Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 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 26, in the owner's own words
SIGNIFICANT CORROSION OF THE FUEL (GASOLINE) LINES CAUSING LEAK AND POSSIBLE SAFETY HAZARD (FIRE). SEVERAL FORUMS REPORT BRAKE AND FUEL LINE PREMATURE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION. GM NOT ADDRESSING THIS KNOWN PROBLEM.
ON OCTOBER 22,2015 WHILE DRIVEING ON INTERSTATE 75 THE FUEL PUMP STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND RESULTING IN A NEAR DISASTEROUS SITUATION.RESULTS $751.81 REPAIR COST PLUS TOW. THEN ONE WEEK LATER,OCTOBER 29 2015 AT WILMINGTON PIKE AND INERTSTATE 675 RED LIGHT MY BRAKE LINES BURST AND I NARROWLY AVOIDED A WRECK. REPAIR COST $870.17 .I WAS NOT NOTEAFIDE OF ANY RECALL. SO BE FAIR WARNING IF I HAD KNOWN OR BEEN I WOULD HAVE FIXED IT
THIS IS THE SECOND OF THREE FATAL COLLISIONS INVESTIGATED THIS YEAR BY MY OFFICE INVOLVING CHEVROLET PICKUPS THAT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN FRONTAL COLLISIONS. THIS WAS AN OFF SET HEAD ON, PASSENGER SIDE TO PASSENGER SIDE. PASSENGER IN PICKUP WAS PINNED IN VEHICLE DUE TO CRUSH AND CONSUMED BY FIRE.
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR BUG OFTEN DUE TO CORROSION AFTER LESS THAN 1000 MILES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED COVER OVER THE AC LINE AND THAT HAD LITTLE EFFECT. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURE FLAW. *TR
RECENTLY, MY VEHICLE HAS HAD A HARD TIME STARTING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT INSPECTED/DIAGNOSED. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FUEL PUMP/FILTER COMBO AS WELL AS ALL THE INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST ME JUST UNDER $6000.00 FOR THE REPAIR. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION TODAY AFTER RESEARCHING THAT THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE TO THE POINT THAT GM ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AND MODIFIED THE BULLETIN TO EXTEND THE TIME FRAME AND/OR TOTAL MILEAGE, BUT THAT TIME EXTENSION HAS EXPIRED BEFORE MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED THE SAME ISSUE THAT THE BULLETIN ADDRESSES. WITH SUCH A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM SUCH AS THE NATURE OF THIS MAGNITUDE, WHY DOES THIS NOT FALL UNDER A MANDATORY RECALL FROM NHTSA? I USE MY VEHICLE FOR ONLY WEEKEND RECREATION, AND AS SUCH, I ONLY HAVE 42K MILES ON MY VEHICLE, AND FOR AN ENGINE THAT I PAID A PREMIUM FOR, I THINK THAT IT IS JUST PLAIN WRONG TO EXPECT TO PAY SUCH AN OUTRAGEOUS BILL FOR AN ENGINE THAT IS ADVERTISED AS A 'TOUGH, LONG-LASTING ENGINE'. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE GM TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY LIKE ME OUT THERE, AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT OWN THESE VEHICLES. *TR
AFTER NOTICING A GAS LEAK, I ASKED MY FATHER TO DRIVE MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. WHEN HE PUT THE TRUCK INTO REVERSE HE HAD NO BRAKES AND HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEFORE ROLLING INTO MY MOTHER'S CAR BEHIND HIM. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP, ALL OF MY BRAKE LINES AND GAS LINES WERE BADLY RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPON RESEARCH I FOUND THIS PROBLEM QUITE WIDESPREAD AND EXPENSIVE, NOT TO MENTION THE CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVED. I DO WANT TO KNOW THAT CHEVROLET/GM IS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SAFETY AND IS ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM.
WHILE BEING SERVICED, MY MECHANIC OBSERVED SIGNIFICANT RUST ON FUEL LINES, TRANSMISSION AND BRAKE LINES UNDERNEATH MY TRUCK, AS WELL AS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. LINES ARE NOT LEAKING AS OF THE DATE OF THIS REPORT. *TR
FUEL TANK FILLER TUBE RUSTED THROUGH AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. JUST NOTICED THE SAME YEAR EXPRESS VAN HAD A RECALL AND THOUGHT I SHOULD FILE A REPORT FOR WRK ALREADY COMPLETED ON MY TRUCK LAST YEAR. *TR
ON APRIL 19, 2012, THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME THAT TWO OR THREE OF MY 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO DIESEL FUEL INJECTORS, PART# 97729095, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND RECOMMENDED ALL EIGHT FUEL INJECTORS SHOULD BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $5,260,18. I ASKED IF THIS REPAIR WAS COVERED BY CHEVROLET AND THE DEALER REPRESENTATIVE SAID MY TRUCK DID NOT QUALIFY BECAUSE THE TIME LIMIT HAD EXPIRED. HE SAID IF THE VEHICLES FUEL INJECTORS HAD FAILED WITHIN THE FIRST 200,000 MILES OR WITHIN THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS THEY WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS AT NO COST. ON THAT DATE, APRIL 19, 2012 MY VEHICLE HAD 36,273 MILES AND WAS 9 YEARS OLD, I ASKED WHY THE DEALERSHIP HADN'T NOTIFIED ME OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY ME AND REFUSED TO REPLACE/REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE FUEL INJECTORS. *TR
HAD FUEL IN OIL NEW INJECTORS REPLACED AND 5000 MILES LATER HAD TO REPLACE FUEL INJECTOR PUMP LEAKING ON BOTTOM. NOW TRUCK LOSE FUEL FROM FILTER AND HAS TO BE HAND PUMPED TO START TRUCK CAN SAT FOR DAYS AND BE OK OR MAY SAT FOR JUST COUPLE HOURS LOSE FUEL PRESSURE. HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE STEERING PUMP REPLACED. *TR
ANYONE HAD THEIR CHEVY TRUCK FUEL PUMP REPLACED? APPARENTLY THIS IS A DEFAULT ON LOTS OF 2000 AND LATER GM SUV'S & TRUCKS, A QUICK SURVEY OF PEOPLE I KNOW AND THEIR CONTACTS HAS REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE (4 CONFIRMED). MY 2003 TRUCK (45K MILES) IS SITTING IN A DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR ME TO AUTHORIZE +$1,000 IN REPAIRS (@10% OF THE VALUE OF THE TRUCK). THERE IS A RECALL FOR TAHOE'S & SUBURBANS ETC. REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I WANT TO ESCALATE THIS ISSUE AND MAKE IT A RECALL ITEM. A FUEL PUMP THAT FAILS TO DELIVER ENOUGH FUEL TO AN ENGINE WILL LEAN IT OUT AND EVENTUALLY KILL THE MOTOR, MAKING THIS A LARGER FINANCIAL AND HAZARDOUS ISSUE. PLEASE LET THE NHTSA KNOW IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU. IF IT HAPPENED TO AN ASSOCIATE OF YOURS, PLEASE HAVE THEM EMAIL THE NTSB DIRECTLY. ON CRAIGSLIST. *JB
4X4 NOT WORKING, CHARCOAL CANISTER, CD-PLAYER 3 TIMES, COMPLETE NEW BRAKE SYSTEM FROM ROTORS,SEALS,CALIPERES ETC. THAT I PAID FOR $1,000., WINDOW REGULATOR, DOOR LATCHES, NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING AREA, DASH PEELING APART, CHAPMAN CHEVY REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES TWICE WITHIN 50,000 MILES-I FINALLY WENT AND SPENT $1,200 ON NEW TIRES TO MAKE SURE MY FAMILY AND I OUR SAFE
2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS GAUGE AND THE SPEEDOMETER.*MR THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BECAME STUCK AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO ZERO. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CLUSTER. THE GAS GAUGE WAS INACCURATE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS. THE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS 1/4 TANK OF FUEL REMAINING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL MODULE ASSEMBLY. *NM
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE DRIVER NOTICED A BROWNISH LIQUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FILTER AND OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK (THE VIN NUMBER ENTERED PER CONSUMER, DID NOT MATCH THE VEHICLE GIVEN) *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED TO REGISTER THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL. CONSUMER FELT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN OUT OF FUEL WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED VIA PHONE. *AK
I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 PICKUP TRUCK. THE FUEL PUMP QUIT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD JUST UNDER 45,000 MILES. THE COST OF THE REPAIRS AMOUNTED TO $642, AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE TALKED WITH 2 OTHER OWNERS OF GM VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE AND YEAR AND THEY HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *JB
THE FUEL GAUGE STOPS WORKING ONCE THE VEHICLE BECOMES LOW ON GASOLINE. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM FOR A WHILE, AND THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER. HOWEVER, VEHICLE SHUT OFF ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CONSUMER TO CLEAR THE TRACKS. VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER SMELLED EXCESSIVE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE, FOLLOWED BY LOW OIL PRESSURE, AND THE CRANK CASE GETTING FULL OF DIESEL. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT FUEL INJECTION BLEW OUT. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THE MANUFACTURER EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART. THIS PART HAD BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR FOUR WEEKS. *AK *SC
VEHICLE STARTED BY ITSELF. THERE WERE NO KEYS IN IT. DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO DEFECTS. WHILE OUT OF TOWN THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RUNNING ON ITS OWN BECAUSE CONSUMER LEFT THE VEHICLE FULL OF GAS AND FOUND IT HALF EMPTY UPON RETURNING. THIS HAPPENED WHILE CONSUMER WAS IN THE VEHICLE, ALL GAUGES WENT WILD.*AK
WHILE DRIVING TO THE DOCTOR I HEARD A LOUD METAL ON METAL CLUNK SOUND FROM TRANSMISSION HUMP. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, VEHICLE STARTED MISSING LIKE IT WAS OUT OF GAS AND STALLED. IN APPROXIMATELY 2 SECONDS THE FUEL GUAGE WENT FROM READING 1/4 TANK TO EMPTY.*AK SERVICE DEPT INFORMED US THAT THE ELECTRONIC FLOAT DEVICE LOCATED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK HAD FAILED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE REASON IT FAILED WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT GASOLINE DESTROYS THEM. WE CAN EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM INDEFINATELY BECAUSE GM HAS NO REPLACEMENT PART THAT WORKS . THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT GM IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT ALL PICK UP TRUCKS MADE BY GM HAVE THIS PART AND WILL EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AT SOME POINT IN TIME. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU HAVE NO ACCURATE FUEL GUAGE AND SHOULD KEEP YOUR TRUCK AS FULL OF GAS AS POSSIBLE AT ALL TIMES.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LEAKED FUEL. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AND FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, RESULTING IN A REAR END CRASH. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND DEALERSHIP ONLY REPAIRED THE BODY PARTS DAMAGED BY THE CRASH. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP INDICATED IT COULDN'T FIND ANY LEAK. WHEN THE CONSUMER PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE SMOKE WAS CAUSED BY FLUID FROM THE RADIATOR, AND THE BODY PARTS THEY HAD REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HYDRO PLANE FROM THE DIESEL FUEL, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWING A TRAILER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE TRAILER JACK KNIFED AND DAMAGED THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, WHO FOUND A LEAK IN THE FUEL INJECTOR LINE.*AK
STEEP HILLSIDE INCLINE / DECLINE FAILURE OF SENSOR FOR FUEL GAUGE/ DO NOT KNOW THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE COMPUTER FAILURE, LEAVING TO BEING STRANDED REPAIR OF FAILURE COST OF 600.00 DOLLARS USDA / COMPLAINT IS AS FOLLOWS:OFF ROAD TRAVEL WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO IN THE EVENT YOU ARE IN A STEEP INCLINE OR DECLINE IT WOULD COST $600.00 TO REPAIR. REALLY NOT COST EFFECTIVE. *AK
AT LEAST ONE FUEL INJECTOR FAILED ON MY 6.6, DUAMAX. 3700 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. CAN NOT REPLACE JUST ONE. GM SAYS TO REPLACE ALL. NO WAY TO TEST INJECTORS. INJECTORS ARE NOT STOCKED BECAUSE OF HIGH PRICE. DOWN 13 DAYS BECAUSE PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB
FUEL PUMP FAILURE. WITH ONLY 10266 MILES ON ODOMETER, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. WE WERE NEARLY HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE MAKING IT TO A SHOULDER. *JB
THE VEHICLE DUMPED DIESEL FUEL INTO THE CRANK CASE. THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE ON BACK ORDER. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS...............................*JB
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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