Total Complaints
124 filings
CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD · model year
124 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003CHEVROLETSILVERADO 1500 HD carries 124 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 3 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 SILVERADO 1500 HD is service brakes with 27 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (20) and electrical system (16). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2003 SILVERADO 1500 HD, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
124 filings
Crashes Reported
4 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | 27 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 20 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 16 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 14 |
| STEERING | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 6 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN | 4 |
| STEERING:COLUMN | 3 |
| ENGINE | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER | 1 |
1) BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. 2) A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED ONLY TO BE TOTALLY DEAD WITHIN 1 WEEK 3) ALTERNATOR REPLACED AS THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM 4) FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND IT IS THE ABS SYSTEM AS THE MODULATOR / PUMP FOR THIS SYSTEM WOULD CONTINUALLY RUN EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF.
Mileage: 116,500
1) BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. 2) A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED ONLY TO BE TOTALLY DEAD WITHIN 1 WEEK 3) ALTERNATOR REPLACED AS THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM 4) FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND IT IS THE ABS SYSTEM AS THE MODULATOR / PUMP FOR THIS SYSTEM WOULD CONTINUALLY RUN EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF.
Mileage: 116,500
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WILL STOP WORKING. NO GAUGES, SPEEDOMETER, OR TACHOMETER. USUALLY OCCURS AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVING/HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR MODEL. SOMETIMES THE CLUSTER WILL BECOME ACTIVE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, BUT USUALLY DOESN'T.
Mileage: 194,000
BRIGHT LITE INDICATOR LITE COMES ON DASH WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION, KILLS BATTERY OVER NITE. GAS GAUGE IN DASH DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, TRUCK HAS TO GET MOVING, SOMETIMES RIGHT AWAY AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE LONGER. HAD TO REPLACE MY THROTTLE BODY CONTROL A COUPLE MONTHS PRIOR
BRIGHT LITE INDICATOR LITE COMES ON DASH WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION, KILLS BATTERY OVER NITE. GAS GAUGE IN DASH DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, TRUCK HAS TO GET MOVING, SOMETIMES RIGHT AWAY AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE LONGER. HAD TO REPLACE MY THROTTLE BODY CONTROL A COUPLE MONTHS PRIOR
BRIGHT LITE INDICATOR LITE COMES ON DASH WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION, KILLS BATTERY OVER NITE. GAS GAUGE IN DASH DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, TRUCK HAS TO GET MOVING, SOMETIMES RIGHT AWAY AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE LONGER. HAD TO REPLACE MY THROTTLE BODY CONTROL A COUPLE MONTHS PRIOR
SEVERAL OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS HAVE SNAPPED/SHEARED CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKS BETWEEN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND EXHAUST PORT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. I'M LEARNING THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT HAS GONE UNADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER, BUT IS CLEARLY AN EMISSIONS AND FUNCTIONALITY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP IN HOLDING THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS APPARENT MECHANICAL DEFECT. AS OF NOW, THEY OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING THE ISSUE.
Mileage: 174,000
MY WHOLE DASHBOARD STOPS WORKING THE GAUGES LIGHTS EVERYTHING JUST STOPPED WORKING. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE AND EVERYTHING STOPPED WORKING BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT ALL CAME BACK ON FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND IT ALL SHUT OFF AGAIN AND NEVER CAME BACK ON I MADE IT HOME AND TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND WENT INSIDE. I GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING TO GO TO WORK AND CRANKED THE TRUCK AND NO GAUGES OR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING STILL. I SLAMMED MY HAND DOWN ON TOP OF THE DASHBOARD AND EVERYTHING CAME ON AND WAS WORKING BUT THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG AND EVERYTHING SHUT OFF AGAIN.
Mileage: 203,112
MY WHOLE DASHBOARD STOPS WORKING THE GAUGES LIGHTS EVERYTHING JUST STOPPED WORKING. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE AND EVERYTHING STOPPED WORKING BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT ALL CAME BACK ON FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND IT ALL SHUT OFF AGAIN AND NEVER CAME BACK ON I MADE IT HOME AND TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND WENT INSIDE. I GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING TO GO TO WORK AND CRANKED THE TRUCK AND NO GAUGES OR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING STILL. I SLAMMED MY HAND DOWN ON TOP OF THE DASHBOARD AND EVERYTHING CAME ON AND WAS WORKING BUT THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG AND EVERYTHING SHUT OFF AGAIN.
Mileage: 203,112
BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND RUPTURED RESULTING IN TOTAL BRAKE LOSS AND A CRASH. THE LINES FAILED AT A POINT DIRECTLY UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. IT WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE ALSO DAMAGING THAT.
Mileage: 47,481
265/65/16 MICHELIN LTX M/S2 TIRE, THESE TIRES WERE NEW AND PURCHASED ON 6/21/16, ON 7/11/16 LESS THEN ONE MONTH I HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE 3 ROWS OF TREADS IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL FOUR TIRES BECAME SEVERELY SEPARATED AND WORN RENDERING ALL FOUR TIRES AS JUNK CAUSING THE PICKUP TO SHAKE BADLY WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE MICHELIN DIDN'T WANT HONOR ANY WARRANTIES, CLAIMS, ETC., INCLUDING THE MICHELIN PLUS GUARANTY. THIS IS WHERE IF YOU ARE NOT 100% SATISFIED WITHIN 30 DAYS YOU CAN GET A REPLACEMENT FREE. AFTER ONE BRAKING INCIDENT ALL THE TIRES WAS JUNK. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THESE TIRES TO ANYONE. THE TREAD PATTERN OF THESE TIRES IS THE DIRECT CAUSE. I ALSO HAVE PICTURES.
JAN. 2014 IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS I WENT TO APPLY BRAKES FOR A RED LIGHT AND PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER VEHICLE ALREADY STOPPED AT THE LIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, AND WAS NOT HIT AS I COASTED THROUGH THE RED LIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE FOR STOPPING WHILE I MANEUVERED TO MY HOME. UPON INSPECTION THE NEXT DAY, I FOUND THE BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS ALONG THE TRUCK FRAME AND FEEDS BRAKE FLUID TO THE FRONT BRAKES HAD RUPTURED. I WAS ASTOUND WHEN I SAW THE CONDITION OF THE REMAINING BRAKE LINES UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE FACT THAT THE LINES WERE NOT MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL OR SOME OTHER MATERIAL THAT WOULD NOT RUST WHEN EXPOSED TO THE ROAD SALT THAT USED HEAVILY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS. I'M ALSO CONCERN ABOUT THE FUEL LINES BECAUSE THEIR CONDITION IS THE SAME AS THE BRAKE LINES AND APPEAR TO MADE OUT OF A FERROUS MATERIAL ALSO.
Mileage: 75,000
JAN. 2014 IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS I WENT TO APPLY BRAKES FOR A RED LIGHT AND PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER VEHICLE ALREADY STOPPED AT THE LIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, AND WAS NOT HIT AS I COASTED THROUGH THE RED LIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE FOR STOPPING WHILE I MANEUVERED TO MY HOME. UPON INSPECTION THE NEXT DAY, I FOUND THE BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS ALONG THE TRUCK FRAME AND FEEDS BRAKE FLUID TO THE FRONT BRAKES HAD RUPTURED. I WAS ASTOUND WHEN I SAW THE CONDITION OF THE REMAINING BRAKE LINES UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE FACT THAT THE LINES WERE NOT MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL OR SOME OTHER MATERIAL THAT WOULD NOT RUST WHEN EXPOSED TO THE ROAD SALT THAT USED HEAVILY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS. I'M ALSO CONCERN ABOUT THE FUEL LINES BECAUSE THEIR CONDITION IS THE SAME AS THE BRAKE LINES AND APPEAR TO MADE OUT OF A FERROUS MATERIAL ALSO.
Mileage: 75,000
THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENED DURING THE FOLLOWING YRS AT LEAST 3 TIMES A YEAR NOW FOR EACH YR FROM 2005 TILL 2015 COMING HOME FROM DAUGHTERS AND LOST ALL HEAD LAMPS AND DRIVING LIGHTS SO WAS DRIVING IN COMPLETE DARKNESS WITH NO LIGHTS , THANKFULLY WE MADE IT HOME THE LAST 2 MILES NEXT DAY TOOK TO MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE LAMPS , TWO WEEKS LATER GOT PULLED OVER DUE TO RUNNING LIGHTS ONE WAS OUT AND GOT WARNING ABOUT THAT .......................THIS HAS HAPPENED 12 TIMES SINCE WE OWNED THIS TRUCK SINCE 2005 AND WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY BUT NOW AFTER 6 MONTHS LIGHTS GO OUT AGAIN AND GET PULLED OVER DUE TO ONLY ONE HEADLAMP IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING? MOSTLY THIS IS JUST ON DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP AND RUNNING LIGHT IT KEEPS BLOWING THE LAMPS OUT OCCASIONALLY IT BLOWS BOTH SIDES AND FRONT RUNNING LAMPS. *TR
Mileage: 36,000
THE BRAKE LINES BASICALLY RUSTED OFF THE TRUCK, THE FIRST OCCURRENCE I WENT TO USE THE TRUCK AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I STARTED SMELLING BRAKE FLUID. HAD IT TOWED TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE (06/04/2011) THE LINES THAT SHOWED THE MAIN PROBLEM WERE CHANGED FOR NEW. EXACTLY 2 YEARS I HAD MY BIG CAR TRAILER HOOKED UP LOADED WITH MY TRACTOR. ANOTHER LINE GOING TO THE REAR OF THE TRUCK RUPTURED IN THE YARD. GOING BACK TO THE SHOP AGAIN, I HAD A COMPANY OUT WEST MAKE ALL NEW STAINLESS STEAL LINES FOR IT.(06/20/2014) AND NOW I'M AGAIN BROKEN DOWN AGAIN (03/07/2015). THIS HAS COST ME A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND I'M NOT THROUGH I FEAR. THIS TIME THE ABS SYSTEM WANTS TO CONTINUE TO RUN AND RUNNING THE BATTERY DOWN. GM SHOULD BE ON TOP OF THIS. *TR
Mileage: 80,000
3 OF THE 6 EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS HAVE BROKEN OFF ON LEFT SIDE ,2 ON THE RIGHT SIDE . I NOW HAVE THE EXHAUST TICKING SOUND AND ON OCCASION GET EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE CAB.I NOTICED THE FIRST BROKEN BOLT AT APPROX 55000 MILES. I NOW HAVE 112000 MILES. *TR
Mileage: 55,000
WHILE USING THE TRUCK TO REMOVE A ROOT BALL WE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING TO THE FLOOR. NO BRAKE OR WARNING LIGHTS WERE SHOWING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. OUR MECHANIC REPLACED FOUR BRAKE LINES DUE TO RUST, CORROSION AND LEAKS. WE ARE EXTREMELY THANKFUL THIS HAPPENED WHILE WORKING IN THE BACK YARD AND NOT WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE TOWING OUR 3000 POUND BOAT! AFTER SEEING ALL THE REPORTED PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL BY GENERAL MOTORS. *TR
Mileage: 23,500
BRAKE LINES WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING - NO LIGHT SHOWING COMPRESSION OR FLUID LEAKING. STILL NO LIGHTS HAVE COME ON. IF WE HAD BEEN GOING FASTER, WE COULD HAVE HIT SOMETHING. LUCKILY MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND HE KNEW HOW TO REACT BY DOWN SHIFTING TO SAVE US. THE BRAKE LINES ARE ALL RUSTED. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. WE FEEL THAT GM USED CHEAP METAL FOR THESE LINES AND COULD HAVE COMPROMISED OUR LIVES. *TR
Mileage: 80,000
BRAKE LINES WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING - NO LIGHT SHOWING COMPRESSION OR FLUID LEAKING. STILL NO LIGHTS HAVE COME ON. IF WE HAD BEEN GOING FASTER, WE COULD HAVE HIT SOMETHING. LUCKILY MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND HE KNEW HOW TO REACT BY DOWN SHIFTING TO SAVE US. THE BRAKE LINES ARE ALL RUSTED. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. WE FEEL THAT GM USED CHEAP METAL FOR THESE LINES AND COULD HAVE COMPROMISED OUR LIVES. *TR
Mileage: 80,000
YES,I WAS BUYING A NEW TRAILER WHEN I WAS GOING TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION,THE BRAKE PEDAL, WENT TO FLOOR,LUCKILY USING TRAILER BRAKES,I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STOP,NOTICE LINE BROKE DUE TO RUST,I REPLACED ALL BRAKE LINES WITH STAINLESS STEEL FROM A COMPANY WHO PRE-BEND NEW PIECES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN THIS TRUCK,DUE TO COST,NOW FUEL LINE LEAKING CAUSING BRAKING DOWN ON SIDE OF HIGHWAY,UNTIL AAA CAME BUT HAD TRAILER ON THAT MADE THE SITUATION HARDER,SO AFTER INCONVENIENCE,HAVE TO PUT NEW STAINLESS STEEL FUEL LINES.THANKS FOR THE TIME TO READ[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Mileage: 201,150
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Fuel Line Leak
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.