2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE MOUNTAIN ROAD BETWEEN OAKHURST, CALIFORNIA AND YOSEMITE I OBSERVED A FRONT END VIBRATION COMING THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. I PULLED OVER AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG SO I MADE A U-TURN AND WENT TO OAKHURST TO EFFECT A REPAIR. I BARELY MADE IT TO TOWN TO A SHOP WHEN THE LEFT FRONT BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILED ,REQUIRING THE ENTIRE UNIT TO BE REPLACED. THE SHOP WAS SURPRISED THAT THE WHEEL HAD NOT COME OFF. THE COST WAS $520 ,AND NECESSITATED AN OVERNIGHT STAY DUE TO THE PART HAVING TO BE BROUGHT IN FROM FRESNO. I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW, BUT IT WAS THREE WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. I TOOK THE PART TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER, THEY INFORMED ME IN WRITING THAT THE BEARING HAD INADEQUATE LUBRICATION AT THE FACTORY. THE OTHER BEARING WAS PULLED, AND IT WAS OKAY. GM HAS TOTALLY DUCKED ANY FORM OF REIMBURSEMENT. I AM JUST THANKFUL THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A ACCIDENT ON THAT MOUNTAIN ROAD *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2500 VAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS THE SAME AS MENTIONED IN RECALL # 05V104000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER THE DASH BOARD). THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000.*AK

BRAKE FAILURE ON 2003 CHEVY EXPRESS 2500 CARGO VAN. GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, SEE GENERAL MOTORS TSB #'S..03-05-25-003 & 02-05-25-005 & 05-05-25-002. THIS SHOULD BE FIXED VIA A "SAFETY RECALL " SINCE THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE VEHICLE IS TO HAVE THE ABS COMPUTER REPROGRAMMED AT A CHEVY OR GMC DEALER. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING ERROR AS NOTED BY THE TSB'S, & SHOULD BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. NO AMOUNT OF NORMAL SERVICING COULD PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. I'VE CALLED GM RE. THIS & THEY SAY IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE?????? LOSS OF BRAKES IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE ??? THE DEALER CHARGED ME $90. TO CORRECT THEIR PROGRAMMING ERROR. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES ON THE 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS WERE DEFECTIVE DUE TO A PROGRAM ERROR IN THE ABS COMPUTER SYSTEM PER GENERAL MOTORS. THEREWAS NOT FAILURE TO DATE, BUT THE CONTACTWAS CONCERNED. GENERAL MOTORS HAS THREE (3) SERVICE BULLETINS TO DATE CONCERNING THESE BRAKES. 03-05-25-003, 02-05-25-005, 05-05-25-002.*AK

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES ON THE 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS WERE DEFECTIVE DUE TO A PROGRAM ERROR IN THE ABS COMPUTER SYSTEM PER GENERAL MOTORS. THERE WAS NOT FAILURE TO DATE, BUT THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED. GENERAL MOTORS HAS THREE (3) SERVICE BULLETINS TO DATE CONCERNING THESE BRAKES. 03-05-25-003, 02-05-25-005, 05-05-25-002. *AK UPDATED 2/22/2007 - THE BRAKES FAILED. GM REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER THROUGH THE DEALER. *NM* UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB

STARTED TO HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE. THEN VEHICLE WOULD NOT BACK UP. CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FOUND LOW. ADDED FLUID (1 QUART) AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE, BUT SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY IN PARK. IT CREEPS AHEAD OR BACK ON UNEVEN GROUND SEVERAL FEET. CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND DROPPED VEHICLE OFF TO DEALER WHOM I BOUGHT IT. THEY HAD IT FOR A DAY AND CALLED TO HAVE ME PICK IT UP. THEY HAD A BILL FOR ME AND TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG AND THE MANAGER BROUGHT THE MECHANIC OUT AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I TOLD THEM THAT THE VEHICLE ROLLS IN PARK. MECHANIC SAID NO WAY AND I SAID I'LL SHOW YOU. SO I TOOK THEM FOR A RIDE OUT BACK OF THE SHOP TO A SLIGHT HILL AND PARKED ON SAID HILL, IN PARK, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED SLOWLY DOWN THE HILL. MECHANIC SAID HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THEY ARE FIXING THE VEHICLE AND I ASKED FOR A DETAILED LIST OF WHAT WAS WRONG AND THE FAXED ME A QUOTE WITH PRICE ONLY. *NM

THIS IS REGARDING RECALL NUMBER 05113 (SAFETY BELTS) FOR WHICH WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR OUR CHEVY EXPRESS VAN WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FOREST RIVER 22' MOTORHOME. I ASSUME THIS AFFECTS THE SEAT BELTS IN THE CAB ONLY. OUR PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND A DEALER WHO WILL REPAIR THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT EVEN THOUGH THE LETTER WE RECEIVED STATES WE CAN TAKE IT TO ANY GM DEALER. WE ARE TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM LEAVING ON AN EXTENSIVE ROAD TRIP WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT IT IS SAFE AND WE BELIEVE IT IS UP TO THE MANUFACTURER TO CORRECT THEIR SAFETY DEFECT ASAP. *NM

THE RACK AND PINION UNIT HAS LOTS OF PLAY IN THE CENTER. (APPROX 50K) THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN REVERSE FROM DAY ONE. THE GAS PEDAL SHIFT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ABOUT 3 INCHES. (APPROX 40K) THIS VAN HAS ABOUT 50 REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS VAN IS USED BY MY WIFE AND 4 KIDS. *NM

MY HOSE THAT CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE TO THE RADIATOR HAS CRACKED AT LEAST THREE TIMES IN THE PAST TWO AND HALF YEARS, I HAVE ASK CHEVY ON EACH OCCASION THAT I HAD TO PURCHASE IT FROM THE DEALERSHIP, IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH HOW THE HOSE IS POSITION SO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST PIPE WITH NO SUPPORT TO KEEP THE HOSE AWAY FROM THIS PIPE THAT GIVES OFF SO MUCH HEAT, I TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS CREATING THE PROBLEM AND I'M TIRED OF REPLACING IT AND WOULD LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET 2500 EXPRESS VAN (PURCHASED NEW AND WELL MAINTAINED) THAT I USE FOR FIRE INVESTIGATIONS. ON THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT, THE ODOMETER READING WAS 50628 MILES. ON MY RETURN TRAVEL, I WAS ON I-75 NORTH BOUND THROUGH DAYTON, OHIO (SPEEDS EST @ 65-70 MPH) WHEN THE VIBRATION THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL INCREASED. APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MILES SOUTH OF PIQUA, OHIO, I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL (DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF FAILURE AT THIS TIME) WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY "JERK" TO THE LEFT. TRAVELING IN THE CENTER NORTH BOUND LANE OF I-75 AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, I USED BOTH HANDS TO STEERING MY VAN TO THE RIGHT HAND LANE NARROWING MISSING A SEMI TRACTOR-TRAILER. I CONTINUED ONTO THE BERM WITH THE END OF THE VAN SLIDING SIDEWAYS TO THE RIGHT. AS THE VAN SLOWED AND NOW ALMOST PERPENDICULAR TO TRAFFIC, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VAN BEGAN TO LIFT WITH BOTH LEFT SIDE WHEELS OFF THE GROUND. LUCKILY, THE VAN CAME TO A STOP AND THE LEFT SIDE DROPPED TO THE GROUND. TRAFFIC ON I-75 WAS IN CHAOS TRYING TO AVOID MY VAN DURING THE WHOLE EPISODE. I BELIEVE THE LONG WHEEL BASE OF THE VAN CONTRIBUTE TO PREVENTING THE VAN FROM ROLLING. AAA TOWED THE MY VAN TOWED TO DEFIANCE (OHIO) CHEVROLET DEALER IN PREPARATION FOR REPAIRS BECKMAN CHEVROLET DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTED THE VAN ON THE NEXT DAY AN FOUND COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WITH ONLY THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM KEEPING THE WHEEL ON THE SPINDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW WHEEL AND BEARING ASSEMBLY(SOLD AS ONE UNIT). I HAD TO PAY $300 AS A "WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE" WITH THE DEFECTIVE PARTS RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER GM . IN MY OPINION THIS WHEEL AND BEARING ASSEMBLY SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES AND IT APPEARS THERE WAS A MATERIAL OR INSTALLATION FAILURE IN SOME MANNER. AAA IS OUT ABOUT $300 FOR THE TOW BILL. I REMAIN, BOB MARIHUGH, DEFIANCE, OHIO. *JB