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Chevrolet Express 1500Model year report

2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 Problems

Complaints
18filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
99,732miles, 14 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
13 mpgcombined, 5.3L 8-cyl 4WD/AWD · 12 city / 16 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500. The part named most often is fuel system, with 9 complaints (50% of the total), followed by electrical system (2) and seat belts (2). 14 of the complaints include a mileage, and 7% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 99,732 miles. Of all complaints, 2 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 88 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 1 NHTSA investigation and 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 17 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Fuel system: “On a few occasions prior to locating a leak, I noticed a gasoline smell. Finally when filling earlier this month, I saw a lot of leaking coming out of the fuel filler tube, between the metal tube and the plastic cover surrounding the tube. When I got home, I cut off the plastic tube about halfway and found a static wire running the length of the tube. Everywhere, where this wire touched to metal pipe, it was corroded completely through. The static wire is of a different material and was not corroded. Presently I have wrapped the tube with a gasoline resistant tape. …”

NHTSA complaint #10459328, filed 2012-05, 162,000 miles

Electrical system: “At 4:30 a.m. On the morning of feb 13 2008 was awoke to flames flickering on bedroom wall it was my 2003 regency conversion van going up in smoke no apparent reason but it did start in the fuse box area maybe the same issue as the horn problem the week before had the same problem of horn going off in the middle of the night but there was no fire at that time.”

NHTSA complaint #10219006, filed 2008-02, 40,270 miles

Seat belts: “Drivers seat belt became stuck and I had to limbo to get out of my express conversion van. I had to bag on it to make it release. It doesn't latch anymore and I need to replace the bottom section.”

NHTSA complaint #10413213, filed 2011-07, 73,850 miles

Body and structure: “The passenger side swing doors are very hard to open and shut and the drivers side swing doors are in the initial stage of this. The passenger swing door that is first to open (right) does not want to open and doesn't want to shut. I have to force it. The second door (left) is getting worse as well. This is causing the interior light pin in the door jam to not push in all the way, therefore; the lights will not shut off.”

NHTSA complaint #10748421, filed 2015-08, 133,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

7% of the 14 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 64,000 and 134,089 miles.

0%0–100%10–257%25–5036%50–757%75–10043%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (14 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 99,732 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

200820102012420142016
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Express 1500 AWD5.3L 8-cyl4-speed automatic121613$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 88 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 88 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Express 1500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20141057,5000—15—Not enough data
2009570,7100—14—Not enough data
2008980,0000—14—Not enough data
2007517,2341—14—Not enough data
2006541,0000—14—Not enough data
20051053,8000—14—Not enough data
200412102,5240—14—Not enough data
20031899,7320—13—Stable
20021037,0000———Not enough data
2001568,0000———Not enough data
20006100,0000———Not enough data

All Chevrolet Express 1500 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 have?

NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 9 complaints (50% of the total), followed by electrical system with 2.

Has the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 get?

The EPA rates the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 (Express 1500 AWD, 5.3L 8-cyl) at 13 mpg combined, 12 city and 16 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Chevrolet Express 1500 reported?

Among the 14 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 99,732 miles and the middle half falls between 64,000 and 134,089 miles; 7% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.