Chevrolet Suburban 2500 2003
Model Suburban 2500 made in 2003 by Chevrolet got 24 consumer complains as well as 4 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to digital instrument panel and engine and engine cooling. Technical service bulletines regarding exterior lighting and power train.
Model 2003
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL - FLASHER UNIT | |||||
| 070842013 | 09/01/2007 | 10023217 | Turn signal in camper style outside rearview mirror (rpo dpn) does not illuminate turn signal flash (replace upper mirror glass) *nj | 11/02/2007 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 08-07-30-015 | 04/01/2008 | 10025462 | Diagnostic information on mn8, mt1 ses/mil illuminated, dtc p0757, harsh shift, delayed 2-3 shift, 2-3 shift flare, no third gear, slips in third gear or reverse. *pe | 08/12/2008 | |
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS | |||||
| PIT-3749D | 11/01/2010 | 10037570 | Ready | 05/25/2011 | |
| PIT-3749D | 11/01/2010 | 10037570 | Gm: on some truck models there is some frame corrosion. *rm | 05/25/2011 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL | |||
| 11/24/2008 | 1 | ||
| 2003 chevy suburban 2500 with 122,000 miles - the fuel gauge registered zero and then the speedometer failed to register any speed. it then registered between 120mph and 0mph alternately. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2005 | 40000 | 1 | 05/02/2004 |
| 2003 chevy suburban 2500 (3/4 ton) - the instrument clusters are junk and dangerously unreliable - faulty. it is absolutely criminal that gm and nhtsa not issue a formal recall on gm 2003-2006 instrument clusters. mine began failing at 40,000 miles in 2005 (fuel gauge reading wrong or empty if idling more than 30 seconds, speedometer pegging or reading wrong intermittently). i mentioned this to the dealer but they lied and said that had no other reports of such. when told it would cost $400 to repair, i had to pass on that expense and just relied on a cheap gps i mounted to read accurate speed. now, gm comes out late and claims they may pay for the repair if it is under 70,000 miles on the 03 and 04 models. i surmise they waited intentionally to minimize potential cost and they will send a letter on the 05 and 06 models in two years hoping those vehicles also have gone over 70k. this is obviously a very well known defect because there are sites on the internet such as www.speedometer.com dedicated to repairing gm clusters. again, a faulty speedometer is a potentially fatal defect and the nhtsa must step up and force a formal recall or be as guilty of neglecting its duty as the fda has been. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 51000 | 1 | 06/04/2003 |
| Speedometer failure at 52000 on 2003 suburban 2500. speedometer shows between 70 and 120 mph. *cn | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 03/29/2007 | 67000 | 1 | 03/16/2007 |
| When starting the vehicle the oil is out of the valves causing it to sound like a diesel motor. therefore needing to leave the vehicle running for at least 15 minutes before you should put it into gear. *tr | |||
| POWER TRAIN - TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) | |||
| 09/23/2003 | 67150 | 1 | 08/24/2003 |
| Without prior warning, the transfer case started switching from 2 hi to 4 hi and 2 lo at highway speeds and by itself. this is extremely dangerous as it can result is a sudden lost of control. *jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES | |||
| 03/08/2013 | 130000 | ||
| A complete loss of brake pressure with no warning light indicator - when inspected the drivers side line had corroded almost directly under the drivers side door. this is the second time of occurrence, the first being the passenger side brake line in same location | |||
| 01/03/2012 | 72300 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban 2500. the contact was traveling 45 mph when the brake pedal was depressed and the brakes failed to work properly. the contact mentioned that the brake warning light illuminated immediately after the failure. the failure recurred five times. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the mechanic confirmed that the brake lines needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 72,300 and the current mileage was 75,293. pmb | |||
| 01/03/2012 | 72300 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban 2500. the contact was traveling 45 mph when the brake pedal was depressed and the brakes failed to work properly. the brake warning light illuminated after the failure. the failure repeated five times. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic. the mechanic confirmed the brake line needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 72,300 and the current mileage was 75,293. rds | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 10/13/2011 | 65871 | ||
| While driving the car at a relatively slow speed (35 mph), i attempted to apply the brakes as i approached a traffic light turning yellow. the pedal went all the way to the floor without any decrease in speed whatsoever. essentially, there was no braking power at all. prior to this, there had been no issues with the brakes and the truck had been routinely serviced at my local dealership (nesenger 112 chevrolet, 112 medford avenue, medford, ny 11763). i was able to place car in neutral in order to allow it to coast off the road and it was towed to the above named dealership for repair the next morning. fortunately, it was approximately 10:30 pm on a side road and there were no cars in front of me. the service manager at the dealership told me that all the brake lines were corroded and had to be replaced, as well as the rear backing plates. the repair total was $2457.01 | |||
| 08/30/2011 | 93813 | ||
| Was driving my 2003 suburban 2500 & went to stop, break pedal went all the way to the floor & truck had trouble stopping. after looking what was the problem saw break fluid all over the underside of truck and on ground. breaklines have rusted through and have burst. now need to be replaced. | |||
| 02/01/2009 | 88000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban 2500. while approaching a stop or slowing down to make turns at low speeds, the abs activates without warning. the contact is unable to safely come to a complete stop. the manufacturer stated that her vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 05v379000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock). she will take the vehicle to the dealer for repair. the current and failure mileages were 88,000. | |||
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 04/10/2002 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Read on rv.net about hitch failures. contacted hitch shop, had mine inspected. upon inspection found that the drift pin holes were elongating and fracturing. since i tow a travel trailer often, it was determined by the hitch shop that the hitch would eventually fail due to the excessive wear around the drift pin area of the hitch. they stated that the metal may not have been hardened correctly. *tr | |||
| TRAILER HITCHES | |||
| 04/10/2002 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Read on rv.net about hitch failures. contacted hitch shop, had mine inspected. upon inspection found that the drift pin holes were elongating and fracturing. since i tow a travel trailer often, it was determined by the hitch shop that the hitch would eventually fail due to the excessive wear around the drift pin area of the hitch. they stated that the metal may not have been hardened correctly. *tr | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | SAN JOSE | COURTESY CHEVROLET | ||
| PA | STATE COLLEGE | 16801 | STOCKER CHEVROLET | 814-238-4905 |