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2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Silverado 2500 years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 81.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

409 reports with mileage · 40 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 127 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 116 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

23 crash reports8 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

449 reports
44,000 miles · Dec 4, 2011
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

WHILE TRAVELING ON I-95 AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED TO AVOID ROAD WAY DEBRIS. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING DIDN'T HELP ALTHOUGH THE TRUCK DID SLOW DOWN BEFORE HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED. MY TRUCK SUSTAINED MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO …

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WHILE TRAVELING ON I-95 AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED TO AVOID ROAD WAY DEBRIS. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING DIDN'T HELP ALTHOUGH THE TRUCK DID SLOW DOWN BEFORE HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED. MY TRUCK SUSTAINED MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THE FRONT END. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT THE BRAKE LINE BURST AND ALL BRAKE LINES ARE CORRODED AND NEED REPLACING. THERE WERE NO PRIOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10438490

79,000 miles · Nov 30, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I'M CURRENTLY REPLACING MORE BRAKE LINES AS THEY HAVE FAILED AND STARTED TO LEAK. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPEN WAS IN 2009 WHERE MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AFTER MAKING A SUDDEN STOP TO AVOID HITTING A DEER. IT BLEW OUT A CORRODED BRAKE LINE. I'VE REPLACED THE ROTORS IN 2009 CAUSE THEY WERE ALL ROTTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE ARE…

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I'M CURRENTLY REPLACING MORE BRAKE LINES AS THEY HAVE FAILED AND STARTED TO LEAK. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPEN WAS IN 2009 WHERE MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AFTER MAKING A SUDDEN STOP TO AVOID HITTING A DEER. IT BLEW OUT A CORRODED BRAKE LINE. I'VE REPLACED THE ROTORS IN 2009 CAUSE THEY WERE ALL ROTTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE AREA, AND NOW THE BRAKE LINES NEAR ABS MODULE NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY ARE LEAKING AND PEDAL AND ABS KEEPS PUSHING IN TOO FAR AND ABS GOES OFF PREMATURELY. MY FRAME HAS BAD RUST ALL OVER IT AND I AM VERY METICULOUS ABOUT CLEANING MY TRUCK OFF WHEN ROAD SALT IS ON IT. THE UNDER CHASSIS HAS CORROSION ON THE CROSS MEMBERS, FRAME, AND TORSION BARS, IT ALL LOOKS BAD. THOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH A THIRD PARTY AND HAVE HAD MANY OTHER PARTS REPLACED THROUGH THEM DUE TO FAILURE, THEY DO NOT COVER COST OF BRAKE LINES DUE TO ROT. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10437816

86,075 miles · Nov 2, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ON THE FLOOR. I WAS TRAVELING SLOW ENOUGH THAT I WAS ABLE TO AVOID ANY COLLISIONS. UPON INSPECTION UNDER THE HOOD MY HUSBAND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE FLUID AND IT MUST HAVE BLOWN A LINE. WE ADDED BRAKE FLUID AND GOT IT HOME. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION MY HUSBAND FOUN…

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ON THE FLOOR. I WAS TRAVELING SLOW ENOUGH THAT I WAS ABLE TO AVOID ANY COLLISIONS. UPON INSPECTION UNDER THE HOOD MY HUSBAND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE FLUID AND IT MUST HAVE BLOWN A LINE. WE ADDED BRAKE FLUID AND GOT IT HOME. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION MY HUSBAND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES ARE COMPLETELY CORRODED. HE IS A CORROSION CONTROL SPECIALIST AND KNOWS DEFECTIVE MATERIALS WHEN HE SEES THEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10433907

97,000 miles · Nov 1, 2011
Electrical System

I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN NOVEMBER IN 2007, I HAD THE TRUCK APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED BOUNCING AROUND AND IN ABOUT A WEEK LATER IT STUCK AT 117 MPH AND HAS NOT MOVED SINCE. THEN AT ABOUT 110,000 MILES THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD GO OUT, ALL THE GAUGES AND THE ODOMETER, THE SIGNAL LIGHTS AND THE BACK LIG…

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I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN NOVEMBER IN 2007, I HAD THE TRUCK APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED BOUNCING AROUND AND IN ABOUT A WEEK LATER IT STUCK AT 117 MPH AND HAS NOT MOVED SINCE. THEN AT ABOUT 110,000 MILES THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD GO OUT, ALL THE GAUGES AND THE ODOMETER, THE SIGNAL LIGHTS AND THE BACK LIGHTING STILL WORKS, BUT NOTHING ELSE THE FUEL GAUGE, OIL GAUGE, TRANSMISSION TEMP GAUGE, TACHOMETER NONE OF THESE WILL WORK NOW. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW HOW IT IS THAT THIS IS A HUGE OVER ALL PROBLEM OF THE VEHICLES IN THE CERTAIN YEAR, AND MODEL. BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE LESS THAN 70,000 MILES THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT STAND UP TO THE MISTAKE AND FIX IT, I UNDERSTAND THAT I BOUGHT IT USED BUT ITS AND ON GOING PROBLEM IN THE CLUSTER FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES, I THINK IT SHOULD BE HANDLED BY GMC. I HAVE OWNED 8 GMC VEHICLES AND USE TO THINK I WOULD NOT BY ANYTHING ELSE, BUT MY MIND IS ABOUT TO CHANGE OVER THIS ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE ATTITUDE I HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE DEALERSHIPS AND EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10433880

58,000 miles · Nov 1, 2011
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALSO FAILED TO RETAIN ITS PASSENGER. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE CONTACT ALSO S…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALSO FAILED TO RETAIN ITS PASSENGER. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED SUFFERED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58,000.

NHTSA ODI #10433816

75,000 miles · Nov 1, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

AT SPEEDS AT OR BELOW 10 MPH THE ABS COMES ON IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CAUSING LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES ALLOWING THE TRUCK TO GO INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR HITTING THE CAR AHEAD. THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10433795

44,254 miles · Oct 29, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE LINES IN MY CHEVROLET 2500HD 2003 BURST. THE AMOUNT OF RUST IS VERY EXCESSIVE. THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE IS ASTOUNDING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10433541

Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE BACKING TO ATTACH A SINGLE AXLE TRAILER, TRYING TO STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND NO BRAKES. FINDING A RUSTED BRAKE LINE HAD BROKEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10433106

142,310 miles · Oct 26, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

A STEEL BRAKE LINE LOCATED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE TIRE ON THE RADIATOR SUPPORT CROSS MEMBER BURST DUE TO RUST. MORE TO FOLLOW AFTER A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10432958

53,000 miles · Oct 26, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH INTO A PARKING LOT BUT WAS UNABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND ONCE HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH INTO A PARKING LOT BUT WAS UNABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND ONCE HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ODI #10432950

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

1

EA04012 · Hydraulic Pump Failres

Opened Apr 30, 2004 · Closed Feb 28, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.