2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Complaints

BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT. HAD TO DRIVE 60 MILES AND CHOSE EARLY MORNING DUE TO HAVING ALMOST BRAKING POWER. WE HAVE A FORD TRUCK OF THE SAME YEAR AND THE BRAKE LINES ARE STILL VERY GOOD. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS OTHER THAN A GOOD COMPANY GOING ON THE CHEAP. !!!! *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 4X4 PICKUP ON SECONDARY STATE ROUTE. WHILE DESCENDING AN APPROXIMATE 6% GRADE INTO A RIGHT HAND TURN AT BOTTOM SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW FOR THE GRADE AND TURN AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR, THE SERVICE BRAKE MESSAGE CAME UP IN THE DIC AND THE DOOR CHIME SOUNDED. SHE PULLED OVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS SHE WAS SHAKEN FROM RIDING OUT THAT HILL AND TURN WITH MINIMAL BRAKES AND CALLED ME. I WENT OUT AND DROVE THE TRUCK BACK TO OUR HOME AND PUT IN THE GARAGE TO INSPECT THE PROBLEM. ONCE UNDER THE TRUCK I FOUND BRAKE FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK AND FRAME AREA UNDER THE CAB AND BED OF THE TRUCK. THE SERVICE BRAKE LINE FROM THE ABS BLOCK TO THE REAR FRAME POINT WHERE THE BRAKE HOSE TO THE REAR AXLE MOUNTS WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND LEAKING. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED ALL BRAKE HARD LINE PLUMBING TO BE IN POOR CONDITION AND ALSO THE FUEL LINES SHOWING HIGH CORROSION. A CALL TO A LOCAL GM PARTS COUNTER REVEALED THAT GM DOES NOT MAKE A REPLACEMENT SET FOR THESE LINES AND THAT A TECHNICIAN WOULD NEED TO FIELD BEND AND MAKE UP EACH LINE. LATER RESEARCH PROVED THIS TO BE WRONG AS GM OFFERS A DEEPLY DISCOUNTED UNADVERTISED LINE SET FROM AC DELCO. IN RESEARCHING FINDING PARTS TO REPAIR, I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLET/GMC TRUCKS FROM ABOUT 1999 UP ACCORDING TO THE VARIOUS TRUCK OWNER FORUMS ONLINE. DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME AT SLOW SPEED, BRAKING WAS VERY MINIMAL WITH THE REAR BRAKE CIRCUIT OUT,AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF POOR BRAKE OPERATION, SO THEREFORE IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES WITH THE POTENTIAL OF INJURY OR EVEN DEATH WHEN ALL THE FACTORS COMBINE POORLY, AND AT THE LEAST, GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLE, IF NOT RECALL AND REPAIR THOSE EFFECTED VEHICLES. *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP IN FRONT OF A STORE MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR I SHIFTED INTO PARK TO AVOID HITTING THE PERSON IN THE CROSSWALK. MY TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD ALL BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED THE GM REP TOLD ME IT WAS AN OLD TRUCK WITH MANY MILES AS A RETIRED GM EMPLOYEE AND A LICENSED MECHANIC I HAVE DRIVEN MANY OLDER CARS AND NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINES . WILL IT TAKE A FEW DEATHS AND LAWSUITS BEFORE OWNERS OF THESE TRUCKS ARE WARNED? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE ELECTRONIC CONTROLS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE ACTUATOR AND WINDOW MOTOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL SUNK INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

THE A/C HAD ENGAGED(TURNED ON) ITSELF FOLLOWING MY USE EARLIER THIS DAY, THE HEATER HAD WORKED WELL PREVIOUS THIS MORNING. THE TEMP WAS NINETEEN DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THE TRUCK WAS PARKED OUTSIDE. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING, BY PRESSING THE BUTTON NOR WOULD ANY OF THE CONTROLS CAUSE HEAT TO COME FROM THE VENTS. I REMOVED THE DASH TRIM AND UNCLIPPED THE RADIO MOUNTS AND REMOVED THE RIGHT ELECTRICAL PLUG FROM THE BACK OF THE HEATER CONTROL UNIT AND THEN RECONNECTED. THEN THE HEATER BEGAN TO WORK. THE DEALER SAID THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM GENERAL MOTORS BUT THEY OFFER A REBUILD PROGRAM THROUGH THE DEALER. DEPENDING ON IN STOCK REPLACEMENT AND AVAILABILITY. IT WOULD TAKE TWO DAYS TO REPAIR AND THE DEALER WOULD REUSE THE FACE PLATE FROM MY UNIT PART. THE COST IS 135.00 PLUS SHIPPING. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED,AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN A POOR ELECTRICAL CONNECT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND MILEAGE. *TR

THE BRAKES BEGAN FAILING AS WE WERE DRIVING TO WORK. MY WIFE CAREFULLY DROVE THE TRUCK STRAIGHT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND BARELY MANAGED TO STOP IT. MECHANIC REPORTED THAT SEVERAL BRAKE LINES WERE LEAKING DUE TO CORROSION. THAT'S NOT SURPRISING CONSIDERING EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH THE CHASSIS IS CORRODING RAPIDLY. MOST CORROSION PRONE VEHICLE I'VE OWNED IN 25 YEARS. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR CORROSION AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH I'M CONSTANTLY DEALING WITH. *TR

THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK BACK TO MY HOUSE. LOOKING UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL, BRAKE FLUID COULD BE SEEN DRIPPING FROM A BRAKE LINE. *TR

PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AND ALMOST HIT MY OTHER CAR. STEERED AROUND IT AND WENT INTO THE YARD. AFTER CHECKING MY TRUCK I FOUND A METAL BRAKE LINE UNDER THE DRIVER DOOR RUSTED AND LEAKING FLUID. VERY LUCKY IT HAPPENED AT HOME I GUESS. *TR

PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL GOING OVER A HILL AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING PEDAL DID NOT HELP TO BUILD ANY PRESSURE. PULLED OFF THE ROAD BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY AND FLUID WAS ALL UNDER LEFT REAR OF TRUCK. MECHANIC INSPECTED RUPTURE IN FACTORY STEEL LINE AND ALL OTHER LINES RUSTED. *TR