2007 Chevrolet Express: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2007 Chevrolet Express
On the 2007 Chevrolet Express, the failure owners report most often is loss of braking, with 3 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 60,000 miles. Overall it scores 77 out of 100, severe risk for a 2007.
Severe risk for a 2007 — 28th riskiest of the 365 2007 vehicles we can rate. 18 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 11 named failure modes on the 2007 Chevrolet Express, and the three most-reported carry 44% of everything filed.
Loss of braking leads with 3 reports and about 250 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other lighting problem follows with 3 reports, median 200,000 miles.
Wheel bearing or hub failure follows with 2 reports, median 35,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into brakes (4), lighting (3) and drivetrain (2).
The mileage the reports cluster at
12 of the reports on the 2007 Chevrolet Express came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 60,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 33% by 50,000 miles, 83% by 100,000 miles and 92% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 30,000 and 40,000 miles, which alone holds 25% of the dated reports.
33% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 1 mentions a crash, 2 a fire and 1 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.11, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: loss of braking at $400–$3,000, other lighting problem at $120–$1,200, wheel bearing or hub failure at $350–$1,200 and other wheel or tire problem at $200–$1,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
22% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss of braking | brakes | 3 | 1 | — | 94k | — | 250.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 3 | 1 | — | 200k | — | 250.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 2 | 2 | — | 34k | — | 166.7 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 166.7 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 3k | — | 83.3 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 51k | — | 83.3 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 34k | — | 83.3 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 82k | — | 83.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 64k | — | 83.3 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 131k | — | 83.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 1 | 1 | — | 60k | — | 83.3 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 1 | 1 | — | 66k | — | 83.3 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2007 Chevrolet Express draws about 1,500 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 99th percentile of complaint rates among 2007 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 12 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2007 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Loss of braking
Mounting brackets for both front brake caliper hoses were bent forward, causing hoses to contact insides of front tires when wheels were turned. Right/passenger hose wore through, causing loss of brake fluid and loss of braking. Driver managed to stop vehicle safely. Vehicle was then towed to shop for repairs. *tr
Wheel bearing or hub failure
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet express. While driving at an unknown speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. After all the passengers exited the vehicle, the front passenger side tire exploded and caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the hub bearing was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet express. While driving at an unknown speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. After all the passengers exited the vehicle, the front passenger side tire exploded and caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the hub bearing was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.
Recalls on the 2007 model year
NHTSA has issued 4 recall campaigns covering the 2007 Chevrolet Express, affecting an estimated 28 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover equipment adaptive/mobility. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
185 vehicles 2009-07-06- Defect
- Main mobility is recalling 185 model year 2005 through 2009 chevrolet express and gmc savana vans manufactured between april 1, 2005 and june 25, 2009, equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 403, "platform lift installations in motor vehicles." the anti-stow interlock may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user. The pressure sensing switch that detects the presence of weight on the platform was not adjusted to the necessary sensitivity level…
- Consequence
- The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
- Remedy
- Main mobility is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e097). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or main mobility at 1-716-759-6811.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
185 vehicles 2009-07-06- Defect
- Main mobility is recalling 185 model year 2005 through 2009 chevrolet express and gmc savana vans manufactured between april 1, 2005 and june 25, 2009, equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 404, "platform lift installations in motor vehicles." the threshold warning system may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user in a certain spot within the defined threshold area.
- Consequence
- The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
- Remedy
- Main mobility is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e095). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or main mobility at 1-716-759-6811.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
42 vehicles 2008-10-24- Defect
- Cummings is recalling 42 my 2006-2008 ford e150, e350, chevrolet express, my 2006 ford e250, gmc savanna, dodge sprinter conversion vans, and my 2007 newmar dutchstar motor homes equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These buses fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 404, "platform lift installation in motor vehicles." the threshold warning system may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user in a certain spot within the defined threshold area.
- Consequence
- The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
- Remedy
- Cummings is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e095). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or cummings at 1-763-498-7887.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
42 vehicles 2008-10-24- Defect
- Cummings is recalling 42 my 2006-2008 ford e150, e350, chevrolet express, my 2006 ford e250, gmc savanna, dodge sprinter conversion vans, and my 2007 newmar dutchstar motor homes equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 403, "platform lift systems for motor vehicles." the anti-stow interlock may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user. The pressure sensing switch that detects the presence of weight on the platform was not adjusted to the necessary…
- Consequence
- A lift occupant can be injured should the lift begin to stow unintentionally.
- Remedy
- Cummings is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e097). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or cummings at 1-763-498-7887.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2007 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
Severe risk for a 2007 — 28th riskiest of the 365 2007 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 23 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1996 comes out best at 54 and 2021 worst at 79, with 2007 itself at 77.
If the model year is negotiable, 1996, 2004, 1997, 2006, 2005, 2011, 1998, 2003, 2002, 1999, 2000, 2017, 2014, 2016, 2010, 2008, 2012, 2001 and 2018 score lower than 2007 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2002–2007 generation specifically, 2004 is the strongest year at 57 and 2007 the weakest at 77.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2002-2007 generation, 2004 Chevrolet Express scores best at 57 and 2007 Chevrolet Express worst at 77.
What this page cannot tell you
18 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 18 reports, 12 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 67% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2007 Chevrolet Express?
The most-reported failures are loss of braking (3 reports, median 95,000 miles), other lighting problem (3 reports, median 200,000 miles) and wheel bearing or hub failure (2 reports, median 35,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2007 Chevrolet Express reliable?
It scores 77 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 28th riskiest of the 365 2007 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2007 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Chevrolet Express is best?
Within the 2002–2007 generation, 2004 scores best at 57 out of 100 and 2007 worst at 77. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed