2003 GMC Sierra 2500 problems
The 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 has 193 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (39%) concerns brakes. Next are electrical system (19%) and fuel system (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 193 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 39% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 5
- Injuries and deaths
- 4 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 76,000 miles 167 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 18 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 12 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 32 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 27 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 17 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 24 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 11 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 7 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 8 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 3 |
| 200k+ miles | 8 |
What the data shows
Of the 167 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 76,000 miles. For brakes specifically, the median reported mileage is about 76,000 miles (68 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 5 complaints mention a fire; 4 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 5th most-complained-about out of 26 model years of the GMC Sierra 2500 with enough data (76 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
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.
I was heading north bound on I-45 near north avenue in milwaukee, wi when it began to rain slightly. It was approximately 3:28 am. I slowed down to 50 the speed limit was 55 and the I turned on my fog lights to help me see better by the time I got to capital drive it was a complete downpour. Raining very hard. I was in the very inside lane ie: "the fastlane" I was approaching the hampton avenue exit and there was a semi on my right his rear tandom axles where just to the right of my passenger side front tire and…
2003 GMC sierra denali with brake line failure problems. *tgw the consumer complained of a very soft pedal and sometimes the pedal would go to the floor before stopping. The dealer claimed nothing was wrong. The consumers wife was driving the vehicle and when she applied the brakes, on an incline, she traveled backwards out of control and struck the neighborhood sign. She experienced neck and back pain.
I keep getting reduced engine power p1516 code . Reading the post's on the internet this is a real common problem.also the speedometer will display 120 MPH sitting at a traffic light.
Had injectors replaced under warranty at 50000 miles after noticing excess exhaust smoke on startup and also power steering hoses were leaking, again at 105000 miles they totally failed as I was bringing my wife home from hospital on I-15 in ca. Up cajon pass and had to be towed to dealer, but GM dealer would not cover injectors under warranty as truck was11 years old and their coverage was for 7 years only, now again had to have them replaced at 147000 miles because of excessive smoke on startup.