2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Engine Problems

In the middle of the taxiway, while I was traveling my truck turned off while it was running and did not turn on again, putting my safety at risk by being in the middle of the taxiway, after several minutes the truck was able to be removed from the road, then I was able to investigate that I am not the only one that the same thing has happened to him, there is no Safety Recall in this regard, the GM fabric is aware of these cases but only wrote a TSB, it was diagnosed with the scanner and it gave code U1800, before the event there were no lights warning but after the event there is a check engine light on.

NHTSA ID

11460336

Incident

Apr 1, 2022

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE BREAKING ON THE 6.0 ENGINE. I THINK GM SHOULD DO THIS REPAIR SINCE I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND THIS IS VERY COMMON. IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. I HAVE PUT UP WITH THIS AS IT STARTED AS A SMALL LEAK BUT IS GETTING WORSE.

NHTSA ID

11054573

Incident

Feb 3, 2015

Mileage

160,000 mi

5 OUT OF 8 EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE BROKEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE AND 2 ON DRIVERS SIDE. I HAVE 120K MILES ON VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10967631

Incident

Jul 2, 2014

Mileage

114,000 mi

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE BREAKING CREATING A FIRE HAZARD FROM THE HOT EXHAUST REACHING THE WIRING HARNESS, IT IS ALSO CREATING FUMES IN MY CAB. FIRST NOTED A NOISE A WEEK AGO, FOUND IT TO BE A EXHAUST LEAK AND THE LEAK HAS GRADUALLY GOTTEN WORSE. I AM UNABLE TO NOT DRIVE TO THE TRUCK DUE TO WORK.

NHTSA ID

10958705

Incident

Feb 28, 2017

Mileage

114,215 mi

THE VEHICLE GOES INTO REDUCED ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE LOSES POWER TO ABOUT 20 MPH. IF DRIVING 70 MPH IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE SUDDEN REDUCED ENGINE POWER WILL CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLY KILL SOMEBODY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING THE LAST FEW MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10933894

Incident

Dec 8, 2016

Mileage

178,000 mi

TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. PULLED OVER AND WITHIN SEVERAL MINUTES THE WHOLE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10875454

Incident

Jun 20, 2016

Mileage

107,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING FAILED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED NERVE PAIN IN THE BACK AND LEGS FROM THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 196,000.

NHTSA ID

10837778

Incident

Feb 23, 2016

Mileage

196,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

NHTSA ID

10779660

Incident

Sep 11, 2012

Mileage

195,000 mi

AT FREEWAY SPEEDS I NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE HAD DROPPED TO ALMOST 2 OUT OF 10 ON THE PRESSURE GAUGE. I STOPPED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND LET THE ENGINE COOL FOR 20 MINUTES. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND COLOR. IT WAS OK IN BOTH RESPECTS. AFTER ANOTHER 30 MINUTES I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND CONTINUED HOME. I WATCHED THE PRESSURE GAGE FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND SAW THE PRESSURE READING CONTINUE TO FALL TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL BUT THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE CHEVY DEALER IN EL CENTRO, CA 92243 FOR THEIR ANALYSIS. THEY SAID IT WAS ONLY POOR OIL AND NEEDED CHANGING. I LET THEM SERVICE THE TRUCK AS THEY WISHED. THEY ALSO SCANNED (SWEPT) THE GAUGES AND CHANGED THE OIL AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. THE NEXT DAY IT DID THE SAME THING. I DID NOT RETURN TO THE DEALER AS I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR AN ARGUMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10610865

Incident

Jul 11, 2014

Mileage

86,800 mi

MY 2003 CHEVY 2500 HD HAS AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAK AND THIS IS AN ONGOING AND CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. I CAN SEE EVIDENCE OF HOT EXHAUST GASES LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607921

Incident

Jul 2, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE BROKEN OFF IN BLOCK CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKS AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS COMPUTER GETTING MIXED SIGNALS, O2 SENSOR AND WILL CAUSE MOTOR TO GO BAD IN TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10587505

Incident

May 6, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, HE NOTICED A TICKING SOUND FROM THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE BEARING AND TIMING CHAIN WERE DAMAGED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRANSFER CASE DID NOT CONTAIN ANY FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

NHTSA ID

10567813

Incident

Feb 20, 2014

Mileage

195,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" IS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. STEPPING ON THE GAS DOES NOTHING. THE VEHICLE JUST COASTS ALONG AND RUNS ROUGH. I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T CLEAR THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY AND NEEDS TO BE RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES. THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY DAY, ON BUSY EXPRESSWAYS OR ON MAIN ROADS AND SIDE ROADS. THE GAS PEDAL LOSES COMMUNICATION WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS IS NERVE WRACKING WHEN DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE WONT RESPOND TO STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. TRYING TO GET OVER SEVERAL LANES TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IS DANGEROUS WHEN THERE IS NO ACCELERATION. IT IS ALSO BAD WHEN ON A BUSY, MAIN ROAD, THE VEHICLE "ACTS UP". I HAVE TO PULL OVER, BLOCKING TRAFFIC, UNTIL I CAN GET IT GOING AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560532

Incident

Jan 18, 2012

WE WERE TRAVELING EAST ON I-90 IN MASS. TRAFFIC CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SLOW AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. UPON INVESTIGATION AFTER THE CRASH WE FOUND AT LEAST TWO BADLY CORRODED BRAKE LINES THAT HAD BURST.*JB

NHTSA ID

10538490

Incident

Aug 30, 2013

Mileage

33,500 mi

THIS IS THE 3RD TIME FOR INJECTORS IN OUR 2003 INJECTORS, NOT ONE INJECTOR...ALL 8. LUCKY THIS TIME JUST 4 HRS. FROM HOME AND SOMEBODY TO COME WITH TRAILER TO PICK US UP. SEEMS INJECTORS ONLY LAST 20 TP 30,000 MILES AND THEY ARE GONE CRACKED. GM WONT BACK THEM KNOWING THEY ARE A PROBLEM, AND $5,000.00 EACH TIME THEY ARE REPLACED. GM INJECTORS ARE JUNK OUT THE DOOR AND LEAVING HUNDREDS OF OWNERS STRANDED ON HIGHWAY AND SUFFERING TOW BILL AND REPAIRS, BUT THIS TIME WE ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK WHICH SLAMMED ON HIS BREAKS BLOWING A TIRE TO MISS US AND OUR HORSE TRAILER WITH 3 HORSES IN IT. THE ABF TRUCKER THAT ALMOST HIT US IN THE REAR PULLED OVER AS WE DID, AND TOLD HIM THE TRUCK JUST STALLED, WE PULLED THE HOOD AND DIESEL FUEL WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND HE STATED I CRACKED MY INJECTORS, THE LOCAL GM DEALER TOLD ME THE SAME THING AND THAT YEAR HAS PLENTY OF PROBLEMS WITH INJECTORS BUT GM WONT REPLACE THEM. WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE, ANOTHER BUS LOAD OF KIDS KILLED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE?? ANOTHER $5,000.00 DONATION TO GM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10526080

Incident

Jul 5, 2013

Mileage

180,000 mi

FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED ALL 8 INJECTORS AT 34901 MILES, AGAIN AT 85039, AND AGAIN AT 141,000 AND NOW AGAIN AT 185,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10511832

Incident

Aug 12, 2004

Mileage

34,901 mi

I NOTICE A TICKING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. I ASSUMED IT MAY BE AN EXHAUST LEAK AND I WAS CORRECT. THIS VEHICLE HAS A STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT SHOULD LAST A LIFETIME YET THERE SEEMS TO BE A REAL PROBLEM WITH EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BREAKING OFF, CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKS WHICH POLLUTE THE AIR AND RUIN OTHER VEHICLE COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I AM ALSO THINKING THAT THE MANIFOLDS ARE WARPING CAUSING THE BOLTS TO BREAK. THESE REPAIRS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND/OR TIME CONSUMING. STAINLESS STEEL BOLTS WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY PREVENTED THIS PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS 1999 TO 2007 VEHICLES AND I HEREBY REQUEST THAT A RECALL BE FORCED UPON THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN BUILDING CARS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER. THERE IS ALSO A VIDEO ON YOU - TUBE THAT EXPLAINS THIS CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509263

Incident

Apr 19, 2013

Mileage

112,780 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ID

10492279

Incident

Sep 5, 2012

Mileage

79,000 mi

MY 2003 SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCK HAS BEEN FOUND TO HAVE A COMMON AND RECURRENT PROBLEM. EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BREAK, AND ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR, THEY CAN BE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. A FEW MINUTES OF WEB SEARCHING ON THIS TOPIC PRODUCED A NUMBER OF RESULTS AND MY CONCLUSION IS THE ISSUE IS COMMON. THE ONLINE COMPLAINTS ALSO INDICATE THAT THE SUCCESS RATE FOR THE REPAIR IS NOT GOOD, WITH MANY REPAIRED VEHICLES HAVING SUBSEQUENT BOLT FAILURES. MY VEHICLE IS IN AN AUTHORIZED CHEVY SERVICE GARAGE HAVING THE BOLTS REPLACED. THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS FOR $486, IF CYLINDER HEAD DID NOT NEED TO BE REMOVED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN BROKE A TAP OFF IN THE REAR MOST BOLT LOCATION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAPPENED BEFORE HEAD REMOVAL OR AFTER. IT BECAME NECESSARY TO REMOVE THE CYLINDER HEAD AND WAS REQUOTED AT $1600. A CALL WAS MADE TO GM 3-6-12. THE RESPONSE WAS THAT MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE FORE THEY COULD BE OF NO ASSISTANCE IN THE MATTER. I AM CERTAINLY AWARE OF THE WARRANTY TERMS. MY ISSUE IS WITH THE SCALE OF THIS ENGINEERING/MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND THE COST TO THE OWNERS. THE ISSUE CAN CAUSE EMISSIONS PROBLEMS DUE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE AND FURTHER EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10450482

Incident

Mar 1, 2012

Mileage

99,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE FAILED STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES AND LEAKING EXHAUST AROUND HEAD GASKET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10448351

Incident

Feb 17, 2012

THE HEADS OF THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS TO THE CYLINDER HEADS ARE BREAKING OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON CAUSING AN EXHAUST LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10439713

Incident

Dec 11, 2011

Mileage

72,986 mi

I HAVE HAD A EXHAUST LEAK THAT I FINALLY PINPOINTED TO BE BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS. THE TRUCK WAS BOUGHT NEW BY ME AND HAS NEVER HAD ANY EXHAUST WORK DONE. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER TO HAVE THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR DONE. APPARENTLY THIS SEEMS TO BE AN EXTENSIVE PROBLEM, WITH THESE BOLTS. THIS I UNDERSTAND TO BE AN EXTENSIVE REPAIR. GM KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BOLTS, WHY WONT THEY MAKE IT RIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10428267

Incident

Oct 3, 2011

Mileage

110,000 mi

2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500HD W/ 8.1L ENGINE. WITH 59,000 MILES. I NOTICED A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I TOOK INTO A DEALERSHIP FOR SOME OTHER SERVICE AND HAD THEM CHECK THIS NOISE ALSO. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A WARPED RIGHT SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I ALSO KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS SAME ENGINE IN THERE MOTORHOMES THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10392534

Incident

Jan 3, 2011

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT THE FAILURE BECAME FREQUENT, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 07V521000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; THEY AGREED TO CALL HIM AT A LATER DATE TO INFORM HIM IF THEY WERE GOING TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ID

10377036

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

Mileage

2,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY 2500 SILVERADO WITH THE 6 LITER V8. 2 YEARS AGO I NOTICED A TICKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER LOOKING CLOSER I FOUND A BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 130,000 MILES ON IT. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER WHILE CHANGING OIL I FOUND ANOTHER BROKEN BOLT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS YEAR WHILE CHANGING PLUGS I FOUND ANOTHER BROKEN BOLT ON THE LEFT SIDE. I WAS LOOKING ON THE INTERNET TO GET SOME TIPS ON FIXING THE PROBLEM WHEN I CAME ACROSS A UTUBE VIDEO BY CARQUESTIONS AND FOUND OUT THIS IS NOT JUST BAD LUCK ON MY PART IT IS A VERY WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM AND AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT BY GM. THIS IS NOT AN EASY FIX AND TO GET IT DONE IS MORE THAN I CAN AFFORD. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY NOW BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IT HAS CREATED WITH THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM. THIS WAS NOT THE RESULT OF ANY ACTIONS OF MINE. I HAVE DONE THE MAINTENANCE TO MAINTAIN THIS VEHICLE. GM NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369949

Incident

Jun 1, 2009

Mileage

130,000 mi