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2003 GMC Sierra 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 181.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Compare all Sierra 1500 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

162 reports with mileage · 18 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 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports4 fire reports6 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

7 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2024
Air Bags

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ODI #11564199

177,000 miles · Jan 13, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE, KNEE, AND BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED HIP AND SHOULDER INJURIES THA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE, KNEE, AND BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED HIP AND SHOULDER INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.

NHTSA ODI #10672170

71,000 miles · Jul 14, 2011
Air BagsElectrical System

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT YOU, NOT LISTING A RECALL BY GM ON THE DASH BOARD CLUSTER MINE HAS FAILED, THE SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GM PARTS BULLETINS & INFORMATION - TO CADILLAC, CHEVROLET AND GMC DEALERS SUBJECT:BULLETIN GMP07-174…

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THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT YOU, NOT LISTING A RECALL BY GM ON THE DASH BOARD CLUSTER MINE HAS FAILED, THE SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GM PARTS BULLETINS & INFORMATION - TO CADILLAC, CHEVROLET AND GMC DEALERS SUBJECT:BULLETIN GMP07-174 - SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT #07187' INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER GAUGE NEEDLE FUNCTIONMESSAGE #:VSU20071575 CAMPAIGN - INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WARRANTY EXTENDED # 07187C: SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT - INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER GAUGE NEEDLE FUNCTION - (MAR 20, 2009) I LOOKED IN YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND NOTHING RELATED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10412286

130,000 miles · Feb 9, 2011
Air BagsCrashInjury

DEAR NHTSA, I WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE CAR MVA ON 2 FEB ON I-95 SOUTHBOUND NEAR MILE MARKER 131.2. I WAS TRAVELING IN THE SLOW LANE DURING THE EVENING TRAFFIC COMMUTE WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND FROM AN INFINITY SUV WHICH COLLIDED AND IMPACTED WITH THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE AND PUSHED MY VEHICLE GMC 2003 SIERRA EXT CA…

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DEAR NHTSA, I WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE CAR MVA ON 2 FEB ON I-95 SOUTHBOUND NEAR MILE MARKER 131.2. I WAS TRAVELING IN THE SLOW LANE DURING THE EVENING TRAFFIC COMMUTE WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND FROM AN INFINITY SUV WHICH COLLIDED AND IMPACTED WITH THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE AND PUSHED MY VEHICLE GMC 2003 SIERRA EXT CAB INTO A LATE MODEL FORD FUSION. THE IMPACT AND FORCE FROM THE SUV BEHIND ME CAUSED REAR AND FRONTAL DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE AND IS EST TO COST OVER $8900.00 FOR REPAIRS. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND AFTER SEEING THE PHOTOS OF MY FULL SIZE PICK-UP TRUCK IT SEEMS THAT THEIR MUST HAVE BEEN SOME SORT OF MALFUNCTION THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT. MY WHOLE FRONT BUMPER IS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND THE FRAME HOLDING THE BUMPER IN PLACE APPEARS TO BE BENT. THE REAR BUMPER TO IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND PRESSED UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK AND THEIR IS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE BED ITSELF HAVING BEEN BENT UPWARD AS IF IT LOOKS LIKE AN UPSIDE DOWN LETTER "V" AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED ALSO IS FLARED OUTWARD WHERE IT ABSORBED THE IMPACT. THE BED OF THE TRUCK ALSO IMPACTED INTO THE RIGHTSIDE OF MY CAB AND ALSO LEFT SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THE IMPACT WAS SO VIOLENT THAT THE INSIDE WIRE CONNECTION TO THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER HAD ACTUALLY SEPARATED FROM THE WINDOW WHERE IT WAS SPOT SOLDERED. I RECEIVED SEVERE WHIP LASH, UPPER AND LOWER MUSCLE STRAIN, 2 BROKEN RIBS AND A SEVERE HEAD INJURY FROM MY HEAD STRIKING THE STEERING WHEEL. HAD THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE HEAD INJURY OR OTHER INJURIES SUSTAINED WOULD HAVE BEEN MITIGATED SUBSTANTIALLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10381356

132,000 miles · Feb 4, 2011
Air BagsCrashInjury

NON DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN GMC SIERRA EXTENDED CAB P/U TRUCK 1500C SERIES 2003 YR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10380200

45,000 miles · Mar 3, 2008
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM ALSO FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE HER IN THE VEHICLE. THE IMPACT EJECTED HER FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MAJOR …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM ALSO FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE HER IN THE VEHICLE. THE IMPACT EJECTED HER FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, SUCH AS A PUNCTURED KIDNEY AND LUNGS, BROKEN RIBS, MULTIPLE CONTUSIONS TO THE HEAD, A BROKEN LEFT HAND, AND A BROKEN RIGHT FINGER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF FILING ARBITRATION AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 45,000.

NHTSA ODI #10219920

38,000 miles · Oct 10, 2006
Air BagsCrashInjury

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN AT 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE FRONT LEFT DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE RAN THE STOP SIGN. BOTH THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT, BUT FRACTURED A BONE IN THE NECK AND INCURRED BRUISING TO THE BODY. THE CONT…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN AT 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE FRONT LEFT DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE RAN THE STOP SIGN. BOTH THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT, BUT FRACTURED A BONE IN THE NECK AND INCURRED BRUISING TO THE BODY. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/31/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ODI #10170342

Official recalls

1

04V562000 · Equipment Adaptive/mobility

Nov 26, 2004

ON CERTAIN VANS EQUIPPED WITH SURE-LOK WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT SYSTEMS, THE SPROCKET TEETH OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO A WHEELCHAIR OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT RETRACTORS AS NECESSARY. SURE-LOK WILL HANDLE THE REPAIRS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SURE-LOCK AT 1-908-231-1804 OR MOBILITYWORKS AT 1-800-769-8267.

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.