAS THE WINDOW ON THE REAR HATCH HAS MOSTLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AS THE GLUE HOLDING IT ON IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT TO HOLD IT ON. THERE IS A GAP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW WHERE IT IS RAISING UP, LOOKING AS IF IT COULD FLY OFF AND HIT VEHICLES BEHIND WHILE DRIVING. NOTHING HAS BEEN D…

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NORMAL USE FOR FOUR YEARS. THE FAILURE WAS THE WINDOW ON THE REAR HATCH HAS MOSTLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AS THE GLUE HOLDING IT ON IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT TO HOLD IT ON. THERE IS A GAP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW WHERE IT IS RAISING UP, LOOKING AS IF IT COULD FLY OFF AND HIT VEHICLES BEHIND WHILE DRIVING. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO REPLACE IT AS THE COST IS ASTRONOMICAL IN THE AMOUNT OF $1200 QUOTED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10264020

60,000 miles · Mar 26, 2009
Structure

THE HINGES THAT SUPPORT THE BACK WINDOW ARE SEPARATING FROM THE HINGES. THIS CAUSES THE ENTIRE WINDOW TO REALIGN AND NOW THERE IS A GAP WHERE YOU CAN FEEL AND HEAR WIND CONSTANTLY. IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD FALL OFF AT ANY MOMENT. OCCURRED AROUND 60,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10263127

85,000 miles · Mar 24, 2009
Electrical System

THE SPEEDOMETER ON OUR 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN RANDOMLY STOPS WORKING. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A DEFECT AND THAT IT WILL ONLY BE REPLACED BY CHEVROLET IF THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. OUR SUBURBAN HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT. SINCE IT IS A DEFECT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AND NOT BECAUSE OF WEAR AND TEAR, CHEVROLET SHO…

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THE SPEEDOMETER ON OUR 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN RANDOMLY STOPS WORKING. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A DEFECT AND THAT IT WILL ONLY BE REPLACED BY CHEVROLET IF THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. OUR SUBURBAN HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT. SINCE IT IS A DEFECT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AND NOT BECAUSE OF WEAR AND TEAR, CHEVROLET SHOULD REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE $550+ TO HAVE IT REPLACED SO WE WILL DRIVE IT WITHOUT THE SPEEDOMETER WORKING, WHICH IS UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262936

50,000 miles · Feb 2, 2009
Structure

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WITH HIS VEHICLE. THE HINGES THAT SUPPORT THE BACK WINDOWS ARE SEPARATING FROM THE HINGES. THIS CAUSES THE ENTIRE WINDOW TO REALIGN AND SHATTER AT ANY TIME. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH ADHESIVE TA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WITH HIS VEHICLE. THE HINGES THAT SUPPORT THE BACK WINDOWS ARE SEPARATING FROM THE HINGES. THIS CAUSES THE ENTIRE WINDOW TO REALIGN AND SHATTER AT ANY TIME. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH ADHESIVE TAPE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V037000 (STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #10257209

Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 2008
Tires

I BOUGHT MY SUBURBAN WITH GOODYEAR TRACKER II TIRES ON IT FROM THE DEALER IN DEC 06. IN APRIL 07 A TIRE WAS FLAT. IT HAD A SMALL SLICE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE BETWEEN THE GROOVES. NOTHING HAD TOUCHED OR SCRAPED AGAINST THE TIRE TO CAUSE IT. I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE FROM WALMART AS THEY ARE ONLY ONES ABLE TO GET AND SELL THEM…

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I BOUGHT MY SUBURBAN WITH GOODYEAR TRACKER II TIRES ON IT FROM THE DEALER IN DEC 06. IN APRIL 07 A TIRE WAS FLAT. IT HAD A SMALL SLICE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE BETWEEN THE GROOVES. NOTHING HAD TOUCHED OR SCRAPED AGAINST THE TIRE TO CAUSE IT. I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE FROM WALMART AS THEY ARE ONLY ONES ABLE TO GET AND SELL THEM. I HAD TAKEN THE WHEELS OFF FOR THE SUMMER AND PUT THEM BACK ON IN SEPT 07. IN MARCH 08 ON THIS NEW TIRE, IT HAD A LEAK IN THE GROOVED SECTION OF THE SIDE WALL NEAR THE TREAD. AGAIN NOTHING PUNCTURED IT OR SCRAPED IT. BECAUSE I COULDN'T CHANGE THE TIRE AT THE TIME I HAD TO PUT A PLUG IN IT TO GET HOME. THESE ARE VERY POORLY MADE AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY OTHER TIRES GET SMALL SLICES IN THE SIDEWALL. I COULD UNDERSTAND IF I HIT A POTHOLE, CURB, NAIL, SOMETHING. BUT THE FIRST TIRE WAS 3" ABOVE THE GROUND AND THIS ONE WAS ABOUT 1" ABOVE THE GROUND. I HAVE ABOUT 5,000 MILES ON THIS TIRE WITH ALOT OF TREAD LEFT THAT IS NOW GARBAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10249451

Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 2008
Steering

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE, A 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN. I FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME IN 2006 AND NOW IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM BUT ONE THAT THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT. I GUESS BECAUSE NO ONE HAS DIED F…

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THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE, A 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN. I FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME IN 2006 AND NOW IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM BUT ONE THAT THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT. I GUESS BECAUSE NO ONE HAS DIED FROM IT, CHEVY THINKS THAT SHABBY WORKMANSHIP AND DEFECTS ARE OKAY TO PASS ON TO CONSUMERS. THIS IS AN ANNOYING CLUNKING AND ONE THAT COULD MASK A REAL PROBLEM IF YOU CAN'T HEAR IT. WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248421

Mileage unknown · Nov 10, 2008
Steering

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDS REPLACING AGAIN. THIS WILL BE THE 4TH TIME THAT IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. 24,451MI, 26,094MI, AND 65,655MI. YOU START TO HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING OR SLIGHT MOVEMENT OF STEERING WHEEL. HAS MORE PLAY THEN USUAL AS WELL. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THESE AS THEY KNOW IT IS A KNOWN PR…

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INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDS REPLACING AGAIN. THIS WILL BE THE 4TH TIME THAT IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. 24,451MI, 26,094MI, AND 65,655MI. YOU START TO HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING OR SLIGHT MOVEMENT OF STEERING WHEEL. HAS MORE PLAY THEN USUAL AS WELL. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THESE AS THEY KNOW IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248395

18,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. IN JUNE OF 2003, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT HEARD A THUMPING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT THREE YEARS AGO, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE A THUMPING NOISE AND VIBRATE WHENEVER MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE VE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. IN JUNE OF 2003, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT HEARD A THUMPING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT THREE YEARS AGO, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE A THUMPING NOISE AND VIBRATE WHENEVER MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR DEFECTS RELATING TO THIS FAILURE. SEVERAL MECHANICS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ODI #10248348

Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2008
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER IS CURRENTLY STUCK AT 120 MPH. PROBLEM STARTED WITH IT BEING STUCK AT 45 MPH WHEN VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246819

115,000 miles · Sep 7, 2008
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER JUMPS WHILE I AM DRIVING HWY SPEEDS. IT JUMPS TO 120 MPH WHILE I AM DOING 60 TO 65 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241236

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.