1)COMPONENT: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH, )SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY ADJUSTMENT LEVEL. 3)COMPONENT: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:HEATER , 4)STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS,(HAND WAS SMASHED BY DOOR TRYING TO GET IT TO CLOSE RIGHT.THESE PROBLEM HAVE BEEN GOING ON SINCE APRIL OF 2004. *AK
2003 GMC S Utility complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2003 record →
ON MAY 28, 2004 I TOOK MY 2001 AZTEK TO DEALER TO SEE WHY MY AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT BLOW COLD AIR THEY FOUND LEAK IN RIGHT LOWER CORNER OF CONDENSER, $845 PLUS TAX I DECLINED THE REPAIRS BUT STILL COST ME $75.00 JUST TO CHECK. I ASKED AT A REGULAR CAR REPAIR PLACE AND THEY TRIED TO GET A NEW CONDENSER BUT WAS TOLD THIS WAS A DEFECT AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIX. THIS WAS AT 75,174 MILES. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. VERY FEW PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THIS. I AM NOW AT 97,000 AND STILL NO AIR. WHY FIX IF IT WILL DO IT AGAIN.*AK
THE 2003 ENVOY WE PURCHASED GAVE US NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF THE ONES OTHER OWNERS MENTIONED HERE, LIKE THE GLASS LIFTGATE THAT DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, BUT ESPECIALLY THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS THAT MOVE ON THEIR OWN NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THEY WERE SUPPOSEDLY FIXED BY SERVICE TECHNICIANS. THEY DO NOT STAY IN THE POSITION WE SET THEM IN, AND THE FUEL TANK LEAKING IS VERY DANGEROUS AS WELL AS INHALING FREON BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTIONING A/C SYSTEM. WHY IS GMC DOING NOTHING TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS? I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH THIS SEEING THAT SO MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO GET SOME HELP?*AK
STEERING SHAFT SPRINE WORN OUT AT 19000 MILES, PART IS BACK ORDERED. DEALER SAID THOUSANDS ARE NEEDED ACROSS THE NATION.*AK
DRIVING FROM WORK-SNOWY/ICY CONDITIONS. SMELLED A STRANGE ODOR IN VEHICLE GOING FROM I-270S TO I-370W ~ 1/4 MILE FROM RAMP. TRAFFIC MODERATE. TRAVELING 45 MPH I TAPPED BRAKES, THEY WENT ALL WAY TO FLOOR. TURNED OFF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. USED ENGINE BRAKING SELECTING 3-2-1 TO SLOW VEHICLE. VEHICLE SLOWED, APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKE - DROVE TO BRAKE DOWN LANE. VEHICLE STOPPED-WHITE SMOKE COMING AROUND EDGES OF HOOD. LOWER PORTION OF WINDSHIELD HAD COUPLE OF HEAT DISCOLORATION MARKS ABOUT 1/4 SIZE OF A PENNY IN THE MIDDLE LOWER PORTION. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. DASH DID NOT FEEL HOT, NOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL - NO SMOKE INSIDE VEHICLE. HOOD WOULD NOT OPEN BY HOOD RELEASE. POWER WINDOWS WORKED. EGRESSED VEHICLE AND DRIVER SDIE AIR BAG INFLATED. CALLED 911 AWAITED FIRE/POLCIE DEPT. OPENED DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER DOORS. FLAMES COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHERE IT ENTERS FIRE WALL. FLAMES UNDERNEATH VEHICLE FROM ENGINE NEAR SKID PLATE/TRANSFER CASE. USED SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON FLAMES IN CABIN AND UNDER VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FROM CENTER CONSOLE TO DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR MELTED AWAY AT ABOUT 45 DEG ANGLE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF CONSOLE. INSIDE ENGINE THE THYDRAULIC DRIVE UNIT AND BARKE MASTER CYCLINDER HAD MELTED. SIGNIFICANT BURN DAMAGE FROM FIRE IN ENGINE. VEHICLE-TOTAL LOSS. VERY FORTUNATE TO RECOGNIZE BAD SMELL, ID BRAKE MALFUNCTION, USE ENGINE BRAKING TO CONTROL VEHICLE; USE EMERGENCY BRAKING TO STOP - MODERATE TRAFFIC. MINIMIZED POTENTIAL HAZARD TO SINGLE VEHICLE-NO IN
LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. COULD SMELL BURNING COOLANT TURNS OUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK. PAID $900 IN REPAIRS. CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND THE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING AT THIS TIME. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THIS HAPPENED AT 71,000 MILES. *JB
2000 S-10 EXTREME SUDDENLY CUTS OFF AND WILL NOT START AGAIN EVEN THOUGH TANK IS FULL. 2 MECHANICS SAY IT IS FUEL SENDING UNIT INSIDE GAS TANK. GREAT EXPENSE TO REPLACE. RESEARCHING ON WEB FIND MANY, MANY OTHER S-10 OWNERS WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO START OUT BY SAYING I ENJOY GM VEHICLES. THEY ARE ALL I DRIVE, BUT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE LITTLE PROBLEMS. LIKE MY 2000 GMC JIMMY SLS. THE RECLINE HANDLE ON THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SEAT KEEP FALLING OFF AND STRIPPING THE BEAR METAL. I NEVER PULL ON THEM SO THEY DONT GET PULLED ON. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU INTEND TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND WHEN. NOW THERE IS NOTHING ELSE WRONG WITH THE SUV BUT MINOR THINGS DUE TO AGE. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU INTEND TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK MICHAEL DIEMERT
PREMATURE WEAR ON ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS FOR THIS TRUCK. ROTORS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON FIRST BRAKE PAD CHANGE BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE METAL USED TO MANUFACTURE THESE ROTORS HAD TO BE OF INFERIOR QUALITY. BRAKE PADS WERE STILL FAIRLY GOOD ! *JB
I RECENTLY HAD MY 2004 SATURN AWD VUE SERVICED AT SATURN OF LIVINGSTON, NJ, AND HAD TWO RECALLS PERFORMED. ONE WAS FOR THE VOLUNTARY RECALL OF A REAR SUSPENSION LINK WHICH WAS CHANGED DUE TO A NHTSA TEST FAILURE. THE OTHER WAS THE RECALL OF THE REAR DRIVE MODULE (RDM), WHICH WAS CAUSING A MOANING NOISE IN ALL AWD VERSIONS OF THIS VEHICLE. AFTER THE RDM WAS CHANGED I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A CHANGE IN THE VEHICLES AWD FUNCTION CHARACTERISTICS. WHEN ON A SLIGHT INCLINE IN WET CONDITIONS A FULL THROTTLE ACCELERATION FROM A STOP RESULTED IN SEVERE FRONT WHEEL SPIN WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT OF THE AWD SYSTEM. IN FACT I COULD HEAR A DISCERNABLE CLICKING NOISE EMMINATING FROM THE RDM WHICH SOUNDED AS THOUGH THE AWD FAUNCTIONALITY WAS IN EFFECT BEING NEUTRALIZED. I HAVE PERFORMED THIS MANEUVER SEVERAL TIMES WITH MY VEHICLE IN THE PAST YEAR (WITH THE ORIGINAL RDM), AND THE AWD SYSTEM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ELIMINATING FRONT WHEEL SPIN AND PROVIDING AMPLE TRACTION GOING UP THE INCLINE. I BELIEVE THE NEW VERSION OF THE RDM BEING ROLLED OUT TO THE MASSES HAS ONLY SERVED TO CONVERT ALL THE AWD VERSIONS OF THIS VEHICLE TO FWD, AND I BELIEVE SATURN MUST BE PERSUADED TO RE-ENGINEER THEIR RDM TO RESTORE THE AWD FUNCTIONALITY.*AK
I OWN A 2000 JIMMY AND HAVE GONE THROUGH 2 SETS OF UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND AT THIS TIME THE LEFT LOWER BALL JOINTS WENT AGAIN. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE BALL JOINTS? THIS IS COSTLY TO REPAIR, AS WEL AS DANGEROUS, AFFECTING THE STEERING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IMPROVMENTS ARE BEING DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AND IF IT IS A COMMON OCCURANCE AMONG OTHER GMC SUV'S. THERE SHOULD NOT BE DISPOSIBLE PARTS PUT ON THE FRONT END OF ANY VEHICLE. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID RESERVOIR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND AT THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT, IT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC TANK HAS CRACKED, AND IS LEAKING FOR THE THIRD TIME.*AK
GOT IN MY VEHICLE ONE MORNING AND LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS( DAYTIME RUNNINGS) DID NOT COME ON BUT THE HIGH BEAMS WOULD NOR WOULD THEY COME ONE MANUALLY. I DROVE FOR AWHILE THEN THEY CAME ON. I WOULD DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY WILL FLICKER.THEY DO SCOME ONE EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AS OF YET. *AK
THE STEERING GEAR BOX APPEARS TO BE LOOSE, VEHICLES UNDER WARRANTY ARE GETTING REPAIRED BUT THOSE OUT OF WARRANTY ARE NOT. WHEN I HAD THE TAILGATE HINGES REPLACED, THE DEALER EXPLAINED WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY TRUCK BUT COULD NOT REPAIR IT. IT'S A NERVE RACKING VIBRATION WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AND FEELS LIKE THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLT IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK ALL OF THE TIME. WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON THE YOU CAN HERE THE MOTOR RUNNING, BUT THEY WILL NOT COME ON. IF YOU GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND MOVE THE WIPERS MANUALLY THEY WILL SOMETIMES COME ON. THIS IS ON OUR 1997 4WD BLAZER.
DAY OF PURCHASE, MAJOR ENGINE FAILURES REPLACEMENT OF NEARLY EVERYTHING THEN SOME. CONTINUES TO ARC ELECTRICAL SPARKS UNDER THE HOOD. ELECTRICAL SHORTING OF ALL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE VAN INTERNAL ENGINE ISSUES NOT CORRECTABLE JUST BANDAIDING FUEL ISSUES WITH OIL COOLANT AND ARCING CONSTITUTES A FIRE AND POSSIBLY DEATH. I HAVE ALL SERVICED REPAIR DOCUMENTS IF ONE SHOULD NEED TO VIEW THEM. *NM
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT COULDN'T DRIVE-REPAIRED/ REAR WINDOW WON'T ROLL-UP/SEATBELT WON'T RETRACT, LATER FIXED, BUT STILL WON'T WORK ON OCCASION/ BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT 5+ TIMES REPAIRED STILL NOT OPERATIONAL/ WATER PUMP EXPLODED/REAR WINDOW WON'T LOCK FIRST TRY/ CHECK ENGINE LLIGHT STAYS ON. *AK
EDMOND, OK. 26 MAR 04. 3:30PM. FOLLOWED WHITE GMC SIERRA PICKUP WEST ON NW 178TH STREET FROM WESTERN AVE TO PORTLAND AVE (HWY 74). NOTED UNSECURED COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDER ON TOP OF LEFT TOOL BOX. CYLINDER WAS ROLLING SIDE TO SIDE BETWEEN FOUR INCH HIGH SQUIRE TUBE RETAINERS. NAME ON TRUCK DOOR WAS HILL AND COMPANY. TRUCK LICENSES WAS OKLAHOMA X78-239. TRUCK TURNED SOUTH ON HWY 74 AND TRAVELED AT SPEED INEXCESS OF 70 MPH. PROBLEM WAS THAT CYLINDER COULD HAVE BOUNCED OFF TRUCK CAUSING A SERIOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AND/OR EXPLOSION. NO HAZMAT PLACARDS ON TRUCK. *AK
THE JACK ON THE 2002 GMC ENVOY 4X4 IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE VEHICLE. IT HAS TO BE PLACED IN A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF LOCATIONS UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND WILL NOT WORK AT ALL UNLESS THE PAVEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY FLAT (NO CRACKS IN THE CEMENT!). MY VEHICLE WAS SOLD NEW WITH SKID PLATES FOR OFF-ROADING, BUT THE JACK IS TOTALLY UNUSABLE ON A DIRT SURFACE AND IT SOMETIMES EVEN ON PAVEMENT WON'T JACK THE VEHICLE HIGH ENOUGH TO GET THE TIRE OFF THE GROUND.*AK
WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY OR FAST, AT DIFFERENT TIMES, AND NOT EVERY SINGLE TIME, TURNING TO THE RIGHT AROUND A CURVE OR TURNING A CORNER THE STEERING HOLDS THE TURN AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN LETS GO OF THAT HOLD. I CAN CORRECT IT BY SLIGHTLY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND THEN BACK INTO THE TURN. SOMETIMES IT HOLDS THE SECOND TIME AND SOMETIMES IT LETS GO AGAIN. THIS IS REPEATED UNTIL THE END OF THE CURVE OR TURN. STEERING GEAR, PITMAN ARM, STEERING PUMP ALL REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL IS PRESENT. *LA
THE SEAT RECLINER HANDLE AND CONNECTING BAR FOR BOTH FRONT SEATS OF MY 2000 S-10 BLAZER BROKE OFF WITH A MONTH OF EACH OTHER.
I HAVE A 2000 SLT JIMMY WHICH HAS BEEN A PAIN. I'VE HAD LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED, UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED, MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, U JOINTS REPLACED, HUB AND WHEEL BEARING PROBLEMS, ALTENATOR FAILURE, A/C BLOWER MOTOR REPLACED, BROKEN BLEND DOOR WHICH CAUSED ENCODER MOTOR AND MODULE FAILURE, REAR WIPER MOTER REPLACED, BACK WINDOW LOCK REPLACED. TOO MANY THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. GMC SHOULD CONSIDER SOME SORT OF RECALL BECAUSE I'VE READ MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES.*AK
1995 GMC JIMMY SLS 4 DOOR 4WD VORTEC 4.3 L V6. WE HAVE HAD THIS THING FOR 7 YEARS AND NOTHING I HAVE EVER OWNED HAS TAUGHT ME MORE ABOUT BEING A "SHADETREE" MECHANIC! THE LIST IS AS FOLLOWS, BREAK BOOSTER REPLACED 2 TIMES. EGR VALVE REPLACED 3 TIMES. FRONT BRAKES REPLACED AT LEAST 12 TIMES (THEY FAIL EVERY 1500 TO 1800 MILES!) BACK HATCH WONT OPEN. BOTH SET OF WIPERS, FRONT AND BACK DO NOT WORK( SAFETY ISSUE!) ENGINE OVERHEATS. WATER PUMP REPLACED 2 TIMES. THERMOSTAT REPLACED 3 TIMES. LIGHTS FLICKER AS IF THE ALTENATOR IS GOING BAD,(RESULTING IN POLICE ASKING ME TO CHECK INTO THIS.) BATTERY REPLACED 4 TIMES (AVERAGE LIFE OF NEW BATTERY, 4 YEARS!) TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD WHEN ENGINE IS COOL/ HOT! STARTING TO SEE RUST IN TRANS, DIPSTICK. SOMETIMES CANT SHIFT FROM 2 WD TO 4 WD AND WHEN ABLE, TRANSFER CASE MAKES CLICKING SOUND. THIS IS NOT A PHONY COMPLAINT! I NEED HELP WITH THIS AS I NEVER SEE A RECALL, WARRANTY IS OUT AND I CANT AFFORD TO TAKE IT IN. I DON'T THINK I LEFT ANY THING OUT, BUT IM SURE MY WIFE WILL LET ME KNOW. YOU CAN GIVE MY NAME TO WHO EVER WHEN EVER IF IT WILL HELP US FIX THIS SITUATION. *NLM
BRAKE AND ABS UNSAFE AND IN FOR CHRONIC REPAIRS. HAVE OWNED VEHICLE FOR LESS THEN A YEAR WHEN PROBLEM STARTED. ROTORS CRACKED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. HAD HEAVY DUTY ROTORS PUT ON. IN THE RAIN, ABS LOCKED...NEAR MISS OF AN ACCIDENT. WITHIN WEEKS HAD BACK IN FOR REPAIRS DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR...WAS INFORMED OF GMC BULLETIN REGARDING BRAKES. TOOK TO DEALER TO CHECK BRAKES AND ABS. HAD PROPORTIONING VALVE PUT IN AND REAR BRAKES REPLACED. THEN HAD TO REPLACE FRONT ROTORS AGAIN DUE TO WEAR..ALL WITHIN 2-3 MONTHS. THEN ABS LIGHT CAME ON, AND ABS STARING LOCKING INTERMITTENTLY ON ITS OWN. THERE IS A LEAK AT THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PROPORTIONING VALVE WAS JUST INSTALLED 12 DAYS AGO! WE LEFT IT AT THE SERVICE CENTER AT THE DEALER (ITS A SUNDAY)! TOO SCARED TO DRIVE WITH MY PRESCHOOLER IN THE CAR! THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 42K! *JB
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM. ENGINE COOLANT HAS BROKEN DOWN AT 60,000 MILES 10/1/2001, 70,000 MILES 6/1/2002, 79,000 1/30/2003 AND HAS BECAME SLUDGE. OWNER'S MANUAL STATES 100,000 MILE MAINTENANCE. DEALER (GMC)WANTS TO REPLACE THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR, HEATER CORE AT MY EXPENSE. SYSTEM HAS BEEN SUPER FLUSHED, CLEANED AND NEW DEX-COOL COOLANT PER DEALER RECOMMENDATIONS. DEALER EVEN STATES COOLANT IS BAD. GMC STATES IIT IS MY FAULT.
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2003 GMC S Utility → · Every S Utility year → · How the figures are calculated →