2003 Chevrolet SILVERADO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
695 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
44,253 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 562 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 124 of 695 complaints (17.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 276 | 39.7% |
| Steering behavior | 87 | 12.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 63 | 9.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 21 | 3.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 14 | 2.0% |
| Engine operation | 11 | 1.6% |
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 | 124 |
| Electrical System | 61 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 46 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 45 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 44 |
| Steering | 38 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 31 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 29 |
Service Brakes: 124; Electrical System: 61; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 46; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 45; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 44; Steering: 38; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 31; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 29
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 186 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 121 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 96 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 81 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 49 |
| 150,000 and above | 29 |
Under 25,000: 186; 25,000 to 49,999: 121; 50,000 to 74,999: 96; 75,000 to 99,999: 81; 100,000 to 149,999: 49; 150,000 and above: 29
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (186). 133 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 |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 86 |
| 2004 | 132 |
| 2005 | 109 |
| 2006 | 68 |
| 2007 | 51 |
| 2008 | 21 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 21 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 49 |
| 2013 | 39 |
| 2014 | 56 |
| 2015 | 23 |
| 2016 | 5 |
2002: 4; 2003: 86; 2004: 132; 2005: 109; 2006: 68; 2007: 51; 2008: 21; 2009: 6; 2010: 21; 2011: 25; 2012: 49; 2013: 39; 2014: 56; 2015: 23; 2016: 5
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 276 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 87 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 63 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 10023054 · 2003-06-13 (June 13, 2003)
TRANSFER CASE/DIFFERENTIAL,SERVICE 4X4 LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON, BRAKES, SHOCKS, BUMPER PAD FALLING OFF, TRANSMISSION CLUNKING NOISE, WOULD NOT START. GOES INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ON ITS ON. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. WAS TOLD BY GM THAT THERE WAS NO FIX. DEALER HAS PUT SEVERAL PARTS ON INCLUDING REPROGRAMMED MODULE IN TRANSFER CASE, REPLACED DIFFERENTIAL CASE AND GEAR KIT, BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, DEALER REPLACED LEFT FRONT SHOCK BECAUSE OF LEAKING FLUID ONTO ROTOR, CLUNKING NOISE FROM FORWARD TO REVERSE WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL, …
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023054 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025506 · 2003-07-07 (July 7, 2003)
AT LOW RPM THE TRANSMISSION WILL FREE WHEEL AFTER STOP OR BETWEEN LOW GEARS. AFTER STOPPING THE TRUCK WILL RAISE RPMS, BUT NOT MOVE, THEN DROP INTO GEAR. RUNS FINE FOR A WHILE THEN WITHOUT WARNING CAN RE-APPEAR. HAS BEEN A MAJOR FACTOR IN TWO NEAR-COLLISIONS WHEN EXITING SHOPPING AREAS AND FINDING NO POWER CONNECTED AS TRUCK ROLLS INTO INTERSECTION. HAS ALSO ROLLED BACKWARDS ONCE ONLY ON UPHILL WHEN TRANSMISSION FREE WHEELED. HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO DEALER FOUR TIMES (FIVE BUT ONCE DID NOT EVEN LOOK AT) AND CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ONCE ALSO TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,849 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017234 · 2003-04-21 (April 21, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032322 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)
THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND ROLLED OVER, THE CONSUMER STATED SHE MUST HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. NEITHER FRONT DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER COULD NOT RECALL WHETHER THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT BRAKING, BUT ASSUMED SO SINCE IT WAS A NATURAL REACTION. BOTH PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS, AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, SUCH AS BROKEN RIBS/ CONTUSIONS AND BRUISES. THE PASSENGER WAS KILLED.*AK ODI SPOKE TO CONSUMER. THE COMPLA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032322 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001840 · 2003-01-02 (January 2, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001840 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005064 · 2003-02-01 (February 1, 2003)
TRANSMISSION BANGS INTO SECOND GEAR AND A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND IS HEARD,TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERS 3 TIMES AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL CONDITION FOR THE VEHICLE AND NO REPAIRS ARE TO BE MADE ALSO THAT THE NOISE IS WORSE ON THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MODELS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 11,523 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005064 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026943 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)
VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL ELECTRICAL WIRING, THAT CONTROLS THE TRAILER FAILED. IT ENGAGED BY ITSELF AND OVERHEATED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PART. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10026943 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10027302 · 2003-08-07 (August 7, 2003)
CONSUMER HAD HEADLIGHT SWITCH PROBLEMS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK GM SENT THE CONSUMER A LETTER WHICH STATED WHEN THE HEADLAMP/PARK LAMPS WERE ON, THE TRAILER LIGHT WOULD NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON, THE BRAKES WOULD LOCK. THE TRAILER HAD COME EQUIPPED WITH AUTO HEADLIGHTS. THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND ACTIVATE THE TRAILER BRAKES. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS PLUG UNLESS THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE NEW MODEL PLUG. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10027302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046897 · 2003-11-13 (November 13, 2003)
DURAMAX FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED 10 INJECTORS SO FAR, THREE SEPARATE FAILURES. SERVICE TELLS ME THIS IS SO COMMON, ALMOST EVERY 2003 DIESEL THEY HAVE SOLD HAS BEEN IN. TRUCK HAS BEEN SHOP FOR A TOTAL OF 28 DAYS, SO FAR. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046897 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054989 · 2004-01-27 (January 27, 2004)
FUEL PUMP FAILURE. WITH ONLY 10266 MILES ON ODOMETER, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. WE WERE NEARLY HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE MAKING IT TO A SHOULDER. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 10,266 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054989 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10066725 · 2004-05-11 (May 11, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED A LOST OF STEERING AND BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN INSPECTED THREE TIMES AND COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. *AK THE FIRST PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 75 MPH DOWN A SLOPE WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER (ENGINE, BRAKE, AND STEERING) THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE SWITCH FOUR TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE ENGINE TO START. THE PROBLEM REPEATED ITSELF TWO MORE TIMES WITH SIMILAR INSTANCES. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066725 at NHTSA ↗