2003 Chevrolet Silverado Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado, 17% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 54,197 miles. The words owners use most often: “instrument panel” (11% of reports).
- 116electrical system complaints
- 54,197median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $800typical repair cost reported by owners
- 51%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Instrument panel: mentioned in 13 of 116 complaints (11%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado at $800, and half of them between $770 and $800.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 93 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 116 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 1 an injury.
Chevrolet Silverado electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Silverado | 10 | 8% | 34,000 |
| 2016 Silverado | 1 | 20% | 1,015 |
| 2015 Silverado | 9 | 12% | 11,214 |
| 2014 Silverado | 20 | 16% | 6,500 |
| 2013 Silverado | 6 | 9% | 12,000 |
| 2012 Silverado | 4 | 6% | 20,000 |
| 2011 Silverado | 5 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 2010 Silverado | 8 | 13% | 27,950 |
| 2009 Silverado | 17 | 22% | 72,000 |
| 2008 Silverado | 48 | 30% | 62,324 |
| 2007 Silverado | 38 | 21% | 65,000 |
| 2006 Silverado | 14 | 8% | 50,000 |
| 2005 Silverado | 64 | 20% | 66,000 |
| 2004 Silverado | 159 | 26% | 48,700 |
| 2003 Silverado | 116 | 17% | 54,197 |
| 2002 Silverado | 25 | 4% | 54,500 |
| 2001 Silverado | 30 | 3% | 62,000 |
| 2000 Silverado | 38 | 3% | 65,500 |
| 1999 Silverado | 51 | 3% | 60,471 |
| 1998 Silverado | 20 | 7% | 127,000 |
| 1997 Silverado | 16 | 6% | 27,500 |
| 1996 Silverado | 4 | 2% | 75,000 |
| 1995 Silverado | 8 | 3% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Brake lines, gas line, transmission fluid lines all rusted/corroded beginning at under 50,000 miles. * had near accidents as the brake lines blew while driving on a highway and was decelerating in an attempt to come to a stop..pedal went to the floor, i continued on (foot off the gas) until the…
While driving, the heater blower stopped working and i smelled burning plastic or insulation. I pulled over and figured out it was coming from under the dash. Logically i pulled the bottom cover off from below the blower assy.(former mechanic). Smell was coming from plug harness and relay. Melted…
This is the second of three fatal collisions investigated this year by my office involving chevrolet pickups that caught fire after being involved in frontal collisions. This was an off set head on, passenger side to passenger side. Passenger in pickup was pinned in vehicle due to crush and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Chevrolet Silverados have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 116 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado (17% of the 695 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 54,197 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
Owners report a typical cost of $800 (half paid between $770 and $800), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
The most frequent phrase is “instrument panel”, in 13 of 116 complaints.
Other 2003 Chevrolet Silverado problems
See all 2003 Chevrolet Silverado problems or electrical system problems across all Silverado years.