2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 Complaints

VEHICLE STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SPECIFICALLY, UNDER LOAD (UP HILLS, ACCELERATING, ETC...) WHEN GAS IS GIVEN, THE CAR STALLS. THE TACH STILL READS A NUMBER, AND ALL CABIN ELECTRONICS REMAIN ACTIVE, WITHOUT SHOWING ANY HINT OF A PROBLEM (NO SPIKE, DIMMING OF LIGHTS, ETC...) ENGINE JUST DIES. (AGAIN, THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS [40-80 MPH.]) NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AND THERE IS NO INDICATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A FAILURE ELECTRONICALLY [IE, NO "MESSAGES."] THE ONLY DISCERNIBLE SYMPTOM IS SLUGGISHNESS ON THE PART OF THE ACCELERATOR, AS IF SLAMMING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR WOULD CUT OUT THE ENGINE, BUT SLOWLY PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR WOULD PERMIT (SOMEWHAT) THE ACCELERATION. (MIND YOU, THAT I ALMOST NEVER PUSH MY ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.) FURTHER, ANY ACCELERATION (HOWEVER SLIGHT,) CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHEN THE CAR IS IN THE MOOD TO WANT TO STALL. (THE PROBLEM IS SOMEWHAT INTERMEDIATE - IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10-15 TIMES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS, ONCE ON THE THROGSNECK BRIDGE IN NY.) THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, (THE FIRST TIME AROUND THE BEGINNING OF JULY '06, [ABOUT 2 OCCASIONS ON ONE DAY, 4 MORE ANOTHER DAY THAT WEEK,) AND THEN AGAIN AROUND OCTOBER 10TH, ON WHICH THERE WERE ANOTHER 5 OR SO INCIDENTS. ON OCT 11TH, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAW NO ERROR CODES, SO COULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. ONSTAR WAS SIMILARLY UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE ANY ERRORS WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB

SPEEDOMETER FAILURE IN 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. SPEEDOMETER IS PRODUCING INACCURATE READINGS. WILL READ 0 MPH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WILL ALSO READ HIGHER SPEEDS WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $550. *JB

CHEVY SUBURBAN 2003 LT 1500 FLEX FUEL V8. DEVELOPED FUEL TANK LEAK. REMEDY IS TO REPLACE FUEL TANK. GASOLINE DRIPPING DOWN BACK SIDE OF FUEL TANK. POTENTIAL FIRE/SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. VEHICLE MILEAGE 120K. AGE LESS THAN 48 MONTHS. NO COLLISIONS EXCEPT MINOR TO REAR BUMPER. COST OF REPAIR OVER $1,000.00. *NM

SPEEDOMETER HAS FAILED. SHOWS 120 MPH, EVEN WHEN SHUT DOWN. IT SLOWLY BEGAN TO GO FROM ZERO AT STARTUP, TO 35 AT STARTUP, TO 70 AT STARTUP AND NOW TO 120. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHICH CHEVY AND DEALERS ARE AWARE OF. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE LEFT REAR STRUT HAD WORN INTO THE REAR FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY AND MADE A PINHOLE SIZED PUNCTURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUNCTURED FUEL LINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/4/2006 - THE LEFT REAR STRUT WAS FUBBING ON THE FUEL FILLER PIPE. THE TIRE WERE OUT OF ROUND. *NM

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR WAS AUDIBLE WHILE RUNNING. I AM NOT THE PRIMARY DRIVER, SO I WROTE THE NOISE OFF AS NORMAL. A FEW DAYS LATER HOME MY WIFE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED THE AIR CONDITIONING ON AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE COMPRESSOR HAD SEIZED UP AND THE CLUTCH WAS BURNING UP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS NEEDING A NEW COMPRESSOR, DRYER-RECEIVER, ORIFICE FILTER, AND A RECHARGE AND I SHOULD BE ALL SET. NOT THE CASE, THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WAS FILLED WITH METALLIC PARTICLES AND IMMEDIATELY PLUGGED THE FILTER. NOW, I WAS FACED WITH REPLACING MOST OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO THE TUNE OF NEARLY $1000.00. THE MECHANIC TOOK PITY ON ME AND EXTENDED ME A DISCOUNT, BUT THE PRICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS HIGHER. THE VEHICLE HAD 61,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. I HAVE HAD COUNTLESS VEHICLES WITH A/C AND NEVER HEARD OF THIS, UNTIL IT HAPPENED AND I BEGAN TO ASK QUESTIONS AND FOUND THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON AMONGST GM AIR CONDITIONING. *JB