There are no safety recalls for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, but owners have filed 449 complaints with NHTSA.
2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 128 | |
| Service Brakes | 127 | |
| Electrical System | 86 | |
| Power Train | 30 | |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 17 | |
| Steering | 17 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | |
| Suspension | 15 | |
| Structure | 15 | |
| Engine | 15 | |
| Tires | 14 | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | |
Most reported parts
- Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel — 37
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings — 14
- Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 8
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor — 8
- Structure › Body — 8
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 6
- Power Train › Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive) — 5
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads — 3
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 83,020 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes · reported Apr 14, 2026
While driving down a 50 mph roadway there was a line of cars slowing for a vehicle to make a turn. When gently pushing the brakes to slow down, brake went clear to the floor and could not slow down. Truck was driven into the ditch to avoid rear-ending vehicles. This happened immediately without warning, all braking prior to this incident was normal. When taken to our mechanic, they advised the brake lines underneath were notorious for rusting out and failing, new stainless steel lines were then installed to correct the problem.
Power Train · reported Jul 10, 2023
The component that failed according to the Chevrolet dealer is the "transfer case pump clips", which came loose inside the transfer case and wore a hole through the case causing the oil to come out. If I would not have noticed the oil on the back of my truck, I could have continued to drive the truck, which could have caused the transfer case gears to lock up the front and rear axles while driving and could have caused me to wreck, causing injury to myself, my family or someone else. I marked the area of the leak with a sharpie as depicted in the photos.
Power Train · reported Oct 12, 2022
I had to replace the replace the housing on my transfer case as it wore a hole in and was leaking. At a cost of 1200 dollars due to myself catching it early as later with a fully disabled case would have been 2600 dollars. My mechanic who deals in transmission repairs told me this a very common problem for Chevy trucks from 1999 to 2006. He claimed he had done 7 transfer cases in one week and was actually replacing a fully wrecked one for 2600 dollars as I brought mine in to be worked on . It had worn a hole through the transfer case and was leaking. As this seems to be a serious defect . I…
Engine and Engine Cooling · reported Apr 10, 2022
In the middle of the taxiway, while I was traveling my truck turned off while it was running and did not turn on again, putting my safety at risk by being in the middle of the taxiway, after several minutes the truck was able to be removed from the road, then I was able to investigate that I am not the only one that the same thing has happened to him, there is no Safety Recall in this regard, the GM fabric is aware of these cases but only wrote a TSB, it was diagnosed with the scanner and it gave code U1800, before the event there were no lights warning but after the event there is a check…
Steering · at 115,000 miles · reported Jul 12, 2021
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering failed causing the steering wheel to become hard to maneuver. The contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the hydro boost area when the brake pedal or accelerator pedal were depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the intermediate shaft was faulty. The intermediate shaft was replaced however, the failure recurred. The contact requested the dealer to replace the power steering pump but the dealer informed the contact that the failure was…
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have any recalls?
No. NHTSA has no safety recalls for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 as of this update. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the latest status.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
Owners report service brakes, hydraulic problems most often (128 reports), followed by service brakes (127). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 83,020 miles.
Are Chevrolet recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Chevrolet dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.