Problems · NHTSA complaints
2003 GMC Envoy problems
Owners filed 642 complaints about the 2003 GMC Envoy with NHTSA between Sep 2002 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (136).
Complaints
642
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
54
Reported by owners
Fires
11
Reported by owners
Injuries
65
People reported injured
Deaths
5
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system136
- Fuel system, gasoline116
- Visibility59
- Structure56
- Power train56
- Air bags51
- Fuel/propulsion system44
- Exterior lighting44
- Engine and engine cooling37
- Suspension26
- Latches/locks/linkages26
- Steering21
- Vehicle speed control18
- Engine17
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
45
55
49
47
58
42
39
47
40
27
30
44
36
23
12
16
9
8
3
0
1
2
2
4
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 45 |
| 2004 | 55 |
| 2005 | 49 |
| 2006 | 47 |
| 2007 | 58 |
| 2008 | 42 |
| 2009 | 39 |
| 2010 | 47 |
| 2011 | 40 |
| 2012 | 27 |
| 2013 | 30 |
| 2014 | 44 |
| 2015 | 36 |
| 2016 | 23 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 16 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
136 reports3 crashes6 fires
“The contact owns a 2003 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that while in drive(D), the vehicle shut off and then restarted. The message “Service Engine Soon” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the instrument cluster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who installed the original instrument cluster, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.”
Fuel system, gasoline
116 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC ENVOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A STRONG FUEL ODOR EMITTED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THE MANUFACTURER CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM RELATED TO THE FUEL TANK INLET VALVE REPLACEMENT. THE REMEDY PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. ON NOVEMBER 23, 2015. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,292. UPDATED 07/05/16 *BF”
Visibility
59 reports1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC ENVOY. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW SWITCHES ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Structure
56 reports2 crashes
“I bought a 2003 GMC Envoy 3/23/24. The main frame and sub-frame have extensive rot, and is unsafe to drive. It is available to inspect. They disguised frame damage and sold me an unsafe vehicle. I brought the car in to have the ac repaired in August 2024 and when they put it up on the lift that's when they saw the damage. This was Rogers Automotive in Westport MA. They told me at that time that it is unsafe to drive. It has not been inspected by any other parties at this time. We had no idea it was damaged, Rogers said it was sprayed to try to hide the damage.”
Power train
56 reports2 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“SHIFT CABLE BROKE BETWEEN THE SHIFTER AND THE TRANSMISSION WHILE SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE TO PARK ON A STREET. IF THIS HAD HAPPEN WHILE SHIFTING DOWN GEAR TO LOWER SPEED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL, A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE HAPPEN THAT WOULD HAVE LED TO A CRASH WITH EXTREME PROPERTY DAMAGE AND MOST LIKELY DRIVER AND PASSENGER INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO OURISMAN CHEVROLET IN MARLOW HEIGHTS MARYLAND FOR REPAIR AFTER THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER MANUALLY SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR THE TOW DRIVER TO DO IF THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN FACING DOWN HILL OR IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC SITUATION. FOR SOME REASON, HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE STILL HASN'T BEEN REPAIRED NOR HAVE I'VE BEEN GIVEN A REASON AS TO WHY.”
Air bags
51 reports36 crashes2 fires2 related recalls
“MY WIFE WAS SITTING IN THE BACKSEAT AND THE BACK DOOR FLEW OPEN ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE OTHER BACK DOOR IS NOT CLICKING SHUT AND THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.