U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Gmc SIERRA 2500 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

160 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

73,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 141 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 33 of 160 complaints (20.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	75	46.9%
Steering behavior	12	7.5%
Transmission and shifting	8	5.0%
Electrical and battery issues	7	4.4%
Engine operation	5	3.1%
Fuel system concerns	5	3.1%

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.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Service Brakes

Electrical System

Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel

Steering

Engine

Fuel System, Diesel

Fuel/Propulsion System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	33
Service Brakes	28
Electrical System	21
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel	12
Steering	8
Engine	6
Fuel System, Diesel	6
Fuel/Propulsion System	5

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 33; Service Brakes: 28; Electrical System: 21; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 12; Steering: 8; Engine: 6; Fuel System, Diesel: 6; Fuel/Propulsion System: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 28; 50,000 to 74,999: 29; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 34; 150,000 and above: 16

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (34). 19 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.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2003: 8; 2004: 8; 2005: 3; 2006: 11; 2007: 13; 2008: 11; 2009: 7; 2010: 22; 2011: 20; 2012: 14; 2013: 12; 2014: 12; 2015: 5; 2016: 6; 2017: 2; 2018: 2; 2019: 3; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 75 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 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 10030141 · 2003-08-27 (August 27, 2003)

WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE A STOP, HE NOTICED THE TRAILER BRAKES DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE WIRING HARNESS IN WHICH GMC HAD SWITCHED TWO OF THE WIRES ON THE TRUCK AT THE FACTORY. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED A NEW BRAKE CONTROLLER BECAUSE IT BURNED UP . *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030141 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10052861 · 2004-01-11 (January 11, 2004)

2003 GMC 2500HD DURMAX TRUCK. WHEN YOU APPLY BRAKES HARD THE STEERING LOCKS UP AND YOU CAN'T TURN. GM SAYS THIS IS STANDARD OPERATING FOR THIS TRUCK. THIS TRUCK HAS ABS. ABS GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO STEER WHILE BREAKING. THIS IS HARD TO DO WHEN STEERING LOCKS UP. GM HAS SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THERE ARE 3 OTHER TRUCKS ALL GMC OR CHEVY IN MY TOWN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL OF US HAVE GOTTEN THE SAME RESPONCE FROM GM. CALL BBB DONT CALL US.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052861 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10045815 · 2003-11-09 (November 9, 2003)

2003 GMC 3/4 TON PICKUP. PROBLEM WITH INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. HAVE A 1999 GMC 3/4 TON THAT THE SHAFT HAS BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES. SON HAS A 2001 TAHOE THAT HAS HAD THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED TWO TIMES. WHEN WILL SOMEONE MAKE THEM GET THIS FIXED IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 26,722 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045815 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014459 · 2003-04-16 (April 16, 2003)

VEHICLE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TOO SLOWLY WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO HIGHWAY AND NOT PROPERLY DOWNSHIFTING. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014459 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10095897 · 2004-10-17 (October 17, 2004)

2003 GMC SIERRA 3/4 TON, 8.1 LITRE ENGINE WITH ALLISON TRANSMISSION-GM SAYS THEY ARE AWARE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVESHAFT WHERE IT GOES IN TO THE REAR END. EVERY 10,000 TO 15,000 MILES IT MUST BE REMOVED AND CLEANED, GREASED AND REPLACED. THEY ARE UNWILLING TO PLACE THIS ON A RECALL LIST AND SAY IN THE FUTURE IT WILL BE A MAINTENANCE ITEM AND IT WILL BE DONE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE EVERY 2 OR 3 OIL CHANGES. AS FOR MINE THEY WILL DO IT FOR A SHORT TIME LONGER AND THEN IT WILL BE MY PROBLEM-THIS IS A DEFINITE DEFECT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE BUT RE…

Owner-reported narrative. 34,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095897 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10055514 · 2004-01-21 (January 21, 2004)

THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE TRANSFER CASE THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE ENGAGING INTO 2-WHEEL DRIVE OR 4-WHEEL DRIVE BY ITSELF. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FAILED PART. ALSO, FRONT DRIVESHAFT WAS LOOSE, CAUSING THE FRONT WHEEL TO VIBRATE/SHAKE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055514 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10189552 · 2007-05-02 (May 2, 2007)

I ENTERED THE TRUCK STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL, SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND STARTED TO EASE THE CLUTCH OUT WHEN THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CHIRPED THE BACK TIRES AT NO MORE THAN 950 R.P.M.'S AND BEGAN TO IMMEDIATELY GO BACKWARDS TOWARDS ANOTHER VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY. I QUICKLY STEPPED ONTO THE BRAKE AND STALLED THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LOOK UNDER THE DASH TO SEE WHAT HAD "POPPED" AND FOUND THAT I COULD SEE LIGHT THROUGHOUT THE FIREWALL, AS I MOVED THE PEDAL UP AND DOWN. I OPENED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10189552 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10276138 · 2009-07-08 (July 8, 2009)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWO MONTHS AGO FOR THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO IMMEDIATELY STALL. SINCE JULY 3, 2009, THE FAILURE HAS BEEN RECURRING WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. GM STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY PARTS AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE DUE TO SO MANY CONSUMERS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. GM IS RESEARCHING AN ALTERNATIVE TO REPAIRING THE FUEL HOUSING FAILURE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAG…

Owner-reported narrative. 117,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10276138 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017400 · 2003-04-23 (April 23, 2003)

THE VEHICLE LEAKED DIESEL FUEL FROM THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE RAN HOT, WHICH COMBINED WITH THE FUEL LEAK, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017400 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10131124 · 2005-08-02 (August 2, 2005)

2003 GMC SIERRA 2500HD WITH DURAMAX DIESEL STARTED RUNNING ROUGH BECAUSE OF LOW FUEL. LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. PUT 4 GALLONS OF FUEL IN VEHICLE AND SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT FOR 08/02/05 WITH GUNN CHEVROLET SERVICE, SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANY TROUBLE CODE. WAS TOLD BY SERVICE ADVISER BRIAN LECOURSE THAT THERE IS NO CALIBRATION OR STANDARD FOR LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON AND IT MAY COME ON WHEN VEHICLE IS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. I FILLED UP THE VEHICLE WITH 25.2 GALLONS OF FUEL FOR A 26 GALLON TANK. THE LO…

Owner-reported narrative. 54,050 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131124 at NHTSA ↗