Most common 2003 Hummer H2 problems
Share of the 141 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hummer H2 complaints by model year
Best H2 years: 2008, 2007, 2006. Years to avoid: 2003, 2005, 2004. Compare all years →
2003 Hummer H2 recalls (4)
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
GM is recalling 13,358 my 2003 Hummer h2 vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which water can enter the windshield wiper motor module. If a sufficient amount of water enters the module, over time, the front windshield wipers May work intermittently or they May become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the windshield wiper module cover, and replace the windshield wiper module cover free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2008.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.
Remedy: Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on June 18, 2004. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; GMC at 1-866-996-9463; or Hummer at 1-866-486-6376.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection." these vehicles are equipped with a mechanical override that could allow the ignition key to be removed with the shift lever in a position other than park.
Remedy: Dealers will eliminate these conditions by disabling the overrides. Owner notification began on May 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles exhibit a condition in which the windshield wiper motor could fail during use because of improper manufacture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the wiper motor assembly. Owner notification began November 6, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2003 Hummer H2:
Windshield wiper motor module failure
This investigation disclosed that water intrusion into the wiper motor module of the subject vehicles May lead to intermittent operation or subsequent total system failure.analysis of data disclosed that the subject vehicles built between February 2003 and May 2003 exhibited high warranty claim rates.the manufactured notified NHTSA by letter dated September 8, 2008, that a safety recall program has been initiated…
Steering knuckle fracture
During the pe, odi investigated the Hummer h2 for fractures which were occurring at the front steering knuckle lower boss.when the knuckle lower boss fractures, the lower ball joint stud is released and the entire knuckle and wheel/tire assembly separates from the vehicle.odi is upgrading this investigation to gain a full technical understanding of the factors which contributed to these failures.
Hummer h2 steering knuckle failures
Odi upgraded this investigation at the conclusion of pe04-080.the alleged defect involves the failure of the steering knuckle at the lower ball joint boss, resulting in a separation of the lower ball joint from the knuckle.a lower ball joint separation could result in a loss of steering and/or a disabled vehicle.
What 2003 Hummer H2 owners say
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 52 →
While driving in extreme rain downfall at night my windshield wipers stopped functioning. I could not see the road. Luckily I had just exited the highway when this happened. Therefore I was able to move over to the side of the road turn on my hazards and wait an hour for the rain to settle before driving to a near by gas station. Otherwise a fatality would have been likely being on a busy interstate should the wipers failed to function then. That wipers do not work and the Hummer can not be driven when rain is expected. I heard a recall had been issued for wiper malfunction. However when pulling up any recalls from my vin nothing shows but I have seen recalls for this situation and for the same make model and year. Please advise. I have given the vehicle to my 16 year old son a soon to be new driver and is excited to start but I must get this safety isssue taken care of first.
drivers seat goes toward dash when key is turned on. have not been able to reset it in any way. cruise control wont activate. front washer pump wont pump. front wiper motor would not shut off. disconnected battery and then wiper motor would not restart. removed the wiper motor and found corosion in printed circuit board. trying to purchase a new front wiper motor. have found that the wai part number wpm 1063 that fits the hummer is currently on backorder. will purchase new wiper motor asap. need better parts availibility for safety.
Electrical system all 24 →
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. …
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. …
Brakes
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Hummer H2. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact vehicle moved into the intersection. The contact was able bring the vehicle to a stop. The contact was able to move the vehicle to safety. The contact inspected the vehicle himself and found that the brake fluid was leaking from the brake master cylinder. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic test performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 160,000.
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 updated 06/08/17
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Hummer H2 a good car?
Based on 141 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 H2 rates avoid: 7.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the H2 at the same age. It is one of the H2 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Hummer H2?
The windows, wipers & sunroof — 52 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year, most often about windshield wiper/washer › motor. Next are the electrical system (24) and brakes (18).
How many recalls does the 2003 Hummer H2 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2003 Hummer H2, the most recent from September 9, 2008 (motor). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hummer H2?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2007 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2005 and 2004. See the full Hummer H2 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Hummer H2 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 65,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.