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2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hd

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Silverado 1500 Hd years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hd are substantially higher than the model-year median of 22.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

93 reports with mileage · 8 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

101 reports
110,000 miles · Mar 15, 2012
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CAUSED THE BRAKE LINES TO FAIL. THE CONTACT HAD A DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE LOSS ALL BRAKING FUNCTION, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. T…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CAUSED THE BRAKE LINES TO FAIL. THE CONTACT HAD A DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE LOSS ALL BRAKING FUNCTION, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 110,000. UPDATED 04/27/12*LJ UPDATED 04/27/12

NHTSA ODI #10451753

110 miles · Mar 15, 2012
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE STOPPED AT A BANK TELLER BOX I APPLIED THE THE BRAKES ONLY TO FIND THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HIT THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED LARGE AMOUNTS OF BRAKE FLUID NEAR THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT FUNCTIONAL EITHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10451750

18,000 miles · Mar 7, 2012
Tires

TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, APPROX 70MPH, VALVE STEM SEPARATED FROM NEW TIRE CAUSING COMPLETE DEFLATION WITHIN ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINS. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF HITTING SOMETHING IN ROAD, NO TRAUMA TO RIM OR STEM ITSELF (OTHER THAN THE SHARP SPLIT FROM WHERE IT SEPARATED FROM TIRE), NO EXTREME CONDITIONS, JUST NORMAL CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIV…

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TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, APPROX 70MPH, VALVE STEM SEPARATED FROM NEW TIRE CAUSING COMPLETE DEFLATION WITHIN ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINS. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF HITTING SOMETHING IN ROAD, NO TRAUMA TO RIM OR STEM ITSELF (OTHER THAN THE SHARP SPLIT FROM WHERE IT SEPARATED FROM TIRE), NO EXTREME CONDITIONS, JUST NORMAL CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. TIRE WAS LESS THAN TWO MONTHS OLD WITH LESS THAN 2,000 MILES. TOOK TIRE TO GOODYEAR SERVICE CENTER. THEY REPLACED TIRE AND VALVE STEM WITH NEW ONE. OLD TIRE AND STEM LEFT WITH GOODYEAR. TIRE: GOODYEAR WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR, LT245/75R16, DOT MD11 Y5JV 2810. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10450686

19,000 miles · Dec 22, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THERE WERE REPEATED ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETECTED THE BRAKE LINE WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED, WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THERE WERE REPEATED ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETECTED THE BRAKE LINE WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED, WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE MALFUNCTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA ODI #10440970

115,000 miles · Nov 3, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE UNDER HARD BRAKING THE DRIVERS REAR BRAKE FAILED JUST ABOVE AXEL. AFTER THE REPAIR DURING THE TEST DRIVE 3 LINES RUPTURED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME RAIL JUST BELOW THE DRIVERS FEET NEXT TO THE ABS MODULE. I SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : EA11001 ALREADY STARTED ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10434095

35,455 miles · Oct 27, 2011
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

BELOW IS A LIST OF HISTORY WITH REPAIRS TO MY TRUCK. IN MARCH 2004 I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500HD .FIRST 2 YRS FRONT ROTARS TURNED COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEN 1-21-09 FRONT ROTARS AND CALIPARS REPLACED DUE TO ROT.1-30-09 TRANSMISSION LINE REPLACED ROTTED.ON 6-19-09 NEW STARTER. 8-29-09 REAR CALIPERS AND …

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BELOW IS A LIST OF HISTORY WITH REPAIRS TO MY TRUCK. IN MARCH 2004 I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500HD .FIRST 2 YRS FRONT ROTARS TURNED COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEN 1-21-09 FRONT ROTARS AND CALIPARS REPLACED DUE TO ROT.1-30-09 TRANSMISSION LINE REPLACED ROTTED.ON 6-19-09 NEW STARTER. 8-29-09 REAR CALIPERS AND HOSE ROTTED 35455 MILES.ON 9-2-09 ABS SENSOR AND LEFT FRONT BRAKE HOSE ROTTED. ON 8-28-10 POWER STERING PUMP REPLACED. ON 8-24-11 BRAKE LINES TO ABS ROTTED 46763 MILES. 10-27-11 LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE ROTTED 47943 MILES. MY WINDSHEILD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED LEAKING INSRUMENT PANEL SHOWS EMPTY. I'M HAVING MY LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE REPLACED NEXT WEEK...ITS THE ONLY ONE LEFT AND I DONT WANT TO TAKE THE CHANCE OF AN ACCIDENT. MT MECHANIC STATES HE HAS NEVER SEEN THIS MUCH RUST ON A FAIRLY NEW VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY I DIDNT KEEP RECORDS IN THE EARLY YEARS OF OWNERSHIP BUT I CANT BELIEVE TRANSMISSION LINES,BRAKE LINES ,CALIPERS CAN ROT THAT FAST. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH PAST TRUCKS I HAVE OWNED. I BELIEVE THERE MUST BE SOME SORT OF FACTORY DEFECT THAT IS CAUSING THIS. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10433070

140,000 miles · Oct 21, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED, CAUSING ALL OF THE BRAKING FLUID TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ODI #10432359

71,000 miles · Sep 4, 2011
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

MY BRAKE LINES RUPTURED UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT BY THE ABS BOX. I INSPECTED ALL OF THE BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION LINES AND THEY ARE ALL RUSTED BADLY AND NEED REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. I WAS PULLING MY SEADOO'S WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE TRUCK. I HAVE READ A TON OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNE…

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MY BRAKE LINES RUPTURED UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT BY THE ABS BOX. I INSPECTED ALL OF THE BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION LINES AND THEY ARE ALL RUSTED BADLY AND NEED REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. I WAS PULLING MY SEADOO'S WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE TRUCK. I HAVE READ A TON OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET TODAY. WHEN IS ANYONE GOING TO MAKE CHEVY REPLACE ALL OF THE BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION LINES? THIS TRUCK IS ONLY A 2003 AND LOOKS LIKE A 1903 UNDERNEATH. THE WHOLE FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE IS RUSTING BADLY. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10423245

93,000 miles · Aug 24, 2011
Steering

2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500HD INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. KNOW THE VEHICLE STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND CHEVROLET WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10421328

25,000 miles · Jun 28, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE LINE FAILED ON 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 HD WITH 25,000 MILES. TRUCK WAS SERVICED BY GM DEALER AT RECOMMENDED INTERVALS SINCE PURCHASE. AFTER DEALER CLOSED, TRUCK HAD BEEN SERVICED ONCE BY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SPECIALIZING IN TRUCKS. LESS THAN 500 MILES AFTER THE LAST SERVICE, THE BRAKES FELT A LITTLE S…

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BRAKE LINE FAILED ON 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 HD WITH 25,000 MILES. TRUCK WAS SERVICED BY GM DEALER AT RECOMMENDED INTERVALS SINCE PURCHASE. AFTER DEALER CLOSED, TRUCK HAD BEEN SERVICED ONCE BY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SPECIALIZING IN TRUCKS. LESS THAN 500 MILES AFTER THE LAST SERVICE, THE BRAKES FELT A LITTLE SPONGY; WE DROVE THE TRUCK A FEW MILES AND PARKED. AFTER AN HOUR, WE RETURNED TO THE TRUCK AND DISCOVERED A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE AXLE. WE DROVE TO THE NEAREST BRAKE REPAIR SHOP; DURING THIS 5 MINUTE DRIVE, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE SHOP, THEY PUT THE TRUCK ON THE LIFT; BY THIS TIME, IT HAD NO BRAKE FLUID LEFT IN THE SYSTEM. THE ENTIRE LINE WAS CORRODED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10409253

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.