2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD Electrical System Problems

1) BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. 2) A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED ONLY TO BE TOTALLY DEAD WITHIN 1 WEEK 3) ALTERNATOR REPLACED AS THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM 4) FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND IT IS THE ABS SYSTEM AS THE MODULATOR / PUMP FOR THIS SYSTEM WOULD CONTINUALLY RUN EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF.

Mileage: 116,500

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WILL STOP WORKING. NO GAUGES, SPEEDOMETER, OR TACHOMETER. USUALLY OCCURS AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVING/HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR MODEL. SOMETIMES THE CLUSTER WILL BECOME ACTIVE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, BUT USUALLY DOESN'T.

Mileage: 194,000

BRIGHT LITE INDICATOR LITE COMES ON DASH WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION, KILLS BATTERY OVER NITE. GAS GAUGE IN DASH DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, TRUCK HAS TO GET MOVING, SOMETIMES RIGHT AWAY AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE LONGER. HAD TO REPLACE MY THROTTLE BODY CONTROL A COUPLE MONTHS PRIOR

MY WHOLE DASHBOARD STOPS WORKING THE GAUGES LIGHTS EVERYTHING JUST STOPPED WORKING. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE AND EVERYTHING STOPPED WORKING BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT ALL CAME BACK ON FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND IT ALL SHUT OFF AGAIN AND NEVER CAME BACK ON I MADE IT HOME AND TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND WENT INSIDE. I GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING TO GO TO WORK AND CRANKED THE TRUCK AND NO GAUGES OR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING STILL. I SLAMMED MY HAND DOWN ON TOP OF THE DASHBOARD AND EVERYTHING CAME ON AND WAS WORKING BUT THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG AND EVERYTHING SHUT OFF AGAIN.

Mileage: 203,112

TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE WAS EMITTING OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE AIR VENT DUCT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,403 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

Mileage: 68,403

RADIO SPEAKERS WENT OUT WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER TINKERED WITH BUT NEVER FOUND EXACT PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE. THEN LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR INDICATOR CAME ON WHILE DRIVING 4 YEARS AGO STILL DOESN'T WORK MOST OF THE TIME. FUEL GAUGE INOP. 2 YRS AGO. THEN SPEEDOMETER ERRATIC SINCE AUGUST LAST YEAR. AND SINCE OCT 2013 VEHICLE JUST DIES AT LOW RPMS OR IDLES ERRATIC. ONE OUT OF 53 DAYS MOST EVERYTHING. WORKS FINE EXCEPT FUEL GAUGE. THEN ALL OF SUDDEN ALL THE PROBLEMS COME BACK. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS ALL PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BUT WITH THE IT BEING OVER THE MILEAGE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTHING CAN BE DONE AND SINCE JUST SWAPPING OUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MAY NOT FIX ANY OF THE PROBLEMS I SHOULD JUST LIVE WITH IT. *JS

Mileage: 90,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS INOPERABLE AND THE PLASTIC WIRES THAT CAME FROM THE UNIT WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REPEATED THOSE SENTIMENTS. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

Mileage: 127,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE INTERMITTENTLY DISPLAYED IMPROPER READINGS OF EMPTY AND FULL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY DISPLAYED IMPROPER SPEED READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000.

Mileage: 75,000

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS CONTINUED TO FAIL. CALLED LOCAL CHEVY DEALER, BECAUSE TRUCK IS OVER THE MILEAGE IT IS NO LONGER COVERED BY RECALL THAT I WAS NOT INFORMED OF. FIRST OIL PRESSURE GAUGE QUIT THEN SPEEDOMETER FAILED. CHEVY HAS KNOWN OF THE PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, I HEAR A CHIME FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THEN NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER ACCELERATE. I ALSO NOTICE THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AND THERE IS A MESSAGE DISPLAYED STATING THE VEHICLE IS IN "LOW ENGINE POWER MODE". AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE CAN STILL BE DRIVEN BUT AT VERY LOW SPEED ONLY. ANY POWER FOR MANEUVERABILITY UNDER HEAVY TRAFFIC OR HIGHWAY CONDITIONS IS GONE. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON BUT THE ENGINE POWER MAY HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL (FOR A WHILE). THE FOLLOWING DAY OR SO - THE ENGINE LIGHT MAY EVEN STAY OFF, AND EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL. WHEN THE PROBLEM IS FIRST NOTICED, IT SEEMS TO RECUR EVERY FEW DAYS. AS TIME GOES ON HOWEVER (MAYBE 2 WEEKS) THE PROBLEM HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY AND IS LESS APT TO "RESET" JUST BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL SENSOR CONNECTOR, FOR A TOTAL BILL OF ABOUT $350. NOW, AFTER ONLY 10 MONTH, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER YESTERDAY, AFTER ONLY TWO OF THESE "EVENTS" WITHIN ONE WEEK, AND WAS CHARGED ANOTHER $535 TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED ("FAULTY SENSORS WITHIN THE BODY"). LAST NIGHT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN (YES - SAME DAY!). TODAY THE DEALER ADDED A "REDUNDANT" GROUND TO THE THROTTLE BODY (NO CHARGE THIS TIME). I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS SHOWN UP ON MANY VEHICLES LIKE MINE, AND THAT GM SEEMS TO BE AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (NO DIRECT LINKAGE BETWEEN GAS PEDAL AND CARBURETOR). I AM THANKFUL THAT GM DESIGNED THIS TO FAIL WITH POWER LOSS RATHER THAN FULL POWER (TOYOTA), BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN NONE THE LESS. GM IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO REPAIR AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR PRODUCT. *TR

Mileage: 94,137

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER SUDDENLY WENT ON OUR 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO. GMC SUPPOSEDLY OFFERED A VOLUNTARY WARRANTY EXTENSION, BUT TOLD CUSTOMERS NOT TO TAKE TRUCK TO DEALERS UNLESS THE ISSUE WAS PRESENT. WE HAVE 86,800 MILES ON THE TRUCK. THE ODOMETER AND BATTERY GAUGE ARE BROKEN. IT NOW SAYS WE ARE GOING 20MPH WHEN WE ARE PARKED! GMC MADE US PAY $45 FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR WILL COST $415. GMC DENIES COVERAGE FOR THIS ISSUE, BASED ON THEIR POLICY REGARDING MILES. WE DO NOT THINK TRUCK WILL PASS INSPECTION UNLESS WE GET REPAIRS DONE , AND WE ALSO THINK NOT KNOWING SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING OR THE STATUS OF YOUR BATTERY COULD POSE POTENTIAL SAFETY RISKS. WE ALSO WANT TO ADVISE OTHERS TO GET IT DONE BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURS. *TR

Mileage: 86,800

SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ON MY 03 CHEVY SILVERADO, SOMETIMES GETS STUCK AT 40 MPH. *TR

Mileage: 65,325

THE GAUGES HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. IT STARTED WITH THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND NOW NONE OF THEM ARE WORKING. WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $500.00 TO REPLACE TO DEFECTED PART AND THAT GM ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UP TO 70,000 MILES. WHY NOT A RECALL??? WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS THAT ARE HERE, THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS PART AND STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS ESPECIALLY IF THEY WANT A BAIL OUT. *TR

SPEEDOMETER JUST QUIT WORKING, JUMPS FROM 10 TO 70+. SHOWS A MINIMUM OF 10 MPH PARKED. NOT EXACTLY SAFE TO NOT HAVE A CLUE HOW FAST YOUR GOING. I SEARCHED ON THE NET SUSPECTING AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, BUT FOUND THIS HAS AFFECTED 8 TO 10 MODELS FOR 4 PLUS YEARS, ARE YOU KIDDING ME. JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS WITH THE SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM!!!!! *TR

Mileage: 91,723

I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500HD, MY PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE HEATED SEATS COMING ON AND GOING OFF BY THEIR SELF. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. NOW MY TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER HAVE STOPPED WORKING. I THINK I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT DEFECTED INSTRUMENT PANEL FROM CHEVROLET THAT REQUIRED REPLACING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BUT I CAN NOT FIND ANY INFORMATION ON THAT. I WOULD LIKE GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE IT CONTINUES SHORTING OUT THE REST OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TR

Mileage: 112,000

SPEEDOMETER WILL OCCASIONALLY READ FROM 5 TO 30 MPH FROM TRUE SPEED. WHEN THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURS, STOPPING THE TRUCK WILL NOT CAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER TO GO TO 0 MPH AS EXPECTED BUT WILL READ, FOR INSTANCE, 25 MPH. TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE WHILE PARKED WILL MAKE THE SPEEDOMETER READ APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH CLOSER TO ZERO EACH TIME. THIS MALFUNCTION HAS CAUSED ME TO DRIVE AT INAPPROPRIATE SPEED MANY TIMES. *TR

Mileage: 38,000

I PURCHASED THE TRUCK USED WITH 83,000 MILES IN AUGUST OF 2007. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE WATER TEMP GAUGE MOVED ALL THE WAY AROUND AND THEN WENT BACK TO ZERO AND STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK FOR A FEW DAYS AND STARTED WORKING AGAIN. BUT FOR HOW LONG? AND NOW I'VE HEARD GM ISSUED AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" JUST FOR THE GAUGES AND MUST HAVE UNDER 70,000 MILES INSTEAD OF A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 84,000

SPEEDOMETER STUCK AT 40 MPH. *TR

Mileage: 64,478

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON 2003 CHEV SILVERADO 1500HD IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. INSTRUMENTS READ WRONG OR DO NOT WORK AT ALL. BROUGHT TRUCK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST OVER $700.00 TO FIX AND COULD NOT AFFORD IT. RECEIVED NOTICE FROM GM LAST WEEK SAYING THEY WOULD COVER UP TO 70,000 MILES, MY TRUCK HAS MORE THAN THAT NOW, BUT PROBLEM STARTED AT 50,000 MILES. GM SHOULD ISSUE A FULL RECALL AND TAKE CARE OF THIS HAZARD. *TR

Mileage: 52,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DIAL REMAINS ON ZERO. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

Mileage: 100,000

SPEEDOMETER RECORDS WRONG SPEED GRADUALLY MOVING AHEAD TO PEGGING SELF AT 120 MPH. EACH TIME VEHICLE WAS STOPPED SPEEDOMETER WILL CORRECT BY 5 MPH. THUS, I DID NOT KNOW SPEED I WAS MOVING AT. STARTED VEHICLE ENOUGH TIMES TO MOVE BACK TO 0.*AK

Mileage: 132,540

SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD QUICK WORKING. HAVE HEAR MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS IN THIS ISSUE. THE SPEEDOMETER WILL BE STUCK ON 50 MPH WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WONT GO BACK DOWN. *JB

Mileage: 103,500

SPEEDOMETER AND GAUGES STOP WORKING. *JB

Mileage: 56,000

SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING AT 40120 MILES. *JB

Mileage: 40,120

SPEEDOMETER STUCK ON 120 MPH AT TIMES. *NM

Mileage: 39,000

SPEEDOMETER FAILS TO FUNCTION - WILL BE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AND IT RANGES FROM 0-120 MPH WHEN I ESTIMATE I AM ACTUALLY TRAVELING 35 MPH(ESTIMATED OBVIOUSLY). HAS HAPPENED ON 3 OCCASIONS AND IN NOW NON-FUNCTIONING. DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDS REPLACING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER - AND ADMITS TO A RASH OF THESE REPLACEMENTS ON THESE TRUCKS. *NM

Mileage: 81,800

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 HD WITH APPROX 55,000 MILES ON IT. WITHOUT NOTICE THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO WORK (NEEDLE IS FIXED BETWEEN 60-120 MPH). AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN LEVIED (IN AT LEAST AN INFORMAL SETTING). *NM

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET P/U AND THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS VERY ERRATICALLY. IT USUALLY REGISTERS A MUCH FASTER SPEED THAN I AN TRAVELING. WHEN I AM STOPPED IT WILL SHOW A SPEED OF FORTY OR FIFTY MPH. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO COME AND GO. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO NOT KNOW YOUR SPEED. I KNOW MANY OTHER GM AND CHEVROLET VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

Mileage: 40,000

MY SPEEDOMETER IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS WAS FIRST POINTED OUT BY AN IDAHO STATE TROOPER WHEN I WAS PULLED OVER WITH MY FAMILY IN THE TRUCK PULLING A TRAILER. MY SPEEDOMETER READ 60 BUT I WAS CLOCKED AT 79 MPH. THIS LAST WEEKEND ON A TRIP TO DOWN I-5 IN CALIFORNIA, I WAS DOING WHAT THOUGHT WAS 70 MPH BUT I WAS PASSING A LOT OF CARS AND WHEN I REMEMBER THE ISSUE MY TACHOMETER READ 3500 RPM WHICH MEANS I WAS DOING 80 PLUS. THEN YESTERDAY (10/22/2006) MY SPEEDOMETER READ 10 MPH WHEN MY TACH INDICATED 2100 RPM (~62 MPH), WHICH WAS CONFIRM BY BY WIFE FOLLOWING IN ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM IS INCONSISTENT. THE SPEEDOMETER SEEMS TO WORK FOR A WHILE BUT THEN DEGRADES AND THE SPEED INDICATED DOES NOR REFLECT THE ACTUAL SPEED. BETWEEN THE INITIAL OCCURRENCE AND 10/20 I DID NOT MAKE ANY TRIPS LONGER THAN 20 MINUTES AND DID NOT NOTICE A PROBLEM EXCEPT FOR A SOMEWHAT JERKY SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE. THE SPEEDOMETER SEEMS TO "RESET" AFTER THE VEHICLE STOP FOR A WHILE. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $98-$105 "EVALUATION AND $550-$600 ACTUAL REPAIR WHICH INCLUDES PARTS AND LABOR. *NM

Mileage: 40,000

SPEEDOMETER STOP FUNCTIONING AND DOESN'T ACCURATELY REFLECT THE VEHICLE'S SPEED. THE SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK AT 120+ MPH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE GM DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE ENTIRE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $500. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET FORUMS IT APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. SEE THIS WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-SILVERADO-1500/TR5QAB2MN19BL1D2J. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

Mileage: 45,000