CHEVROLET DENALI · model year

2003 CHEVROLET DENALI

4 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003CHEVROLETDENALI carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 DENALI is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2003 DENALI, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1

Recalls (2)

06E06400017/07/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED

06E02300013/03/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPME

Recent Complaints

20030728SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

20030708SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS SYSTEM HASS FAILED. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED 5 TIMES BEFORE. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 22,700

20030123POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWED THE VEHICLE WAS IN 4 LOW, WHEN IT WAS NOT, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO LOCK INTO POSITION. *TS. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT 1,036 MILES.*JB

Mileage: 997

20030123ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWED THE VEHICLE WAS IN 4 LOW, WHEN IT WAS NOT, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO LOCK INTO POSITION. *TS. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT 1,036 MILES.*JB

Mileage: 997

Compare 2003CHEVROLETDENALI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 CHEVROLET DENALI have?
The 2003 CHEVROLET DENALI has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 CHEVROLET DENALI?
Yes, the 2003 CHEVROLET DENALI has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 CHEVROLET DENALI?
The most-complained component for the 2003 CHEVROLET DENALI is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 2003 CHEVROLET DENALI safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.