2003 Chevrolet Suburban Electrical System

POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE COMPLETELY ERODED FROM SIDE POST. *JB

MY WIFE DRIVES A CHEVROLET TAHOE 2003 LS WITH ABOUT 48 000 MILES ON IT. RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER WAS SHOWING 90 MPH. I LOOKED AT OTHER CARS AROUND ME AND DECIDED MAY BE I WAS GOING A LITTLE FAST. SO I SLOWED DOWN A BIT. THE SPEEDOMETER WENT UP TO 100. AFTER I PULLING OVER AND STOPPED IT WENT DOWN SLOWLY AFTER I STOPPED. DURING THE NEXT WEEK, THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND EVENTUALLY STUCK AT THE HIGHEST SPEED. SO I MADE SOME CALLS TO VARIOUS DEALERS , AND WAS TOLD THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST $500 TO FIX THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WANT TO NOTIFY CHEVROLET. I THINK THIS IS THEIR PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR THIS ONE. YESTERDAY EVENING, THE SPEEDOMETER APPEARED TO BE WORKING AGAIN. THIS TIME I'VE NOTICED IT WILL TRACK ON THE RIGHT SPEED AND THEN HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO SORT OF RESET IT. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOOSES POWER INTERMITTENTLY. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED A RODENT HAD CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRES. THE WIRES WERE REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED A CLIP WAS LOOSE. THE THIRD TIME, THE BATTERY HAD JUST BEEN CHARGED AND AFTER DRIVING FOR 40 MINUTES THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, SO IT WAS JUMPED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AGAIN AND WOULD ONLY TRAVEL AT 10-15 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR, BUT DETERMINED BOTH COMPONENTS WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND NO CODES WERE PRESENT.

SPEEDOMETER GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. WOULD REGISTER AS GOING 20 MPH OR EVEN UP TO 80 MPH WHEN PARKED. OCCASIONALLY WOULD APPEAR TO TRACK THEN WOULD REGISTER SIGNIFICANTLY TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW (USUALLY TOO HIGH). DROPPED OFF AT DEALER & TOLD IT NEEDED INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER REPLACEMENT BUT WAS ON BACK ORDER NATIONWIDE. CALLED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WHO CONFIRMED WITH THE DEALER THAT IT IS A "HIGH FAILURE ITEM". INITIAL ATTEMPT AT REPLACING. SAME AS OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE READ. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS IS EXPENSIVE. *NM

SPEEDOMETER GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. WOULD REGISTER AS GOING 20 MPH OR EVEN UP TO 80 MPH WHEN PARKED. OCCASIONALLY WOULD APPEAR TO TRACK THEN WOULD REGISTER SIGNIFICANTLY TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW (USUALLY TOO HIGH). DROPPED OFF AT DEALER & TOLD IT NEEDED INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER REPLACEMENT BUT WAS ON BACK ORDER NATIONWIDE. CALLED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WHO CONFIRMED WITH THE DEALER THAT IT IS A "HIGH FAILURE ITEM". INITIAL ATTEMPT AT REPLACING IPC FAILED, STILL AWAITING ANOTHER NEW PART & HOPING TO GET VEHICLE BACK SOON. *NM

VEHICLE IS 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, PURCHASES NEW. SPEEDOMETER WON'T READ CORRECTLY; AT FIRST IT WOULD READ 20-30 MPH FAST; THEN IT FINALLY ONLY READS BETWEEN 30-120 MPH; HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH GAS GAUGE; RAN OUT OF GAS WITH TANK SHOWING ALMOST HALF FULL, IN AN AREA WITH NO CELL PHONE RECEPTION. VERY DANGEROUS. DANGEROUS TO NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE YOUR ACTUAL SPEED. GM REFUSES TO COVER THIS PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH DEALER HAS HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES OF THESE FAILURES. GM MUST BE AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. *NM

MY 2003 SUBURBAN WOULD NOT START. I WAS GOING TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE AND WHEN I PULLED THE PLASTIC COVER OFF THE POSITIVE TERMINAL, THE ENTIRE TERMINAL FELL OUT IN MY HAND. THE ACID POURED OUT OF THE HOLD AND LANDED ON MY HAND. THE POSITIVE POST ON MY AC DELCO BATTERY FAILED AFTER ONLY 2 YEARS, 9 MONTHS. IT HAS A 6 YEAR WARRANTY. THE BATTERY WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TON MY 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, THEN THE BATTERY WAS NOT COVERED. I CONTACTED AC DELCO AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD REPLACE OR PRO-RATE THE BATTERY. THEY SAID NO. THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WAS FROM THE ACID LEAKING OUT OF THE HOLE WHERE THE POSITIVE TERMINAL WAS. THE ACID FROM THE BATTERY ATE THE PAINT OFF THE INTERIOR OF THE BATTERY SHELF. I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY FROM A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER AND INSTALLED IT IN MY SUBURBAN. IN LOOKING ON THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS, IT WAS VERY EASY TO FIND OTHERS WHO HAD AC DELCO BATTERIES AND THEIR POSITIVE POST FAILED. AC DELCO KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CONTINUES TO SELL A DEFECTIVE BATTERY. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NOVEMBER 12, 2003. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN GOING BAD, THE FEATURE RECORD SHOWED IT WAS REPROGRAMMING IT SELF, SHUTTING HER CAR OFF AFTER SHE STARTED IT, UNLOCKING THE DOORS BY ITSELF. SHE ALMOST HIT SOMEONE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. SHE ALSO STATES THAT THE LAST TIME IT WAS IN THE SHOP HER RPMS WENT UP TO 3000. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SPOKEN TO THE GM SPECIALIST AND THEY COULD NOT HELP EITHER. *JB

DT: ON OCTOBER 6, 2005 THE POSITIVE POST ON THE BATTERY POPPED OUT OF THE BATTERY WITHOUT ASSISTANTS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THERE WAS AN ACID LEAK. THE BATTERY WAS A SIDE POST BATTERY MANUFACTURED BY A. C. DELCO. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A ONE IN A MILLION CASE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH ON A 2 LANE ROAD WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE DEFROST VENT. SMOKE INCREASED OVER THE NEXT 45 SECONDS. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PULL OVER DUE TO LARGE DITCHES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. ENGINE DIED AFTER 35 SECONDS OF SMOKE. I WAS ABLE TO TURN A CORNER AND GET OFF THE ROAD. AFTER EXITING THE TRUCK A FIRE CONSUMED THE ENTIRE TRUCK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME 10 MIN LATER AND PUT OUT THE FLAMES. THE ASST. FIRE CHIEF MENTIONED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE HEATING VENT SYSTEM. I CAN PROVIDE NAMES AND PHONE NUMBERS OF THE CHIEF UPON REQUEST. THE TRUCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS. TO DATE MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TAKEN ONE WEEK TO RETRIEVE THE TRUCK FROM THE IMPOUND LOT AND CHEVY'S PRODUCT LIABILITY DIVISION HAS NOT HELP WITH ANY EXPENSES INCURRED BY MYSELF INCLUDING $3,800.00 IN TOOL PURCHASES WHICH WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. HELP GETTING A NEW TRUCK OR CAR RENTAL EXPENSES. MY INSURANCE ONLY PAYS 30 PER DAY MY COST ON A TRUCK IS 55.PER DAY. THE CHEVY'S PRODUCT LIABILITY HAS BEEN RUDE AND VERY MATTER OF FACT SPEAKING THAT THE WILL ONLY COVER THE NADA VALUE ON MY TRUCK REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE NOTE IS WITH MY BANK. ANY EXPENSES INCURRED WILL ONLY BE LIMITED TO WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY PAYS. ON BOTH TOOLS AND AUTO. *NM

WHILE MAKING A TURN LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. THEN, EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER OR BRAKE. AFTER STRUGGLING CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. IT HAD NO POWER. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT A SHORT IN A FUEL PUMP WIRE CAUSED A FUSE TO BLOW OUT, WHICH IN TURN, SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER PUT VEHICLE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, AND THE MAIN COMPUTER SHOWED NO FAILURE. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THERE HAD BEEN SOME OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *AK