2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AT AN INTERSECTION BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES AND THE FRONT CALIPERS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

BRAKE FAIL WITH NO PRESSURE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED AND NO WARNING LIGHTS, WE WERE GOING ABOUT 65 MPH AND HAD TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC. HAD TO PULL OFF ROADWAY ON TO GRASS AREA TO AVOID HITTING OTHER CARS. LUCKY NO ONE WAS KILL. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED, IT WAS DIRECTLY UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT AREA. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE THAT BRAKE LINE EVER FAIL DUE TO CORROSION. WE IN NORTH EAST OF THE COUNTRY BY THE SHORE AREA ARE SUBJECT TO SALT DURING WINTER AND MANUFACTURE SHOULD TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION FOR SAFETY OF PUBLIC. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 SUBURBAN I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING ACTION. AS THE TRUCK CONTINUED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN (THANK GOODNESS NO OTHER CAR WAS CROSSING) I ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BREAK WHICH FAILED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP AS WELL. I THEN INTENTIONALLY TURNED TO TRUCK OVER A CURB INTO A GRASSY AREA AS TO STOP THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ROLLING DOWN THE HILL INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. UPON EXAMINING UNDER THE TRUCK I DISCOVERED AN AREA UNDER A CLAMP LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. IT APPEARS THAT IT HAD CORRODED THROUGH. *JS

I WAS DRIVING MY SUBURBAN BACK FROM WORK ONE DAY AND MY FRONT A/C BLOWER STOPPED WORKING. I TURNED A/C OFF AND REACHED HOME. WHEN I TOOK THE PLASTIC COVER OVER THE BLOWER MOTOR APART TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON I FIGURED THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER HAS HEATED UP AND MELTED. I REPLACED THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER THINKING SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THAT ONLY TO FIND OUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN 15 DAYS LATER. I SEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND THAT YET ANOTHER ENGINEERING DISASTER BY GM. IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM IN GM TRUCKS. FOR SOME REASON THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER IS OVERHEATING AND MELTING THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR AND WIRES CONNECTING TO IT. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. I CALLED UP A CHEVY DEALERSHIP NEAR ME TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS ANY RECALL ON THIS THEY SAID NO. HENCE REPORTING THIS TO YOU. *JS

I TOOK MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN FOR A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH RECENTLY. THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT ALL THE BRAKE COMPONENTS ARE CORRODED VERY BADLY ESPECIALLY THE BRAKE LINES. THE SHOP RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE ALL MY BRAKE CALIPERS. BRAKE ROTORS WERE ALMOST END OF THEIR LIFE. SO I ENDED UP REPLACING ALL 4 BRAKE CALIPERS, ROTORS, PADS AND THE BRAKE HOSES LEADING TO THE BRAKE CALIPERS. THE SHOP SAID SOONER OR LATER I WOULD NEED MY BRAKE LINES REPLACED. I JUST SEARCHED ONLINE AND CAME ACROSS NHTSA'S INVESTIGATION ON THE BRAKE LINE CORROSION HENCE DECIDED TO REPORT IT TO YOU. FROM THE CARFAX HISTORY REPORT, THIS TRUCK WAS REGISTERED AROUND PHILADELPHIA, PA AREA FOR IT'S ENTIRE LIFE AND ALSO IT WAS SERVICED AT DEALERSHIPS AROUND THIS AREA. SO I GUESS THIS TRUCK WAS ON THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE U.S FOR ITS ENTIRE LIFE BUT NOT CLOSER TO SALT (SEA) WATER OR WEATHER.. SHOULD YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL OR PHONE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR WHEN THEY NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES WERE RUSTED SEVERELY. IN ADDITION, THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER EXHIBITED RUST CORROSION AND WAS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

STOPPED TO GET GAS. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WOULDN'T STOP, WARNINGS STARTED GOING OFF AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK TO AVOID HITTING ANYTHING, HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO LOOK UNDER VEHICLE AND SAW ALL THE FLUID, TOLD ME TO STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FLUID WAS SPRAYING FROM A LINE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

MY BRAKES DID NOT SEEM TO BE OPERATING CORRECTLY. STOPPING DISTANCE WAS GREATLY INCREASED. WHEN I CHECKED, MOST OF MY BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND CRUMBLING. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE, GARAGE KEPT VEHICLE WHICH IS RARELY DRIVEN IN THE WINTER. FURTHERMORE, IT HAS RECEIVED UNDERCARRIAGE CLEAN WATER WASHING TWICE A YEAR SINCE 2006 WHEN I PURCHASED IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT BRAKE LINES WILL EVENTUALLY RUST BUT THIS CASE SEEMS EXTREME, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS A WELL CARED FOR, GARAGE KEPT VEHICLE THAT RARELY SEES ROAD SALT. *TR

WIFE JUST RETURNED FROM WORK, BACKING INTO THE GARAGE. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR (NO LIGHTS OR WARNINGS)? WHEN I CRAWLED UNDER AND LOOKED BRAKE LINES WERE RUPTURED NEST TO FRAME. *TR

OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS, THE COVER ON ALL THREE SEAT BELT LATCHES IN THE SECOND ROW OF OUR SUBURBAN HAVE FAILED. THEY ARE MADE OF 2 PIECES OF PLASTIC THAT CLIP TOGETHER TO COVER THE MECHANISM AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THE SEAT BELT TAB TO BE INSERTED INTO THE LATCH. NOT HAVING THE LATCH COVERED MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO BUCKLE ANY SEAT BELT FOR PASSENGERS IN THE SECOND ROW. IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO PRESS THE BUTTON TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BUCKLE THE SEAT BELTS EVEN FOR AN ADULT. NONE OF OUR CHILDREN CAN SECURE THEIR SEAT BELT WHEN RIDING IN THIS CAR. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE EACH TIME WE GET IN THE CAR TO ASSIST THEM. IN ADDITION, IT IS EASY TO SCRAPE AGAINST THE EXPOSED METAL OF THE LATCH MECHANISM WHEN ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY RECALLS OR OTHER INQUIRIES ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR