Illustration2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. BRAKE LINES BENEATH DRIVER SEAT ALONG FRAME RAIL BURST WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY. THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT ON THE ROAD. WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO, MASTER CYLINDER COMPLETELY EMPTIED, AND NO BRAKES AT ALL. CURRENTLY AT PALLONE CHEVROLET IN SPRINGFIELD VA. AWAITING REPAIR. *TR
2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Silverado 2500 years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 81.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 2500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
240–25K
6225–50K
8850–75K
8375–100K
105100–150K
47150K+
409 reports with mileage · 40 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes. Review the 127 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 116 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports8 fire reports7 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
116 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY AND THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE FAIL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY AND THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE BRAKE LINES FAILED DUE TO RUST. 08/19/11
2003 SILVERADO 2500HD EXT CAB 4X4, 42,000 MILES. COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. ALL BRAKE LINES ARE SEVERELY RUSTED. LIVE IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN. ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE ALL RUSTED BRAKE LINES IS OVER 41,200. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES ON THE VEHICLE WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY BRAKE LINES CORRODING FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NEVER BEEN DRIVEN IN SNOW OR ICE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOUL…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES ON THE VEHICLE WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY BRAKE LINES CORRODING FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NEVER BEEN DRIVEN IN SNOW OR ICE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 66000.
RUSTY BRAKE LINES, ALL SYSTEM BRAKE LINES AND BRAKE PARTS ARE RUSTING TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. TWO LINES FAILED. ALL SYSTEM PARTS ARE BEING REPLACED. *TR
STEEL BRAKE LINE RUNNING FROM LEFT FRONT BRAKE TO ABS PUMP CORRODED WHERE THE LINE IS EXPOSED IN THE WHEEL WELL. BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO FLOOR AND POOL OF FLUID WAS NOTICED UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE. HAPPENED WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY SO NO ACCIDENT. *TR
I HAD TO HAVE THE STEEL BRAKE LINES ON MY TRUCK REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. SINCE I CAUGHT THE PROBLEM IN TIME THERE WAS NO RECORDABLE INCIDENT BUT THIS SHOULD NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WORSE OUT PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED AND THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WORSE OUT PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED AND THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 27,000. UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED TURNING THE ROTORS AND REPLACING THE PADS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WORN OUT PADS AND ROTORS ARE SYMPTOMS OF ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE CALIPERS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE METAL BRAKE LINES AND OTHER SIMILAR METAL LINES SUCH AS THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES ALL SHOWED EXTREME RUST ON THE OUTSIDE. UPDATED 07/22/10*JB
I HAD A BRAKE LINE FAIL ON MY 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 2500HD CREW CAB 4X4. THE LINE FAILED ABOVE THE GAS TANK. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AS I NOTICED THE PEDAL SOFTENING AND FLUID LEAKING. THE LINE CORRODED AND LEAKED. *TR
2003 SILVERADO 2500HD RUSTED BRAKE LINE FAILURE CAUSED ACCIDENT. I HAD DEALER REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA04012 · Hydraulic Pump Failres
Opened Apr 30, 2004 · Closed Feb 28, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System
GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist
GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System
GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.