2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

I CAN UNLOCK TRUCK WITH KEY OR REMOTE PUT KEY IN START AND DASH LIGHTS COME ON BUT NO START. AFTER BEING TOLD IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, THE STARTED, AND KEY I KNOW IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ANTI-LOCK. I HAVE REPROGRAMMED IT SEVERAL TIME BUT EACH TIME A DIFFERENT WAY. I HAVE RESEARCH IT ON LINE AND IT IS A ON GOING PROBLEM WITH GM CARS AND TRUCKS. HOWEVER I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS A RECALL. I AM RECENTLY THE SECOND CAR OWNER OF THIS TRUCK AND EXPERIENCING THIS MAJOR PROBLEM. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR ME AT NIGHT OR DURING THE DAY IF AT A SHOPPING CENTER. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY HOME THEN THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED. IF ANY ONE CAN HELP ME PLEASE EMAIL [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND FAILED ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY ATTACH TO THE ABS MECHANISM UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. *TR

I WAS SLOWLY BACKING UP AT A FLAT LAUNCH RAMP TO PUT OUR BOAT INTO THE WATER. AS THE TRAILER REACHED THE WATER, I PRESSED HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I DID THAT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL BACKWARDS UNTIL THE BOAT REACHED THE WATER. FORTUNATELY THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING AND ALLOWED ME TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE. ONE OF MY BRAKE LINES HAD BURST. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THE BRAKE LINES WERE ALL RUSTED AND NOT IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. CONTRARY TO WHAT GM IS CLAIMING, MY VEHICLE COULD NOT STOP IN A SAFE DISTANCE AND THAT WAS WITHOUT THE BOAT/TRAILER ATTACHED. IF WE HAD BEEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED (WHICH WE DID SHORTLY BEFORE THE FAILURE), THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. *TR

ONE OF THE TWO REAR PLASTIC WINDOW HINGES HAS SNAPPED. I FIRST NOTICED ON 10/11 AS I WAS ACCESSING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BY UNLATCHING THE WINDOW. I WENT ONLINE TO CHECK THE ISSUE AND NOW REALIZE THIS ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD, THAT GM IS AWARE OF IT, AND ACTUALLY RE-DESIGNED THE HINGES STARTING IN 2005. WHAT THEY HAVEN?T DONE (AS I KNOW IT) IS ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I'M WRITING TO ASK WHETHER THE NHTSA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND IF IT AND/OR GM HAVE ALREADY DECIDED THIS DOES NOT WARRANT FURTHER ATTENTION. THE CONCERN IS IT?S EASY TO LATCH THE WINDOW IN PLACE, EVEN WITH 1 OF THE 2 HINGES BROKEN, AND THEREFORE DELAY OR SIMPLY IGNORE THE REPAIR NEED (AS THE REPAIR COST IS SIGNIFICANT), ASSUMING IT?S SAFE AS LONG AS YOU DON'T USE THE WINDOW FURTHER FOR ACCESS. BY CONTINUING TO USE THE VEHICLE W/OUT REPAIR, THE ONE WORKING HINGE AND WINDOW LATCH ITSELF ARE FORCED TO KEEP THE WINDOW IN PLACE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. UNDER THE ADDED STRESS, THE SINGLE HINGE WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL, AND LIKELY AT SPEED AS THE VEHICLE HITS THE LAST BUMP THE HINGE CAN WITHSTAND, OR AS REPORTED BY OWNERS ONLINE, A WINDOW IS SIMPLY ROLLED DOWN, INCREASING WIND FORCE ON THE REAR WINDOW. IF EITHER HAPPENS THE RESULT IS ALWAYS THE WINDOW IS JETTISONED FROM THE FRAME AND LANDS ON WHATEVER IT LANDS ON BEHIND THE VEHICLE. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THIS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, AS THE WINDOW IS 4-5 FEET WIDE AND LARGE AND HEAVY ENOUGH TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE DISASTER TO TRAFFIC TRAVELING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. I'VE CALLED 2 CHEVY DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA SO FAR AND ASKED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IF THIS ISSUE IS BEING ADDRESSED AND THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THE PART FAILING. THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT IN MY OPINION NOT LIKELY. I WORRY THIS IS A TRAINED RESPONSE, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO MINIMIZE ATTENTION ON THE MATTER. *TR

WHILE TRANSITING THE PARKING LOT AT THE END OF THE WORK DAY LAST THURSDAY, I WAS APPROACHING THE STREET ENTRANCE WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW MY VEHICLE. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDDLE, I ENCOUNTERED NORMAL BRAKING RESISTANCE FOR ABOUT A HALF SECOND BEFORE RESISTANCE STOPPED AND THE PEDDLE FLOORED. I PUMPED THE PEDDLE SEVERAL TIMES TO ATTEMPT TO BUILD PRESSURE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I ABANDONED THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM AND DEPLOYED THE PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE ENTERING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE CROSS STREET. THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT ENTERED TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES. THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM APPEARED TO HAVE SUFFERED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IN FACT, THE "BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE" INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ON SITE INSPECTION SHOWED RUSTED BRAKE LINES AND NO BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIRS. THERE WERE LARGE PUDDLES OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND AT BOTH THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR WHEELS AND A TRAIL OF BRAKE FLUID LEADING BACK UP THE PARKING LOT. THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID BY THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW, CONFIRMS THAT ONE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO CORROSION AND THAT THE OTHERS WERE ALSO CORRODED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. PLEASE NOTE: THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN AND HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY GARAGED IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND HAS NEVER BEEN OPERATED FOR SIGNIFICANT PERIODS OF TIME IN TRADITIONAL "SALT BELT" STATES OR IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS WHICH WOULD ACCELERATE CORROSION. WERE "STAINLESS" OR CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS MANDATED OR USED IN THESE BRAKE LINES? *TR

PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. GOT OUT OF TRUCK AND NOTICED BRAKELINE BROKEN UNDER DRIVERSIDE DOOR.. ALL LINES LOOK HORRIBLE. *TR

VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A STOP FROM A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30MPH AND BRAKES FAILED SUDDENLY TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP A NORMAL RATE. DRIVER NEEDED TO SWERVE OFF ROAD TO AVOID COLLISION. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO SIDE CURVE. NOT WARNING SIGN OR LIGHT WAS LIT BEFORE INCIDENT. CLEAR YELLOWISH FLUID DRAINED FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE NEAR DRIVER'S DOOR. *TR

LOSS OF BRAKING POWER AND STOPPING ABILITY. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS YEAR VEHICLE HAD THE INCORRECT BRAKING SYSTEM INSTALLED AT MANUFACTURE. IT IS A 5780 POUND VEHICLE (3/4 TON) WITH 1/2 TON BRAKING SYSTEM FACTORY INSTALLED. ON WAY HOME FROM NY STATE TO FLORIDA I HAD LESS AND LESS STOPPING POWER. BRAKE FLUID UP TO FULL LEVEL. EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM FRONT WHEELS. I DROVE AT SLOWER SPEEDS IN ORDER TO KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE IN FRONT OF ME IN CASE I NEEDED TO STOP QUICKLY, WHICH I FELT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT STOP IN TIME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED GM TO REPORT AND ASK WHAT CAN BE DONE. IN THE INTERIM I HAVE HAD NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS INSTALLED AS A STOP GAP MEASURE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX AS THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE REQUIRES THE 3/4 TON BRAKING SYSTEM RATHER THAN THE 1/2 TON SYSTEM THAT IS ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WILL BE EXCESSIVE PAD AND ROTOR WEAR AS A CONSEQUENCE. *TR

THE BRAKES ON MY 2003 SUBURBAN FAILED SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING AS I WAS TAKING THE EXIT RAMP OFF THE INTERSTATE NEAR MY HOUSE. I BRAKE SHARPLY WHEN A VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF ME FROM THE RIGHT TRAVEL LANE INTO THE EXIT LANE, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AT THE MOMENT THAT HAPPENED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CHIMED CONTINUOUSLY AND DISPLAYED "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM". THE TRUCK SEEMED TO HAVE NO BRAKING POWER WHATSOEVER, AND I HAD TO SLOW THE TRUCK USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I HAD JUST DRIVEN AROUND 55 MILES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-95 AND THE BELTWAY, WITH TRAFFIC OFTEN SLOWING, SPEEDING UP, THEN SLOWING AGAIN, THEN SPEEDING UP AGAIN. IF THIS BRAKE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED THEN, INSTEAD OF ON THE SLIGHTLY UPHILL EXIT RAMP OFF I-66 1/2 MILE FROM MY HOUSE, IT LIKELY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS CRASH. AFTER I GOT THE TRUCK HOME, I SAW FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINE RUNNING UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. A FEW DAYS LATER, I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE REP AT THE DEALER, WHO GAVE ME A VERBAL ESTIMATE THAT REPLACING JUST THAT ONE BRAKE LINE WOULD COST AROUND $500, AND TO REPLACE ALL OF THEM (WHICH HE RECOMMENDED) WOULD COST AROUND $2000. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED IN A WEEK OR SO LATER AND HAD ALL OF THE LINES REPLACED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO PASSENGERS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.