2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

WE BOUGHT THE SUBURBAN IN VIRGINIA IN 2004 MOVED TO WASHINGTON STATE IN 2007. LIVED THERE FOR 4 YEARS AND NOW LIVE IN GUAM WHICH HAS BEEN FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. THE 2003 SUBURBAN HAS SEEN VERY LITTLE SNOW AND WHEN IT HAS THE STATES WE HAVE LIVE IN USE SAND AND NOT SALT AND YES I KNOW GUAM IS A ISLAND. WHILE COMING HOME A CAR PULLED INFRONT OF US AND I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR, I BARLEY STOPPED IN TIME WHICH WOULD OF BEEN NO PROBLEM IF THEY BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY (NOTE: GUAM'S MAX SPEED LIMIT ON THE ISLAND IS 35 MILES PER HOUR) . STILL IN TRAFFIC I HAD TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OFF WHICH TOOK ABOUT A MINUTE, LUCKY IT WAS UP HILL. THE SERVICE WARNING CAME ON TO CHECK BRAKES OF COURSE AT THIS TIME THEY WHERE COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR TAKING 100 FEET TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP THANK YOU K-MART PARKING LOT. THE BRAKE RESERVOIR WAS COMPLETELY DRY AND A POOL OF BRAKE FLUID WAS BELOW THE DRIVERS DOOR. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THIS FAILURE THEY WORKED FINE ONE MINUTE THEN NOT THE NEXT. I AM NOW BEING QUOTED 1,100.00 DOLLAR REPAIR BY THE DEALERSHIP AND TO TOP IT OFF IT WILL BE ATLEAST 2 WEEKS TO GET THE PARTS FROM DETROIT SINCE THEY ONLY USE OEM PARTS. NOT TO MENTION THE RENTAL CAR BILL I WILL RACKING UP IN GUAM. MY MAJOR CONCERN IS 6 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THEY FAIL AGAIN WILL I BE SO LUCKY SINCE OEM PARTS ARE NOT STAINLESS STEEL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25MPH ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR WITH NO HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. THE CAR NO LONGER SLOW DOWN SO I DOWN SHIFTED TO SLOW THE CAR AND FINALLY GOT IT TO STOP AND SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL TO STAY STOPPED. ONCE I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR THE BRAKES COULD NOT KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING. ONCE SAFELY OFF THE ROAD I CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID AND THEIR WAS NONE. THE BRAKE LINE FAILED AND ALL THE FLUID LEAKED OUT. I AM THANKFUL THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT ANY FASTER SPEEDS, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND OCCURRED WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. *TR

TRAVELING FROM MA TO FL, STOPPED TO EAT DINNER AND CHANGE DRIVERS. WHEN WE RESUMED THE TRIP WE LOST THE BRAKES IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE RESTAURANT. A MECHANIC IN NC CAME OUT ON A SUNDAY MORNING TO HELP US. HE FOUND THE BRAKE LINE AT THE LEFT REAR AXLE HAD RUPTURED DUE TO CORROSION. HE SAID HE KEEPS A COIL OF BRAKE LINES IN STOCK SO HE CAN MAKE UP A BRAKE LINE FOR TRAVELERS FROM THE NORTH. WHEN I CALLED HIM TO TELL HIM WE LOST OUR BRAKES, HE SAID YOU ARE FROM THE NORTH, RIGHT? I THOUGHT IT WAS MY ACCENT BUT HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE GETS ENOUGH CALLS FOR THIS THAT HE KEEPS A COIL OF MATERIAL IN STOCK. WE ARE FORTUNATE IT WAS NOT IN CITY TRAFFIC OR AT A HIGHER SPEED. WHEN I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH I FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME EXPERIENCE AND AN ARTICLE THAT NHTSA WAS STUDYING THIS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND WAS PROVIDING INACCURATE READINGS. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED IN WHICH HE WAS TRAVELING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

VEHICLE INFRONT OF ME STOPPED QUICKLY. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE; PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS FAR ENOUGH BACK TO AVOID A CRASH BUT HAD NO BRAKES. BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WITH OUT WARNING. TOWING AGENCY TOLD ME BRAKE LINE BURST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING FROM A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REVERSED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKES LINES WERE RUSTED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 40,000. UPDATED 12/19/12 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LAP BELT FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE SECOND ROW CENTER OCCUPANT SEAT BELT ROUTING HAD BECOME SNUG ON THE PASSENGER'S HIPS AND ALLOWED THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON THE PASSENGER'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW AROUND THE HIP BONE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V163000 (SEAT BELTS: REAR) BUT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PREPARED. THEY OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH WHEN I SAW A DEER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT DIDN'T RESPOND PROPERLY. INSTEAD, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT NEARLY TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE TOOK A LONG TIME TO SLOW TO A STOP. I BEGAN DRIVING AGAIN AND TESTED THE BRAKES; THEY DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. I HAD TO PRESS THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO GET THE VEHICLE TO BRAKE, AND EVEN THEN IT TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT THIS POINT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL FOUR BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED AND RUPTURED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STORED INDOORS AND DRIVEN VERY LITTLE IN THE WINTER MONTHS. THIS INCIDENT UPSET ME GREATLY AS IT PUT MY FAMILY IN SERIOUS DANGER. I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES OF THAT MODEL YEAR. I HAVE OWNED 25 AUTOMOBILES OVER 45 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE. I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE WILL BE INJURED OR KILLED, IF THIS HASN'T ALREADY OCCURRED, AND I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER A SAFETY RECALL. THANK YOU. *TR *JS

MY LOW MILEAGE 2003 SUBURBAN HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW. IN MARCH 2011 MY BRAKE LINES FAILED CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STOPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. UPON TAKING IT TO JBA CHEVROLET FOR REPAIRS, SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY REPLACED ROTTED BRAKE LINES IN 2003 AND 2004 GM PRODUCTS ALL DAY LONG. HE ALSO SAID THAT DURING THESE YEARS GM CHOSE NOT TO ANODIZE THEIR BRAKE LINES ON SOME MODELS. I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THIS HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE NHTSA, HE TOLD US THAT CAR DEALERS AND REPAIR SHOPS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FILE COMPLAINTS, THAT COMPLAINTS MUST COME DIRECTLY FROM THE CONSUMER. WHO ELSE WOULD KNOW BETTER THAN A CAR DEALER OR REPAIR SHOP ABOUT CONTINUING DEFECTS FOUND IN A CERTAIN MODEL VEHICLE. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET A RECALL? HOW MANY PEOPLE MUST DIE? *TR

I WAS COMING UP ON AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED RED, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THEY FAILED TO WORK. I HAD NO WARNING, ONLY AFTER I TRIED TO STOP THE CAR DID THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT COME ON AND READ "SERVICE BRAKES". THE CAR WENT INTO THE INTERSECTION. I CALLED AAA, WHO CAME AND TOWED ME TO A DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD CORRODED AND I HAD LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID. *TR