Chevrolet SSR Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

I BOUGHT A 2004 CHEVROLET SSR IN FEB.11, 2010 WAS A USED VEHICLE NO WARRANTY. TEST DRIVE WAS OK EVERYTHING WORKED AS EXPECTED. I STARTED NOTICING THAT I WAS GOING SLOWER THAN MOST CARS AROUND ME. I CHECKED WITH A FRIEND WHO DROVE BESIDE ME. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS OFF 10 TO 15 MPH. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET DEALER ABOUT PROBLEM IN MARCH 2010. I NEEDED TO DROP OFF MY TRUCK FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. IT WOULD TAKE 24 HOURS & OR 5 TO 7 DAYS AT $150 PER HOUR TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. THE PARTS & REPAIR LABOR TO FIX. I SAID THAT WAS OUTRAGEOUS. PLUS NO TECHNICIANS IN AREA WERE TRAINED ON THE SSR'S ELECTRONICS. I CONTACTED GM FOR HELP. SERVICE REQUEST #71-982295330 THE PROBLEM I WAS EXPERIENCING WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. NO 2003 THROUGH 2006 SSR'S WERE REPORTED TO BE HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM & WAS NOT REPAIRED. I HAVE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH THE PROBLEM USING TACHOMETER AS A GUIDE TO SPEED. THE FIRST TIME I START TRUCK IT SEEMS TO BE JUST A FEW MILES PER HOUR OFF. BUT AS I GO THROUGH START CYCLES IT GETS TO BE MORE MPH OFF. IF VEHICLE SITS OVER NIGHT. 12 OR MORE HOURS. IT SEEMS TO RESET ITSELF. I WAS OUT TODAY 4/29/2012 FOR A DRIVE. I WAS PULLED OVER BY A POLICE OFFICER ON RADAR GOING 67 MPH IN A 55 MPH ZONE. I CHECKED MY SPEED AT THE TIME & WAS GOING 55 MPH. THE OFFICER LET ME OFF WITH A WARNING TO PARK VEHICLE TILL IT IS REPAIRED. NOW WHAT DO I DO? CHEVROLET DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE & MANY PEOPLE THAT I KNOW ARE SSR OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SSR OWNERS. BUT AS I WAS TOLD. MOST HAD IT REPAIRED AT THERE OWN EXPENSE. NOW I HAVE A TRUCK WITH A INACCURATE SPEEDOMETER & NO PLACE TO GET REPAIRS DONE BY EXPERIENCED MECHANICS. I NEED MY SPEEDOMETER FIXED AT GM CHEVROLET EXPENSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SSR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONE OF THE SEAT BELTS HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT ORDERED A REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT BUT ONCE IT WAS RECEIVED, HE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS ROLLED BACKWARD AND EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL TWIST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE INSTALLED BACKWARD IN ORDER FOR IT TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 5/11/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PLASTIC GEAR WAS DEFECTIVE. A NEW SEAT BELT WAS ORDERED. HOWEVER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE NEW BELT WAS TWISTED. TWO WEEKS LATER, A NEW BELT ARRIVED AND IT WAS ALSO TWISTED. UPDATED 05/23/12

I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF TO REPORT THE HEADLIGHT COVERS ON MY 2004 CHEVROLET SSR ARE MELTING FROM THE HEAT OF THE HEADLIGHT. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ADDRESS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO CHEVROLET BUT THEY SAY MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY VEHICLES IN MY LIFE FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME AND HAVE NEVER HAD THE HEADLIGHT COVERS MELT. PER THE SHERIFF, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A SINGLE PROBLEM TO MY VEHICLE AND TO ASK FOR A RECALL. THANK YOU.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SSR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE PULLED THE HANDLE ON THE DOOR, THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED A TSB 050864026 THAT WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,800.

CLUSTER GAUGES ON A 2004 SSR CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK QUITS WORKING SEVERAL TIMES, NO SPEEDOMETER OR TACH. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET PICKUP SSR. THE CONTACT STATED HE CANNOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE ON THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE SINCE THE DOOR LATCH IS BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE ORDER; HOWEVER, GM NO LONGER MAKES THE PARTS FOR THAT VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE THE PARTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SSR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED, WHICH PREVENTED HIM FROM OPENING THE DOOR. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON NOVEMBER 22, 2006. THE DIAGNOSIS FOUND THAT THE DOOR HANDLES WERE MADE WITH DEFECTIVE PLASTIC; THEREFORE, THEY BECOME PERMANENTLY INOPERABLE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE REPAIR COST WAS ESTIMATED AT $377. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT PLANS ON HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,300. 4/01/09 *NJ THE DEALER FOUND A BROKEN INNER HANDLE BRACKET. UPDATED 04/09/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SSR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER SHOULD BE RESETTING ITSELF TO ZERO, BUT THE DIAL RESTS AT 20 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING. ON OCCASION, THE SPEEDOMETER DIAL BECOMES ERRATIC AND DOES NOT GO BACK DOWN AT ALL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW HOW FAST SHE IS DRIVING. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR CENTER FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THEY CONFIRMED THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WOULD COST $1,050 TO REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER WITH AN OLD PART. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SSR. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND MISFIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,641 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,826.

SSR IS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY IN NOV 07. RECEIVE APPROX TWO INCHES OF RAIN, SSR LEAKED IN FLOOR ON PASSENGER SIDE. APPROX 1 1/2" OF WATER IN FLOOR. TOOK TO CHECK DEALER, DEALER OUTSOURCED PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A CRACK IN "A PILLAR". RESEALED PILLAR, PROBLEM SOLVED. RECEIVED THREE INCHES OF RAIN IN APR 08, SSR LEAKED IN FLOOR ON PASSENGER SIDE. APPROX 2" OF WATER IN FLOOR. TOOK BACK TO CHEVY DEALER, DEALER OUTSOURCED PROBLEM. TOLD LEAK IS DIFFERENT PROBLEM, TOLD CAR DOOR HAD TWO SIDED STICKY ADHESION WHICH WAS NOT STICKING TO DOOR, REPAIRED. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS SOLUTION SOUNDS CORRECT. *TR

DRIVING FOR APPROX 2 1/2 HOURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NOTICES SPEEDOMETER WAS BOUNCING. SLOWED DOWN, SPEEDOMETER DID NOT CHANGE. AFTER ABOUT TWO MILES, SPEEDOMETER INCREASE IN SPEED, AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO, SPEEDOMETER INCREASED TO APPROX 80MPH. AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES, ENTER CITY LIMITS, SPEED LIMIT WAS 35MPH, SPEEDOMETER REGISTERING 65MPH. WHEN I GOT HOME, SPEEDOMETER WAS REGISTERING 30MPH. TOOK VEHICLE TO CHEVY DEALER TWO DAYS LATER, WAS TOLD NO PROBLEM WITH SPEEDOMETER, TOLD TO BRING IT BACK IF THE PROBLEM PERSIST. TWO WEEKS LATER, DRIVING IN CITY AT 45MPH, SIMILAR PROBLEM OCCURRED, AFTER VEHICLE STOPPED, SPEEDOMETER ON 25MPH, NOW SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK. PENDING REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SSR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD RISE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT WHEN IDLING. AS OF DECEMBER 7, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE COOLING FAN WAS TOO SMALL FOR THE ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,320. UPDATED 03/10/08. *LJ

CRUISE-CONTROL DEFECT W/CHEVROLET 2004-SSR TRUCK: SIZZLING/FRYING SOUND THROUGH STEERING COLUMN, SPEEDOMETER ZEROED OUT -- SHOWING NO SPEED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, CRUISE-INOPERATIVE AT ANY SPEED. *TR

THE CONVERTIBLE TOP CONTINUES TO HAS ISSUES. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SEALS AT LEAST 4 TIMES, ADJUSTED THE WINDOWS 6-8 TIMES. CHEVY OFFERED TO MAKE A PAYMENT FOR ME BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT WIND NOISE AND LEAKAGE SINCE DAY ONE. *JB