IllustrationWE WERE TRAVELING EAST ON I-90 IN MASS. TRAFFIC CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SLOW AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. UPON INVESTIGATION AFTER THE CRASH WE FOUND AT LEAST TWO BADLY CORRODED BRAKE LINES THAT HAD BURST.*JB
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 complaints
127 reportsMY REAR STEEL BRAKE LINE BURST IN A PARKING LOT AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE MAIN LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE ABS MODULE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS SO RUSTED IT BURST UNEXPECTEDLY. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY SON HOME FROM FOOTBALL PRACTICE AND HAD TO BRAKE HARD FOR A CAR THAT STOPPED SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF ME. MY PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I BARELY STOPPED IN TIME. THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND AND ONE OF THE STEEL LINES RUNNING UNDER THE VEHICLE (NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AREA) HAD BURST. *TR
THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT(FIRST TIME IN 2011 ON THE REAR BRAKE LINE),APPLIED BRAKE TO SHIFT FROM PARK AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR! THIS TIME IT WAS THE FRONT BRAKE LINES ABOUT A FOOT FROM ABS UNIT ABOVE THE FRAME! THANK GOD I WAS NOT MOVING ON THE ROAD CAUSE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SERIOUS!! VERY POOR DESIGN,SHOULD BE A RECALL!!! …
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THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT(FIRST TIME IN 2011 ON THE REAR BRAKE LINE),APPLIED BRAKE TO SHIFT FROM PARK AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR! THIS TIME IT WAS THE FRONT BRAKE LINES ABOUT A FOOT FROM ABS UNIT ABOVE THE FRAME! THANK GOD I WAS NOT MOVING ON THE ROAD CAUSE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SERIOUS!! VERY POOR DESIGN,SHOULD BE A RECALL!!! *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN RT85 WITH MY 03 SILVERADO 2500HD WITH A 16' TRAILER AND CAME UP TO A INTERSECTION AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A CAR WAS IN FRONT OF ME, I HAD TO TURN INTO A FRONT YARD OF THE HOUSE AT THE INTERSECTION, I JUST MISSED THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND ENDED UP IN THERE DRIVEWAY. IF IT WAS NO…
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN RT85 WITH MY 03 SILVERADO 2500HD WITH A 16' TRAILER AND CAME UP TO A INTERSECTION AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A CAR WAS IN FRONT OF ME, I HAD TO TURN INTO A FRONT YARD OF THE HOUSE AT THE INTERSECTION, I JUST MISSED THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND ENDED UP IN THERE DRIVEWAY. IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE TRAILER BRAKES I CAN'T THINK OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE BRAKE LINE COMING DOWN THE FRAME RAIL ROTTED OFF. LOOKING AT THE LINES MORE THEY ALL ARE ROTTEN AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHY DID I BUY ANOTHER GM? *TR
APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP ABRUPTLY WHEN TRAFFIC STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. FOUND BRAKE FLUID RUNNING DOWN FRONT DRIVERS SIDE FRAME. STEEL BRAKE LINES SEVERELY ROTTEN ALL OVER TRUCK. *TR
DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL WHILE HOOKING TO TRAILER PREPARING TO HAUL FARM EQUIPMENT. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I FOUND FLUID RUNNING DOWN THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK CHECKED LINES AND FOUND BURST LINE AND ALL LINES LOOKED TERRIBLY RUSTED/ROTTEN. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A NEAR MISS SINCE I WAS ON A GRAVEL HILLSIDE AND H…
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DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL WHILE HOOKING TO TRAILER PREPARING TO HAUL FARM EQUIPMENT. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I FOUND FLUID RUNNING DOWN THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK CHECKED LINES AND FOUND BURST LINE AND ALL LINES LOOKED TERRIBLY RUSTED/ROTTEN. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A NEAR MISS SINCE I WAS ON A GRAVEL HILLSIDE AND HAD I BEEN HOOKED TO THE TRAILER I WOULD HAVE HAD A VEHICLE TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED WITH NO WARNING. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND JUST KEPT GOING INTO THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH THE FRONT BUMPER HAS TO REPLACED. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR
ON SATURDAY 6 JULY, WHILE EXITING A SHOPPING CENTER, I PULLED UP TO A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING. I PUMPED THE BRAKES BUT THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR EACH TIME. I DID MANAGE TO STOP BEFORE GOING THROUGH THE LIGHT AND ENTERING CROSS TRAFFIC. I PULLED INTO…
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ON SATURDAY 6 JULY, WHILE EXITING A SHOPPING CENTER, I PULLED UP TO A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING. I PUMPED THE BRAKES BUT THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR EACH TIME. I DID MANAGE TO STOP BEFORE GOING THROUGH THE LIGHT AND ENTERING CROSS TRAFFIC. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AFTER I WENT THROUGH THE GREEN LIGHT. A QUICK INSPECTION DETERMINED THE BRAKE LINE ALONG THE DRIVERS SIDE GOING TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED AND FAILED IN THREE DIFFERENT SPOTS. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF INSPECTING AND REPLACING ALL BRAKE LINES DUE TO CORROSION. *TR
WENT TO APPLY BRAKES. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKING ABILITY. ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP WITH OUT HITTING ANYTHING. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL FIRESTONE, BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT FROM MASTER CYLINDER BACK. $700 FOR REPAIRS. HAD BRAKE LINE REPAIRED LAST YEAR FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM. *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.