2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Body & Structure Problems
11 owner-reported body & structure complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Body & Structure Recalls (2)
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 214, "SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES ARE BUILT WITH FOUR WELDS ON THE REAR DOOR UPPER HINGE. ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, ONE OR TWO OF THE WELDS MAY NOT BE TO SPECIFICATION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WELDS ON THE LEFT REAR DOOR UPPER HINGE. IF A WELD IS FOUND OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION, A BOLT WILL BE INSTALLED TO SECURE THE HINGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 17, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
STRUCTURE
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT OVERHEAT WHEN THE WIRE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS ON THESE RUNNING BOARDS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 7, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHERN COMFORT AT 1-800-745-6096.
Owner Complaints (11)
MY PAINT IS POPPING OFF IN LARGE AND SMALL AREAS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE FRONT DASHBOARD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DASHBOARD FRACTURED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE MATERIAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.
HATCHBACK LOCKED AND WILL NOT OPEN. *TR
RIGHT HINGE ON REAR HATCH DEBONDED GLASS LOOSE. *TR
YOU CAN NOT LOWER THE SPARE TIRE,UNDER THE VEHICLE,THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS PROBLEM, THE PART THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE HAS A SPRING LOADED LOCK ON IT THAT CANNOT RELEASE BECAUSE OF A BAD DESIGN OFF IT,THEIR IS A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE ABOUT IT (GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT IT) YOU NEED TO CUT THE TIRE DOWN WITH A CUTTING TORCH, THIS IS A BAD IDEA AROUND A GAS TANK, I CAN NOT EXPRESS HOW MAD I AM RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF THAT MANY CUSS WORDS,AND IT IS GOING INTO HEART A TACK MODE, I WOULD LOVE TO MEET THE ENGINEER THAT DESIGNED THIS, AND HAVE HIM CHANGE THE TIRE, FIRST YOU NEED A TOW TRUCK THEN A SHOP WITH A LIFT THEN TWO MECHANICS IF NOT THREE AND YOU THEN NEED A TRANSMISSION JACK TO PUT UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE TIRE TO RELEASE THE TENSION OF THE LOCKING DEVICE THAT HOLDS THE TIRE, AFTER YOU LET THE AIR OUT OF THE TIRE, I CAN OVERHAUL THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO THIS OR ANY OTHER CAR,BUT THIS IS A BIG BIG MISTAKE IN DESIGN,CAN YOU IMAGINE A LADY HAVING TO CHANGE A TIRE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD!!! IF A MECHANIC (MALE OR FEMALE) CANT DO IT,HOW CAN THE AVERAGE CONSUMER, DO IT? AND WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN A RECALL,I KNOW WHY IT HASN'T BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO PAY FOR IT AND FORGET IT,WELL I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT LOOKING FOR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTERS AND SONS HAVE ALL BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS PROBLEM,BUT IT CAN'T BE DONE ON THIS VEHICLE OR ANY OTHER CHEVY VEHICLE OF THIS MAKE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN NOT DO THIS SAFELY,NO I DON'T HAVE A FLAT TIRE EITHER I WAS JUST EXPLAINING TO THE WIFE THAT IT MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT SO I WANTED HER TO SEE IT JUST INCASE SHE HAD A PROBLEM AND SHE WOULD BE PREPARED ON HOW TO HANDLE IT (WRONG) IT SHOULD TAKE TEN OR FIFTEEN MINUTES TO DO, CAN'T BE DONE,AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR
RETURNED TO A FRIENDS FROM A TRIP TO ACCESS MY VEHICLE AND HEAD FOR HOME. BRAKES PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AND WHEN I TRIED TO MOVE A LITTLE, CAR WOULDN'T STOP WITH EITHER THE BRAKE OR EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PROCEEDED TO ROLL FORWARD INTO A STEEP EMBANKMENT IN FRONT OF MY FRIEND'S HOME. LUCKILY I WAS NOT INJURED BUT NEEDED ALL THE BRAKES REPAIRED AND DRIVERS SIDE DOOR REPLACED. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF WAITING TO HEAR FROM MY CLAIMS ADJUSTER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE C1500. SHE NOTICED THAT THE REAR LIFT GATE GLASS WAS LOOSE AND MADE A NOISE WHENEVER IT WAS OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED IN THE LIFT GATE HINGE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LIFT GATE ASSEMBLY AND GLASS WITH A NEWLY DESIGN LIFT GATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
PLASTIC/RUBBER ATTACHING HINGE ON REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW CRACKED, SEPARATING GLASS WINDOW FROM BODY. REPORTED TO CHEVROLET ON 6/3/2010. THEY HAD ME TAKE TO WILLIAMS CHEVROLET TO INSPECT ON 6/4 AND SAID THEY WOULD CALL BACK THAT AFTERNOON WITH A CONCLUSION. SERVICE MANAGER FIRST SAID ADHESIVE FAILED, THEN PART WAS MISSING THAT ATTACHES HINGE. NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MATERIAL ARE MISSING, TWO SIDES FIT BACK TOGETHER WITH A CRACK IN THE MIDDLE. HINGE DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY PHYSICAL ATTACHMENT TO GLASS OTHER THAN MOLDED RUBBER THAT BONDS TO GLASS, SANDWICHING HINGE IN-BETWEEN. DEALER INSPECTED OTHER HINGE AND FOUND IT TO BE CRACKING ALSO. CHEVROLET DIDN'T CALL ME BACK, I HAD TO CALL ALMOST DAILY AND LEAVE MESSAGES UNTIL FINALLY SOMEONE CALLED ON 6/30 AND SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT BE A DEFECT AND GENERAL MOTORS WOULD NOT ASSIST IN RESOLVING THE COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 55,000 MILES ON IT. I FIND A FAILURE LIKE THIS TO TOO SOON IN A VEHICLES LIFE AND APPEAR TO BE EITHER A FLAW IN THE FASTENER DESIGN OR ASSEMBLY. *TR
ONE OF THE PLASTIC HINGES TO THE REAR LIFT GATE/REAR WINDOW OF MY 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE SEPARATED, AND NOW THE REAR WINDOW DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OLD WITH APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES. THIS IS A KIN TO A PASSENGER DOOR COMING APART. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT IS REASONABLE FOR A DOOR TO A VEHICLE TO FAIL AFTER THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF USE IT GETS, AND THE AGE AND WEAR TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP, GORDON CHEVROLET (TAMPA, FLORIDA), TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE LIFT GATE/REAR WINDOW WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE PART (15847109) IS ONE UNIT. THE COST IS AN INCREDIBLE $855.55 FOR THE PART, $96.98 FOR LABOR, SHOP SUPPLIES, AND TAX WHICH BRINGS THE COST OF REPLACING CHEVROLET'S DEFECTIVE PART TO OVER $1,000.00. *TR
I PURCHASED A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE LT AND THE BACK GLASS HINGE HAS CAME UNGLUED FROM THE GLASS AND FALLEN ON ONE SIDE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FOUR GLASS COMPANY'S THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MANY OF 2003 TAHOES AND SURBURBANS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BACK GLASS AND THAT IT IS A DEFECT. I CALLED THE CHEVROLET COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE IT WAS OVER 100,000 MILES BUT ITS THERE PROBLEM THEY ARE THE ONES THAT GLUED THE HINGES TO THE GLASS AND WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY 900.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE GLASS ESPECIALLY WHEN I DON'T HAVE IT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE MAKE THE CHEVROLET COMPANY FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT HAS CAUSED THE BACK GLASS TO STICK UP OVER THE BACK ABOUT A INCH AND YOU CAN NOT EVEN OPEN IT BECAUSE THE HINGE ON THE GLASS HAS COME COMPLETELY UNGLUED IT FALLS DOWN WHEN YOU OPEN IT AND IS VERY VERY HARD TO CLOSE ONCE YOU OPEN IT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PICK UP ON THE GLASS AND TRY TO CLOSE IT AT THE SAME TIME BELIEVE ME MY FINGERS HAS GOTTEN SMASHED MANY TIMES SO I STOPPED EVEN OPENING IT. BUT BEFORE THIS HAPPENED I REALLY USED IT ALOT TO PUT STUFF IN THE BACK WHEN THE 3RD ROW SEAT WAS BEING USED IF YOU OPENED THE WHOLE DOOR THEN YOUR STUFF FALLS OUT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MUCH ROOM TO PUT YOUR STUFF BACK THERE. *TR
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AIR COMES THOUGH THE SIDE DOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM