2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING TRANSMISSION FAILURES ON 2003 SILVERADO. *TS THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BURNT, THE REVERSE GEAR WAS INOPERABLE AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS LOOSE. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW. FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE GEAR BOX. THE FRONT SEAL ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS WORN AND LEAKING, AS WELL AS THE LOWER HOSE. THE WATER PUMP GASKET AND LOWER RADIATOR HOSE WAS LEAKING. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT HOLD A CHARGE. THE A/C WOULD ONLY BLOW OUT AIR FROM THE DEFROST VENTS. THE A/C HEATER MODE DOOR ACTUATOR WAS WORN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FUEL FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE PANEL ON THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS WARPED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER MONTHS LATER ONE OF THE TIRES DEVELOPED A SLOW LEAK, DUE TO A PIN HOLE LOCATED IN THE SIDEWALL. THE REAR PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS WERE REPLACED. THE TAIL GATE SUPPORT CABLES WERE REPLACED. THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE SECOND ROW SEAT BELT WAS INOPERATIVE. *JB

TODAY I WAS TOLD MY 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO (DIESEL, CREW CAB) NEEDED A NEW TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000. OUR COMPANY OWNS TWO OTHER SIMILAR 2003 VEHICLES (GMC MODEL). THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO BOTH OTHER VEHICLES. ONE AT APPROXIMATELY 12,000 MILES, THE OTHER AT 140,000 MILES. SOMETHING HAPPENS WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE THAT CAUSES THE CASE TO BE PUNCTURED AND LOSE FLUID. THE CASE OVERHEATS AND EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE SEIZES UP. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS CONDITION IS $3,200. IN ADDITION IT CAUSES THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE MODULE TO FAIL, RESULTING IN ANOTHER $500 OF DAMAGE. I ASSUME THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES NO LONGER WORKS ONCE THIS HAPPENS. I WONDER HOW MANY VEHICLES THIS IS HAPPENING TO. ALL 3 OF OUR 2003 MODELS EXPERIENCED THIS. WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY TRANSFER CASES AT THE JUNK YARDS. THE LAST REPAIR WE HAD FOR THIS TOOK 2 WEEKS TO GET THE PARTS - THERE ARE NONE IN STOCK APPARENTLY. ALL OF THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THESE VEHICLES AND IT MAY BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF IT DOES INDEED CAUSE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE MODULE TO FAIL. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS AT THE DEALER TO FIGURE OUT THAT THE DAMAGED TRANSFER CASE WAS CAUSING THE MODULES TO FAIL. ARE YOU GETTING LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS? IS THERE A SILENT RECALL OR CAMPAIGN COVERING THIS PROBLEM? IT IS HARD TO PAY THIS KIND OF MONEY ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS A $700/MONTH PAYMENT AND WAS PRESUMABLY PURCHASED FOR IT'S DURABILITY AND SAFETY. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 25 DEGREES THE HEATER DOES NOT BLOW HOT AIR. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM WITHIN THE HEATING SYSTEM. UPDATED 2/13/2006 - THE DEALER REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND OTHER COMPONENTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *NM

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TWICE WITH COMPLAINT OF PARKING BRAKE NON FUNCTIONAL. ALLOWED TRUCK TO MOVE FWD. WHEN PARKED ON INCLINE,PRK BRAKE PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED. SUPPOSEDLY BRAKES ADJUSTED TWICE,PROBLEM NEVER BETTER POST DEALER SHOP VISIT. TOOK IT TO PRIVATE SHOP. FOUND TO HAVE PADS SOAKED WITH DIFFERENTIAL FLUID FROM REAR END SEAL FAILURE. MOST PROBABLE CAUSE OF EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE. ON DISCUSSING WITH MECHANIC, HE MENTIONED THIS IS A KNOWN COMMON FAILURE ON THESE UNITS. PAID FOR REPAIRS MYSELF. NEVER SUBMITTED FOR WARRANTY REPAIR TO THE DEALER OR TO THE EXT. WARRANTY CONTRACT COMPANY (AUTOGAP XTEND). PROBLEM IS FIXED NOW. SEALS ,OLD PADS, REPAIR RECEIPT ARE IN MY POSSESSION. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT 2003 CHEVROLET C 2500 WAS HAVING A MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWING REDUCED ENGINE POWER. THEN, THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED POWER. THE SPEED WILL DRAMATICALLY SLOW TO AROUND 15 MPH. THIS HAPPENED 5 TIMES CURRENTLY. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL NEAR MISSES AS A RESULT OF THE POWER REDUCTION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES FOR THE ENGINE POWER FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THREE TIMES THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, THROTTLE BODY, POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE, THROTTLE ACTUATOR, CONTROL MODULE, ALSO, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL LOSING POWER. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS VERY UNWILLING TO HELP OR PROVIDE THE ADDRESS TO THE REGIONAL OFFICE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WAS VERY RUDE AND REFUSED TO TRANSFER THE CALL TO HIS SUPERVISOR UPON REQUEST OF THE CONSUMER. *AK

DT: 2003 CHEVROLET 2500 HD TRUCK EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE POWER REDUCTION. THE VEHICLE OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED. IT GOES AT A CRAWL. THIS OCCURRED AT SPEEDS OF 40-50 MPH IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. HAS TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ON AVERAGE ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS AFTER CUTTING OFF THEN THE ENGINE RESTARTED. THIS USUALLY HAPPENED AFTER VEHICLE HAS NOT RUN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME SUCH AS BEING PARKED OVERNIGHT. TOOK TO A DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THAT RAN BY WIRE NOT CABLE. THIS WAS ELECTRIC AND COMPUTERIZED AND SOME SORT OF SIGNAL WENT THROUGH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND CAUSED THIS FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WILL IDLE, BUT LOST POWER. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS. THE PROBLEM RECURRED EVEN AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF 2 ACCELERATOR PEDALS. *AK

THE PARKING BRAKE ON 2003 CHEVROLET 2500 SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCKS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE ON EVEN A VERY SLIGHT GRADE WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS BEING MADE TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM. IF THERE IS A TRAILER BEING TOWED OR A LOAD BEING CARRIED IN THE TRUCK BED, THE PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD EVEN FOLLOWING A DEALER SERVICE ADUSTMENT. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER AND BEYOND ADJUSTING THE BRAKE THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. MY TRUCK HAS 48000 MILES ON IT AND THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING. THE TRUCK HAS NEARLY RUN INTO THE SIDE OF A BUILDING, ROLLED OUT OF ITS PARKING SPACE, AND STARTED ROLLING DOWN A HILL WHILE I WAS EXITING THE TRUCK. I CANNOT SAFELY PARK THE TRUCK UNLESS IT IS ON LEVEL GROUND, PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED AND TRANSMISSION PLACED IN REVERSE. I HAVE A FRIEND THAT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET 3500 SILVERADO WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.