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Chevrolet Express 3500Model year report

2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 Problems

Complaints
12filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
72,515miles, 12 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 12 consumer complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500. The part named most often is electrical system, with 3 complaints (25% of the total), followed by fuel system (2) and seat belts (2). 12 of the complaints include a mileage, and 25% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 72,515 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 88 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 14 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Fuel system complaints overlap with 2 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

Electrical system: “Wire harness fire. Water got into the end of one of the connectors from the wire harness going into the trasmission. The result of the water getting into the transmission caused an electrical fire and caused a short in the transmission and engine wire harness, the final result was the wire harness was completely burned up. There was evidence of glueing the connectors years ago.I if the connectors are not sealed, it is possible for water to enter and short out connectors and other electrical components.”

NHTSA complaint #10413176, filed 2011-07, 150,000 miles

Fuel system: “Gas leaking from fuel filler pipe onto inside of wheel well and ground. Examination reveals design of pipe assembly (metal pipe inside corrugated plastic tube), traps condensation and water around metal pipe guaranteeing rust and leaks. May be worse in high humidity regions but same assembly is open to water splashed up from road. This may only occur on cargo vans with left hand door option. Updated 08/11/11”

NHTSA complaint #10413568, filed 2011-07, 51,459 miles

Seat belts: “The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet EXPRESS 3500. The contact stated that the front driver and rear seat belts would not latch and one of the rear seat belts was completely inoperable. The dealer and manufacturer were contacted and advised that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 05v558000 (seat belts). The recurring failure was not repaired. The failure mileage was 65,030 and the current mileage was 65,040. Updated 01/20/12 updated 01/20/12”

NHTSA complaint #10439884, filed 2011-12, 65,030 miles

Air bags: “I was in an accident traveling 65 MPH and hit another vehicle broadside and the air bag never deoloyed. The vehicle was totaled. Its a 2003 3500 chevy van.”

NHTSA complaint #10381462, filed 2011-02, 108,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

25% of the 12 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 51,459 and 108,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–2525%25–5025%50–758%75–10017%100–15025%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (12 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 72,515 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

20062008200920114201220142018
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.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 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.

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 3500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20125150,0000—12—Not enough data
2009959,7472———Not enough data
20081181,0001———Not enough data
20071188,4111———Not enough data
2006158,0001———Stable
20051776,0000———Stable
20041663,2220———Stable
20031272,5150———Not enough data
20011145,3860———Not enough data

All Chevrolet Express 3500 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 have?

NHTSA recorded 12 consumer complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 3 complaints (25% of the total), followed by fuel system with 2.

Has the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 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.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 reported?

Among the 12 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 72,515 miles and the middle half falls between 51,459 and 108,000 miles; 25% 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.

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.