2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 Service Brakes Problems

BRAKES ARE SPONGY NOT RIGHT POWER STEERING WHINES AS DO BRAKES

Mileage: 170,000

BRAKE FAILURE UPON SLOWING DOWN AT OFF RAMP. AVOIDED ACCIDENT BUT HAD TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. PULLED INTO PARKING LOT, CHECKED FLUID LEVELS, WERE OK, TRIED BRAKES AGAIN AND THEY WERE WORKING. HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM SINCE.HAVE HEARD REPORTS OF SIMILAR NATURE. SOME THINK IT IS A PROBLEM IN THE VALVING.HOPE YOU CAN FIND A CURE.

Mileage: 233,000

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. *TR

Mileage: 350,000

ABS COMES ON AT LOW SPEED.. IT INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCE.. I HAVE ONCE REAR ENDED A VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE.. ALSO MY ABS LIGHT COME ON FOR A FEW SECONDS MAYBE TWO OR THREE TIMES A MONTH..

Mileage: 85,000

BRAKE LINE FAILED, NO BRAKES WHILE HEADING FOR A RED LIGHT. DRIVE OFF ROAD TILL VEHICLE STOPPED. BRAKE LINE FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS CONTROL , ROTTED OUT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, ALL BRAKE LINES ARE ROTTED OUT. MY MECHANIC STATES THEY ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED, IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

Mileage: 142,000

BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH AND LOST ALL BRAKING CAPABILITY. LUCKLY IT HAPPENED PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY! FUEL LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING FUEL PUDDLING ONTO THE GROUND.

Mileage: 100,010

SEVERELY RUSTED BRAKE LINES THAT SPLIT. MAIN LINE FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS MODULE AND REAR LINE JUST INBOARD OF LH REAR TIRE. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ON CITY STREET WHEN DRIVING.

Mileage: 119,222

I WAS MOVING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE BREAK PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE TRUCK STOPPED SO I GOT OUT AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND SAW BREAK FLUID POURING OUT OF A BREAK LINE THAT HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE FORMER OWNER HAD ALREADY HAD ANOTHER BREAK LINE REPLACED BECAUSE HIS BREAKS HAD RUPTURED DUE TO THE LINES RUSTING THROUGH WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER. HE WAS ABLE TO AVOID WRECKING AND CAME TO A STOP. THIS TRUCK HAS LOW MILES AND ABOUT 90% OF ITS USE HAS BEEN DURING THE SUMMER SO IT HAS HAD LIMITED CONTACT WITH SALTED ROADS YET THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING AT AN INCREDIBLE RATE. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS SIMPLY MOVING THE TRUCK RATHER THAN HAULING MY CAMPER ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH IS IT'S TYPICAL USE; I AND/OR OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. THE RUSTING THROUGH OF THE BREAK LINES IS A SAFETY ISSUE!

Mileage: 89,000

CAME TO INTERSECTION FOR TURN, BROKE AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. *TR

Mileage: 106,000

BRAKE LINE LEAKS, BRAKE STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE OF RUSTED BRAKE LINES. ALSO FUEL AND TRANSMISSION LINES ARE RUSTED BADLY. *TR

Mileage: 170,000

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE PULLING A 10000 POUND TRAILER IN CAMP GROUND. THE BRAKE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE BROKE APPEARED TO BE CORROSION. TRUCK WAS TOWED TO REPAIR LOCATION. ALL BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED, COST $ 950 DOLLARS. *TR

Mileage: 1,115,000

II PUT NEW BRAKE CALIPERS ON MY TRUCK TODAY AND HAD MY WIFE PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDDLE AS I BLED THE BRAKES AND GOT TO THE LAST CALIPER REARS THEN THE 2 FRONTS WHEN SHE TOLD ME THE BRAKE PEDDLE WAS NOT HOLDING LIKE IT WAS , AND THEN SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE TRUCK AND I LOOKED UNDERNEATH & SEEN BRAKE FLUID EVERYWHERE BELOW DRIVERS DOOR THE FLUID UNDER PRESSURE BLEW OVER AGAINST THE HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AS U HAVE TO RUN ENGINE WHEN BLEEDING THE LINES LUCKY I GUESS IT DID NOT CATCH FIRE, BUT AFTER I GOT ON THE INTERNET TRYING TO FIND A REPLACEMENT I FOUND THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM , I DID SEE THE OTHER LINES LOOKED BAD ALSO THE FUEL LINES LOOKED THE SAME GOOD THING IT HAPPENED IN THE DRIVEWAY AT HOME . MAYBE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF IF IT BURNT DOWN , G.M SHOULD FIX ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRUCKS ON THEIR DIME AS MUCH AS THESE TRUCKS COST. !! *TR

Mileage: 120,000

DRIVING TO WORK ONE DAY, A CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY STOPPED TO TURN LEFT. I HIT MY BRAKES AND FELT A "POP" AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKES. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH SO AT THAT POINT, I AM A 55 MPH SPEAR ON WHEELS. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND DROVE ACROSS SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY AND THROUGH THEIR YARD. THIS WEEKEND WAS THE CITY WIDE GARAGE SALES, AND THANKFULLY, THESE FOLKS WERE NOT HAVING A SALE IN THEIR DRIVEWAY OR YARD, OR ELSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. THE ONLY RUST ISSUE WITH THIS TRUCK IS THE BRAKE LINES AND FUEL LINES. IF YOUR LINES RUST BEFORE YOUR BODY RUST, THEN I FEEL THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. IF IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE RUSTING THEN IT WOULDN'T BE AS BIG OF A DEAL. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TALKING BRAKE LINES, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS FLAW CAUSES ANOTHER CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE, LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. A 10 YEAR OLD TRUCK SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED VEHICLES THAT WERE 15, 20 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE LINES. SOMEONE'S LIFE IS WORTH SO MUCH MORE THAN A CHEAPLY MADE BRAKE LINE. *TR

Mileage: 110,000

I WAS DRIVING MY 03 SIERRA, APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SLOW AT FIRST BUT THEN THE PEDDLE IMMEDIATELY WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I BEGAN TO PUMP IT BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I WAS HEADING TOWARD THE INTERSECTION, THE LIGHT WAS RED, WITH BUSY CROSS TRAFFIC. THE STREET I WAS ON IS NARROW AND STEEP AND I BEGAN TO PICK UP SPEED. I SHIFTED THE TRANS INTO THE LOWEST GEAR AND STEPPED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE TRUCK FINALLY CAME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION, AS ONCOMING CARS LUCKILY AVOIDED HITTING ME. WHEN I WENT TO MY MECHANIC TO ARRANGE TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED, HE KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE TOLD ME, SIGHT UNSEEN, THAT THE BRAKE LINE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD RUPTURED. LATER, UPON INSPECTION, HE WAS CORRECT. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT YEAR. HE REPLACED THE LINE AND I THOUGHT THAT HAD SOLVED THE PROBLEM; UNTIL TWO DAYS AGO. AGAIN, I AM DRIVING DOWN A HILL AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I WAS TOWING A VERY LARGE TRAILER THIS TIME AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD LITTLE AFFECT. LUCKILY, THERE WAS LITTLE TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO RIDE IT OUT WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH NOT ONLY THE 03 YEAR BUT 4 OR 5 YEARS PRIOR ALSO. ANOTHER MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OF LINES SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE GM USED A UNCOATED STEEL WHICH BEGINS TO BE COMPROMISED WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS WHERE SALT IS HEAVILY USED IN THIS AREA. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT GM USED UNCOATED STEEL INSTEAD OF COATED OR STAINLESS TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS. HAD MY 17 YEAR OLD SON BEEN DRIVING, THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. THIS IS ONLY ONE OF MANY PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS TRUCK. ANOTHER IS ERRONEOUS SPEEDOMETER READINGS. I WILL ADDRESS THESE IN ANOTHER POST. *TR

Mileage: 93,070

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. *TR

Mileage: 223,000

I CROSS THE ROUTE 18 ON MASSACHUSETTS WHEN THE BRAKE IS COMPLETELY GONE ALMOST INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 127,000

I HAD STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND WHEN I LEFT I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES PER HOUR WHEN I PUT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE LINES RUPTURED . WAS ABLE TO GET TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT THE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH. ALL LINES HAD TO BE CHANGED, *TR

Mileage: 71,832

GOING DOWN A HILL APPROACHING A "T" INTERSECTION I PRESSED THE BRAKE AND WENT TO FLOOR, TRIED PUMPING NOTHING SO I PUT THE TRUCK IN 3RD GEAR AND THEN 2ND AND SHUT OFF MY LIGHTS TO SEE IF ANY CARS WHERE COMING INTO "T" . I NEED TO TURN LEFT, LUCKILY NO CARS MADE IT THRU. BUT I HAD TO CROSS A HWY BEFORE GETTING HOME. I DID THE SAME THING WENT FROM D TO 3RD TO 2ND, AGAIN NO CARS. WAS VERY LUCKY. *TR

Mileage: 116,059

AS I BEGAN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY MY BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD A RAPID DECREASE IN BRAKING POWER. UPON INVESTIGATION I NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINES RIGHT ABOVE THE FRAME RAIL ON THE DRIVER SIDE. IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IT COULD HAVE LED TO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ESPECIALLY WHEN SUCH A LARGE AND HEAVY TRUCK SUDDENLY LOSES BRAKING POWER. *TR

Mileage: 125,346

SLOWING DOWN APPROACHING A STOP LITE ,APPLIED BRAKES WAS A SHUDDER OF ANTI LOCK AND PEDAL WENT DOWN TO FLOOR. HAD TO APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID A CRASH. *TR

Mileage: 54,800

WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT SPEED LIMIT, HIT BRAKES, REAR BRAKE LINE BURST (WAS SEVERELY RUSTED). I WAS UNABLE TO STOP VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED THROUGH A RED LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD ON BOARD IN HIS CAR SEAT. HOW WE BOTH MADE IT OUT OF THAT INCIDENT UNSCATHED IS AMAZING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER AND HIT THE PARKING BRAKE. IT TOOK MY SON A GOOD 2 MONTHS BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO RID HIMSELF OF FEAR AND ANXIETY DUE TO WHAT HAPPENED. *TR

Mileage: 99,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE THAT CAUSED A LEAK. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,075. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 99,075

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL COULD NOT BE FULLY DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AND MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,505. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 108,500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ONTO THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

Mileage: 76,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD UTILITY TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE OFF ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES AND BRAKE PRESSURE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DURING A TIRE ROTATION AT COSTCO , THEY DISCOVERED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINES. UPON A FURTHER INVESTIGATION ,THE BRAKE LINES ARE LEAKING AND FOUND TO BE RUSTED OUT. I HAVE BEEN USING THE VEHICLE TO TOW A 2010 AIR STREAM AND THANK GOD NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY HAS OCCURRED. *TR

Mileage: 63,776

APPLIED BRAKES BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH BRAKE SYSTEM SERVICE NEEDED LOST PRESSURE ON PEDAL AND ALL LOST FLUID STILL HAD SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKING (BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND LEAKED OUT FLUID ,LINES SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE FROM STAINLESS STEEL NOT CHEAP STEEL.) *TR

Mileage: 128,432

TRIP FROM LONG ISLAND NEW YORK TO FREEPORT MAINE. TRAVELING 65-70 MPH DURING TRIP ON HIGHWAY 95. ARRIVED IN FREEPORT. CHECKED INTO HOTEL. WENT OUT TO TRUCK 2 HOURS LATER WITH THE INTENTION OF ATTENDING AN EVENT. STEPPED ON BRAKE, STARTED TRUCK, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD NOT RECOVER FROM THE FLOOR. CHECKED UNDER TRUCK FOR LEAKS AND FOUND BADLY RUSTED BRAKE LINES HAD BURST RELEASING COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF BRAKE FLUID. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO SEARS AUTO DEPARTMENT WHO HAD TO REBUILD THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO EACH WHEEL. SEARS HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE LINES AND CALIPERS SINCE THE CALIPERS WERE ALSO SO RUSTED THAT THEY COULD NOT BE BLED. IF THESE LINES HAD BURST ON THE HIGHWAY; MY WIFE, MY SON AND ME WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN KILLED OR SEVERELY INJURED AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD MAY HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME FATE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF RUST ON ANY AUTO I HAVE EVER OWNED. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO SALT WATER. ROADS ARE SALTED IN WINTER ON LONG ISLAND. (AS AN ASIDE, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BUMPER PRIOR TO STARTING THE TRIP BECAUSE IT HAD RUSTED THROUGH FROM BEHIND. IT SEEMS THAT INFERIOR MATERIALS WERE PURCHASED BY GM). *TR

Mileage: 58,270