Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Hummer H2 problems

Owners filed 141 complaints about the 2003 Hummer H2 with NHTSA between Jan 2003 and May 2023. The most-cited component is visibility (45).

Complaints
141
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility45
  2. Electrical system24
  3. Steering17
  4. Structure13
  5. Service brakes11
  6. Power train11
  7. Suspension11
  8. Visibility/wiper7
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  10. Seats5
  11. Wheels5
  12. Engine and engine cooling5
  13. Engine4
  14. Vehicle speed control3

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 Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20033
200415
20059
20069
20078
200821
20099
201014
201114
20128
20136
20147
20155
20162
20174
20181
20191
20201
20212
20220
20232

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility

45 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HUMMER H2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V456000 (VISIBILITY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,400. UPDATED 1/16/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE WIPERS WERE DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED. UPDATED 06/4/2015 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2014VisibilityODI 10661404

Electrical system

24 reports1 fire
“THE PASS LOCK KEEPS MY VEHICLE FROM STARTING AND STOPPING IT AT RANDOM, AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO AT LEAST 85% OF HUMMERS OUT THERE IF YOU CHECK AROUND, HUMMER FORUM AND OTHER PLACES. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. STOPS AT INTERSECTIONS, AND COULD ON RAILROAD TRACKS. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS AND IGNORED THEM, SAYING THAT YOU HAVEN'T HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY YOUR AGENCY, AS YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP THE CITIZENS SAFE. NOT PASS THEM OFF AS YOU'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS ON THIS ISSUE WITH THE GM PASS LOCK SYSTEM. THIS NEEDS RECALLED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED DUE TO THIS MISS FUNCTION ON HUMMERS. MORE PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SHUTDOWN ISSUE THAN NOT. WHEN IT HAPPENS, YOU HAVE TO WAIT BETWEEN 10 AND 30 MINUTES WITH THE KEY IN THE START POSITION BEFORE IT WILL START. SO IT SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, INTERSTATE, BRIDGE, OR ANYWHERE ELSE DURING THIS TIME. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL ADDRESS THIS ISSUE PROMPTLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2021Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11398236

Steering

17 reports6 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“I WENT TO CRANK UP MY HUMMER TO WARM IT UP DUE TO THE VERY COLD WEATHER ONCE I CRANKED THE HUMMER I IMMEDIATELY SMELLED A VERY STRONG BURNING ODOR. IT BEGIN TO SMOKE AND MY HUSBAND YELLED IT YOUR TRUCK AND I LOOKED AND SAW THE SMOKE GETTING WORSE AND THICKER. I UNHOOKED MY INFANT SON'S CAR SEAT BELT AND TOOK HIM OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I RAN TO THE BUILDING WE WERE LEAVING TO CALL 911 BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH THE 911 DISPATCHER I SAW THE FIRE START INSIDE THE TRUCK ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD IT THEN IT IMMEDIATELY SPREAD AND BURNED THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE TRUCK WHERE IT IS NOT RECOGNIZABLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND SPRAYED WATER ON IT TO PUT OUT THE FIRE THERE WERE BLUE AND RED SPARKS SHOOTING OUT OF THE TRUCK. THE SPARKS AND FIRE STARTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL AREA WHICH SHOWED THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT CAUSED THIS FIRE. I CHECKED OTHER RECALLS AND NOTICED THAT THE ISSUE I SPEAK OF WAS RECALLED INSIDE OF THE 2006 H2 HUMMERS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 16, 2015Steering, Electrical system, SeatsFire reportedODI 10683658

Structure

13 reports
“WHEN I AM PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY, THE TWO FRONT DOORS WILL NOT STAY OPEN TO LET ME AND MY WIFE SAFELY ENTER AND EXIT. THE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HELD OPEN BY WHAT IS CALLED A DOOR CHECK. THESE TWO LEFT AND RIGHT DOOR CHECKS HAVE A DEFECTIVE DESIGN BECAUSE I ORDERED TWO NEW ONES, AND THE 2 DOORS WILL NOT STAY OPEN AS WE ARE ENTERING, AND EXITING THE HUMMER. THE DOORS QUICKLY CLOSE AND ALMOST BREAK OUR HIP , LEGS AND FEET. IT IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN BECAUSE THEY USED PLASTIC AND RUBBER TO MAKE FRICTION TOGETHER IN THE DOOR CHECK. IT WILL NOT HOLD OPEN THE HEAVY DOOR(S) ON THE HUMMER H2. THE HUMMER ONLY HAS 14,710 MILES ON IT. SO, I KNOW THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. NORMALLY, MY LAST GM CHEVROLET TRUCK USED DOOR CHECKS WITH STEEL ROLLER(S) THAT ROLLED AGAINST A STEEL SPRING(S). I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY ON YOUR WEBSITE TO UPLOAD A PHOTO OF THE DOOR CHECK WITH THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 12, 2017StructureODI 10985057

Service brakes

11 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HUMMER H2. AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT NEARBY AND NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 05/23/2017*JS UPDATED 06/08/17*LJ *AS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 6, 2017Service brakesODI 10970960

Power train

11 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HUMMER H2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME EXTREMELY LOOSE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM THE HYDRO BOOST THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V45000 (SERVICE BRAKE: HYDRAULIC). IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD EASILY SLIP OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE ELECTRONIC PARK LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:03V075000(POWERTAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 9, 2012Power train, Service brakesODI 10483863
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.