2003 Chevrolet SSR recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• Dec 1, 2014 · 37,000 milesElectrical system
  POSSIBLY THE IGNITION SWITCH. BRAND NEW BATTERIES CANNOT HOLD A CHARGE. MECHANIC CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR
• Jun 15, 2005 · 4,000 milesElectrical system
  WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 60MPH, ENGINE CUT OUT AND LOST ALL POWER. HAD TO COAST TO SHOULDER IN TRAFFIC CREATING DANGEROUS SITUATION. DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. *TR
• Aug 1, 2004 · 2,845 miles · 1 injuryStructure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
  HOOD PROP ON MY 2003 CHEVROLET SSR IS POORLY DESIGNED IN AN ALREADY BENT CONFIGURATION TO HOLD UP AN EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY HOOD. THE 2005 MODEL YEAR WILL HAVE GAS-FILLED STRUTS TO HOLD UP THE HOOD. THEIR NEEDS TO BE A RETROFIT KIT TO PUT THE GAS STRUTS ON THE 2003 AND 2004 MODELS. ACCORDING TO THE CONTRIBUTORS TO WWW.SSRFANATIC.COM AS WELL AS MYSELF, THERE HAVE BEEN INJURIES AND MANY NEAR MISSES WITH THE HOOD FALLING AND BENDING THE PROP LIKE A PRETZEL. *AK
• Jun 11, 2004 · 45 milesStructure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
  2003 CHEVY SSR ENGINE HOOD IS EXTREMELY HEAVY (TWO OR THREE TIMES THE WEIGHT OF A NORMAL HOOD) AND CHEVROLET HAS OUTFITTED THE 2003 AND 2004 CHEVY SSR WITH A SIMPLE METAL HOOD PROP ROD TO SUPPORT THE HOOD WHEN OPEN. 1) THE HOOD IS SO HEAVY MANY OWNERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OR WILL STRUGGLE WITH THE OPENING OF THE HOOD. THIS CAN LEAD TO SITUATIONS WHERE THE HOOD MAY BE DROPPED ON THE PERSON TRYING TO OPEN THE HOOD WITH THE POSSIBILITY FOR SEVERE INJURY. MY WIFE CANNOT OPEN THE HOOD BY HERSELF DUE TO THE EXTREME WEIGHT OF THE HOOD. 2) THE 2003/2004 HOOD PROP IS VERY MINIMAL AND BENDS UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD. CHEVROLET HAS DONE AWAY WITH THE HOOD PROP FOR THE 2005 CHEVY SSR AND HAS…
• May 18, 2004 · 2,525 milesStructure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
  WHILE STANDING NEXT TO THE HOOD THE HOOD DROPPED DOWN FROM THE OPEN POSITION. THIS COULD HAVE LED TO SERIOUS INJURY IF I HAD BEEN LEANING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE HOOD PROP ON 2003 CHEVROLET SSR IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD. THE 2005 SSR'S HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DESIGN. GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTIFIED MY DEALER AND HE SAYS THERE IS NO "FIX" FOR THE PROBLEM.
• Jul 24, 2004 · 5,105 milesStructure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
  I WAS CHECKING THE OIL ON MY 2003 CHEVROLET SSR. IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE WITH THE HOOD UP AND HELD BY THE HOOD PROP ROD. A SMALL GUST OF WIND HIT THE HOOD AND SHOOK IT SLIGHTLY. I JUMPED BACK JUST TO SEE THE PROP ROD FLEXING QUITE A BIT. I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT THE ROD WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH AND SINCE IT HAS A BEND IN IT SO IT CAN FIT INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IT JUST LOOKS WEAK. AFTER THIS I AM EXTRA CAUTIOUS WHEN WORKING UNDER THE HOOD. I FEEL THAT THE PROP ROD WAS NEVER STRONG ENOUGH. WHEN I MENTIONED THIS TO THE DEALER THEY HAD NO ANSWER. I JUST LEARNED THAT THE 2005 SSR WILL HAVE GAS STRUTS TO HOLD THE HOOD OPEN. EVIDENTLY GM MUST HAVE HAD ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO MAKE THIS CHANGE. I…
• Aug 10, 2004Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
  THE FRONT HOOD PROP ON THE 2003 CHEVROLET SSR IS VERY INADEQUATE FOR ITS PURPOSE AND REPRESENTS A POTENTIAL DANGER - ESPECIALLY SINCE THE HOOD IS SO HEAVY.
• Jul 17, 2004 · 1,900 milesStructure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
  HOOD PROP ON 2003 CHEVROLET IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD. PROP HAS BENT AND HOOD HAS FALLEN. THE 2005 HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DESIGN. GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• RQ17002 · opened Apr 24, 2017 · closed Mar 29, 2021Loss of Headlights
  The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause…