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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

Electrical System complaints

43 reports
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68,000 miles · Dec 9, 2006
Electrical System

WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD MY SPEEDOMETER WAS SHOWING 120MPH AND I WAS ONLY RUNNING 75MPH. WHEN I STOP AND SHUT OFF MY VEHICAL THE SPEEDOMETER READS 45MPH INSTEAD OF 0MPH. IF YOU SWITCH THE IGNISTION OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES IT WILL EVENTUALLY GO BACK TO 0MPH. I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH ON IT AND FOUND THIS WEB SITE WWW.TOPIX.NET.…

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WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD MY SPEEDOMETER WAS SHOWING 120MPH AND I WAS ONLY RUNNING 75MPH. WHEN I STOP AND SHUT OFF MY VEHICAL THE SPEEDOMETER READS 45MPH INSTEAD OF 0MPH. IF YOU SWITCH THE IGNISTION OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES IT WILL EVENTUALLY GO BACK TO 0MPH. I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH ON IT AND FOUND THIS WEB SITE WWW.TOPIX.NET. I FOUND OUT PRETTY QUICK THIS IS NOTHING NEW. THERE WERE SO MANY LISTINGS ON THERE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IT WAS UNREALISTIC. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED CHRYSLER PRODUCTS UNITLL I PURCHASED MY GMC. I HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT BRAGG ABOUT HOWW I DON'T NEVER HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK BUT NOW SEEING ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME THING I KINDA FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT. THIS IS A VERY BIG SAFETY ISSUE EXSPECIALLY WHEN TRAVELING THE INTERSTATES. THIS COULD CAUSE SOME PRETY SERIOUS WRECKS WHEN YOUR SHOWING YOUR RUNNING 100MPH AND ONLY DOING 60MPH. THATS ASKING FOR A MAJOR REAR END COLLISION. IF ANY ONE IS LISTENING AND IS CONSERNED ABOUT THE CONSUMERS SAFETY THEN SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE PRETTY QUICK. I HAVE READ WHERE CONSUMERS HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO MAKE THIS REPAIR. WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING DONE PRETTY QUICK BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. SO IF ANY ONE CARES DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10175656

81,000 miles · Nov 15, 2006
Electrical System

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLES SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO STICK AND DID NOT SHOW THE ACCURATE SPEED TRAVELED. THE OTHER GAUGES WORKED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #10173567

Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2006
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY, SOMETIMES SHOWS OVER 100 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10172003

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.