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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

160 reports
142,000 miles · May 12, 2016
Service Brakes

BRAKE LINE FAILED, NO BRAKES WHILE HEADING FOR A RED LIGHT. DRIVE OFF ROAD TILL VEHICLE STOPPED. BRAKE LINE FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS CONTROL , ROTTED OUT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, ALL BRAKE LINES ARE ROTTED OUT. MY MECHANIC STATES THEY ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED, IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #10864659

180,000 miles · Apr 26, 2016
EnginePower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED, LOST POWER, AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED, LOST POWER, AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ODI #10861591

100,010 miles · Feb 14, 2016
Fuel/propulsion SystemService Brakes

BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH AND LOST ALL BRAKING CAPABILITY. LUCKLY IT HAPPENED PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY! FUEL LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING FUEL PUDDLING ONTO THE GROUND.

NHTSA ODI #10826044

209,000 miles · Feb 2, 2016
Fuel/propulsion SystemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE OIL LEVEL WAS ELEVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER APPROXI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE OIL LEVEL WAS ELEVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE WAS EMITTING SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH NEW FUEL INJECTORS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.

NHTSA ODI #10823719

119,222 miles · Dec 15, 2015
Service Brakes

SEVERELY RUSTED BRAKE LINES THAT SPLIT. MAIN LINE FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS MODULE AND REAR LINE JUST INBOARD OF LH REAR TIRE. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ON CITY STREET WHEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #10810278

89,000 miles · Jun 30, 2015
Service Brakes

I WAS MOVING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE BREAK PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE TRUCK STOPPED SO I GOT OUT AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND SAW BREAK FLUID POURING OUT OF A BREAK LINE THAT HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE FORMER OWNER HAD ALREADY HAD ANOTHER BREAK LINE REPLACED BECAUSE HIS BREAKS HAD RUPTURED DUE TO THE LINES RU…

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I WAS MOVING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE BREAK PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE TRUCK STOPPED SO I GOT OUT AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND SAW BREAK FLUID POURING OUT OF A BREAK LINE THAT HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE FORMER OWNER HAD ALREADY HAD ANOTHER BREAK LINE REPLACED BECAUSE HIS BREAKS HAD RUPTURED DUE TO THE LINES RUSTING THROUGH WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER. HE WAS ABLE TO AVOID WRECKING AND CAME TO A STOP. THIS TRUCK HAS LOW MILES AND ABOUT 90% OF ITS USE HAS BEEN DURING THE SUMMER SO IT HAS HAD LIMITED CONTACT WITH SALTED ROADS YET THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING AT AN INCREDIBLE RATE. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS SIMPLY MOVING THE TRUCK RATHER THAN HAULING MY CAMPER ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH IS IT'S TYPICAL USE; I AND/OR OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. THE RUSTING THROUGH OF THE BREAK LINES IS A SAFETY ISSUE!

NHTSA ODI #10731294

142,000 miles · Apr 10, 2015
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

(ELECTRICAL) AS AN ONGOING ISSUE, THE DASHBOARD GAUGES/INDICATORS (I.E. TACH, SPEEDOMETER, ETC..) WILL SOMETIMES NOT REGISTER UNTIL SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING (THIS COULD BE FOR UP TO MILES) IT HAS NOT AFFECTED VEHICLE PERFORMANCE TO DATE. (FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM) I HAVE BEGUN HAVING ISSUES WHERE IT GOE…

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(ELECTRICAL) AS AN ONGOING ISSUE, THE DASHBOARD GAUGES/INDICATORS (I.E. TACH, SPEEDOMETER, ETC..) WILL SOMETIMES NOT REGISTER UNTIL SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING (THIS COULD BE FOR UP TO MILES) IT HAS NOT AFFECTED VEHICLE PERFORMANCE TO DATE. (FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM) I HAVE BEGUN HAVING ISSUES WHERE IT GOES INTO "REDUCED ENGINE POWER". FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC ATTEMPTS HAVE LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS DUE TO A FAULTY THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (PART OF THE THROTTLE BODY), TAC MODULE, OR APP ASSEMBLY (ACCELERATOR PEDAL). MOST LIKELY CAUSE MAY BE DUE TO THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, AS THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ON "CRUISE CONTROL". HOWEVER, DUE TO THE INFERIOR DESIGN OF THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT ITSELF, THE MANUFACTURE HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT OR IF DESIGNED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO REPLACE JUST THE TPS, BY RIVETING THE TPS TO THE THROTTLE BODY, AND MAY HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE THROTTLE BODY. I AM HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED FOR A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR, AND WILL ELABORATE FURTHER UPON SUCCESSFUL REPAIR IF DESIRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10705003

106,000 miles · Feb 5, 2015
Service Brakes

CAME TO INTERSECTION FOR TURN, BROKE AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10681397

118,736 miles · Jan 13, 2015
Fuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED EXCESSIVE FUMES COMING FROM THE EXHAUST OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT FOUR FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCC…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED EXCESSIVE FUMES COMING FROM THE EXHAUST OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT FOUR FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,736.

NHTSA ODI #10672150

Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 2014
Structure

THE FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS HAVE RUSTED SO BAD THAT THEY HAVE BIG HOLES IN THEM. I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO REPLACE THEM BOTH BEFORE I CAN GET AN INSPECTION STICKER ON THE PICK UP, AT THE COST OF OVER $1000.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I HAVE SEEN MANY MORE PICK UPS WITH THE SAME RUSTED BUMPERS. IS THERE A RECALL FOR BUMPER REPLACEMENT ON T…

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THE FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS HAVE RUSTED SO BAD THAT THEY HAVE BIG HOLES IN THEM. I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO REPLACE THEM BOTH BEFORE I CAN GET AN INSPECTION STICKER ON THE PICK UP, AT THE COST OF OVER $1000.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I HAVE SEEN MANY MORE PICK UPS WITH THE SAME RUSTED BUMPERS. IS THERE A RECALL FOR BUMPER REPLACEMENT ON THESE PICKUPS?? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10650937

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.