Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Hummer H2 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Hummer H2. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. It took the contact up to thirty minutes to start the vehicle and the lock warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the ignition switch was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified. The failure mileage was 45,000.
We have a 2003 Hummer H2- the resistor for the blower motor is no longer made. This is a safety issue since it can limit visibility due to failure to clear the windshield. This is a safety hazard. We have contacted GM with no results. This is not the only vehicle that has this particular part. This is a very serious issue since it can limit the visibility and can cause a fatal crash. Please advise.
My check engine light comes on constantly even after oil changes and check ups. I have also noticed ever since this has started to occur my speedometer has been periodically sticking on 120mph when going at a very slow speed and staying on 60mph while in park. I find this very dangerous as I do not know the speed I am traveling and have received a speeding ticket when it was reading that I was going slower than I was actually traveling. Sometimes it will not work at all , sometimes it will read I am going slower than my actual speed and I did not know this until I got a ticket. But soon after this incident is when the speedometer kept sticking at 120mph and actually looking like my speedometer needle might brake off. This has caused a huge distraction while driving down the road. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Hummer H2. The contact stated that the windshield wipers only functioned on an intermittent basis. The speedometer would also stick at a certain speed and whenever the vehicle decelerated, the speedometer would not reflect the actual speed the vehicle was traveling at. The speedometer would maintain readings of 60 MPH and above. An authorized dealer was notified and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 02V283000 (visibility: windshield wiper/washer:motor). There were no recalls addressing the speedometer failure. The manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 55,894. Updated 09/28/2011
NHTSA number 08V456000 action #pe08042 my vehicle has the same I have the exact same windshield wiper/washer problem as listed in the recall however, Hummer at www.gmownercenter.com won't repair it. Because my 2003 h-2 Hummer is not included in the recallvins. Local Hummer dealer will repair it but needs approval if it is to be repaired. Why my H2 VIN wasn't included is a mystery to me...but the problem as referenced still exists as a safety defect. I need your assistance on this to move forward and correct this problem. Please advise.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Hummer H2. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, could not remove the key out of the ignition. The contact mentioned that he had to take the vehicle to a lock smith to have the key removed. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 231,000.
Key stuck in ignition. Fortunately we arrived home before this happened, but when we got home we could not remove the key from the ignition. We had to leave it in the ignition, which ran the battery down by the next morning. We have had to disconnect the battery to keep it from running down, and have been unable to remove the key from the ignition - wd40 did not work, jiggling the key, steering wheel or shifter also did not work.
Consumer was going 70 MPH and the two front tires locked, while the two back tires kept moving. Vehicle then continued to skip. The driveshaft was replaced. For the past 8 month this vehicle has been in the shop more than at the consumer's home. The vehicle has needed a new alternator, transmission, battery,ignition and drive shaft. The roof leaked and the consumer had to replace one of the side windows.
Electrical complaints in other H2 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2003 Hummer H2?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Hummer H2, 17% of the model year's 141 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Hummer H2 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2003 Hummer H2, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Hummer H2 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.