2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 Visibility Problems

ONE OF THE TWO REAR PLASTIC WINDOW HINGES HAS SNAPPED. I FIRST NOTICED ON 10/11 AS I WAS ACCESSING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BY UNLATCHING THE WINDOW. I WENT ONLINE TO CHECK THE ISSUE AND NOW REALIZE THIS ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD, THAT GM IS AWARE OF IT, AND ACTUALLY RE-DESIGNED THE HINGES STARTING IN 2005. WHAT THEY HAVEN?T DONE (AS I KNOW IT) IS ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I'M WRITING TO ASK WHETHER THE NHTSA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND IF IT AND/OR GM HAVE ALREADY DECIDED THIS DOES NOT WARRANT FURTHER ATTENTION. THE CONCERN IS IT?S EASY TO LATCH THE WINDOW IN PLACE, EVEN WITH 1 OF THE 2 HINGES BROKEN, AND THEREFORE DELAY OR SIMPLY IGNORE THE REPAIR NEED (AS THE REPAIR COST IS SIGNIFICANT), ASSUMING IT?S SAFE AS LONG AS YOU DON'T USE THE WINDOW FURTHER FOR ACCESS. BY CONTINUING TO USE THE VEHICLE W/OUT REPAIR, THE ONE WORKING HINGE AND WINDOW LATCH ITSELF ARE FORCED TO KEEP THE WINDOW IN PLACE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. UNDER THE ADDED STRESS, THE SINGLE HINGE WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL, AND LIKELY AT SPEED AS THE VEHICLE HITS THE LAST BUMP THE HINGE CAN WITHSTAND, OR AS REPORTED BY OWNERS ONLINE, A WINDOW IS SIMPLY ROLLED DOWN, INCREASING WIND FORCE ON THE REAR WINDOW. IF EITHER HAPPENS THE RESULT IS ALWAYS THE WINDOW IS JETTISONED FROM THE FRAME AND LANDS ON WHATEVER IT LANDS ON BEHIND THE VEHICLE. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THIS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, AS THE WINDOW IS 4-5 FEET WIDE AND LARGE AND HEAVY ENOUGH TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE DISASTER TO TRAFFIC TRAVELING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. I'VE CALLED 2 CHEVY DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA SO FAR AND ASKED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IF THIS ISSUE IS BEING ADDRESSED AND THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THE PART FAILING. THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT IN MY OPINION NOT LIKELY. I WORRY THIS IS A TRAINED RESPONSE, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO MINIMIZE ATTENTION ON THE MATTER. *TR

Mileage: 115,000

REAR WINDOW OF OUR SUBURBAN IS READY FALL OUT. THIS WOULD NOT INJURE US, BUT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO CARS FOLLOWING US. GENERAL MOTORS KNOWS OF THIS DEFECT AS THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE REAR WINDOW IN THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS. THEIR RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT WAS THAT A FIX WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH SAFE LITE, BUT NOT PERFORMED BY CHEVROLET. *TR

2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HVAC BLOWER NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL ON ALL BLOWER SPEEDS..SERVICE BULLETIN 11046, APRIL 2010..CHEVROLET HAS KNOWN DEFECT WIRING CONNECTOR AND ELECTRICAL TERMINALS OF RELAY RESISTOR MODULE AS DESCRIBED IN SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH RESULTS IN BLOWER MOTOR NOT FUNCTIONING ON CERTAIN OR ALL BLOWER SPEEDS SETTING. GM HAS ISSUED SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT FOR UP TO 10 YRS PER BULLETIN BUT REFUSES COVERAGE PURPORTEDLY BASED ON MY VEHICLE NOT BEING IN THE SPECIAL COVERAGE VIN: TWO PHONE CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE RESULTED IN A HANG UP, PUT ON HOLD AND NOT RETURNING TO THE CALL, AND UPON ESCALATING THE CALL TO JOY, THE SUPERVISOR REFUSING TO FURTHER ASSIST...AND REFUSING TO ESCALATE THE CALL FURTHER EXPLAINING NO MANAGER IS "LIKELY" AVAILABLE, WE'VE TOLD YOU YOUR ANSWER....GM CASE #71-107-8244378 2ND ISSUE WITH ELECTRICAL; INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER FAILS TO WORK PROPERLY AND DIGITAL DISPLAY WHICH INDICATES WHETHER YOU ARE IN PARK, REVERSE NEUTRAL DRIVE (GEAR) DIMS OR GOES OUT COMPLETELY. SAME PROBLEM I HAD ON 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. BOTH VEHICLES THEY HAVE REFUSED TO FIX. 2003 HAD SPECIAL COVERAGE 07187 TO REPAIR THIS CONDITION BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS NOT PROPERLY NOTIFIED TO FIX THIS CONDITION DURING THE MANUFACTURE SPECIAL COVERAGE PERIOD.L THEY KNOW IT EXIST BUT ONCE AGAIN ARE USING ANY EXCUSE TO DO THE PROPER THING AND FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO REPORTED UNDER 71-107-8244378 REQUEST NHTSA AND APPROPRIATE AGENCIES FURTHER INVESTIGATE THESE MATTERS AND HOLD GM ACCOUNTABLE DO NOT LET GM CONTINUE TO SKIRT RECALL REPAIRS FOR KNOWN PROBLEMS BY NARROW DEFINING WHICH VEHICLES THEY HAVE TO FIX. RECALLS SHOULD COVER ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED SAFETY ISSUE AND GM SHOULD FACESTIFF PUNISHMENT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO VOLUNTARILY FIX PROBLEMS RATHER THAN STONEWALL, STALL, AVOID, AND MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT THAN FIXING THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 139,575

REAR WINDOW HINGE BROKE OFF FROM WINDOW FRAME ON 2003 SUBURBAN. VERY RARELY OPENED WINDOW BY ITSELF ALWAYS OPENED ENTIRE HATCH. CAN NOT FIND ANY RECALLS OR COMPLAINTS BY GM BUT YET CAN FIND SEVERAL 100 COMPLAINTS BY INDIVIDUALS. GM WANTS 1,000 TO FIX. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AFTER PAYING $43,000 FOR IT GM SHOULD STEP UP. READ ABOUT THE WINDOW BLOWING OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS--GUESS WE SHOULDN'T CARE IF IT IS BLOWING AWAY FROM US--RIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 124,000

REAR WINDOW HINGE BROKE OFF FROM WINDOW FRAME ON 2003 SUBURBAN. VERY RARELY OPENED WINDOW BY ITSELF ALWAYS OPENED ENTIRE HATCH. CAN NOT FIND ANY RECALLS OR COMPLAINTS BY GM BUT YET CAN FIND SEVERAL 100 COMPLAINTS BY INDIVIDUALS. GM WANTS 1,000 TO FIX. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AFTER PAYING $43,000 FOR IT GM SHOULD STEP UP. THEY WILL CHECK THE WELDS ON REAR WINDOW FOR A FLAW BUT NOT THE HATCH PART WHICH IS WHAT BREAKS. HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT CHEVROLET AND THIS IS THE LONGEST ONE I HAVE OWNED BUT I WILL BE HEADING TO A DIFFERENT REAL SOON. READ ABOUT THE WINDOW BLOWING OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS--GUESS WE SHOULDN'T CARE IF IT IS BLOWING AWAY FROM US--RIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 124,000

THE REAR WINDOWS OF THE 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AND TAHOE AUTOMOBILES (AND PRESUMABLY OTHER MODEL YEARS AS WELL) ARE SIMPLY GLUED TO HINGES. A GREAT NUMBER OF THESE WINDOWS HAVE DELAMINATED FROM THE HINGES. I WAS TOLD BY THE CHEVROLET SERVICE ADVISOR TWO DAYS AGO (WHEN I TOOK MY SUBURBAN IN FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR WINDOW) THAT HE HAS SEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF THE WINDOW DELAMINATIONS. HE FURTHER ADVISED ME THAT IF BOTH HINGES DELAMINATE (WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY OCCUR DUE TO THE EXTRA WEIGHT BEING PLACED ON A REMAINING HINGE) THAT THE WINDOW WILL SEPARATE FROM THE AUTOMOBILE. IF THIS OCCURS AT HIGH SPEED THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE FATAL FOR THE AUTOMOBILE FOLLOWING BEHIND. THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN A RECALL ON THE REAR WINDOWS OF SUBURBANS AND TAHOES. *TR

Mileage: 82,000

THE HINGE FOR THE REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW FAILED. THERE IS A HORIZONTAL CRACK ACROSS THE HINGE. IT APPEARS TO BE METAL FATIGUE. THIS FAILURE IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1) THE WINDOW NO LONGER SEALS PROPERLY AND COULD ALLOW EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER THE VEHICLE CABIN, RESULTING IN CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THIS FAILURE WOULD NOT BE DETECTED IMMEDIATELY. 2) THE HINGE FAILURE CAUSES ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THE REMAINING HINGE AND LATCH. FURTHER FAILURE WOULD RESULT IN THE WINDOW DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE. A) IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDOW COULD IMPACT VEHICLE BEHIND THE SUBURBAN OR SHATTER ON THE ROADWAY LEADING TO DEBRIS RELATED ACCIDENTS. B) IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE STATIONARY, THE GLASS COULD (WHICH IS HEAVY AND SHARP EDGED) COULD INJURE A PERSON STANDING OR WALKING AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THIS EXACT SAME FAILURE OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY ON THIS VEHICLE AT ~ 13000 MILES OF OPERATION. THE REPAIR WAS MADE BY A DEALER AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE RECENT RECURRENCE OF THE FAILURE OF THE SAME HINGE OCCURRED AT ~107000 MILES. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS LOGGED AS SERVICE REQUEST # 71 743 851 820 BY JATTA FLORES. JATTA DENIED OWNER'S REQUEST THAT GM REPAIR THE DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 107,000

THE HINGE FOR THE REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW FAILED. THERE IS A HORIZONTAL CRACK ACROSS THE HINGE. IT APPEARS TO BE METAL FATIGUE. THIS FAILURE IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1) THE WINDOW NO LONGER SEALS PROPERLY AND COULD ALLOW EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER THE VEHICLE CABIN, RESULTING IN CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THIS FAILURE WOULD NOT BE DETECTED IMMEDIATELY. 2) THE HINGE FAILURE CAUSES ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THE REMAINING HINGE AND LATCH. FURTHER FAILURE WOULD RESULT IN THE WINDOW DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE. A) IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDOW COULD IMPACT VEHICLE BEHIND THE SUBURBAN OR SHATTER ON THE ROADWAY LEADING TO DEBRIS RELATED ACCIDENTS. B) IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE STATIONARY, THE GLASS COULD (WHICH IS HEAVY AND SHARP EDGED) COULD INJURE A PERSON STANDING OR WALKING AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THIS EXACT SAME FAILURE OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY ON THIS VEHICLE AT ~ 13000 MILES OF OPERATION. THE REPAIR WAS MADE BY A DEALER AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE RECENT RECURRENCE OF THE FAILURE OF THE SAME HINGE OCCURRED AT ~107000 MILES. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS LOGGED AS SERVICE REQUEST # 71 743 851 820 BY JATTA FLORES. JATTA DENIED OWNER'S REQUEST THAT GM REPAIR THE DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 107,000

I HAVE A 2003 SUBURBAN WITH 72K MILES. ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO, THE REAR WINDOW BEGAN MAKING A WHISTLING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I INSPECTED IT I FOUND THAT THE HINGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE WINDOW. I HAVE TRIED TO GO THROUGH GM WITH NO AVAIL. THEIR ANSWER IS "IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED", BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

1.SPEEDOMETER FAIED S DAILY. IT WILL READ 90 MPH WHEN I HAVE JUST BEGAN ACCELERATING. OTHER TIMES IT WILL READ 10 MPH WHEN I AM DRIVING WITH TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED, DEALERSHIP ADVISED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. 2. SECOND ROW MIDDLE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. SECOND MIDDLE SEATBELT FASTENER GOT STUCK AND UNABLE TO UNFASTEN SEAT BELT WITHOUT FORCE. HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. 3. PAINT ON RADIO CONTROLS & DASHBOARD IS PEELING OFF - PAINT WAS ORIGINALLY GREY AND NOW SOME AREAS ARE BLACK AND OTHER CLEAR WITH THE BRIGHT LIGHT SHINING THROUGH WHEN THE RADIO IS IN USE. 4. BRAKES SQUEEK EXCESSIVELY, REPLACED BRAKES & PADS NOISE CEASED FOR A MONTH AND THEN BEGAN AGAIN. 5. REAR ACCESS DOOR RATTLES CONSTANTLY 6. REAR ACCESS DOOR PLASTIC MOLDING ON INSIDE OF DOOR CRACKED 7. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT PLASTIC COVER CRACKED AND BROKE OFF 8. LEFT REAR PASSENGER DOOR LIGHT CASING CRACKED AND FELL OFF 9. STEERING MAKES AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN TURNING. *AK

Mileage: 15,000