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2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Suburban 1500 years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

151 reports with mileage · 24 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

175 reports
45,000 miles · Mar 5, 2007
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER STICK AND JUMPS. ONLY WAY TO RESOLVE IS TO PULL FUSE OR START/STOP IGNITION REPEATEDLY UNTIL IT REACHES 0. IT THEN WORKS FOR A WHILE AND THEN DOES IT AGAIN. THE STARTING/STOPPING THE IGNITION SURELY IS NOT GOOD FOR STARTED. IT FIRST STARTED BACK IN JANUARY AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10184194

Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2007
Electrical System

I OWN A 2003 SUBURBAN MADE BY CHEVROLET AND THE SPEEDOMETER WILL KNOW LONGER WORK . THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR CLASS. IT SEEMS DANGEROUS AND THE FIX IS $500 OR MORE DEPENDING ON DEALER FOR THE TOTAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SEEMS LIKE A FAULTY PRODUCT TO ME. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10184086

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2007
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OF MY 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SPEEDOMETER INDICATES 60 MPH WHEN AT A FULL STOP AND 120 MPH WHEN MOVING. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10182562

55,000 miles · Jan 8, 2007
Electrical System

2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. SPEEDOMETER ACTS VERY ERRATICALLY, OFTEN INDICATING INCORRECT SPEED. THE PROBLEM CAUSING THE SPEEDOMETER TO FAIL ALSO SEEMS TO AFFECT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. 2004 GMC K1500 Z71- SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC ALSO. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10178104

90,005 miles · Jan 3, 2007
Electrical System

2003 SUBURBAN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING, SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC, SOMETIMES IT GETS STUCK OTHER TIMES IT READS EXTREMELY HIGH ALSO BATTERY GAUGE IS DEAD. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS WEB FORUMS WITH COUNTLESS THREADS DEDICATED TO COMPLAINTS ON 2003 GM INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS. WHOLE CLUSTER MUST BE REPLACED, AS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS …

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2003 SUBURBAN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING, SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC, SOMETIMES IT GETS STUCK OTHER TIMES IT READS EXTREMELY HIGH ALSO BATTERY GAUGE IS DEAD. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS WEB FORUMS WITH COUNTLESS THREADS DEDICATED TO COMPLAINTS ON 2003 GM INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS. WHOLE CLUSTER MUST BE REPLACED, AS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO NOT KNOW YOUR SPEED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10177715

53,000 miles · Jan 2, 2007
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC, READS INCORRECTLY, SOMETIMES DOESN'T WORK AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI #10177598

55,000 miles · Dec 17, 2006
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AND THE SPEEDOMETER STAYS AT 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I AM GOING BUT AM SURE THAT 110 MPH IS NOT CORRECT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10176349

81,000 miles · Nov 25, 2006
Vehicle Speed Control

I WAS RECENTLY PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING . THE PATROLMAN CLOCKED MY @68 MPH IN A 45 MPH SPEED ZONE. MY SPEEDOMETER SHOWED 52 MPH. NOW 2 WEEKS LATER IT READS 75 MPH PARKED IN MY DRIVE. I CAN BE DRIVING 30 MPH AND MY SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 105-100 MPH OR DRIVING SOMEWHERE AROUND 50-60 MPH AND IT WILL BE PEGGED OUT ABOVE 120 MPH. …

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I WAS RECENTLY PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING . THE PATROLMAN CLOCKED MY @68 MPH IN A 45 MPH SPEED ZONE. MY SPEEDOMETER SHOWED 52 MPH. NOW 2 WEEKS LATER IT READS 75 MPH PARKED IN MY DRIVE. I CAN BE DRIVING 30 MPH AND MY SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 105-100 MPH OR DRIVING SOMEWHERE AROUND 50-60 MPH AND IT WILL BE PEGGED OUT ABOVE 120 MPH. I AM READING ON THE INTERNET AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10174259

58,000 miles · Nov 13, 2006
Electrical System

THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING (GETS STUCK AND REPORTS IN ACCURATE SPEEDS OR STICKS BELOW 0 MPH) ON MY 2003 SUBURBAN WITH ONLY 59000 MILES. I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THAT GM ISSUED A TSB BUT NO RECALL EVEN WITH THE MANY REPORTS AND COMPLAINTS OF SAFETY CONCERNS. I AM TOLD THE REPAIR COST…

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THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING (GETS STUCK AND REPORTS IN ACCURATE SPEEDS OR STICKS BELOW 0 MPH) ON MY 2003 SUBURBAN WITH ONLY 59000 MILES. I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THAT GM ISSUED A TSB BUT NO RECALL EVEN WITH THE MANY REPORTS AND COMPLAINTS OF SAFETY CONCERNS. I AM TOLD THE REPAIR COST WILL BE $500-$700. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE A BAD A/C COMPRESSION COSTING $1K AND INTAKE GASKETS $320 IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR THIS NEW OF A VEHICLE. I THOUGHT GM BUILT BETTER QUALITY PRODUCTS THAN THIS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE NOT KNOWING HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING OR IF THE OTHER GAUGES ARE WORKING CORRECTLY. I AM NERVOUS PUTTING MY WIFE AND 4 KIDS IN THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THESE SAFETY CONCERNS. I WILL NOT RISK MY FAMILY'S SAFETY DUE TO THIS LOW QUALITY OF PRODUCT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10173329

43,500 miles · Nov 12, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

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 HIG…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10173298

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.