SLOWING DOWN APPROACHING A STOP LITE ,APPLIED BRAKES WAS A SHUDDER OF ANTI LOCK AND PEDAL WENT DOWN TO FLOOR. HAD TO APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID A CRASH. *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
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.
What owners actually said
160 reportsWAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT SPEED LIMIT, HIT BRAKES, REAR BRAKE LINE BURST (WAS SEVERELY RUSTED). I WAS UNABLE TO STOP VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED THROUGH A RED LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD ON BOARD IN HIS CAR SEAT. HOW WE BOTH MADE IT OUT OF THAT INCIDENT UNSCATHED IS AMAZING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND HAD TO PULL OF…
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WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT SPEED LIMIT, HIT BRAKES, REAR BRAKE LINE BURST (WAS SEVERELY RUSTED). I WAS UNABLE TO STOP VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED THROUGH A RED LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD ON BOARD IN HIS CAR SEAT. HOW WE BOTH MADE IT OUT OF THAT INCIDENT UNSCATHED IS AMAZING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER AND HIT THE PARKING BRAKE. IT TOOK MY SON A GOOD 2 MONTHS BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO RID HIMSELF OF FEAR AND ANXIETY DUE TO WHAT HAPPENED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE THAT CAUSED A LEAK. THE MECHANIC STATED T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE THAT CAUSED A LEAK. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,075. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL COULD NOT BE FULLY DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AND MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL COULD NOT BE FULLY DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AND MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,505. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ONTO THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ONTO THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD UTILITY TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE OFF ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES AND BRAKE PRESSURE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD UTILITY TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE OFF ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES AND BRAKE PRESSURE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
DURING A TIRE ROTATION AT COSTCO , THEY DISCOVERED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINES. UPON A FURTHER INVESTIGATION ,THE BRAKE LINES ARE LEAKING AND FOUND TO BE RUSTED OUT. I HAVE BEEN USING THE VEHICLE TO TOW A 2010 AIR STREAM AND THANK GOD NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY HAS OCCURRED. *TR
APPLIED BRAKES BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH BRAKE SYSTEM SERVICE NEEDED LOST PRESSURE ON PEDAL AND ALL LOST FLUID STILL HAD SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKING (BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND LEAKED OUT FLUID ,LINES SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE FROM STAINLESS STEEL NOT CHEAP STEEL.) *TR
TRIP FROM LONG ISLAND NEW YORK TO FREEPORT MAINE. TRAVELING 65-70 MPH DURING TRIP ON HIGHWAY 95. ARRIVED IN FREEPORT. CHECKED INTO HOTEL. WENT OUT TO TRUCK 2 HOURS LATER WITH THE INTENTION OF ATTENDING AN EVENT. STEPPED ON BRAKE, STARTED TRUCK, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD NOT RECOVER FROM …
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TRIP FROM LONG ISLAND NEW YORK TO FREEPORT MAINE. TRAVELING 65-70 MPH DURING TRIP ON HIGHWAY 95. ARRIVED IN FREEPORT. CHECKED INTO HOTEL. WENT OUT TO TRUCK 2 HOURS LATER WITH THE INTENTION OF ATTENDING AN EVENT. STEPPED ON BRAKE, STARTED TRUCK, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD NOT RECOVER FROM THE FLOOR. CHECKED UNDER TRUCK FOR LEAKS AND FOUND BADLY RUSTED BRAKE LINES HAD BURST RELEASING COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF BRAKE FLUID. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO SEARS AUTO DEPARTMENT WHO HAD TO REBUILD THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO EACH WHEEL. SEARS HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE LINES AND CALIPERS SINCE THE CALIPERS WERE ALSO SO RUSTED THAT THEY COULD NOT BE BLED. IF THESE LINES HAD BURST ON THE HIGHWAY; MY WIFE, MY SON AND ME WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN KILLED OR SEVERELY INJURED AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD MAY HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME FATE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF RUST ON ANY AUTO I HAVE EVER OWNED. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO SALT WATER. ROADS ARE SALTED IN WINTER ON LONG ISLAND. (AS AN ASIDE, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BUMPER PRIOR TO STARTING THE TRIP BECAUSE IT HAD RUSTED THROUGH FROM BEHIND. IT SEEMS THAT INFERIOR MATERIALS WERE PURCHASED BY GM). *TR
FRONT BRAKE LINES FAILED ON BOAT RAMP ON 9/15/2010 REAR BRAKE LINES FAILED ON 7/20/2011, TRANSMISSION LINES FAIL ON 5/10/2012 I AM SURE GAS LINES ARE NEXT. TRUCK IS A COMPLETE RUST BUCKET UNDERNEATH.
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.
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