Chevrolet Silverado Complaints (2003)

2,092 consumer complaints on file.

#10691221February 28, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, I HAD JUST LEFT A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY AND PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN MY BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY. THE BRAKE PETAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND RATHER THAN RISKING A COLLISION WITH ANY CARS OR PEOPLE, I DROVE INTO A SNOW BANK. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM, THE METAL BRAKE LINE HAD SPLIT AND WAS LEAKING FLUID. WHEN THE BRAKES FAIL ON YOUR CAR, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN YOU NEED THEM LEAVING YOU TO MAKE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS, AND IN MY CASE THAT CONSISTED ENTIRELY OF NAVIGATION AS THERE WAS NO TIME TO THINK ABOUT USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AN HOUR BEFORE OR AFTER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR FREEWAY. MY TRUCK IS WELL MAINTAINED, AND IS FREQUENTLY SERVICED BY A CHEVROLET DEALER WHERE I ALWAYS HAVE ANYTHING REPAIRED THAT THEY SUGGEST FIXING. AS THIS TRUCK CARRIES BOTH FAMILY AND EMPLOYEES, SAFETY IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE AND THIS IS A FRIGHTENING PROBLEM THAT SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL. I AM HAVING ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES REPLACED TODAY...IT IS GOING TO COST ME ALMOST $2000 AND THAT IS BECAUSE MY CHEVROLET DEALER IS NOT CHARGING ME FOR THE TOW, OR LABOR. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10691244February 28, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN THE TRUCK IS CRANKED AND AT IDLE AND IN MOTION THE HEADLIGHTS AND ALL PANELS BLINK. THE LIGHT ON THE PANELS DO NOT COMPLETELY GO OUT BUT IT DIMS. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE WENT COMPLETELY OUT A FEW TIMES WHILE IN MOTION. WHEN THE INTERIOR LIGHT IS ON IT ALSO BLINKS AND DIMS. AT TIMES THE RADIO GOES HAYWIRE AND STARTS GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE STATIONS. THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND WE NOTICED THAT THE WIRING THAT GOES TO THE HEADLIGHTS IS VERY BRITTLE AND WHERE THE CONNECTORS PLUG INTO THE BULB WERE BURNT AND THE PRONGS ON THE BULB WERE ALSO BURNT AND MELTED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME AND WE CAN'T SEEM TO FIND WHAT IS CAUSING ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW,DOOR, AND MIRROR PANEL ONLY HALFWAY WORK. SOMETIMES THE DRIVERSIDE WINDOW WILL GO DOWN AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T THE DRIVER SIDE PANEL WILL NOT CONTROL THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR, LOCK, OR WINDOW EITHER. THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW AND LOCK PANEL WILL NOT WORK EITHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10682991February 12, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
MY WIFE AND I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE TO GO SOMEWHERE AND AS WE STARTED TO MOVE I TRIED TO STOP AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. I APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP. I RETURNED TO MY DRIVEWAY USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I CHECKED AND FOUND THAT I HAD NO BRAKE FLUID. I GOT UNDER MY TRUCK AND FOUND THAT MY BRAKE LINES ARE CORRODED AND ONE HAD A SEVERE LEAK. I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE SIMILAR INCIDENTS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN CRASHES. I HAVE TALKED WITH A CHEVROLET REP AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. ALTHOUGH THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM THEY DO NOT PLAN A RECALL. SOMEONE EVIDENTLY HAS TO DIE BEFORE IT BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10683075February 12, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
ATTEMPTED TO STOP VEHICLE, BRAKES FAILED (LATER FOUND TO BE DUE TO CORROSION) CRASHED INTO GARAGE. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10682725February 11, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
DRIVING MY '03 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 (108,850 MILES ON THE VEHICLE) ON MY WAY TO GET MY OIL CHANGED, MY BRAKES SEEMED TO ALL OF A SUDDEN LOOSE MOST OF THEIR STOPPING ABILITY. I FIRST NOTICED IT APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT AFTER TRAVELING ON A STRETCH OF HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH. I HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IN MUCH FURTHER THAN NORMAL. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON INDICATING A PROBLEM. THE NEXT SET OF LIGHTS, MAYBE A 1.5 MILES DOWN THE ROAD, SAME THING, PUTTING THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO STOP. THIS TIME A "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" LIGHT FLASHED FOR A SECOND THEN WENT AWAY. I HAVE NOW TRAVELED ABOUT 6 MILES FROM THE FIRST INDICATION OF PROBLEMS TO WHERE I WAS GETTING MY OIL CHANGED. AS I PULLED INTO THERE PARKING LOT, VERY SLOWLY (LESS THAN 5 MPH), I ONCE AGAIN HAD TO PUT THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO COME TO A STOP. I LOOKED UNDER MY TRUCK TO NOTICE FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE BRAKE LINE UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE MECHANICS THERE SAID THE LINE WAS SHOT AND RECOMMENDED NOT DRIVING IT TIL IT WAS FIXED. THEY WERE NOT SETUP TO WORK ON BRAKE LINES AT THIS SHOP, SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. MY BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERALLY RUSTED. THE THING THAT CONCERNED ME THE MOST WAS HOW QUICKLY THIS ALL HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, AND BY THE TIME THE WARNING LIGHTS DID COME ON I ALREADY HAD NO STOPPING ABILITY IF I WAS TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. GM REALLY NEEDS TO CONSIDER THIS POOR DESIGN IN THE MATERIAL THEY USE FOR THEIR BRAKE LINES, BEFORE SOMETHING LIKE THIS LEADS TO SOME ONES DEATH. VERY DANGEROUS!!! SPEND THE TIME AND MONEY TO PUT A QUALITY BRAKING SYSTEM ON YOUR VEHICLES, IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST THING YOU DO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10682053February 9, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
WAS COMING TO A STOP AND APPLIED THE BRAKE, BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I DID GET THE TRUCK STOPPED. GO THE TRUCK HOME AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID DROPPING FROM THE TRUCK. TOOK A LOOK AND IT WAS COMING FROM A BREAK LINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRUCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED BADLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10681409February 5, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION MODULE NEEDED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10680997February 3, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
SECOND FAILURE OF BRAKE LINES DUE TO ROAD SALT. FIRST TIME BACK BRAKE LINES. THIS TIME FRONT BRAKE LINE. MECHANIC SAID BRAKE LINES HE USES NICKEL AND WILL NOT ROT. HOW COME THE TRUCK IS NOT MADE WITH NICKEL BRAKE LINES? THIS WILL COST ME CLOSE TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS! EVERY MECHANIC I TALKED TO REPAIRS SEVERAL OF THESE PROBLEMS A MONTH. SOME JUST A FEW YEARS OLD. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THIS TIME WITH MY KIDS AFTER SLED RIDDING AND COMING DOWN A HILL TO A BUSY INTERSECTION READY TO STOP THEN NO BRAKES. WHEN YOU USES THE BRAKES YOU SHOULD HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT ARE GOING TO WORK. NOT GO TO THE FLOOR AND NOT WORK. WHY CUT CORNERS ON BRAKE LINES. IN CASES GM DOES NOT KNOW YOU NEED BRAKE LINES TO STOP. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10680670February 2, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
IGNITION SWITCH LOCKS UP OCCASIONALLY AND MAKES THE ABS SERVICE BRAKE LIGHT COME ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10679963January 30, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
ON JANUARY 20, 2015, THE BRAKES ON MY CHEVROLET SILVERADO FAILED. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO MAKE A NORMAL TURN, ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT NO CARS WERE COMING THE OTHER WAY & I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE TRUCK OUT OF HARMS WAY UNTIL I CAME TO A SAFE STOP. I NOTICED A TRAIL OF LIQUID ON THE GROUND & ALSO DRIPPING FROM UNDER MY TRUCK. THE LIQUID COMING FROM THE TRUCK WAS BRAKE FLUID. A LATER CHECK PROVED THE BAKE FLUID WELL WAS EMPTY. OBVIOUSLY THE BRAKE FLUID THAT WAS IN THE RESERVOIR WAS NOW ON THE GROUND CAUSING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. WELL IT WAS OPERABLE, IT WAS ALL GOOD TO GO. STOPPING THE VEHICLE WAS ANOTHER MATTER. THANK GOODNESS I WAS DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. IMAGINE IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A BUSY INTERSTATE (LIKE INTERSTATE 95) WHERE SOME REAL DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED OR PERHAPS WORSE DEATH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10678645January 23, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
LUCKILY WE WERE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE BRAKES WENT OUT ON THE TRUCK. WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED A WEEK EARLIER WHILE WE (MY FAMILY OF 4) WERE TRAVELING ON RT 70 HAULING A GOLF CART WE AND/OR ANOTHER FAMILY MAY HAVE SUFFERED SEVERELY OR POSSIBLY DIED BECAUSE OF RUSTY, CORRODED BRAKE LINES. WE LIVE IN MARYLAND, HAVE SERVICE AT LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND MAINTAIN OUR VEHICLES WHICH INCLUDES WASHING/CLEANING THE VEHICLE, SO THERE IS NO REASON THAT AT 107000 MILES THE BRAKE LINES SHOULD HAVE CORRODED. OUR ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR OF BRAKES/BRAKE LINES IS 1681.00. WE WILL GET THE VEHICLE FIXED BUT AFTER READING OTHER REPORTS ABOUT CHEVY TRUCKS AND BRAKES I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO SEND IN MY COMPLAINT. LUCKILY NO LIVES WERE LOST BUT GM SHOULD CONSIDER A RECALL BEFORE THEY GET SLAPPED WITH LAW SUITS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10672964January 16, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING. DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND WERE REPLACED USING A KIT FROM CHEVROLET AT A COST OF $2330.00. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10672275January 13, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
AT LESS THAN 18000 ODOMETER MILES, THE DTC CO265-EBCM MOTOR RELAY CIRCUIT HAD A FAULT. THE THREE: ABS, BRAKE AND SERVICE BRAKE NOW LIGHTS CAME ON. ON 1/12/2015 THE RUSTED EBCM GROUND HAD BEEN REMOVED AND CLEANED AS PER THE 2003 CHEVROLET K SILVERADO - 4WD SERVICE MANUAL DOCUMENT ID:2245394. THIS PROCEDURE DIDN'T SOLVE THE BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM. THE SYSTEM IS APPARENTLY THE SAME IN 1999 TO 2007 SILVERADO YET GM ONLY RECALLED AND REPLACED COMPONENTS THROUGH THE 2002 MODEL. IT APPEARS TO ME TO BE ANOTHER GM MANUFACTURING COVER UP AND NHTSA SHOULD BE PRESSING GM TO COVER THIS SITUATION. BRAKES ARE GOOD TO HAVE IN MINNESOTA ABS BRAKES EVEN BETTER, I PAID FOR THEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT PROVIDED BY GM! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10672119January 13, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS PLOWING SNOW, STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A GARDEN SHED. NO WARNING OR INDICATOR LIGHT. I PARKED THE TRUCK IN THE GARAGE AND THE NEXT DAY FOUND A LARGE PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE TRUCK. THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. I ADDED AN ENTIRE QUART OF FLUID, FOUND A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE UNDER THE TRUCK (IN THE AREA OF THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT LOCATION), STARTED THE TRUCK TO SEE IF ANY OF THE BRAKING WAS WORKING AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS NO BRAKING WHATSOEVER, EVEN AFTER FILLING THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR . *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671629January 10, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
WAS DRIVING AROUND 35MPH AND STARTED TO PUT THE BRAKES ON TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT THE UPCOMING LIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND I WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN AND LUCKILY THE LIGHT WAS GREEN. LIMPED DOWN THE STREET TO A PEP BOYS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR MAIN LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. LIMPED IT A FEW MILES USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS CHARGED ~$1500 TO REPLACE THE RUSTED OUT LINES FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR AXLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671627January 10, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING ON ROUTE 95 MY BRAKE LINE BROKE. IT IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I FOUND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. GM NEEDS TO RECALL THIS. I HAD TO SWERVE ACROSS TRAFFIC AND DRIVE ON THE GRASS SHOULDER TO COME TO A STOP. VERY VERY SCARY. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671236January 9, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT NOTICED BRAKE FLUID DRIPPING UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670805January 7, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE MOVING FORWARD IN LINE AT A DRIVE THROUGH MY BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WHEN STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD BARELY STOP MY TRUCK. BY THE TIME I RETURNED HOME I HAD TO BRAKE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO 4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS WHO WOULD NOT FIX MY BRAKES FOR UNDER $4000 DOLLARS DUE TO LIABILITY REASONS. APPARENTLY THE "STAINLESS STEEL" HARD LINES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD ALL RUSTED OUT COMPLETELY. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FAR AWAY FROM HOME THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670468January 6, 2015
POWER TRAIN
ON NOVEMBER 17, 2014, I WAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A HIGHWAY WAITING TO PULL INTO BUSINESS PARKING LOT, WHEN I ACCELERATED TO PULL IN, MY TRUCK MOVED FORWARD AND THEN WOULD ONLY REV UP THE RPM'S, ALMOST GETTING HIT BY ON COMING TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, I COASTED IN THE PARKING LOT, AS THE RPM'S WERE STILL UP, THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND THE TRUCK MOVED FORWARD WITH A LOUD THUMP. LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPLACED A PART ($900) AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. ON DECEMBER 27, 2014 WHILE DRIVING AWAY FROM MY HOUSE, ONCE AGAIN THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP AND THE TRUCK JUST COASTED UNTIL IT ENGAGED CAUSING A LOUD THUMP. I CALLED AND LEFT MESSAGE WITH SERVICE WRITER. ON JANUARY 02, 2015, I WAS WITH 1/2 MILE OF MY HOUSE AND TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT, I WAS ABLE TO TURN AROUND AND DRIVE BACK TO THE HOUSE AT A VERY LOW SPEED KEEPING THE RPM'S LOW. TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR MY APPROVAL TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE WHICH HAS A PIN HOLE IN IT AND SOME OTHER PARTS FOR $3100. I REALIZE THAT PROBLEMS CAN HAPPEN WITH ANY MANUFACTURE, HOWEVER THIS GM ISSUE WITH A PINHOLE IN THE TRANSFER CASE THAT IS CAUSED BY AN INTERNAL PART THAT BREAKS AND DRIVERS LOSING POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN IS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. I FOUND MANY FORUMS AND SOLUTIONS ON THE INTERNET AND ONE ON NHTSA. AFTER MARKET PARTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO REPLACE THE CHEAP PARTS WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT RESEARCH THIS ISSUE PRIOR TO HAVING THE ISSUE. IN ADDITION, I CALLED A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR THE TRANSFER CASE REPLACEMENT, I WAS TOLD THEY REPAIRED THREE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND TWO ARE IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. LOSS OF POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN IS NOT SOMETHING TO IGNORE, FROM PERSONAL VEHICLES TO PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLES, THIS POWER LOSS COULD TURN INTO SOMETHING MUCH LARGER THAN SOME ATF STAIN IN THE DRIVEWAY. THANK YOU
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10669820January 3, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES RUPTURED AS I ATTEMPTED TO RELOCATE THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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