2003 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck: common problems

Owners of the 2003 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck filed 40 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 40

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 40% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
3 Steering 13% of all complaints
4 Structure 13% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
7 Exterior lighting 3% of all complaints
8 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 16 complaints (40% of all).
Service brakes: 10 complaints (25% of all).
Steering: 5 complaints (13% of all).
Structure: 5 complaints (13% of all).
Powertrain: 2 complaints (5% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 40 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure6 · 15%
rust, corrosion6 · 15%
knocking, grinding or other noise5 · 13%
warning lights, check engine3 · 8%
fuel system, fuel smell2 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 5%
stalls while driving2 · 5%
A/C or heater1 · 3%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 3%
won't start1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	16	0	0
Service brakes	10	0	0
Steering	5	0	0
Structure	5	0	0
Powertrain	2	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0
Other	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

I had a check engine light appear last week and brought the 2003 ssr for service wednesday 10-24-12. Service team identified the issue as a crack in the gas tank. The crack was at the fill area where the plastic neck connection goes into the plastic tank.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2012-11-08 · NHTSA complaint #10483748
The brake lines are rusted out causing them to fail in two different spots in the last 2 months. This is a manufacture defect using this type of metal on this part.
Service brakes · 2012-09-26 · NHTSA complaint #10477216
Hooked up my trailer to the 2003 chevy silverado and drove to the gas station and depressed the brake pedal went to the floor, no brakes. I was lucky to have not been on the freeway like the day before when my wife and I drove 20 miles doing 70 mpr, wow we could be dead right now.
Service brakes · 2012-07-06 · NHTSA complaint #10464499
"guessed" at cause listing 4 different possibility's from corroded lines to booster pressure to caliber failure. No incident as of yet. Also similar problems listed with speedometer and gauges fortunately mine eventually returned to normal after about a week.
Electrical system · 2010-07-26 · NHTSA complaint #10345216
Speed odometer, fuel gauge engine temperature gauges will not work fuel gauge is stuck at 1/2 a tank of fuel, temperature gauge will not read proper temperature. Speed odometer will read 100mph or more while stopped this problem started two weeks ago and when I received a service letter from gm the truck was already…
Electrical system · 2009-12-28 · NHTSA complaint #10297251
Defective interior door handles on a chevy truck/cab on my rv. The interior door handles have a poor and weak design. They are held onto the doors by small plastic pins that broke off easily. They should have a metal screw that would hold them more securely to the door back.
Structure · 2009-11-07 · NHTSA complaint #10291309
While driving rt.523 to flemington,nj ,I needed to use the brakes to decelerate and when I pushed the pedal went to the floor no brakes [xxx] near rearended the vehicle in front of me. My vehicle is a chevrolet 2003 silverado 2500hd ext.cab truck shortbed.
Service brakes · 2009-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #10283690
When I am pulling into a driveway or parking area, if the wheels are turned hard to the left or the right, when stopping and putting the truck in park, the steering wheel locks and you cannot get the steering wheel unlocked.
Steering · 2009-04-19 · NHTSA complaint #10265997

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20034
20045
20055
20063
20078
20085
20094
20102
20111
20123

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,948 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Chevrolet Truck has 16 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 40, above average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, steering. Total complaints: 40. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (15%), rust, corrosion (15%), knocking, grinding or other noise (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2003 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2003 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.