Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hd submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words
1) BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. 2) A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED ONLY TO BE TOTALLY DEAD WITHIN 1 WEEK 3) ALTERNATOR REPLACED AS THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM 4) FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND IT IS THE ABS SYSTEM AS THE MODULATOR / PUMP FOR THIS SYSTEM WOULD CONTINUALLY RUN EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF.
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WILL STOP WORKING. NO GAUGES, SPEEDOMETER, OR TACHOMETER. USUALLY OCCURS AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVING/HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR MODEL. SOMETIMES THE CLUSTER WILL BECOME ACTIVE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, BUT USUALLY DOESN'T.
BRIGHT LITE INDICATOR LITE COMES ON DASH WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION, KILLS BATTERY OVER NITE. GAS GAUGE IN DASH DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, TRUCK HAS TO GET MOVING, SOMETIMES RIGHT AWAY AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE LONGER. HAD TO REPLACE MY THROTTLE BODY CONTROL A COUPLE MONTHS PRIOR
MY WHOLE DASHBOARD STOPS WORKING THE GAUGES LIGHTS EVERYTHING JUST STOPPED WORKING. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE AND EVERYTHING STOPPED WORKING BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT ALL CAME BACK ON FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND IT ALL SHUT OFF AGAIN AND NEVER CAME BACK ON I MADE IT HOME AND TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND WENT INSIDE. I GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING TO GO TO WORK AND CRANKED THE TRUCK AND NO GAUGES OR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING STILL. I SLAMMED MY HAND DOWN ON TOP OF THE DASHBOARD AND EVERYTHING CAME ON AND WAS WORKING BUT THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG AND EVERYTHING SHUT OFF AGAIN.
TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE WAS EMITTING OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE AIR VENT DUCT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,403 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
RADIO SPEAKERS WENT OUT WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER TINKERED WITH BUT NEVER FOUND EXACT PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE. THEN LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR INDICATOR CAME ON WHILE DRIVING 4 YEARS AGO STILL DOESN'T WORK MOST OF THE TIME. FUEL GAUGE INOP. 2 YRS AGO. THEN SPEEDOMETER ERRATIC SINCE AUGUST LAST YEAR. AND SINCE OCT 2013 VEHICLE JUST DIES AT LOW RPMS OR IDLES ERRATIC. ONE OUT OF 53 DAYS MOST EVERYTHING. WORKS FINE EXCEPT FUEL GAUGE. THEN ALL OF SUDDEN ALL THE PROBLEMS COME BACK. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS ALL PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BUT WITH THE IT BEING OVER THE MILEAGE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTHING CAN BE DONE AND SINCE JUST SWAPPING OUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MAY NOT FIX ANY OF THE PROBLEMS I SHOULD JUST LIVE WITH IT. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS INOPERABLE AND THE PLASTIC WIRES THAT CAME FROM THE UNIT WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REPEATED THOSE SENTIMENTS. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE INTERMITTENTLY DISPLAYED IMPROPER READINGS OF EMPTY AND FULL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY DISPLAYED IMPROPER SPEED READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS CONTINUED TO FAIL. CALLED LOCAL CHEVY DEALER, BECAUSE TRUCK IS OVER THE MILEAGE IT IS NO LONGER COVERED BY RECALL THAT I WAS NOT INFORMED OF. FIRST OIL PRESSURE GAUGE QUIT THEN SPEEDOMETER FAILED. CHEVY HAS KNOWN OF THE PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, I HEAR A CHIME FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THEN NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER ACCELERATE. I ALSO NOTICE THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AND THERE IS A MESSAGE DISPLAYED STATING THE VEHICLE IS IN "LOW ENGINE POWER MODE". AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE CAN STILL BE DRIVEN BUT AT VERY LOW SPEED ONLY. ANY POWER FOR MANEUVERABILITY UNDER HEAVY TRAFFIC OR HIGHWAY CONDITIONS IS GONE. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON BUT THE ENGINE POWER MAY HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL (FOR A WHILE). THE FOLLOWING DAY OR SO - THE ENGINE LIGHT MAY EVEN STAY OFF, AND EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL. WHEN THE PROBLEM IS FIRST NOTICED, IT SEEMS TO RECUR EVERY FEW DAYS. AS TIME GOES ON HOWEVER (MAYBE 2 WEEKS) THE PROBLEM HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY AND IS LESS APT TO "RESET" JUST BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL SENSOR CONNECTOR, FOR A TOTAL BILL OF ABOUT $350. NOW, AFTER ONLY 10 MONTH, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER YESTERDAY, AFTER ONLY TWO OF THESE "EVENTS" WITHIN ONE WEEK, AND WAS CHARGED ANOTHER $535 TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED ("FAULTY SENSORS WITHIN THE BODY"). LAST NIGHT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN (YES - SAME DAY!). TODAY THE DEALER ADDED A "REDUNDANT" GROUND TO THE THROTTLE BODY (NO CHARGE THIS TIME). I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS SHOWN UP ON MANY VEHICLES LIKE MINE, AND THAT GM SEEMS TO BE AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (NO DIRECT LINKAGE BETWEEN GAS PEDAL AND CARBURETOR). I AM THANKFUL THAT GM DESIGNED THIS TO FAIL WITH POWER LOSS RATHER THAN FULL POWER (TOYOTA), BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN NONE THE LESS. GM IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO REPAIR AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR PRODUCT. *TR
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER SUDDENLY WENT ON OUR 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO. GMC SUPPOSEDLY OFFERED A VOLUNTARY WARRANTY EXTENSION, BUT TOLD CUSTOMERS NOT TO TAKE TRUCK TO DEALERS UNLESS THE ISSUE WAS PRESENT. WE HAVE 86,800 MILES ON THE TRUCK. THE ODOMETER AND BATTERY GAUGE ARE BROKEN. IT NOW SAYS WE ARE GOING 20MPH WHEN WE ARE PARKED! GMC MADE US PAY $45 FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR WILL COST $415. GMC DENIES COVERAGE FOR THIS ISSUE, BASED ON THEIR POLICY REGARDING MILES. WE DO NOT THINK TRUCK WILL PASS INSPECTION UNLESS WE GET REPAIRS DONE , AND WE ALSO THINK NOT KNOWING SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING OR THE STATUS OF YOUR BATTERY COULD POSE POTENTIAL SAFETY RISKS. WE ALSO WANT TO ADVISE OTHERS TO GET IT DONE BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURS. *TR
SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ON MY 03 CHEVY SILVERADO, SOMETIMES GETS STUCK AT 40 MPH. *TR
THE GAUGES HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. IT STARTED WITH THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND NOW NONE OF THEM ARE WORKING. WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $500.00 TO REPLACE TO DEFECTED PART AND THAT GM ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UP TO 70,000 MILES. WHY NOT A RECALL??? WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS THAT ARE HERE, THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS PART AND STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS ESPECIALLY IF THEY WANT A BAIL OUT. *TR
SPEEDOMETER JUST QUIT WORKING, JUMPS FROM 10 TO 70+. SHOWS A MINIMUM OF 10 MPH PARKED. NOT EXACTLY SAFE TO NOT HAVE A CLUE HOW FAST YOUR GOING. I SEARCHED ON THE NET SUSPECTING AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, BUT FOUND THIS HAS AFFECTED 8 TO 10 MODELS FOR 4 PLUS YEARS, ARE YOU KIDDING ME. JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS WITH THE SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM!!!!! *TR
I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500HD, MY PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE HEATED SEATS COMING ON AND GOING OFF BY THEIR SELF. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. NOW MY TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER HAVE STOPPED WORKING. I THINK I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT DEFECTED INSTRUMENT PANEL FROM CHEVROLET THAT REQUIRED REPLACING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BUT I CAN NOT FIND ANY INFORMATION ON THAT. I WOULD LIKE GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE IT CONTINUES SHORTING OUT THE REST OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TR
SPEEDOMETER WILL OCCASIONALLY READ FROM 5 TO 30 MPH FROM TRUE SPEED. WHEN THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURS, STOPPING THE TRUCK WILL NOT CAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER TO GO TO 0 MPH AS EXPECTED BUT WILL READ, FOR INSTANCE, 25 MPH. TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE WHILE PARKED WILL MAKE THE SPEEDOMETER READ APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH CLOSER TO ZERO EACH TIME. THIS MALFUNCTION HAS CAUSED ME TO DRIVE AT INAPPROPRIATE SPEED MANY TIMES. *TR
I PURCHASED THE TRUCK USED WITH 83,000 MILES IN AUGUST OF 2007. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE WATER TEMP GAUGE MOVED ALL THE WAY AROUND AND THEN WENT BACK TO ZERO AND STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK FOR A FEW DAYS AND STARTED WORKING AGAIN. BUT FOR HOW LONG? AND NOW I'VE HEARD GM ISSUED AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" JUST FOR THE GAUGES AND MUST HAVE UNDER 70,000 MILES INSTEAD OF A RECALL. *TR
SPEEDOMETER STUCK AT 40 MPH. *TR
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON 2003 CHEV SILVERADO 1500HD IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. INSTRUMENTS READ WRONG OR DO NOT WORK AT ALL. BROUGHT TRUCK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST OVER $700.00 TO FIX AND COULD NOT AFFORD IT. RECEIVED NOTICE FROM GM LAST WEEK SAYING THEY WOULD COVER UP TO 70,000 MILES, MY TRUCK HAS MORE THAN THAT NOW, BUT PROBLEM STARTED AT 50,000 MILES. GM SHOULD ISSUE A FULL RECALL AND TAKE CARE OF THIS HAZARD. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DIAL REMAINS ON ZERO. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
SPEEDOMETER RECORDS WRONG SPEED GRADUALLY MOVING AHEAD TO PEGGING SELF AT 120 MPH. EACH TIME VEHICLE WAS STOPPED SPEEDOMETER WILL CORRECT BY 5 MPH. THUS, I DID NOT KNOW SPEED I WAS MOVING AT. STARTED VEHICLE ENOUGH TIMES TO MOVE BACK TO 0.*AK
SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD QUICK WORKING. HAVE HEAR MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS IN THIS ISSUE. THE SPEEDOMETER WILL BE STUCK ON 50 MPH WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WONT GO BACK DOWN. *JB
SPEEDOMETER AND GAUGES STOP WORKING. *JB
SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING AT 40120 MILES. *JB
SPEEDOMETER STUCK ON 120 MPH AT TIMES. *NM
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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