2003 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
458 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 5 defect investigations. It scores 43/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 77,718 miles.
Below average
Where 2003 sits among all Sierra 1500 years
What owners report
“A brake line burst underneath the truck when i applied the brakes with substantial pressure (not enough to engage abs on the dry pavement). Was able to swerve to avoid vehicle that cut us off and use emergency brake to slow/stop vehicle in a safe place. All brake lines were severely rusted/corroded…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sierra 1500
“Drove 2003 gmc sierra pickup to mountains, stayed 5 days. Got in truck to come home and speedometer was erratic at times and didn't move at all at other times.have not had it repaired. Problem 3 mounths old.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sierra 1500
“When turning the steering wheel completely to the left it will lock in this position and continue in a circle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sierra 1500
“2003 gmc sierra, 7000 miles automatic transmission is jerky. Very poor performance. Service department refuses to acknowledge the problem. I know for a fact this is fairly widespread. What can the dealer do about it?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sierra 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 366 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 68,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 97,800 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY…
Fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL NATIONAL AND CARQUEST AFTERMARKET HUB ASSEMBLIES, P/N 515058, SOLD FOR USE ON 2001-2006 GENERAL MOTORS 1500 AND 2500 4WD TRUCKS. ON THE SUBJECT HUB ASSEMBLIES, THE ABS SENSOR CORD DEPARTS FROM THE HUB ASSEMBLY AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. AS…
Fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY ITS OWNERS AND WILL EITHER CREDIT THE CUSTOMERS ACCOUNT OR REPLACE THE UNIT. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL CUSTOMER…
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
ON CERTAIN VANS EQUIPPED WITH SURE-LOK WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT SYSTEMS, THE SPROCKET TEETH OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT RETRACTORS AS NECESSARY. SURE-LOK WILL HANDLE THE REPAIRS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SURE-LOCK AT 1-908-231-1804 OR…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 05V161000.
Led to recall campaign 04E067000.
Technical service bulletins
759 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2003 Sierra 1500 TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
The 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 drew 458 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 43/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 are brakes & stability (192 complaints), electrical (77), and steering (43).
At what mileage do 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 problems around 68,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 97,800 miles.
Does the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.