2003 GMC Sierra

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Defect Petition DP10-003 on March 2, 2010, requesting the investigation of model year (MY) 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD pickup trucks for corrosion failures of the vehicle brake lines.DP10-003 was granted and on March 30, 2010, Preliminary Evaluation PE10-010 was opened on more than six million model year 1999 through 2003 light trucks and sport utility vehicles manufactured and sold by General Motors Corporation (GM).On July 2, 2010, ODI received GM's response to an information request, which included GM's assessment of the frequency and safety consequences of the alleged defect. GM stated that:(1) the brake system of the subject vehicles is split front/rear and should a brake pipe suddenly fail for any reason, the affected vehicle would be capable of stopping with the pressure supplied by the remaining circuit; (2) the subject vehicles were designed to meet the hydraulic circuit partial failure requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 105 and 135, Light Vehicle Brake Systems; and (3) should a brake fluid leak occur for any reason, the brake system malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) would illuminate and warn the driver before the brake fluid level was low enough to cause a loss of line pressure.ODI's and GM's analysis indicates that 85 percent of the complaints occurred on vehicles used primarily in States that use salt on the roads during Winter months (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin).Overall the complaint rates per 100,000 vehicles for Salt Belt States is 43.0 and Non-Salt Belt is 3.0.In approximately 25 percent of the complaints the brake pipe failure occurred suddenly, with no warning (i.e., no MIL, Brake Fluid Loss Warning), and resulted in extended stopping distances.In 30 of these the increase in stopping distance that resulted was a factor in the crash and in 10 others the vehicle was intentionally steered off the road or into another lane of travel in order to avoid a crash.This investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA11-001) for subject vehicles sold or currently registered in Salt Belt States to further assess the scope, frequency and safety risks associated with sudden failures of corroded brake pipes that can result in decreased brake effectiveness. ODI will continue to gather information on subject vehicles outside the Salt Belt as well.

ODI'S REVIEW OF COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF EA04-011 REVEALED NO INDICATION THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE RE-OPENED.MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ENCLOSED IN THE DP05-009 PUBLIC FILE.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION IN THE FUTURE SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT.

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

GENERAL MOTORS FILED A DEFECT NOTICE 04V-129 ON MARCH 17, 2004, WHICH OUTLINES A PROGRAM TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE CABLES INSTALLED IN AFFECTED MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 VEHICLES.REFER TO ODI'S CLOSING REPORT FOR EA04-005 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.ODI IS AWARE OF REPORTS OF TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE OCCURRING IN MODEL YEAR 1999 AND EARLIER VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH SIMILAR TAILGATE CABLES AS ADDRESSED BY 04V-129, BUT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY CAMPAIGN O4V-129.ODI IS INITIATING A SEPARATE INVESTIGATION TO ADDRESS THESE VEHICLES.THE COMPLAINT-INJURY-FATALITY STATISTICS SUMMARIZED ABOVE PERTAIN TO MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 VEHICLES. THE COMPLAINT-INJURY STATISTICS FOR MODEL YEAR 1999 AND EARLIER VEHICLES ARE SUMMARIZED ON THE OPENING RESUME FOR THAT INVESTIGATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA. WHEN INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE SEAT MOVED FORWARD AND PINNED THE CONTACT TO THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR DRIVE SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. UPDATED 04/06/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10810891

Incident

Jun 20, 2004

Mileage

96,000 mi

EXITING OFF FREEWAY RAMP IN INDIANAPOLIS BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT NOTICE AND NO BRAKE FLUID LOSS, NEARLY CRASHED CROSSING 5 LANES OF CROSS TRAFFIC JUST LUCKY I WASN'T BROADSIDED BY CROSS TRAFFIC. I RECEIVED NO NOTICE OF HAZARD FROM GM, NO RECALL AND ONLY LEARNED OF THIS PROBLEM ONCE RESEARCHING ON WEB. I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.

NHTSA ID

10786611

Incident

Sep 12, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN,THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BROKEN NECK AND HEAD FRACTURES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE INJURIES ULTIMATELY LED TO THE CONTACT'S DEATH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ UPDATED 4/4/18*JB *TR

NHTSA ID

10774697

Incident

Oct 6, 2006

Mileage

38,000 mi

I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT DRIVING ON A 4 LANE 55 MPH SPEED ZONE. AS I WAS APPROACHING THE STOP LIGHT I STARTING PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PEDAL HAD NO RESISTANCE IT KEPT GOING TO THE FLOOR. I STARTED PUMPING THE PEDAL TRYING TO SLOW MY TRUCK DOWN, NO USE. I PUSHED PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THIS SLOWED A LITTLE. BUT NOT ENOUGH. I DOWN SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC LEVER AND STARTING GUIDING THE TRUCK OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID THE STOPPED VEHICLES. I MISSED THE VEHICLES. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY 3 MILES FROM HOME. I MANAGED TO LIMP HOME BY DRIVING VERY, VERY SLOW AND USING THE GEAR SHIFTER TO SLOW ME DOWN. WHEN INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE AT HOME I FOUND THE BRAKE LINE ON THE RIGHT FRONT HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND THERE WAS A LEAK. ALL THE BRAKE LINES ON THIS TRUCK ARE RUSTED AND IN BAD SHAPE. I CALLED THE DEALER GLENN BUICK GMC WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK NEW IN 2003. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE PERSONAL "COREY" ABOUT REPAIRING THE RUSTED LINES. HE SAID GMC WAS NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS "FAILURE" ! I WAS ON MY OWN ! SEEMS GMC KNOWS OF THESE FAILURES AND SO DO YOU AND YOU HAVE AGREED NOT TO MAKE THEM STAND BEHIND IT AND YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO ALLOW MORE ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN ! YOU = NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY WHAT A SHAME ! SHAME ON YOU AND GMC ! HAD I NOT BEEN "LUCKY" THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT! ANY HELP IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE WOULD BE APPRECIATED! THIS ISSUE WILL ONLY GET WORSE ! AS I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHER TRUCKS WITH THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN!

NHTSA ID

10746026

Incident

Aug 3, 2015

Mileage

105,985 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT TOOK A LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MULTIPLE TIMES WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10734293

Incident

Sep 15, 2014

Mileage

46,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED TO 3,500 WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE RUSTED, FRACTURED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

NHTSA ID

10730944

Incident

Jun 27, 2015

Mileage

157,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED ABRUPTLY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A STOP UNTIL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINES FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

NHTSA ID

10700608

Incident

Mar 6, 2015

Mileage

73,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING IN MY 2003 GMC SIERRA TRUCK AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND THE PEDAL WENT 3/4 OF THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR, THEN THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRUCK DID NOT STOP AS QUICKLY AS IT USUALLY DOES ( GLAD I WAS NOT GOING ANY FASTER) . UPON CHECKING THE TRUCK IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE STEEL BRAKE LINE HAD A HOLE IN IT DUE TO CORROSION AND THERE WAS NO BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER . *TR

NHTSA ID

10671883

Incident

Jan 10, 2015

Mileage

106,000 mi

This technical bulletin provides a procedure to lube the rear leaf springs on vehicles with the condition of a squeak noise originating from the rear of the vehicle.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have slack in one of the tailgate cables. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.

This Preliminary Information communication advises the technician that the Hydro-Boost is not serviceable and will need to be replaced if the brake pedal moves or applies on its own at a full turn.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have an issue when using Bluetooth voice recognition with an iPhone. Technician should work with the customer to insure the phone contacts to not have any Emojis loaded to any contact.

This informational bulletin provides information on Part Restriction and Ordering Process Information for OnStar Vehicle Communication Interface Modules (VCIM) (GMNA Only)

This informational bulletin provides technicians with information regarding automatic transmission oil cooler flow test essential tool J-45096 TransFlow®.