CHEVROLET C4500 · model year

2003 CHEVROLET C4500

7 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003CHEVROLETC4500 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2003 C4500 is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (2) and suspension (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2003 C4500, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

7
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

7 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SUSPENSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1

Recalls (1)

02V20200026/07/2002

SUSPENSION:REAR

CERTAIN MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 11,000 LB. REAR AXLE HAVE A CONDITION WHERE THE REAR AXLE ANCHOR PLATE MAY FRACTURE. AS THE ANCHOR PLATE FRACTURES, THERE IS AN AUDIBLE "BANG." IF THIS INDICATION OF A CONDITION REQUIRING THE DRIVER'S ATTENTION WENT UNNOTICED OR WAS IGNORED, AND UNDER CERTA

Recent Complaints

20110908FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

AFTER MONTHS OF HARD STARTING THE ENGINE, THINKING IT WAS THE COLD WEATHER, OLDER GLOW PLUGS, IT TURNED OUT TO BE NOT ENOUGH PRESSURE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE LEAKING DIESEL FUEL INTO THE CRANKCASE. CHEVY HAS KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME. THEY WANT 4500.00 TO REPLACE THE INJECTORS. THE OIL IS CONTAMINATED AND CAN CATCH ON FIRE. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDERS OR PISTONS OR OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO DRIVING WITH CONTAMINATED OIL. CHEVY SAYS TO BAD. ROLL THE DICE ON THE REPAIR OR BUY A NEW TRUCK. EASY FOR THEM TO SAY, IT IS NOT THEIR HARD WORK OR MONEY THAT HAS TO PAY FOR THEIR DEFECT. CHEVY HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE NEW FUEL INJECTOR,KNOWING THE OLD ONE WAS FAULTY. READING ONLINE FOR DURAMAX ENGINES [CHEVY KODIAK AND THEN SOME] IT AM FINDING OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. ALSO READING WHERE CHEVY IS NOT STANDING UP FOR WHAT THEY KNOW IS A PROBLEM. AFTER TALKING TO THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND GM HEADQUARTERS, THEY BOT

Mileage: 65,000

20060222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART WITHOUT A PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND EXCHANGE PUMP, ALTHOUGH THIS HELPED THE STALLING, IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE STALLING PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PROBLEM.

Mileage: 57,000

20051130ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE 2003 CHEVROLET KODIAK C-4500 CREW CAB TRUCK COMES STANDARD WITH A FACTORY INSTALLED EXHAUST BRAKE. WHEN THE BRAKE IS ENGAGED, NO BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THIS SIZE TRUCK IS COMMONLY USED TO HAUL RV TRAILERS, FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS AND HORSE TRAILERS. SINCE THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT ACTIVATED ON THE TRUCK, NEITHER ARE THEY ACTIVATED ON THE REAR OF THE TRAILER. WHEN ACTIVATING THE EXHAUST BRAKE WHILE GOING DOWN A STEEP HILL, THE VEHICLE AND TRAILER CAN BE SLOWING DOWN, BUT NOT GIVE ANY INDICATION TO A FOLLOWING VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I ASKED THE GM ENGINEERS TO SEND ME A WIRING DIAGRAM TO FIX THIS BUT THEY REFUSED, CLAIMING THAT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE SYSTEM WAS REWIRED. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 2003 AND 2004 CLASS A MOTOR HOMES WIRED IN THE MANNER I'M SUGGESTING. ON THESE VEHICLES, WHEN THE EXHAUST BRAKE IS ACTIVATED, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ALSO ACTIVATE WARNING ANYONE FOLLOWING THAT THE LEADING VEHICLE IS SLOWING DOWN. *NM

20040908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER . MECHANIC REPLACED THE COMPUTER SENSOR, AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN. *AK

20040908ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER . MECHANIC REPLACED THE COMPUTER SENSOR, AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN. *AK

20031128CrashENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ENGINE PROBLEM. IT DID NOT MAINTAIN THE THROTTLE. ENGINE WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT A CAUSE. ALSO, A SUSPENSION PROBLEM DUE TO BOLTS PLACED IN UPSIDE DOWN POSITION WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO FLIP. WIRES AND PLASTIC BOLT HOLDERS MELTED.*AK

Mileage: 38,000

20031128CrashSUSPENSION

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ENGINE PROBLEM. IT DID NOT MAINTAIN THE THROTTLE. ENGINE WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT A CAUSE. ALSO, A SUSPENSION PROBLEM DUE TO BOLTS PLACED IN UPSIDE DOWN POSITION WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO FLIP. WIRES AND PLASTIC BOLT HOLDERS MELTED.*AK

Mileage: 38,000

Compare 2003CHEVROLETC4500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 CHEVROLET C4500 have?
The 2003 CHEVROLET C4500 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 CHEVROLET C4500?
Yes, the 2003 CHEVROLET C4500 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SUSPENSION:REAR. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 CHEVROLET C4500?
The most-complained component for the 2003 CHEVROLET C4500 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2003 CHEVROLET C4500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2003 CHEVROLET C4500; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.