2003 Chevrolet SILVERADO 2500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
449 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
83,759 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 408 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 127 of 449 complaints (28.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 252 | 56.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 27 | 6.0% |
| Steering behavior | 22 | 4.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 19 | 4.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 15 | 3.3% |
| Engine operation | 11 | 2.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 127 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 93 |
| Electrical System | 45 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 37 |
| Engine | 15 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 14 |
| Steering | 14 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 |
Service Brakes: 127; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 93; Electrical System: 45; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 37; Engine: 15; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 14; Steering: 14; Vehicle Speed Control: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 24 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 62 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 88 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 83 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 105 |
| 150,000 and above | 46 |
Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 62; 50,000 to 74,999: 88; 75,000 to 99,999: 83; 100,000 to 149,999: 105; 150,000 and above: 46
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (105). 41 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 24 |
| 2007 | 42 |
| 2008 | 29 |
| 2009 | 26 |
| 2010 | 40 |
| 2011 | 59 |
| 2012 | 58 |
| 2013 | 36 |
| 2014 | 55 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2003: 3; 2004: 3; 2005: 7; 2006: 24; 2007: 42; 2008: 29; 2009: 26; 2010: 40; 2011: 59; 2012: 58; 2013: 36; 2014: 55; 2015: 17; 2016: 15; 2017: 10; 2018: 8; 2019: 8; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 252 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 27 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10032304 · 2003-08-06 (August 6, 2003)
VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY RADIATOR HOSE AND HEATER HOSE ALONG WITH BRAKE PROBLEMS.*MR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOUR TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE CONSUMER FELT THE PROBLEMS HAD BECAME WORSE AFTER PICKING THE VEHICLE UP FROM THE MECHANIC AFTER IT'S THIRD REPAIR. THE CABLE FOR THE PARKING BRAKE WAS REPLACED. *PH *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 3,690 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032304 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10124889 · 2005-06-10 (June 10, 2005)
I BOUGHT A NEW 2003 CHEVY EXPRESS CARGO VAN (2500) IN 2003.WHEN THIS VEHICLE IS UNDER LOAD,TRAVELING ON ROADS WITH SIX/SEVEN PERCENT DOWNHILL GRADES,THE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY. SIMPLY TAPPING THE BRAKES WILL NOT BRING IT UNDER CONTROL,YOU HAVE TO LITERALLY SLAM ON THE BRAKES,OR TAKE THE RISK OF BEING TOSSED OFF THE HIGHWAY.THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN STRESSED IN ANY WAY (WRECKS,HITTING CURBS,ETC) THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. I WANT A DEALERSHIP TO TAKE IT,WITH ME,TO A ROAD OF MY ABOVE DESCRIPTION AND FIND THIS PROBLEM AND F…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10124889 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014189 · 2003-04-09 (April 9, 2003)
2003 CHEVY 2500 TRUCK, 6.0 LITER ENGINE WITH STANDARD SHIFT TRANSMISSION. THE TRUCK HAS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE HAS A DELAY OFF OF IDLE IN RPM AND POWER. WHEN THE TRUCK IS STOPPED AT A LIGHT ON A HILL YOU CANNOT PREVENT EXCESSIVE ROLL-BACK OR STALL BECAUSE OF THE DELAY. IF THE TRUCK IS IN A NOISY ENVIRONMENT THE PROBLEM IS EVEN WORSE BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT TELL WHAT THE ENGINE WILL DO, OR IS DOING UNLESS YOU STARE AT THE TACHOMETER. YOU CAN NOT PREDICT ENGINE RESPONSE FROM THE THROTTLE POSITION WHEN STARTING OUT FROM A DEAD STOP …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014189 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089853 · 2004-08-27 (August 27, 2004)
WHEN LOADING AND GOING AROUND CURVES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL WITH GEAR SHIFT STILL IN DRIVE. THE MOTOR RACED, AND VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP TWICE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10089853 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10160238 · 2006-06-20 (June 20, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A VIBRATION AND A RATTLING NOISE WITHIN THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM RETURNED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AGAIN BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT GREASED TO DECREASE THE RATTLING NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS STARTING TO MAKE NOISE AGAIN. UPD…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,527 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160238 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10160513 · 2006-06-12 (June 12, 2006)
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 AC…
Owner-reported narrative. 54,385 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160513 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10243428 · 2008-09-25 (September 25, 2008)
2003 CHEVY 2500 HD TRUCK: INJECTOR FAILED AND CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE; GM IS DECLINING THE WARRANTY ALTHOUGH IT IS UNDER THE WARRANTY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243428 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10328074 · 2010-04-29 (April 29, 2010)
I HAD A BRAKE LINE FAIL ON MY 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 2500HD CREW CAB 4X4. THE LINE FAILED ABOVE THE GAS TANK. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AS I NOTICED THE PEDAL SOFTENING AND FLUID LEAKING. THE LINE CORRODED AND LEAKED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 108,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10328074 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134222 · 2005-08-25 (August 25, 2005)
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…
Owner-reported narrative. 72,862 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134222 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10165971 · 2006-08-18 (August 18, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, RAN FOR 10 SECONDS AND STALLED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165971 at NHTSA ↗