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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
191,000 miles · Nov 8, 2016
Service Brakes

A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY, RUPTURED BRAKE LINES. LINES BETWEEN PROPORTIONING VALVE AND ABS PUMP RUPTURED AND FAILED COMPLETELY. LINES RUSTED AND FAILED. NO ACCIDENT AND NO INJURIES. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, VEHICLE WAS OPERATED IN REVERSE {BACKING UP}, SHE THEN SHIFTED TO FORWARD, BRAKES FAILED, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AND ROL…

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A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY, RUPTURED BRAKE LINES. LINES BETWEEN PROPORTIONING VALVE AND ABS PUMP RUPTURED AND FAILED COMPLETELY. LINES RUSTED AND FAILED. NO ACCIDENT AND NO INJURIES. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, VEHICLE WAS OPERATED IN REVERSE {BACKING UP}, SHE THEN SHIFTED TO FORWARD, BRAKES FAILED, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AND ROLLED FROM A PARKING LOT INTO A HIGHWAY, FORTUNATELY NO OTHER TRAFFIC WAS PRESENT.

NHTSA ODI #10925086

145,000 miles · Sep 5, 2016
Service Brakes

BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE VEHICLE IS SLOW TO STOP AND DOES NOT STAY STOPPED WHEN NEEDED SUCH AS TRAFFIC LIGHTS, HILLS, STOP SIGNS, ETC.

NHTSA ODI #10903638

190,000 miles · Aug 15, 2016
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM CAUSED THE ENGINE TO QUIT GOING DOWN THE HI WAY SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS VERY DANGEROUS SOME OF THE TIMES AND LEFT US STRANDED SOMETIMES. GM ACTS LIKE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG BUT THERE IS AMPLE INFO ON THE INTERNET AND EVEN A FIX BUT IT DISABLE THE ATS, IT TURNS OFF THE FUEL TO THE INJECTORS KILLING TH…

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THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM CAUSED THE ENGINE TO QUIT GOING DOWN THE HI WAY SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS VERY DANGEROUS SOME OF THE TIMES AND LEFT US STRANDED SOMETIMES. GM ACTS LIKE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG BUT THERE IS AMPLE INFO ON THE INTERNET AND EVEN A FIX BUT IT DISABLE THE ATS, IT TURNS OFF THE FUEL TO THE INJECTORS KILLING THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. WE HAD TO BE TOWED TWICE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT RESTART.

NHTSA ODI #10895903

100,000 miles · Jul 14, 2016
Electrical SystemCrashInjury

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE KEPT FALLING DEAD ON HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS

NHTSA ODI #10884706

192,000 miles · Jul 1, 2016
Service BrakesUnknown Or Other

THE RED BRAKE LIGHT IS ON. THE ABS MODULE IS NOT ALLOWING THE TWO REAR BRAKES TO WORK. THE A/C CONTROL BOX IN THE DASH BLOWS HOT AIR THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE ONLY. IN FL THAT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE HEAT ALREADY.

NHTSA ODI #10881990

Mileage unknown · May 13, 2016
Service BrakesSteering

IT'S MAKE A WEIRD SOUND WHEN TURNING THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON THER DASH STATIONARY I CAME OUTSIDE TO START UP THE VEHICLE IS NOTICED A LIQUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH

NHTSA ODI #10864706

133,000 miles · Sep 25, 2015
Service Brakes

THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LINE BROKE. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY INFORMED ME THE OTHER SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED. TWO MONTHS LATER TWO MORE LINES BROKE. THE MAIN REAR LINE AND FRONT SUPPLY LINE FROM THE MASTER.

NHTSA ODI #10777784

99,000 miles · Jul 2, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

NHTSA ODI #10731767

100,000 miles · May 26, 2015
Service BrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE LINE NEEDED TO BE RE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10721464

93,300 miles · Mar 30, 2015
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

MY '03 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HAS DEVELOPED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON CONDITION WHERE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECOMES INOPERABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW, IN TOWN SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL HAVE READINGS IN THE 60S, 70S' AND 80S. WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 55MPH. THIS IS ABSOLUT…

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MY '03 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HAS DEVELOPED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON CONDITION WHERE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECOMES INOPERABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW, IN TOWN SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL HAVE READINGS IN THE 60S, 70S' AND 80S. WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 55MPH. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM REALLY SHOCKED THAT THE NHTSA HASN'T FORCED A RECALL. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF REPORTS ONLINE OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM, AS THEY EVEN EXTENDED. GENERAL MOTORS EVEN PROVIDED OWNERS WITH A SPECIAL COVERAGE THAT EXTENDS THE WARRANTY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FOR THE CONDITION DESCRIBED ABOVE, AS LONG AS THE VEHICLES AGE AND MILEAGE FALLS WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS. THOSE PARAMETERS ARE THE MAIN REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT. THOSE PARAMETERS ARE 1) 7 YEARS OF THE IN SERVICE DATE, AND 2) 70,000 MILES, WHICH EVER OCCURS FIRST. MY CLAIM TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN MY VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER THE SPECIAL COVERAGE WAS DENIED ON 9/4/09 BECAUSE THE MILEAGE OF MY VEHICLE WAS 93,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF MY REQUEST. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A LARGE SCALE SAFETY PROBLEM THAT WARRANTS A RECALL BY GENERAL MOTORS RATHER THAN AN EXTENSION OF WARRANTY WITH UNREASONABLE MILEAGE PARAMETERS. EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ALONE IS A CLEAR ADMISSION OF A KNOWN WIDESPREAD ISSUE. IS NHTSA IN BED WITH GM TOO? I GUESS I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10702698

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.