FaultScore

Chevrolet Express body problems

60 of the 856 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Express are about the body and structure — 7% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2002.

60

Complaints

7%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

2

Fires

Body & Structure complaints by model year

1997 Express 3 5.0%

Median failure at 200,000 miles

1998 Express 3 5.0%

Median failure at 70,562 miles

1999 Express 6 10.0%

Median failure at 62,600 miles

2000 Express 7 11.7%

Median failure at 107,500 miles

2001 Express 2 3.3%
2002 Express 8 13.3%

Median failure at 48,410 miles

2003 Express 5 8.3%

Median failure at 148,500 miles

2004 Express 2 3.3%

Median failure at 129,500 miles

2005 Express 5 8.3%

Median failure at 56,000 miles

2006 Express 2 3.3%

Median failure at 62,529 miles

2007 Express 1 1.7%

Median failure at 60,000 miles

2008 Express 1 1.7%

Median failure at 199 miles

2009 Express 1 1.7%
2010 Express 1 1.7%

Median failure at 100,506 miles

2011 Express 1 1.7%

Median failure at 94,036 miles

2012 Express 1 1.7%

Median failure at 14,500 miles

2015 Express 1 1.7%

Median failure at 25,730 miles

2016 Express 3 5.0%

Median failure at 2,000 miles

2018 Express 1 1.7%
2020 Express 3 5.0%

Median failure at 1,000 miles

2021 Express 2 3.3%
2022 Express 1 1.7%

Median failure at 4,000 miles

What owners said

2021 Chevrolet Express Duluth, GA Fire

STRUCTURE:BODY

Vehicle Caught Fire while driving on the highway. This is the third Chevy express 2021 that caught fire in last three months. 1GB0GRFP9M1249499 - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date of Fire - July 6th 2026 1GB0GRF72N1218998 - 2022 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 16th 2026 1GB0GRFP0M1249665 - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 18th 2026

NHTSA complaint #11749127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Chevrolet Express Duluth, GA

STRUCTURE:BODY

Vehicle Caught Fire while driving on the highway. This is the third Chevy express 2021 that caught fire in last three months. 1GB0GRFP9M1249499 - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date of Fire - July 6th 2026 1GB0GRF72N1218998 - 2022 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 16th 2026 1GB0GRFP0M1249665 - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 18th 2026

NHTSA complaint #11749131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Chevrolet Express Cincinnati, OH

STRUCTURE:BODY

Door latches on the side rear door need replaced every few months. Dealer charges $1300 to fix this issue on 8 of the 2020 Chevy Expresses that I we own.

NHTSA complaint #11692060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Chevrolet Express at 4,000 miles Opelika, AL

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2023 Gulf Stream Conquest built on a 2022 Chevrolet Express Chassis. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V231000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Structure); that was misplaced. The contact stated that the entry door latch had failed, and the door could only be locked or unlocked from the outside. The contact stated that he was physically disabled, and the failure required his wife to exit the RV through the front driver's side door to unlock or to lock the RV entry door. The RV was taken to the local dealer for the recall repair, but the dealer was unable to verify that the RV was covered under the recall. The RV was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.

NHTSA complaint #11613845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2018 Chevrolet Express Slingerlands, NY

STRUCTURE:BODY

Since purchasing this vehicle in 2018 we have had an ongoing issue of the car randomly going into a violent shaking when exceeding speeds of about 60mph, it happens without warning, and other than coming to an almost standstill, it is impossible to recover the vehicle. This is extremely dangerous on the freeway. Have taken the vehicle to Chevrolet dealership multiple times without any resolution. They would charge us for an alignment and this never fixed the problem. This continues to be an ongoing issue, and now having researched it on the internet, I am reading this is not a unique experience by Chevrolet/GM truck owners.

NHTSA complaint #11516209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Chevrolet Express West Grove, PA

STRUCTURE:BODY

Bought this van new & when traveling down a hill, brake assist helps slow up the van. Once the van is on level ground, it will NOT shift back out of the brake assist & it takes effort or time to return to normal D. I was told I must set up & find a hill. I had major water leaks in the van & once corrected, there started a whistling of air now. The passenger door was 1/4" off, nowhere near flush. How does that get missed? Lastly, the right read brake cylinder went out with less then 12,000 miles on it. Many many problems with this "new" van. I'm concerned for my safely & others. The future looks bad with this lemon.

NHTSA complaint #11454725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Chevrolet Express at 1,000 miles Middleboro, MA

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

The contact owns a 2021 Jayco Redhawk. The contact stated that while inspecting underneath the RV the plumbing hoses and lines as well electrical wires, fuel line from the propane tank, and fuel line from the generator was just lying on the frame. The hoses and lines were not insulated or secured underneath the RV. The contact stated that he was concerned that a fire could have been started. The contact stated that he wire-tied all the wires, so they were not laying on the frame. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who only secured the wires with a single wire tie. The contact stated that many of the wires were still just hanging as the dealer did not repair the problem. The contact stated that the brake, fuel, and electrical harness were all clamped together which could cause a failure. The Jayco dealer advised the contact to take the vehicle to a GM dealer for repairs to the chassis. The contact stated he contacted McGee Chevrolet (1455 New State Hwy, Raynham, MA 02767) and they stated they could not repair the RV due to the large size. The contact stated that the Jayco manufacturer was notified and advised to take the RV to a Jayco dealer for repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

NHTSA complaint #11433832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Chevrolet Express Kealakekua, HI

STRUCTURE:BODY

Paint is peeling from ALL parts of the exterior vehicle, even around the window frames and door frames! It appears that NO PAINT PRIMER was used, at all! My white van has missing paint from about 75% of the vehicle, with bubbling going on, in the remainder of paint that has yet to fall off! Looking at ANY Chevy van that is on the roadways, one can easily see that the paint has also been falling off those vehicles, as well! This is a well-known defect in the painting practices of most ALL Chevrolet Vans, and should be dealt with on a class-action basis, since all Chevrolet Van owners are forced to live with an inferior paint scheme on these vehicles! But new owners are not aware of these shortcomings, until they see the paint fall off their vans, for no apparent reason! And it is clearly seen that NO PAINT PRIMER was used, when you look at the paint chip that fell off! Shame on Chevrolet and shame on the NHTSA agency for allowing any auto manufacturer to put out such inferior products to unsuspecting consumers!

NHTSA complaint #11421445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Chevrolet Express at 36,000 miles Round TOP, NY

STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR CONNECTION. WATER ALSO LEAKED ONTO THE CONTACT AND THE FLOOR. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS ALSO LEAKING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SAWYER CHEVROLET (351 W BRIDGE ST, CATSKILL, NY 12414, (518) 291-4586) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW WI-FI ANTENNA GASKET NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT FAILED AGAIN DAYS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA complaint #11184855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Chevrolet Express at 60,000 miles Rocky Mount, NC

STRUCTURE:BODY

THE PAINT WAS CONSTANTLY PEELING OFF. BIG SPLOTCHES FROM HOOD WOULD FLY UP TO WINDSHIELD AND DISTRACT WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE RECENTLY HAD WHOLE VAN PAINTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT ANY MORE OF THIS.THESE BARE SPOTS WERE RUSTING BADLY ALSO. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS. I AM SEEING MANY OTHER VANS IN TOWN THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #11124029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Chevrolet Express at 62,000 miles Cheviot, OH

STRUCTURE:BODY

THE SIDE HINGES SEIZE UP AND BREAK. IT THROWS THE DOOR ALIGNMENT OFF AND I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO COMPLETELY CLOSE THE FRONT SIDE DOOR AND IT KEEPS THE PASSENGER DOOR FROM OPENING ALSO. THIS IS A CONTINUEING PROBLEM CHEVROLET HAS WITH THEIR EXPRESS VANS. IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND ALSO CHEAP MATERIALS CAUSED IT TO RUST AND SEIZE UP AND THEN BREAK THE HINGE, THE HINGE IS WELDED ON. VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE REPARED. IT IS DANGEROUS AS PEOPLE CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE VAN. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO OFFER AN INEXPENSIVE FIX FOR THIS.

NHTSA complaint #11115830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 Chevrolet Express at 25,730 miles Reno, NV

STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, ALL OF THE LOCKS ON THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT COULD NOT USE THE IGNITION KEY TO OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS. CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN RENO, NEVADA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,730.

NHTSA complaint #11082182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Chevrolet Express at 228,000 miles Merrick, NY

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CABLE THAT HELD THE SEAT BELTS TOGETHER, LOCATED IN THE REAR MIDDLE ROW, SNAPPED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT SECURE PROPERLY AND CAUSE AN INJURY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HINGES FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS WERE GLUED SHUT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 228,000. UPDATED 10/17*LJ UPDATED 10/4/18

NHTSA complaint #11013927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Chevrolet Express at 150,000 miles Syracuse, NY Fire

STRUCTURE:BODY

THE VAN WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY STATIONARY. IT CAUGHT FIRE AND PROCEEDED TO BURN COMPLETELY FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THE WEBSITE STATES THIS VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS BUT THE VEHICLE TYPE HAS A RECALL LISTED THAT STATES IT COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #10904626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Chevrolet Express at 300 miles Westmont, IL

STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE AND THE SLIDING DOOR WAS OPENED, THERE WAS NO LOCKING MECHANISM TO PROHIBIT THE SLIDING DOOR FROM CLOSING INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE DOOR CLOSED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE AN EMPLOYEE WAS MAKING DELIVERIES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE GENERAL MOTORS FLEET COORDINATOR THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

NHTSA complaint #10885075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Chevrolet Express at 2,000 miles Novato, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DOOR CLOSED WITHOUT WARNING EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN INCLINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT THE DOOR WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA complaint #10861589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Chevrolet Express Crofton, MD

STRUCTURE:BODY

WHITE 2009 CHEVROLET EQUINOX PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF CAR. IT STARTED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE ABOVE THE WINDOWS FIRST AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS, THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. WE NOTICED SOME "DIMPLING" IN THE PAINT ON THE LIFT GATE AS WELL. WE HAVE CONTACTED GM (CHEVROLET) AND HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TAKE IT TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR A "DIAGNOSTIC" EVALUATION. MY CAR HAS ONLY BEEN EXPOSED TO NATURAL ELEMENTS AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING IN ONLY 6 YEARS.

NHTSA complaint #10837304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Chevrolet Express at 94,036 miles Frenchtown, NJ

STRUCTURE:BODY

2011 CHEVY EXPRESS CUTAWAY WITH THOMAS BUS BODY HAD EXCESSIVE RUST DAMAGE TO STRUCTURAL FLOOR SUPPORT BEAM IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF REAR WHEELS. ENTIRE BEAM HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10818988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Chevrolet Express at 23,000 miles Wesley Chapel, FL

STRUCTURE:BODY

PAINT PEELING OFF, HAS BEEN FOR YEARS.

NHTSA complaint #10808700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Chevrolet Express at 100,506 miles Allentown, PA

STRUCTURE:BODY

THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE BEHIND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WHERE THE BOLT GOES THROUGH TO SECURE THE AMBULANCE BODY TO THE FRAME HAS CRACKED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE ON THIS SAME VEHICLE. IT WAS REPAIRED ONCE AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA complaint #10778334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Chevrolet Express problems