IllustrationMY ABS ACTIVATES TOO ON DRY PAVEMENT. HAVE NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER YET. WAY TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. ONLY 60,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
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
90–25K
2625–50K
4450–75K
3875–100K
32100–150K
13150K+
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
50 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH OR LESS, THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THERE WERE TWO FAULTY ABS SENSORS. BOTH SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,195 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
2003 GMC SIERRA 1500 WITH 70K MILES. HAVE HAD PROBLEMS ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AT LOW SPEEDS. HAD TO REPLACE SENSORS ON ALL 3 OCCASIONS. ALSO, BRAKE LINE BUSTED WHICH RESULTED IN A NEAR CRASH INTO A HOME. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, ALL BRAKE LINES LEADING IN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE COMPONENT WERE SEVERALLY…
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2003 GMC SIERRA 1500 WITH 70K MILES. HAVE HAD PROBLEMS ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AT LOW SPEEDS. HAD TO REPLACE SENSORS ON ALL 3 OCCASIONS. ALSO, BRAKE LINE BUSTED WHICH RESULTED IN A NEAR CRASH INTO A HOME. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, ALL BRAKE LINES LEADING IN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE COMPONENT WERE SEVERALLY RUSTED. ALL BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A VERY HEFTY PRICE. *TR
BRAKE PROBLEMS, AT SLOW SPEEDS, ON MY 2003 GMC SIERRA RESULT IN NEAR CRASHES EVEN THOUGH ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS WERE VERY RECENTLY REPLACED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 20,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ABS ENGAGED AUTOMATICALLY. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JERK DRAMATICALLY INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTI …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ABS ENGAGED AUTOMATICALLY. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JERK DRAMATICALLY INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTI LOCK). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. HE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 01-11-08. *KB UPDATED 12/31/07. *JB
ANTI- LOCK BRAKES ON MY 2003 GMC SIERRA ARE CHATTERING AND NOT STOPPING PROPERLY AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT THAT IS SUBJECT TO RECALL BUT ONLY UP TO THE 2002 MODEL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY VEHICLE INCLUDED IN THIS OR SUBSEQUENT RECALLS. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. RECALL # 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK) DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2003 MODEL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECA…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. RECALL # 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK) DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2003 MODEL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 26,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,500.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. HE ALSO FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE ABS UNIT. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. HE ALSO FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE ABS UNIT. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO DEACTIVATE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WIPER PULSE MODULE SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE DEALER MADE THE REPLACEMENT AND NO OTHER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 34,025 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.
VEHICLE BRAKE ANTI-LOCK ENGAGES AT LOW SPEED. 1 OCCURRENCE OF LOSS OF BRAKES WHILE SLOWING ON STEEP HILL. THIS IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM EVERY TIME I STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, STOP SIGN OR PARKING. MY MODEL YEAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN EARLIER MODEL YEARS. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING UNWARRANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION. THIS CONDITION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORROSIVE AREAS. THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED IN MICHIGAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 12/15/06 WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED AT CO…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING UNWARRANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION. THIS CONDITION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORROSIVE AREAS. THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED IN MICHIGAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 12/15/06 WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED AT COST. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL #05V379000, REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
Official recalls
104V562000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.