2003 GMC Sierra 2500 Problems
- Complaints
- 160filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 73,000miles, 141 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
What owners report
Complaints on this model year center on the brakes: owners most often describe steel brake lines rusting through and the pedal dropping to the floor, frequently with little warning and sometimes while towing or towing a trailer. A second large group concerns the instrument cluster, where the speedometer and other gauges read wrong or quit entirely. Diesel fuel injector problems and corrosion of the frame and truck-bed are also mentioned, usually at higher mileages.
- Brakes
Rusted brake lines and loss of pedal
- 55 complaints (34%)
- median 73,000 mi at 9.1 yrs old (51 state mileage)
- 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $950 (median of 5 quotes)
- filed 2007–2017
Owners describe the brake pedal sinking to the floor when they press it, sometimes after a pop or a burst of fluid, and stopping by downshifting or using the parking brake. In most cases a shop or dealer found one or more steel brake lines rusted through, often with the remaining lines described as in similar condition, and replacing all of them was the usual repair. Several complaints mention fluid spraying onto hot engine parts or a second line failing shortly after the first was replaced. Reported from roughly 25,000 to 225,000 miles, with many between about 47,000 and 120,000 miles, often on trucks used for towing.
What to check: Have a mechanic inspect the steel brake lines along the frame and above the rear axle for rust, and ask whether any lines have already been replaced. A firm pedal that holds under steady pressure at a stop is a basic check.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Hit the brakes on my 2003 Gmc sierra 2500hd fairly hard to avoid an accident. I slowed down enough to avert another car, but the anti-lock brakes failed to engage and brake fluid exploded all over my engine. My brakes no longer worked after this initial braking. Pedal went to the floor. Had to use emergency brake to stop and get towed. Very close call.”
NHTSA complaint #10355246, filed 2010-09, 70,000 miles“I was driving down the road when my brake peddle went to the floor, I had to use my emergency brake to stop my vehicle. Luckily I swerved to avoid traffic in front of me and was able to stop safely. Upon having my truck towed, my mechanic showed me that my brake line from my master cylinder had rusted out causing brake failure.”
NHTSA complaint #10563218, filed 2014-02, 223,000 miles - Electrical system
Speedometer and gauge cluster faults
- 29 complaints (18%)
- median 93,070 mi at 5.9 yrs old (27 state mileage)
- filed 2004–2014
Owners report the speedometer reading far above or below actual speed, sometimes pegging at 120 mph while parked, and other gauges such as the fuel gauge failing one at a time until the whole cluster stops working. Some say the dealer declined to repair it or quoted a replacement cluster, and one owner noted a limited repair program that applied only below a certain mileage. Usually reported between about 50,000 and 117,000 miles, sometimes earlier and occasionally past 200,000.
What to check: On a test drive, compare the speedometer against a GPS reading and watch whether the fuel and other gauges move normally. Ask whether the instrument cluster has been rebuilt or replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The instrument cluster has been failing one gauge at the time since 4 years ago, finally it quit all together, I called GM and my local dealership and I was told there was nothing they can do but to charge me for check up and possibly get me a new cluster for 400.00 what a joke. I know GM has been aware of this problem but nothing gets done. What is it going to take to get GM to get this problems serviced with no cost, after all it's their reputation.... I won't buy another GM vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10370274, filed 2010-12, 70,000 miles“Speedometer , fuel gauge etc. Went at 93,000 miles. Gmc knows of this problem and will only fix it on a limited basis. Not every one was informed of this problem and they will only fix it if you are under 70k miles.”
NHTSA complaint #10248972, filed 2008-11, 92,000 miles - Fuel system
Diesel fuel injector problems and smoke
- 5 complaints (3%)
- median 157,000 mi at 11.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2013–2020
Owners of Duramax diesel trucks describe heavy exhaust smoke, rough running, an elevated oil level, and in some cases a hot engine that will not restart until it cools. Complaints say the dealer or an independent shop diagnosed leaking fuel injectors, and that the repair was expensive; several mention repeat failures and that an extended coverage period for the injectors had expired. Mostly reported from about 110,000 miles upward, with a few earlier injector replacements noted.
What to check: Check the oil level and smell the dipstick for diesel, look for smoke on a cold start, and ask for service records showing whether the injectors have been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Had injectors replaced under warranty at 50000 miles after noticing excess exhaust smoke on startup and also power steering hoses were leaking, again at 105000 miles they totally failed as I was bringing my wife home from hospital on I-15 in ca. Up cajon pass and had to be towed to dealer, but GM dealer would not cover injectors under warranty as truck was11 years old and their coverage was for 7 years only, now again had to have them replaced at 147000 miles because of excessive smoke on startup. …”
NHTSA complaint #11308791, filed 2020-02, 157,000 miles“While driving, large amount of smoke came out. Took it to GM dealer who said that it the fuel injectors were leaking. Looked online and noticed hundreds of reports of the same action. Gmc apparently did an extended warranty for the issue, but only covered it for 7 years from time of purchase and up to 200,000 miles. Talked to local dealer who denied the service and GM wont replace the fuel injectors.”
NHTSA complaint #10547854, filed 2013-10, 110,000 miles - Engine
Speedometer-related stalling and reduced power
- 13 complaints (8%)
- median 113,500 mi at 9.4 yrs old (10 state mileage)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2003–2016
A few owners describe the engine stalling while driving or failing to restart, and one reports repeated reduced-engine-power messages. These complaints were often not diagnosed, and owners say they did not get a resolution from the dealer. Reported at roughly 90,000 to 124,000 miles.
What to check: Ask whether any stored diagnostic codes have been read recently, and check for a fuel leak or diesel smell around the engine after a cold start.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I own a 2003 Gmc duramax 167000 miles, it has been a great truck until recently, after engine gets hot it will not start back up until it has cooled off! Have not been able to find the problem yet, but found a lot of complaints online from people with the same problem, [injectors], very expensive to repair!!! This problem is very frustrating, would be great if general motors would correct this problem!!!!”
NHTSA complaint #10597728, filed 2014-06, 162,000 miles“I keep getting reduced engine power p1516 code . Reading the post's on the internet this is a real common problem.also the speedometer will display 120 MPH sitting at a traffic light.”
NHTSA complaint #10544175, filed 2013-09, 124,000 miles
Buying note. Brake-line corrosion is the most common theme in these complaints, so a pre-purchase inspection of the lines and underbody is worth doing on any example. On diesel trucks, service records for the injectors and an oil-level check add useful context before buying.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 160 consumer complaints for the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500. 141 of the complaints include a mileage, and 30% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 73,000 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 203 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes73 46%
- Electrical system36 23%
- Fuel system15 9.4%
- Transmission and drivetrain13 8.1%
- Steering10 6.3%
- Engine6 3.8%
- Engine cooling5 3.1%
- Body and structure5 3.1%
- Suspension5 3.1%
- Vehicle speed control4 2.5%
Also reported: Tires (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Equipment (2), Other or unknown (2), Air bags (1), Electronic stability control (1), Exterior lighting (1), Seat belts (1).
Example complaints
Brakes: “I was driving on I 75 doing 70 MPH I had to come to a sudden stop I applied brakes and there was no brakes., I ended up putting truck in the ditch to avoid serious accident. It ended both brake lines from master cylinder both blew up from corrosion these lines went to the ABS module. I was some what injured.”
NHTSA complaint #10928370, filed 2016-11, 350,000 milesElectrical system: “Blower motor resistor does not operate. Upon inspection, harness and final stage are damaged due to excessive heat. I need to replace both components because I fear it will cause a fire. Many posts on the same thing. Why is there nothing done about this? My bmw had same issue but it was a recall on their cars. Why is it not a recall on GM? Is it because they are an american car company?”
NHTSA complaint #11193104, filed 2019-04, 180,000 milesFuel system: “(electrical) as an ongoing issue, the dashboard gauges/indicators (I.e. Tach, speedometer, etc..) will sometimes not register until several minutes after the vehicle has been running (this could be for up to miles) it has not affected vehicle performance to date. (fuel/propulsion system) I have begun having issues where it goes into reduced engine power . Further diagnostic attempts have LED me to believe that it is due to a faulty throttle position sensor (part of the throttle body), tac module, or app assembly (accelerator pedal). …”
NHTSA complaint #10705003, filed 2015-04, 142,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “I entered the truck stepped on the clutch pedal, shifted into reverse and started to ease the clutch out when the pedal went all the way to the floor board. The vehicle immediately chirped the back tires at no more than 950 r.p.m.'s and began to immediately go backwards towards another vehicle in my driveway. I quickly stepped onto the brake and stalled the vehicle to a stop. I then proceeded to look under the dash to see what had popped and found that I could see light throughout the firewall, as I moved the pedal up and down. …”
NHTSA complaint #10189552, filed 2007-05, 104,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
30% of the 141 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 47,583 and 112,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 203 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11020816Jul 18, 2025Other or unknown. This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
- 11017252Mar 28, 2025Other or unknown, Electrical system. This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G Sunset Information.
- 11012907Dec 18, 2024Engine. This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
- 11010544Oct 7, 2024Engine. This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
- 11007208Sep 6, 2024Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires…
- 11006621Aug 26, 2024Electrical system. Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need…
- 11006421Jul 24, 2024Transmission and drivetrain. GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging…
- 11004761Jun 28, 2024Engine, Fuel system. This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with…
- 11004557Jun 17, 2024Other or unknown. This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
- 11002312Jun 6, 2024Electrical system. This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492…
Other model years of the GMC Sierra 2500
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 9,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 28 | 1,300 | 1 | — | — | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 107 | 9,904 | 4 | — | — | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 33 | 34,000 | 1 | — | — | 40 · Typical | Too new |
| 2022 | 45 | 15,167 | 3 | — | — | 65 · More | Rising |
| 2021 | 52 | 53,000 | 6 | — | — | 69 · More | Rising |
| 2020 | 79 | 31,800 | 9 | — | — | 98 · More | Rising |
| 2019 | 32 | 28,729 | 7 | 4 | — | 50 · Typical | Rising |
| 2018 | 35 | 10,000 | 5 | 4 | — | 52 · Typical | Falling |
| 2017 | 37 | 22,060 | 6 | 4 | — | 53 · Typical | Falling |
| 2016 | 59 | 29,500 | 6 | 4 | — | 64 · Typical | Stable |
| 2015 | 89 | 37,023 | 6 | 3–4 | — | 93 · More | Falling |
| 2014 | 30 | 39,000 | 2 | 2–4 | — | 10 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2013 | 46 | 60,000 | 3 | 2–4 | — | 0 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2012 | 31 | 68,500 | 3 | 3–4 | — | 2 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2011 | 63 | 55,400 | 4 | — | — | 34 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2010 | 10 | 77,000 | 5 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2009 | 31 | 39,600 | 5 | — | — | 39 · Typical | Falling |
| 2008 | 63 | 67,500 | 3 | — | — | 17 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2007 | 83 | 70,000 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2006 | 66 | 43,500 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 115 | 60,000 | 1 | — | 11 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 143 | 60,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 160 | 73,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 134 | 85,500 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2001 | 134 | 65,000 | 2 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 48 | 91,000 | 1 | — | 15 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 36 | 100,000 | 0 | — | 15 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 15 | 47,000 | 1 | — | 15 | — | Stable |
| 1997 | 14 | 100,000 | 2 | — | 15 | — | Not enough data |
All GMC Sierra 2500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500?
Complaints on this model year center on the brakes: owners most often describe steel brake lines rusting through and the pedal dropping to the floor, frequently with little warning and sometimes while towing or towing a trailer. The issues reported most often: Rusted brake lines and loss of pedal; Speedometer and gauge cluster faults; Diesel fuel injector problems and smoke.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 have?
NHTSA recorded 160 consumer complaints for the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 is reported most often?
Brakes is named most often, in 73 complaints (46% of the total), followed by electrical system with 36.
Has the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 reported?
Among the 141 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 73,000 miles and the middle half falls between 47,583 and 112,000 miles; 30% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.