IllustrationMY SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2003 SIERRA 2500HD BECAME ERRATIC AND THEN STUCK AT ABOUT 140 MPH AND STAYED THERE. *TR
2003 GMC Sierra 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sierra 2500 years
Owner complaints for the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 46.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra 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
140–25K
2825–50K
2950–75K
2075–100K
34100–150K
17150K+
142 reports with mileage · 18 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, Hydraulic. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
36 reportsGAUGE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DEFECTIVE ON 2003 GMC SIERRA. SPEEDOMETER READING INCORRECT SPEED. CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT. UNABLE TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE VEHICLE SPEED. GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIPS UNWILLING TO REPAIR DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR
THE ELECTRICAL GAUGES ALL OF SUDDEN STOPPED WORKING. THE BATTERY GAUGE CAME ON FIRST , PULLED OVER AND BATTERY WAS FINE. THEN ALL GAUGES JUST COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER LIGHT FAILED FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED. THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED LATER AND THE ENTIRE PANEL WENT BLACK.…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER LIGHT FAILED FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED. THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED LATER AND THE ENTIRE PANEL WENT BLACK. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.UPDATED 06/17/09. *LJ THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND GAUGES FAILED COMPLETELY. UPDATED 06/17/09.*JB
FAULTY SPEEDOMETER, READS120MPH MOST OF THE TIME. *TR
SPEEDOMETER , FUEL GAUGE ETC. WENT AT 93,000 MILES. GMC KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND WILL ONLY FIX IT ON A LIMITED BASIS. NOT EVERY ONE WAS INFORMED OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY WILL ONLY FIX IT IF YOU ARE UNDER 70K MILES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 45 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED 120 MPH. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT TO SEE IF THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD RESET ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 45 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED 120 MPH. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT TO SEE IF THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD RESET ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 104,571.
GAUGES STOPPED WORKING. NO LIGHTS, NO ODOMETER, NO INFORMATION AT ALL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUED TO FLASH ON AND OFF. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED AND SMOKE WAS NOTICED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE NOTICING THE SMOKE. THE HOOD COULD NOT …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUED TO FLASH ON AND OFF. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED AND SMOKE WAS NOTICED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE NOTICING THE SMOKE. THE HOOD COULD NOT BE OPENED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. TEN MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000. UPDATED 09/25/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS A POSSIBLE FUEL LINE FAILURE. UPDATED 09/26/08. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND PREVENTED HIM FROM KNOWING HOW FAST HE IS TRAVELING, OR ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.