This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
We purchased a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban Z71 in January of 2007 with 70,900 miles. About 3 months after we purchased it we started experiencing intermittent issue with the speedometer where it will show the vehicle going 120 mph when the tack indicates we are at 1900 RPM on highway or approximately 60 to 70 mph. We received a letter from GM in January informing us that they would replace the instrument cluster if we have less than 70,000 miles. They indicated that it was not a recall but, a warranty extension. Well we are have over 90,000 miles so they will not do anything for us. We got an estimate of $500 to fix this issue at a local dealership. I have started researching this and have noticed that there have been a few lawsuits filed in various states. I am requesting that the NHTSA require General Motors complete a recall on this issue. This is ultimately a safety issue and it is impacting many vehicle owners. This should be a recall. Any help you can give us would be appreciated!!!
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.
- Westerville, OH, USA
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2003 Chevy Suburban with speedometer problems. Consumer states she received a notice for a voluntary repair but the vehicle had too many miles on it. Consumer is very upset that there was not a recall for this repair. The consumer stated for over 3 years, she has had an intermittent problem with the speedometer.
The speed odometer sticks, Chevy will only replace cars less than 7 yrs or under 70,000 miles. They claim that this is not a recall. My car has 108,000 miles and is not eligible for the repair. The Chevy customer service manager claims that it is not a safety issue and they are voluntary replacing cars within the 7 yrs 70,000 miles. If my car is speeding in a school zone and hits a child because I am going to fast I would say that it is a safety issue. If the speed limit is 45 miles around a curve and my speed odometer is no correct I could flip my car. I would call this a safety issue. This is not about the money but the safety of the consumer. We need to put the public safety first.
My 2003 Chevrolet Suburban has developed a condition where the speedometer has become inoperative. The readings are very inaccurate. For example, while traveling at low, in town speeds, the speedometer will have readings in the 60S, 70S' and 80S. While in the park position, the speedometer will read 55mph. I consider this to be a safety issue because the driver has no idea how fast or slow the vehicle is going. Without a sense of speed, the driver (my wife, or I) may unknowingly go much faster, or slower than the posted speed limits allow. The maker of the vehicle, General Motors is aware that this is a wide spread problem, as I have received a letter from the general director of General Motors stating that this could happen to my 3003 Chevrolet Suburban. General Motors has even offered to provide owners with a special coverage that extends the warranty on the instrument panel cluster for the condition described above, as long as the vehicles age and mileage falls within certain parameters. Those parameters are the main reason for my complaint. Those parameters are 1) 7 years of the in service date, and 2) 70,000 miles, which ever occurs first. My claim to have the instrument cluster in my vehicle repaired under the special coverage was denied on 2/6/08 because the mileage of my vehicle was 89,000 miles at the time of my request. I believe that this is a large scale safety problem that warrants a recall by General Motors rather than an extension of warranty with unreasonable mileage parameters.
The instrument cluster on my vehicle quit working when my 2003 Chevy Suburban had about 48600 miles on it. I contacted a friend with a dealership and he told me it was a common problem and wiuld cost about $500 tp get it fixed. I recently received the recall letter but now have too many miles to qualify.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. Whenever the vehicle is driven, the speedometer freezes and displays inaccurate readings. The vehicle was taken to the dealer once. There is a customer reimbursement, but the vehicle exceeds the mileage requirement. The current mileage was 120,000 and failure mileage was 90,000. Updated 4/29/08
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving at various speeds, the instrument control panel failed, and the fuel gauge became inoperative and displayed inaccurate readings. The dealer stated that because the vehicle exceeded 70,000 miles, the contact would have to pay for the repairs. The vehicle has not been repaired. The contact filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 54,000 and current mileage was 96,000.
Periodically our car's gas gauge and speedometer stick. It is intermittent and we cannot find a connection as to when/where. We recently received a letter from Chevy recognizing there is a defect in their manufacturing but also includes a refusal to fix our Suburban because it has more than 70,000 miles on it. This is a safety issue and should fall under a mandatory recall. Cars have to be able to know how fast they are going and if they have enough fuel to get there.
The instrument panel on my 2003 Chevrolet Suburban does not accurately display speed. The needle either sticks or jumps around or just doesn't display speed accurately. This has created a situation wherein I do not ever know my actual speed creating a safety hazard for the occupants of my vehicle and others on the road. GM is apparently aware of the problem and is fixing those vehicles with less than 70,000 miles, but mine has greater mileage and they have refused to correct my problem. I think they should be compelled to correct this safety defect that they obviously agree exists.
While driving speedometer randomly locks up at different speeds. Sometimes it shows I'm doing 55mph in a 25mph zone. I've called GM on several occasions in the past but was told it was an issue with my vehicle. I called the dealership and was informed the cost to fix ranged from $500-$600. I got a letter from GM today but was told since my vehicle was over 70,000 I was stuck with the repairs. This I think is absurd. If it is clearly a defect then it should be remedied regardless of the mileage on the vehicle. I am the second owner of this vehicle so I took the Liberty of calling the previous owner this evening and he told me he had this problem around 46,000 miles. He said he was informed since the vehicle was past 36,000 miles GM will not cover it. Therefore, he traded the vehicle in due to this same issues with the instrument cluster.
I was driving at about 50 mph and looked down and my speedometer read 120 mph. I stopped, shut the car off and started again, the speedometer froze at 20 mph. Now it randomly freezes or reads a much higher speed than I am going.
Speedometer randomly goes 5 to 50 miles faster than actual speed of the car. I checked it with a gps--if it goes off speed, it has read as high as 40 mph at a standstill and as high as 120 mph at 70 mph.
Speedometer does not work correctly. It has been this way on and off for the last six months. It will jump around or the needle sticks in the 120 mph position. I have received a notice in the mail regarding this issue elclosure letter 07187. I have just went over the 70,000 warranty stated in the letter by 712 miles. I've contacted Chevrolet and the dealer which they have told me that I fall outside the warranty. The cost of repair is around $560. I would have had it fix six months ago but could not afford it. This should be a recall and be repair at no cost since this is clearly a manufactured defect.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Gardendale, AL, USA