What breaks most · 2003 to 2006 model years
Chevrolet SSR problems by year
Owners have filed 74 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet SSR across model years 2003 to 2006. Three years stand out: 2005 for latches and locks complaints, 2004 for body and structure complaints and 2003 for body and structure complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2005, 2004, 2003
- Complaints on file
- 742003 to 2006, all trims
- Worst year
- 200531 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 00 fires · 2 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 12kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 1Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | 0 | Body and structure (7) | |
| 28 | 0 | 0 | Body and structure (8) | |
| 31 | 0 | 0 | Latches and locks (12) | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | Electrical system (4) |
What fails on the 2005 Chevrolet SSR
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latches and locksDoor latches and actuators | 39% |
12 | 0 | Shop latches and locks parts for the 2005 Chevrolet SSR |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 19% |
6 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2005 Chevrolet SSR |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 16% |
5 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2005 Chevrolet SSR |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 13% |
4 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2005 Chevrolet SSR |
| Air bags | 6% |
2 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2005 Chevrolet SSR |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 3% |
1 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Inside door mechanism failure. Drivers door will not open from inside of vehicle. Vehicle is unsafe to drive and GM dealer unable to obtain parts and unable to provide timeline to facilitate repairs. Request for loaner vehicle denied. *nm
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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
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Hood prop on 2003 chevrolet is not sufficient to hold the weight of the hood. Prop has bent and hood has fallen. The 2005 has a completely different design. GM refuses to acknowledge the problem. *ak
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Chevrolet SSR years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2005, 2004, 2003 carry the most filings on the Chevrolet SSR. The 2005 alone has 31 complaints, led by latches and locks.
What is the most common Chevrolet SSR problem?
On the 2005 model year, the most-reported component is latches and locks with 12 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chevrolet SSR problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chevrolet SSR complaints that include mileage is about 12,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.