2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NOVEMBER 12, 2003. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN GOING BAD, THE FEATURE RECORD SHOWED IT WAS REPROGRAMMING IT SELF, SHUTTING HER CAR OFF AFTER SHE STARTED IT, UNLOCKING THE DOORS BY ITSELF. SHE ALMOST HIT SOMEONE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. SHE ALSO STATES THAT THE LAST TIME IT WAS IN THE SHOP HER RPMS WENT UP TO 3000. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SPOKEN TO THE GM SPECIALIST AND THEY COULD NOT HELP EITHER. *JB

THE BACK LIFTGATE WINDOW ON MY 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN UNEXPECTEDLY EXPLODED WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND WAS SITTING IN THE SHADE ON A NICE WARM BUT NOT HOT DAY. I WAS ABOUT 40 FEET AWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED AND HEAR THE LOUD NOISE. NOBODY WAS NEAR THE CAR AND NO KNOWN OBJECT HIT THE GLASS TO CAUSE IT TO BREAK. GLASS PIECES WERE THROWN ~10 FEET FROM THE CAR AND SOME GLASS WAS ALSO INSIDE THE CAR. THE FRAME OF THE WINDOW WAS STILL LATCHED BUT WAS BENT OUTWARD. THE HYDRAULIC LIFTS WERE EXTENDED. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER ITS WARRANTY PERIOD BUT THE DEALER WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT AS A WARRANTY CLAIM BECAUSE HE COULDN'T VERIFY THAT SOMETHING DIDN'T HIT THE WINDOW. I SUSPECT THERE MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW OR INSTALLATION FLAW THAT PLACED TOO MUCH STRESS ON THE WINDOW. A NEW WINDOW WAS ORDERED AND INSTALLED AT THE DEALER.

AN INTERNAL MECHANICAL FAILURE WITHIN THE AIR CONDITIONER'S COMPRESSOR CAUSED THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE AC UNIT. THIS OCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 46000 MILES. A HOSE ATTACHED TO THE COMPRESSOR COMPLETELY BLEW OFF THE VEHICLE, DISSEMINATING A WHITE CLOUD AND FREON ON THE VEHICLES DIRECTLY BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY. CHEVROLET CHARGED $1700 TO REPAIR THE AC UNIT, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH TWO OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE IDENTICAL INCIDENTS.

2003 CHEVROLET K2500 SUBURBAN WITH FIRESTONE STEELTEX LT245/75R16 TIRES. ON FRIDAY JUNE 10, 2005 THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SUDDENDLY LOST PRESSURE WHILE TRAVELING ON I95 AT 65 MPH, AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF 94 DEGREES: HOWEVER, I NOTICED THE LOSS OF PRESSURE BEFORE THE TIRE WENT COMPLETELY FLAT AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL TO THE SHOULDER. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND NO PUNCTURES. THE INSIDE SIDE WALL HAD A 1-1/2" CRACK WHERE THE TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE. THE TIRE HAD 68781 MILES OF TREAD WEAR WITH APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 10000 MILES OF TREAD LIFE LEFT. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED AND TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT IS EVIDENCED BY THE LONG LIFE OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE IS STILL IN MY POSSESSION.

DT: CONTACT HAD FIRESTIONE WILDERNESS L/E TIRESON 2003 SUBURBAN. ON 5/30/05, GOING 70 MPH RIGHT REAR INNER SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. TIRE HAS 2,5000 MILES ON IT. MAXIMUM PRESSURE WAS 34 PSI.TIRES HAD 39 PSI AT THE TIME OF BLOWOUT. NO VIBRATION WAS NOTICED PRIOR TO BLOW OUT. NO VISIBLE BULGING IN THE TIRES. CONTACT STATED THAT NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS PRESENT ON TIRE, BESIDES A VERTICLE SPLIT THROUGH THE TIRE FROM THE RIM THROUGH THE TREAD. NO PROBLEMS WITH TIRES BEFORE AND NO OTHER TIRES WERE DAMAGED. RIGHT REAR TIRE.*AK

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN IN DECEMBER OF 2003. ON MAY 13, 2005, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO FAIL RAPIDLY. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT EASILY SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND REVERSE GEAR DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. THE CAR CAME WITH A 3 YEAR 36,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AND I HAVE PUT 48,000 MILES ON IT IN THE EIGHTEEN MONTHS THAT I'VE OWNED IT. 98% OF THE MILES ON THE ODOMETER ARE HIGHWAY MILES. I HAVE TOWED A BOAT EXACTLY 4 TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEVROLET DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2452.00 CHEVROLET HAS OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE PARTS & WANTS ME TO PAY FOR THE LABOR-$900.00 THERE ARE TWO TECHNICAL SAFETY BULLETINS RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM- #030730028 "DRIVETRAIN "CLUNKS" WHEN STOPPING" AND 00822B, "NO SECOND & FOUTH GEARS AND NO REVERSE"

DT: VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AT 5000 MILES, AND NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. CHEVY FIXED IT 3 TIMES, AND IT STILL KEEPS COMING ON. THE LAST TIME, THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE AIR BAGS. AT FIRST GM SAID THE AIR BAG DEFECT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ACCIDENT THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, AND NOW THEY SAY IT IS BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. IT IS VERY UNSAFE. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER AND MIDDLE FRONT SEATBELTS REQUIRE AN EXTENSION BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO SHORT, AND SO IT IS UNSAFE. *TT

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURAN, 4X4. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED 9/2004. IT HAS DEVELOPED A RATTLE/CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STERRING COLUMN. I CALLED THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THEY HAVE HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS, AND THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND GREASED, AND OR REPLACED. I WOULD THINK SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS "STEERING" COLUMN PROBLEMS WOULD RESULT IN A RECALL. PLEASE HELP!!

WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING GARAGE WITH THE REAR HATCH OPEN (RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM THE BACK) THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WITHOUT ANY SORT OF CONTACT OR APPARENT CAUSE. OWNER WAS INJURED BY EXPLODING GLASS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE OWNER HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS OVER CALIBRATED. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL PULLING TO THE LEFT. ALSO, THE OWNER HAS HAD 11 NEW TIRES IN THE FIRST 12,000 MILES. THE DEALER ALSO PERFORMED A STRAIGHT TRACK ADJUSTMENT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM *SC 8JB