2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Complaints

STOPPED TO GET GAS. AS I WAS PULLING OUT THE LOT, BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. TRIED TO PUMP BRAKES TO PRESSURIZE. I DECIDED TO PULL OVER. AS I WAS TURNING OFF ROAD TO INVESTIGATE I HEARD A LOUD POP. CHECK BRAKE LIGHT AND AUDIBLE CAME ON. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY ONLY TO DISCOVER BRAKE LINE HAD RUPTURED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED ALL BRAKE LINE TUBINGS WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. CHEVY HAD FINALLY MADE WISE DECISION TO GO STAINLESS STEEL FOR EXHAUST SYSTEM. PUZZLING WHY THEY DID NOT MAKE SAME DECISION FOR THE BRAKE LINES. BRAKE SYSTEM IS CRITICAL SAFETY ITEM THAT SHOULD MANDATE HIGHEST SAFETY MEASURES. NOT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM! I WAS FORTUNATE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. WHILE PULLING INTO PARKING STALL AT THE DEALER, I HEARD ANOTHER LOUD POP. AND EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON BRAKES, THE TRUCK BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK TO STOP. IT APPEAR THERE WAS JUST ENOUGH STOPPING POWER TO GET OFF THE ROAD. MUST ADVISE ANYONE WHO EXPERIENCE THIS NOT TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE HOME! NO MATTER HOW CLOSE. I WAS CONSIDERING THIS OPTION. GOOD THING MY GOOD SENSE PREVAILED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT DROPPED TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. *TR

SLOWING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I NOTICED THE PEDAL DEPRESSING MORE THAN NORMAL. AT LIGHT THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR, BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. UNSAFE RIDE HOME WITH ALMOST ZERO BRAKING. LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED OUT. *TR

DRIVING DOWN 2 LANE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 40 IN A 45 MPH ZONE. TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED YELLOW AT THE WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT. DECIDED TO PANIC STOP, PRESSED THE PEDAL HARD, IMMEDIATELY THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE WARNING CAME ON. TRUCK DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT BRAKING TO STOP AND I HAD TO PLOW THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, THANK GOD I MADE IT THROUGH SAFELY. FROM THIS POINT UNTIL I REACHED HOME, VERY LITTLE BRAKING WAS POSSIBLE, VERY UNSAFE. UPON INSPECTION, THE REAR LINE HAD BURST, REQUIRING $200 IN REPAIRS. A FEW MONTHS EARLIER THE GAS LINE RUSTED THROUGH ALSO, COSTING ANOTHER $200. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED AN INACCURATE READING OF 80 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

TRUCK EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE WHEN A CORRODED RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DURING AN ATTEMPTED HARD STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT. SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION DOWN AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE EVENTUALLY STOPPED THE TRUCK. FLUID LEAKING FROM THE RUPTURE DRAINED THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR WITHIN FIVE MINUTES. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF ALL THE BRAKE LINES REVEALED SEVERE CORROSION AND PITTING AT MANY LOCATIONS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE TRUCK. DESPITE HAVING THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES ON SEPARATE HYDRAULIC CIRCUITS, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH BRAKING CAPABILITY REMAINING TO SAFELY DRIVE THE TRUCK, EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS WAS A VERY CLOSE CALL AND IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE CORROSION RESISTANCE OF THE BRAKE LINES IS SUBSTANDARD, POSING A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN.

THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED 3 YEARS AGO. AFTER THE FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE RETAILER WITH PEELING ON ALL FOUR SIDEWALLS. I CHOOSE TO HAVE THESE TIRES MOUNTED WITH THE WHITE LETTERING TO THE OUTSIDE AND THE PEELING WAS ON THE BLACK PART OF THE TIRES ALL OVER EVEN BETWEEN THE LETTERING. THE MANAGER INFORMED ME I HAD RAN AGAINST SOME CURBING-NOW HOW DOES ONE RUN UP AGAINST CURBING WITH ALL FOUR TIRES AT ONE TIME AND NOT EVEN SCAR UP THE TIRE OR THE LETTERING? IN MY ESTIMATION THIS COULD NOT HAPPEN. HE INFORMED ME IT WAS A COSMETIC DEFECT AND WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE SITUATION BECAME INCREASINGLY WORSE THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF TIME WITH NUMEROUS FLATS, UNEVEN WEAR AND EXTREME VIBRATION. THIS IS A COMPANY VEHICLE AND DUE TO LIABILITY REASONS AND LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE RETAILER, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONLY 10,000 MILES PER YEAR ON THESE TIRES. MY EMPLOYEE CALLED AND INFORMED ME OF A FLAT ON THE VEHICLE AND THE OTHER 3 TIRES WERE AT THE POINT WHERE THE STEEL BELTS WERE SHOWING THROUGH. AT THIS POINT I CONTACTED THE MANAGER AT THE RETAILER ONLY TO BE TOLD I WOULD BE GIVEN CREDIT OF $49.00 PER TIRE EVEN THOUGH I HAD TROUBLE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE THESE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST FROM THE VERY BEGINNING BUT NOW I WILL BE FORCED TO PAY FULL PRICE AT ANOTHER DISTRIBUTOR FOR ANOTHER SET OF TIRES. THE TIRES ON OUR VEHICLES ARE OUR LIVELIHOOD SINCE THIS IS A SALESMEN VEHICLE AND MANY MORE DOLLARS IN SALES COULD HAVE BEEN MADE HAD I NOT BEEN AFRAID FROM A LIABILITY STANDPOINT. RIGHT NOW I CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS SINCE NEW TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN BUDGETED FOR THIS VEHICLE AND WE HAVE NO EXTRA ONES AT THIS TIME. FOR DISCOUNT TIRES SAKE I HOPE THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ALONG COASTING AT A LOWER THAN NORMAL SPEED, (FORTUNATELY) BECAUSE I SAW THE TRAFFIC LIGHT WAY AHEAD OF ME TURN RED....NOT TOWING ANYTHING...NO LOAD IN THE BED OF THE TRUCK. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES,IN A NORMAL/NOT PANICKED MANNER, THE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. THERE NEVER WERE ANY WARNINGS/LIGHTS, EVEN AFTER THE FAILURE. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH TIME, AND PIECE OF MIND, TO MANIPULATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND COME SCREECHING TO A STOP (BY JUST THE REAR BRAKES) WITH ONLY A COUPLE FEET TO SPARE. IF I HADN'T, (OR IF THE E-BRAKE HADN'T WORKED) I WOULD HAVE PLOWED INTO SEVERAL SMALL CARS THAT WERE STOPPED AT THE LIGHT., WITH MY BIG CREW CAB TRUCK. CERTAINLY SEVERELY INJURING MANY PEOPLE! I DISCOVERED THE REAR BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED...TOTALLY...IT IS A PILE OF RUST...RESULTING IN COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE! I CAN SEND YOU A PHOTO....I WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU A PHOTO! ALL OF THE LINES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO SAFELY OPERATE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN... I HAVE ALSO FOUND (WITH A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH) COUNTLESS OTHER IDENTICAL INSTANCES OF THIS OCCURRING IN SIMILAR MODEL YEAR GM TRUCKS.. MANY, YEARS PRIOR TO IT HAPPENING TO ME! MINE ONLY HAS 50K MILES ON IT, AND IS GARAGE KEPT...AND ALWAYS KEPT SPOTLESS. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IF A BRAKE LINE FAILED, THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS SUPPOSED TO SHIFT OVER TO SHUNT/PREVENT THE LEAKING LINE FROM BLEEDING PRESSURE...SO THE REST OF THE BRAKES WOULD WORK?? (NOT LIKE IN THE MOVIES) THE GOV'T MANDATES 5 MPH BUMPERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER THE SUN, BUT NOT THIS TYPE OF REDUNDANT BRAKE FEATURE? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? THEY DO A RECALL BECAUSE THE TAILGATE CABLES RUST, AND MIGHT DAMAGE THE TAILGATE, BUT DON'T FOR RUSTING BRAKE LINES THAT COULD KILL PEOPLE!!?? THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!! I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO HEAR A REPLY TO THIS.. *TR

(*AFFECTED PART - IT DOESN'T LET ME TO TYPE IPC - INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER) FUEL NEEDLE IS NOT OPERATING - COMPLETELY. BATTERY VOLTAGE NEEDLE - IS NOT OPERATING - COMPLETELY. SPEEDOMETER IS STICKING. LIGHTS AT DASHBOARD ARE DIM, TAKES COUPLE MINUTES TO GET BACK TO NORMAL. GM IS AWARE OF DEFECTIVE PRODUCT (IPC - INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER) THAT WAS INSTALLED ON ALL 2003 AND 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO, BUT IS REFUSING TO CORRECT A PROBLEM. THEY ISSUED ONLY SHORT TERM "SPECIAL COVERAGE", WHICH EXPIRED IN 04/2010, WITHOUT EVEN NOTIFYING ALL OF OWNERS ABOUT DEFECT, SO - GOD FORBID - THEY WON'T GO TO DEALERSHIP AND HAVE IT REPLACED AT THAT TIME. IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING IT. I AM DRIVING NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH GASOLINE IS IN MY TANK, IS MY BATTERY VOLTAGE OK OR REALLY HAS PROBLEM, WHAT IS MY SPEED AND IF IT COMPLIES WITH SPEED LIMIT, AND AT NIGHT I EVEN DON'T SEE DASHBOARD INFO. GM SAYS - "IT'S YOUR PROBLEM, NOT OUR. TAKE CARE OF IT ON YOUR OWN". I PURCHASED VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH THAT ALL PARTS ARE IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION. IN REALITY THAT WAS NOT A CASE. GM INSTALLED DEFECTIVE PARTS ON THEIR VEHICLE AND SHOULD CARRY FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPLACING THEM WITH GOOD ONES. *TR

APPROACHING A 3 WAY STOP INTERSECTION, UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP AT THE INTERSECTION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO WARNING LAMPS OF ANY SORT WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING OF THE PEDAL DID NOT PRODUCE ANY RESISTANCE. AFTER COUPLE MINUTES THE "SERVICE BRAKES" WARNING CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE TRUCK TO A STOP BY SLOWING DOWN. HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED TO A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER THE TECHNICIAN, THE SERVICE CONSULTANT, AND I ALL OBSERVED THE RUSTED BRAKE LINES, THEY WERE ALL BADLY CORRODED, ONE OF THE LINES HAD DEVELOPED A PIN HOLE LEAD RESULTING IN THE BRAKE FAILURE. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES FAR OLDER AND WITH FAR MORE MILEAGE AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE STEEL BRAKE LINES. I BELIEVE THE DESIGN IS FLAWED (THE ROUTING AND PLACEMENT OF LINES AND MODULE) OR THE BRAKE LINE MATERIAL (STEEL, INSTEAD OF STAINLESS STEEL) IS INSUFFICIENT. *TR