2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY LOST ALL STEERING. STEERING WHEEL SIMPLY ROLLED AROUND ON THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE IN MOTION. *NM

2003 TAHOE ; 76,000M AC COMPRESSOR FAILURE THAT RUINED ENTIRE SYSTEM A/C SYSTEM SERVICE/INSPECTED EVERY MAY ; DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY WHEN A/C STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR ; FEW MINUTES LATER AC HIGH PRESSURE LINE TO CONDENSER BURST. STOPPED CAR AND CHECKED OUT NOISE FOUND BUSTED HOSE AND OIL W/ METAL FILLINGS DRIPPING FROM LINE. IT WAS 98 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND WE WERE DRIVING TO FAMILY VACATION AT BEACH . HAD TO DRIVE REMAINING 5 HRS W/O AC AS IT WAS SAT PM. NO DEALER W/IN MILES SO TOOK TO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LOCAL GARAGE; HOPING IT WAS JUST A PRESSURE LINE REPLACEMENT. SHOP CALLED LATER THAT DAY TO SAY ENTIRE SYSTEM CONTAMINATED W/ FILLINGS FROM COMPRESSOR COMING APART INTERNALLY CAUSING CONDENSER TO BE STOPPED UP AS WELL DRYER AND EVAPORATOR . ENTIRE SYSTEM COMPONENTS REPLACED AND SYSTEM FLUSHED ; $1950 . NEW COMPRESSOR FROM CHEVROLET NOT SAME AS ORIGINAL DUE TO HISTORY OF PROBLEMS. *NM

NONMOVING AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON ENGINE START. 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Z71, VIN: [XXX]VEHICLE MILEAGE: 37,802. WE LOADED THE CHILDREN (FOUR CHILDREN UNDER THREE YEARS OF AGE) INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE, AND I PULLED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. THEN, I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF TO WAIT FOR MY WIFE, WHILE SHE GATHERED A FEW FINAL ITEMS FOR OUR PICNIC. WITHIN A SHORT TIME, MY WIFE OPENED THE REAR LIFT GATE TO PLACE A STROLLER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE (THIS CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE VEHICLE INSIDE THE GARAGE IT MUST BE PULLED OUT ONTO THE DRIVEWAY, AT LEAST PARTIALLY, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK). MY WIFE ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND SAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I WAS ALREADY IN THE DRIVER SEAT WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK. I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE ENGINE AND EXPERIENCED AN IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT OF ALL FOUR AIRBAGS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE (STEERING WHEEL, PASSENGER DASHBOARD, AND SIDE-IMPACT BAGS ON THE DOOR-SIDE OF BOTH THE DRIVER SEAT AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT). *NM UPDATED 07/16/02012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE DRIVING ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY IN NJ (MILE MARKER 133.6), THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW-OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. *JB

REAR BRAKE PADS WEAR DOWN ON THE INSIDE OF ROTOR TO THE ROTOR CAUSING METAL ON METAL DAMAGE WITHOUT WEARING THE OUTSIDE PADS SIGNIFICANTLY. PROBLEM OCCURRED AT 30,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 65,000 MILES RESULTING IN COSTLY REPAIRS AND LOSS OF USE OF VEHICLE. *JB

WE HAVE A 2003 3/4 TON SUBURBAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 42,000 MILES. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN JANUARY 2003. ON THE WAY HOME FROM CHARLESTON, SC ON INTERSTATE 26 NEAR THE I-95 INTERSECTION THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM BOTH SIDEWALLS, AND STAYED INTACT. AIR PRESSURE WAS CHECK ON FRIDAY. THE TREAD WAS INSPECTED AND NO CUT, TEARS OR PUNCTURES WERE PRESENT. THERE WERE ONLY 2 PASSENGERS WITH LIGHT LUGGAGE IN THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE IS MANUFACTURED BY BRIGDESTONE. THE INFORMATION ON THE TIRE IS THE FOLLOWING: LT245 75R16 120/1165 M+S R265G2 E4 0012336 LOAD RANGE E 34449EX26564 MADE IN MEXICO. *JB

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED ON MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN LT. FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN OCT 2003 UNTIL THE SEAT BELT FINALLY OUTRIGHT FAILED, I NOTICED SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE SEAT BELT TENSION LOCKING MECHANISM WOULD APPARENTLY JAM AND EITHER NOT RELEASE FOR PROPER ADJUSTMENT, OR FAIL TO ENGAGE AND TAKE UP EXTRA BELT SLACK. THIS SEEMED TO SELF CORRECT FOR SHORT PERIODS BEFORE RE-EMERGING. FINALLY, THE TENSION MECHANISM STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THIS LEFT MY SEAT BELT TOTALLY LIMP AND USELESS WITH NO SPRING-LIKE FUNCTION TO TAKE-UP THE EXCESS BELT PORTION AND UNABLE TO PROPERLY TIGHTEN AND SECURE THE DRIVER IN PLACE. I CALLED MY CHEV DEALERSHIP AND EXPRESSED MY DESIRE TO HAVE THIS FIXED IMMEDIATELY AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY ARGUED WITH ME AS TO WHETHER THE SYMPTOM I DESCRIBED WAS ACTUALLY A PROBLEM OR NOT AND INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER PARTS. APPROX. 10 DAYS LATER THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT I COULD BRING IT IN FOR REPAIR, BUT THAT THEY WOULD ASSESS CAREFULLY IF ACTUALLY A WARRANTY ITEM OR NOT. UPON BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN, THE CHEV DEALERSHIP MECHANIC DECIDED THAT YES - THEY WOULD FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. THE REPAIR HOWEVER, WAS QUITE LENGTHY IN TIME AND INVOLVED THREE CHEV MECHANICS WHO WORKED IN GRETA FRUSTRATION AND CONFUSION AS TO HOW TO REPLACE THE BELT AND TENSION DEVICE AS THEY HAD LITTLE EXPERIENCE OR KNOWLEDGE IN HOW TO ACTUALLY INSTALL THE NEW PART. I GOT THE DISTINCT IMPRESSION THAT A PROPER TECH SUPPORT MANUAL WAS EITHER LACKING OR THEY SIMPLY CHOSE NOT TO FOLLOW IT VERY WELL. REGARDLESS, SOME THEE HOURS LATER THEY DEEMED THE BELT FIXED - AND TO THEIR CREDIT, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. IN HINDSIGHT, I'M NOT SURE HOW FREQUENT THIS PARTICULAR SAFETY FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IN 2003 CHEV SUBURBANS, BUT I DECIDED TO MAKE IT A MATTER OF RECORD IN CASE CHEV NEEDS TO BETTER ADDRESS HOW DEALERSHIP MECHANICS SHOULD RESPOND TO SIMILAR CRITICAL SAFETY REPAIRS IN THE FUTURE. *JB

POWER TRAIN, LOUD WHINING REGARDLESS OF SPEED COMING FROM REAR Z71 4X4 SUBURBAN, TOOK TO POWER TRAIN SPECIALIST, REPLACED DIFFERENTIAL 552.00. *NM

THIS CONDITION WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE TRAGEDY DETAILED BY THE PARENTS OF LITTLE MILAN HEDMARK. WWW.KIDSANDCARS.ORG . THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT HAVING TO PRESS THE BRAKE IF THE KEY MOVED FORWARD JUST ONE POSITION FROM LOCK. A CHILD COULD EASILY ACCOMPLISH THIS JUST BY BEING CURIOUS AND LEFT ALONE FOR ONLY A SECOND. PLEASE MAKE FOLKS AWARE OF THIS. 96' AND LATER MODEL CHEVROLET. *JB

AT START-UP, USUALLY WHEN ENGINE HAS BEEN RUN/WARMED, A "CLICKING" (AS IF THE OIL LEVEL WAS LOW/LIFTERS) SOUND IS HEARD FOR 30-PLUS SECONDS. MY CONCERN IS THE LONG-RANGE (I.E., OUT OF WARRANTY) EFFECTS THIS CONDITION WILL HAVE ON THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE. THE CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED TO SERVICE REPS AT ANCIRA CHEVROLET, WHO, AT 3-4 OCCASIONS, REPLIED THAT IT IS "NORMAL." *JB