2003 Chevrolet Express: recalls and complaints

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• 12V3880008 Aug 2012Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
• 05V55800019 Dec 2005Seat Belts
• 04V22500011 May 2004Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
• 04V0450004 Feb 2004Service Brakes, Hydraulic
• 03V25000015 Jul 2003Equipment / Other / Owners/Service/Other Manual
• 03V21700010 Jun 2003Exterior Lighting
• 03V05000014 Feb 2003Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly
• 02V33000012 Dec 2002Steering / Linkages
• 02V3260002 Dec 2002Steering / Linkages / Tie Rod Assembly
• 02V30500014 Nov 2002Wheels / Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs

1. 12V388000Received 8 Aug 2012. 9,389 units.

   Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with a left side cargo door, and originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Water and road contaminants may become trapped in the protective conduit that covers the fuel filler pipe and may cause the pipe to corrode.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Significant corrosion may allow fuel to leak during refueling, and in the presence of an ignition source; there is an increased risk of fire.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuel filler neck, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 1, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS LLC. Manufacturer campaign number 12166. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 1 Oct 2012.

2. 05V558000Received 19 Dec 2005. 425,593 units.

   Seat Belts

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   On certain full-size passenger, cargo, or cutaway vans, the front and rear seat belt buckles will not latch or will not unlatch.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   In the event of a crash, a seat occupant may not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will inspect the buckles and, if found to be inoperative, the entire buckle assembly would be replaced. For buckles found to be operative, dealer will replace only the upper buckle cover. The recall will be conducted in phases. The first phase mailing began during march 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 05113. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 15 Mar 2006.

3. 04V225000Received 11 May 2004. 736 units.

   Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Certain extended and regular cab pickup trucks and cargo vans converted to compressed natural gas (cng) fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, 'child restraint anchorage systems.' these vehicles have one seating position, the center rear seat, equipped with child restraint lower anchorages.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   The standard requires child seat lower anchorages in two seating positions for vehicles with three rear seating positions. The standard cab and cargo van vehicles, which only have front seating positions, have an air bag off switch to disable the front passenger air bag and do not have child restraint lower anchorages in the passenger seat. The standard requires passenger seat child seat lower anchorages in vehicles with an air bag off switch. However, the standard does not require vehicles with only front seating positions to have lower anchorage provisions if the vehicle is not equipped with an air bag off switch.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   To bring the standard cab and cargo van vehicles into compliance, dealers will inject epoxy into the air bag off switch to prevent air bag activation, relocate the switch behind the instrument panel and then install a cover over the resulting opening. The sun visor label and owner's manual will also be changed. The correction for the extended cab vehicle will consist of changing the front passenger seat to a seat that has child restraint lower anchorages. The recall began on september 9, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 04038. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 9 Sep 2004.

4. 04V045000Received 4 Feb 2004. 68,875 units.

   Service Brakes, Hydraulic

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; GMC at 1-866-996-9463; or hummer at 1-866-486-6376.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 04004. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Jun 2004.

5. 03V250000Received 15 Jul 2003. 1,707,825 units.

   Equipment / Other / Owners/Service/Other Manual

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or booster cushion. Owner notification began august 18, 2003. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 03039. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Aug 2003.

6. 03V217000Received 10 Jun 2003. 50,225 units.

   Exterior Lighting

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Certain vans have a condition in which water may enter and corrode the rear license plate lamp socket. If the lamp socket were to corrode, the rear license plate lamp may operate intermittently or not at all, and the left rear tail lamp may become inoperative. The temperature of the license plate lamp socket could increase to the point that it may begin to soften and melt.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   If the socket assembly were to reach the point of melting, the occupants of the vehicle may notice an odor and smoke at the rear doors of the vehicle. If this odor and smoke were ignored, the plastic could ignite and a fire could occur.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will install a new sealed rear license plate lamp socket assembly. Owner notification began july 21, 2003. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 03031. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 21 Jul 2003.

7. 03V050000Received 14 Feb 2003. 18,327 units.

   Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   On certain vans with a gross vehicle weight of less than 8,500 pounds, during a vehicle crash sufficient enough to deploy the safety belt pretensioner, the front safety belt buckles may not release after the vehicle crash, or alternately may eject the safety belt latch during the vehicle crash.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   This could result in increased risk of personal injury.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will replace the front driver and passenger side safety belt buckle. Owner notification began june 3, 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 03007. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 3 Jun 2003.

8. 02V330000Received 12 Dec 2002. 4,158 units.

   Steering / Linkages

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   On certain vans with an 8,500 lb. Or 8,600 lb. Gross vehicle weight rating, the nut attaching the pitman arm to the steering linkage may not be tightened adequately resulting in a possible separation.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   A separation could result in loss of vehicle control, and a crash could occur with prior warning.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will tighten the pitman arm nut to the proper specification. If the nut is missing, the dealer will install a new nut and tighten it correctly. Owner notification began december 10, 2002. 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 02063.

9. 02V326000Received 2 Dec 2002. 18,648 units.

   Steering / Linkages / Tie Rod Assembly

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   On certain vans, the right-hand tie rod end nut may not be tightened adequately. The nut can loosen resulting in separation of the tie rod from the steering knuckle.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Separation of a tie rod can cause unexpected vehicle steering in some maneuvers and could cause a crash without prior warning.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will tighten the tie rod end nut and, if necessary, replace the tie rod end. Owner notification began november 27, 2002. 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.

   Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 02058.

10. 02V305000Received 14 Nov 2002. 18,409 units.

    Wheels / Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs

    Defect, in the NHTSA record

    Certain vans were built without a wheel bearing assembly retaining nut, which could lead to a possible bearing separation.

    Consequence, in the NHTSA record

    If this were to occur, the amber-colored ABS tell-tale lamp in the instrument panel would illuminate and the ABS system would be disabled. The driver would also notice a grinding noise, a decrease in the vehicle speed, and the steering will pull in the direction of the affected brake assembly. This could result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy, in the NHTSA record

    Dealers will inspect the wheel bearing assembly. If the inspection reveals a missing retaining nut, the wheel bearing assembly will be replaced. Owner notification began november 13, 2002. 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.

    Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 02053.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 18.

Complaints that report a crash

2

Complaints that report a fire

7

Injuries in the complaints

1

Deaths in the complaints

0

Date of the newest complaint

25 Jun 2010

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

1. 19950
2. 19962
3. 19971
4. 19981
5. 19991
6. 20001
7. 20012
8. 20020
9. 200310
10. 20046
11. 20058
12. 200616
13. 20074
14. 200810
15. 20097
16. 20105
17. 20115
18. 20126
19. 20138
20. 20147
21. 20153
22. 20166
23. 20176
24. 20186
25. 20194
26. 20201
27. 20212
28. 20231
29. 20254
30. 20263

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

• Chevrolet Express: all model years
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• NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
• NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
• NHTSA page of the 2003 Chevrolet ExpressThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2003 Chevrolet Express?

2,322,185 units in 10 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.

How many recall campaigns does the Chevrolet Express have for all model years?

NHTSA lists 72 recall campaigns for the Chevrolet Express, model years 1995 to 2026. 10 of them name the 2003 model year.

Which component do the complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet Express name most often?

Electrical System: 8 of 44 component mentions.

Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2003 Chevrolet Express open?

No. Each of the 2 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.