2003 Chevrolet Suburban Electrical System Problems

The cluster of the speedometer

SATURDAY, I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 TO 50 MPH ON A SPLIT TWO LANE ROAD TO PICK UP MY GRANDCHILDREN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY INSTRUMENT PANEL STOPPED WORKING. ALL GAUGES WENT TO 0. THERE WAS NO DIGITAL READINGS EITHER. IT JUST WENT DEAD. PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, NOTHING CHANGED. PLUGGED MY GARMIN GPS IN FOR MY SPEED GUIDE AND FILLED MY GAS TANK SO I KNEW THAT IT WAS FULL. CALLED MECHANIC TO BRING VEHICLE IN FOR HIM TO CHECK OUT ON TUESDAY. TUESDAY, (TODAY) ON MY WAY TO WORK, DRIVING ON 4 LANE INTERSTATE, 60 TO 70 MPH, ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL OF THE GAUGES AND DIGITAL READINGS CAME ON AND BEGAN WORKING CORRECTLY. I STILL TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, HE STATED THAT HE WILL LOOK AT IT AND CALL ME LATER. I DEPEND ON MY CAR, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. I CAN NOT JUST GO OUT AND BUY A NEW ONE EVERY TIME SOMETHING GOES WRONG. I PRAY THAT THIS DOES NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I TRANSPORT MY GRANDCHILDREN AND WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. I AM A SAFETY DIRECTOR AND SAFETY IS VERY PASSIONATE TO ME. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I LOVE MY SUBURBAN AND PLAN ON PURCHASING ANOTHER ONE SOME DAY. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY DEPENDABLE VEHICLE BUT THIS ISSUE HAS ME SPOOKED. *TR

VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED GOING INTO REDUCED POWER MODE AND PROVIDING AN ERROR CODE INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE CONTROL SENSOR. FROM THE HUNDREDS OF ONLINE POSTS (SOME BY GM MECHANICS) THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MANY 2003-2008 TRUCKS AND SUVS MADE BY GM. WHEN I BEGAN TRYING TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM MYSELF, I FOUND OUT FROM MY LOCAL CHEVY PARTS DEPARTMENT THAT "THEY CAN NOT KEEP THESE THROTTLE CONTROL ASSEMBLIES IN STOCK BECAUSE WE ARE REPLACING SO MANY OF THEM..." THERE SEEMS TO BE A KNOW PROBLEM THAT GM IS NOT ADEQUATELY BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY, LOCAL STREETS AND AT STARTUP. THIS BECOMES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES INTO REDUCED POWER MODE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN TRAFFIC.

THE REAR LIFT TAILGATE AND WINDOW WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN USING THE REMOTE KEY BUTTON, OR WHEN USING THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE DRIVERS DOOR ARM REST. THERE IS NO MANUAL KEY LOCK FOR THE REAR LIFT TAILGATE OR WINDOW, NOR ANY INSIDE BUTTON TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE TAILGATE. WHEN SLEEPING IN THE REAR OF THE SUBURBAN YOU HAVE DO WAY TO EXIT THE CAR EXCEPT BY CLIMBING OVER SEATS AND EXITING USING THE FRONT DOORS. DRIVING THE CAR AND STOPPING TO TRY TO UNLOCK THE REAR LIFT GATE WILL EVENTUALLY ALLOW YOU TO UNLOCK THE TAILGATE, SOME TIMES AFTER MANY TRIES. ALSO IT SOME TIMES WILL UNLOCK WHEN ALTERNATING BETWEEN THE DRIVER DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON AND THE REMOTE UNLOCK BUTTON. THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM . THIS FAILURE OF THE REAR TAILGATE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBURBANS. THIS LINK PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM: " HTTP://WWW.CHEFSEATTLE.COM/BLOG/SITE-NEWS/SUBURBAN-REAR-LIFTGATE-WONT-UNLOCK-HOW-TO-FIX/ "

ALL GAUGES IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT LOW OR NO READING, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, FUEL, TACHOMETER, TEMP. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT WILLIE'S AUTO REPAIR INC.AT 901 S. CLIFF AVE. IN SIOUX FALLS, SD. THE GM REMANUFACTURED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PART WAS $453 AND LABOR WAS $126, WITH TAX THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $613 WHICH GM SHOULD BE PAYING FOR !! I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE AT WORK THAT HAVE HAD TO HAVE THIS DONE TO THEIR GM TRUCKS AND TAHOES, SUBURBANS. THIS IS SO WIDESPREAD THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT !! YOU KNOW THE COMPONENT THEY REPLACE CAN'T BE MUCH ON A BOARD IN THESE "REMANUFACTURED CLUSTERS" GM NEEDS TO REPLACE THESE AT THEIR EXPENSE !!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. A MONTH LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND ALL THE METERS, GAUGES, AND WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. AT VARIOUS TIMES, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 225,000.

I AM A TEACHER AND GOT A CALL IN MY CLASSROOM THAT MY SUBURBAN WAS ON FIRE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND WHEN I GOT OUTSIDE, SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS SMOKE ALL IN THE SUBURBAN AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE (NOT THE HOOD). WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THEY ENTERED THE VEHICLE, DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, AND PROCEEDED TO TEAR OUT MY REAR HEADLINER TO EXTINGUISH THE ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT WAS OCCURRING. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND IT WAS DEEMED REPARABLE, WHICH I WAS NOT TOO HAPPY ABOUT SEEING AS WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE BEYOND ELECTRICAL. THE FIRE ORIGINATED NEAR THE REAR DOME LIGHT AND BURNED THE HEADLINER AND MELTED THE PAINT OFF THE ROOF THE VEHICLE. THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE WAS NOT A IN A PLACE WHERE ANY MECHANIC COULD CHECK TO HAVE PREVENTED THIS FROM OCCURRING AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE MOVING FORWARD. I AM NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO AFFORD A NEW SUBURBAN AND DO LOVE MINE, BUT AM NOW JUST CONCERNED. I AM THANKFUL NO ONE WAS IN THE VEHICLE AND THAT NO ONE WAS HURT.. BUT HAD A PARENT DROPPING A KID OFF TO SCHOOL NOT NOTICED THE SMOKE COMING OFF THE ROOF OF MY CAR IN THE PARKING LOT, THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I HAD ALSO JUST FILLED MY TANK UP THE DAY BEFORE SO THE CAR WAS SITTING WITH 30 GALLONS OF GASOLINE IN IT. I AM ALSO THANKFUL THAT I WAS NOT TRYING TO SCRAMBLE TO GET MY 4 KIDS OUT OF THE CAR (AND YES WE DO USE THE 3RD ROW SEAT DAILY). I THINK THIS INCIDENT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT TO PREVENT ANY OTHER OWNER OF A 2003 SUBURBAN FROM HAVING A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE THAT WOULD HAVE LEAD TO THIS ISSUE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY SUBURBAN BACK FROM WORK ONE DAY AND MY FRONT A/C BLOWER STOPPED WORKING. I TURNED A/C OFF AND REACHED HOME. WHEN I TOOK THE PLASTIC COVER OVER THE BLOWER MOTOR APART TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON I FIGURED THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER HAS HEATED UP AND MELTED. I REPLACED THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER THINKING SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THAT ONLY TO FIND OUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN 15 DAYS LATER. I SEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND THAT YET ANOTHER ENGINEERING DISASTER BY GM. IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM IN GM TRUCKS. FOR SOME REASON THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER IS OVERHEATING AND MELTING THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR AND WIRES CONNECTING TO IT. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. I CALLED UP A CHEVY DEALERSHIP NEAR ME TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS ANY RECALL ON THIS THEY SAID NO. HENCE REPORTING THIS TO YOU. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTING, ONSTAR DEVICE POWER IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, FAN MOTOR, AND DOOR LOCKS LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURES RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INADVERTENTLY DISABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 02/14/17*LJ CONSUMER STATED TECHOMETER, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS OFFER LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. UPDATED 7/16/18*JB

I'M FILING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER. MY CAR HAS HAD THIS ISSUE FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. ANYTIME THE CAR GOES OVER BUMPS(NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL THE BUMP IS, IT COULD JUST BE A CRACK IN THE CEMENT) THE GAUGES ON THE DASH WILL GO CRAZY, SENSORS WILL SO OFF. SPECIFICALLY THE SPEEDOMETER WILL STOP WORKING OR GO ALL THE WAY TO 120 MPH. THE FUEL AND OIL GAUGES WILL NOT BE ACCURATE (FOR EXAMPLE IT WILL SAY THE TANK IS EMPTY WHEN IT'S FULL). BUT THE MOST DISTURBING PROBLEM IS THAT WHILE DRIVING NO MATTER HOW FAST THE ANTI THEFT WILL GO OFF AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF IN A MATTER OF SECONDS AND THE CAR LOSES ALL POWER. A FEW TIMES I HAVE BEEN DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND IT WILL JUST SHUT OFF. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH NOT TO GET REAR ENDED, I DON'T KNOW WHEN MY LUCK WILL RUN OUT. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT IT WAS ONLY UNTIL 2010 OR IF THE ODOMETER WAS BETWEEN 70,001 AND 80,000 MILES. MY CAR IS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND OVER 100,000 MILES. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED IN 2009 FROM A CHEVY DEALERSHIP (DICK WICKSTROM'S CHEVROLET). WHEN WE TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND COMPLAINED THAT IT WASN'T FIXED WHEN THEY HAD IT, THEY SAID IT WASN'T HAVING PROBLEMS AT THAT TIME. IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $600 TO $800 TO FIX. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT OR TO BUY ANOTHER CAR SO I MUST CONTINUE TO DRIVE A DEFECTIVE UNSAFE CAR. IF A PART IS DEFECTIVE HOW CAN THAT EXPIRE. GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CARS THEY SELL AND TO FIX ANY DEFECTIVE PARTS NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CAR IS. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HELP US AS I NEED A DEPENDABLE SAFE CAR AND CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE OR PAY OUT THE KIND OF MONEY IT WILL TAKE TO FIX THIS ONE WHEN I FEEL THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE IT IS A PART THAT WAS DEFECTIVE NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TOOK TO GO BAD. THANK YOU. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND WAS PROVIDING INACCURATE READINGS. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED IN WHICH HE WAS TRAVELING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

SPEEDOMETER GOES TO 120 RANDOMLY. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN IS OFF BY OVER 50 MPH. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON 2005 SILVERADO. I SEE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS OVER THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS, WHY IS GM NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A RECALL. THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW HOW FAST I AM ACTUALLY GOING, IF THAT IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN THEN I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE ALL GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE DIGITAL AND MECHANICAL GAUGES FAILED AND THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE VEHICLE OR HOW FAST THEY WERE TRAVELING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT IN THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR FAILED FIRST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A WIRING PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD MALFUNCTION LEAVING THE CONTACT UNAWARE OF THE SPEED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DISPLAY 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD UNDER 80,000 MILES. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT NO COST, BUT SINCE THE CONTACT DID NOT FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND HAS HIGH MILEAGE THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL SINCE THE ISSUE WITH THE DASHBOARD WAS VERY COMMON. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

2003 CHEVY SURBURBAN SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. SPEEDOMETER FAILS TO GIVE ACCURATE READING WHILE STOPPED OR WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAUSES THE HAZARD OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GAUGE SPEED ACCURATELY AND MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL SPEED LAWS FOR PUBLIC ROADWAYS. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 Z71 SUBURBAN. THE SPEEDOMETER BROKE TODAY ALL OF A SUDDEN, SAID I WAS DRIVING 60MPH WHEN I WAS BARELY DOING 25. WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF IT REMAINED AT 30MPH. I CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER AND THEY KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HOW MUCH TO FIX IT. $600.00. NOW I KNOW WHY, AFTER READING THE COMPLAINTS ON HERE. EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. MY TRUCK HAS 91,000 MILES ON IT. WHY WON'T GM REPAIR THIS REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY MILES THE VEHICLES HAVE ON IT. A DEFECT IS A DEFECT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MILEAGE IS WHEN IT OCCURS! LET'S SEE, FOOD IN MY KIDS MOUTH AND A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS, OR $600.00 TO REPAIR MY DEFECTIVE TRUCK. NO WONDER WHY GM IS GOING UNDER. I KNOW I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. YOU PEOPLE SHOULD DO SOMETHING. I SEE THERE A TONS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME THING. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATES INCORRECT SPEEDS. SHOWS I AM GOING 30 MPH SITTING STILL OR 120 MPH WHILE DRIVING 65MPH. *TR