RoadVitals

2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hd Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Dec 2, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 101 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. 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. 10 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Dec 2, 2018

SEVERAL OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS HAVE SNAPPED/SHEARED CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKS BETWEEN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND EXHAUST PORT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. I'M LEARNING THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT HAS GONE UNADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER, BUT IS CLEARLY AN EMISSIONS AND FUNCTIONALITY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP IN HOLDING THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS APPARENT MECHANICAL DEFECT. AS OF NOW, THEY OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11155467
Incident
Dec 16, 2014
Mileage
174,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 18, 2014

3 OF THE 6 EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS HAVE BROKEN OFF ON LEFT SIDE ,2 ON THE RIGHT SIDE . I NOW HAVE THE EXHAUST TICKING SOUND AND ON OCCASION GET EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE CAB.I NOTICED THE FIRST BROKEN BOLT AT APPROX 55000 MILES. I NOW HAVE 112000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10648537
Incident
Oct 1, 2014
Mileage
55,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 1, 2014

OK THE PROBLEM I'M ABOUT TO STATE IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 1500 HDS SINCE THEY WHERE NEW AND CHEVY HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OVER THE YEARS WITH A REFUSAL TO REPAIR. THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL IS WHAT THE PEDAL SENSOR TELLS TO MOVE THE THROTTLE BODY. EVERY SO OFTEN (SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY) THIS MODULE WEIRDS OUT AND PUTS THE TRUCK IN TO REDUCED ENGINE POWER (LIMP MODE) AND WON'T DO OVER 25 MPH WHICH IS VERY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRAVELING FREEWAYS AND TURN PIKES WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS HIGH.I MYSELF HAVE BEEN ALMOST RAN OVER BY BIG RIGS BECAUSE MY TRUCK DECIDED TO GO INTO THIS REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. I MYSELF HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE MULTIPLE TIMES WITH CHEVROLET CORPORATE WITH THEM TELLING ME THAT I'M SCREWED AND TO GET OVER IT. DON'T GET ME WRONG I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I JUST WISH CHEVY WOULD STAND BY THEIR VEHICLES INSTEAD OF BLOWING US OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10629944
Incident
Nov 23, 2013
Mileage
148,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 24, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT FOUR OF THE EXHAUST HEADER MANIFOLD BOLT HEADS WERE MISSING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND BOLTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

NHTSA ID
10616108
Incident
Jul 3, 2014
Mileage
108,000 mi
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Sep 23, 2013

LOST POWER TO ENGINE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. FAULT ON DASH SHOWED (REDUCED ENGINE POWER). PULLED TO SHOULDER OF HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO RESTART ENGINE TO NO AVAIL. AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES ENGINE STARTED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR A FEW DAYS. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR AND HAVE STILL BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. IT WILL SOMETIMES DRIVE FOR A FEW DAYS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM, BUT SOME DAYS IT WILL OCCUR 10 OR MORE TIMES IN A DAY. I HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL WEBSITES ONLY TO SEE SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM EVEN ON DIFFERENT MODELS AND YEAR VEHICLE'S. THIS COULD AND MAY WELL HAVE CAUSED DEATHLY AUTO ACCIDENTS. I HAVE LOOKED FOR A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND COULD NOT FIND ONE. MY QUESTION IS, "ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO RECALL EFFECTED VEHICLES FOR THE ISSUE OF "REDUCED ENGINE POWER?" PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS ASAP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN.

NHTSA ID
10544977
Incident
Aug 3, 2011
Mileage
110,250 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 25, 2011

GM 2004 1500HD TRUCK: GM CAN'T FIX THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER PROBLEM. THE CODE THAT THEY CAN'T FIX KEEPS SAYING ITS THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR. I HAVE HAD GM DEALER TRY TO FIX WHAT THIS CODE IS TELLING THEM BUT STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. BASED OFF RESEARCH THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHER GM TRUCK OWNERS. WHEN THIS SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON & DISPLAYS REDUCE ENGINE POWER THE TRUCK BASICALLY SHUTS DOWN. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN RUNNING IN THE LEFT LANE OF A MAJOR HWY AND ALMOST GOT RUN OVER. PLEASE HAVE GM DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I'M SURE IF IT HASN'T KILLED ANYONE YET IT WILL. ONLY THING DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE TOYOTA PROBLEM AND THE GM PROBLEM IS ONE SPEEDS UP AND THE OTHER SLOWS DOWN TO 20MPH. AS I HAVE STATED THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS A LOT SO DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE INCIDENT DATE I HAD TO ENTER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10402737
Incident
Jan 1, 2011
Mileage
120,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 5, 2011

AUGUST 2007 PURCHASED 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 41,000 MILES FOUND OUT AFTER PURCHASE MANIFOLD BOLTS ON DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WERE BROKE. TOOK VEHICLE INTO CHEVROLET DEALER HAD LEFT SIDE MANIFOLD REPLACED AND BOUGHT UP GRADE BOLTS FROM GM. AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 2011 MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE BREAKING AGAIN CAUSING MANIFOLD LEAK WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF EMISSIONS AND ALSO CAN CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD IF THIS PROBLEM ISN'T ADDRESSED THAT GM HAS FAULTY MANIFOLDS SOMEONE MAY END UP SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE TRUCK NOW HAS 72,000 MILES ON IT DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SECOND PROBLEM AND NO HELP WAS GIVEN.

NHTSA ID
10381934
Incident
Feb 1, 2011
Engine
Filed Jan 20, 2011

2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT BROKE. LESS THAN 100K MILES. COSTLY REPAIR TO HAVE THE BOLT DRILLED OUT AND REPLACE ALL BOLTS AND GASKET. EXHAUST LEAKS AND CAN HEAR TICKING NOISE FOR THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OR SO AFTER THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. ALSO CAUSES MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON, PULLING ERROR CODES FOR OXYGEN SENSORS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10378072
Incident
Nov 26, 2010
Mileage
88,000 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Apr 11, 2010

I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD THIS PAST WINTER AND A CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME...I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO BRAKES AND THANKFULLLY WAS ABLE TO GET AROUND THE CAR INTO THE OTHER LANE WITHOUT INJURY. THE BRAKE LINES WERE ALL CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD THERE BEEN VEHICLES IN THE OTHER LANE. IN ADDITION TO THIS THE SPEEDOMETER OFTEN STOPS WORKING AND IS REGISTERING AT THE WRONG SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10324969
Incident
Nov 23, 2009
Mileage
110,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 23, 2009
Fire reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

NHTSA ID
10274707
Incident
Jun 12, 2009
Mileage
60,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .