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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
175,000 miles · Dec 10, 2015
Seat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT, THE SEAT BELTS WERE TOO LONG RESULTING IN THE PASSENGER NOT BEING RESTRAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

NHTSA ODI #10809545

318,000 miles · Nov 25, 2015
Service Brakes

BRAKE LINES RUPTURED UNDERNEATH DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS MOVING SLOWLY SO I WAS ABLE TO STOP. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR.

NHTSA ODI #10806763

195,000 miles · Oct 5, 2015
Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

NHTSA ODI #10779660

89,000 miles · Oct 1, 2015
Service Brakes

IN JUNE OF 2013 WHILE DRIVE MY 2003 SILVERADO THE BRAKES LINE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH NEARLY CAUSING A SEVERE ACCIDENT AS I WAS IN A VERY BUSY SECTION OF US127S IN FRANKFORT, KY.. BY SURE LUCK I WAS ABLE TO MANOEUVRE THE TRUCK TO A SAFE PLACE TO STOP,WITHOUT HITTING ANOTHER PERSON OR VEHICLE BY GOING UP A SLIGHT GRADE AND PLAC…

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IN JUNE OF 2013 WHILE DRIVE MY 2003 SILVERADO THE BRAKES LINE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH NEARLY CAUSING A SEVERE ACCIDENT AS I WAS IN A VERY BUSY SECTION OF US127S IN FRANKFORT, KY.. BY SURE LUCK I WAS ABLE TO MANOEUVRE THE TRUCK TO A SAFE PLACE TO STOP,WITHOUT HITTING ANOTHER PERSON OR VEHICLE BY GOING UP A SLIGHT GRADE AND PLACING IN PARK BEFORE ROLLING BACKWARDS IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO O'BRIEN & GAITES CHEVROLET IN FRANKFORT, KY. WHERE THE INFORMED ME THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I ASK IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THESE LINES AND WAS TOLD NO. THE LINES WERE REPLACED BOTH THE FRONT FROM BOOSTER TO ABS AND THEN FROM ABS BACK TO REAR WHEELS AT A COST OF $400 PLUS. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 89,000 MILES ON IT AND THE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015 AFTER SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE TRUCK I COULD DETERMINE THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS RUNNING OUT DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE FRONT DOOR UNDERNEATH FROM THE FRAME RAIL. IT APPEARED OBVIOUS THAT AGAIN THE LINES WERE LEAKING. WHEN O'BRIEN & GAITS CHEVROLET WAS CONTACTED THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL TOW IN BILL AND THEN I WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE EVEN THOUGH I COULD SEE WHERE THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING AND RUNNING ON THE GROUND BY SIMPLY LOOKING UNDER THE TRUCK AS I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL MYSELF. THIS LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY DISCOVERED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE THE TRUCK.

NHTSA ODI #10779001

57,539 miles · Sep 8, 2015
Service Brakes

JUST AS WE PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY PULLING A FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER AS MY FAMILY WAS RETURNING FROM A CAMPING TRIP OUR BRAKES FAILED. CAUSE WAS A PINHOLE CORRODED IN A STEEL BRAKE LINE. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING ON MOUNTAINOUS ROADS AND HAD THIS HAPPENED DURING THE TRIP INSTEAD OF MIRACULOUSLY AS WE ARRIVED AT HOME A TRAGIC ACCIDENT WO…

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JUST AS WE PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY PULLING A FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER AS MY FAMILY WAS RETURNING FROM A CAMPING TRIP OUR BRAKES FAILED. CAUSE WAS A PINHOLE CORRODED IN A STEEL BRAKE LINE. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING ON MOUNTAINOUS ROADS AND HAD THIS HAPPENED DURING THE TRIP INSTEAD OF MIRACULOUSLY AS WE ARRIVED AT HOME A TRAGIC ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HIGH PROBABILITY. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH VERY MINOR CORROSION UNDERNEATH. VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGED MUCH OF THE TIME AND HAS HAD VERY LIMITED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE CHEMICALS. THIS WAS A TOTAL SURPRISE AND SHOCK. DUE TTO THE COST OF THIS VEHICLE WE LIMIT USAGE TO EXTEND LIFE AND WITH THE CARE GIVEN THIS VEHICLE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI #10762166

163,000 miles · Sep 1, 2015
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUMP IN THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED A LEAK IN THE TRANSFER CASE WHICH ALLOWED THE TRANSMISSION TO DRAIN ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUMP IN THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED A LEAK IN THE TRANSFER CASE WHICH ALLOWED THE TRANSMISSION TO DRAIN ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

NHTSA ODI #10760832

138,000 miles · Aug 31, 2015
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR AND THE ABS ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE W…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR AND THE ABS ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

NHTSA ODI #10760392

100,000 miles · Jul 30, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BRIDGE. DURING THE CRASH, THE FRONT END SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DEPLOY. APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS AFTER IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED LUM…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BRIDGE. DURING THE CRASH, THE FRONT END SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DEPLOY. APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS AFTER IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED LUMBAR SPINE INJURIES, FRACTURED RIBS, AND AN INJURED LUNG. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT SUFFERED LACERATIONS TO THE FACE AND SCALP AND METAL FRAGMENTS WERE PRESENT ON THE FACE AND IN THE SCALP. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10745070

33,457 miles · Jun 21, 2015
Service Brakes

HAD TO MAKE HARD STOP AND BRAKES FAILED, LATER IT WAS REVEALED BRAKE LINES HAD ROTTED OUT.. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS?

NHTSA ODI #10726434

103,000 miles · Mar 22, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

WHEN I TURN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON, IT SOMETIMES WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. SOMETIMES IT TURNS BOTH TURN SIGNALS ON LIKE THE HAZARDS. IF I HAVE MY CRUISE SET AND USE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, IT SHUTS THE CRUISE OFF. TR

NHTSA ODI #10700962

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.