2003 Chevrolet Silverado Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 39,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (22% of reports).
- 130service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 39,000median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 12%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.
- Brake lines: mentioned in 28 of 130 complaints (22%)
- Rear rotors: mentioned in 13 of 130 complaints (10%)
- Pedal went: mentioned in 11 of 130 complaints (8%)
- Brakes failed: mentioned in 10 of 130 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes, hydraulic repair on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado at $1,700, and half of them between $720 and $2,400.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2011), 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 service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 110 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 130 complaints, 5 mention a crash.
Chevrolet Silverado service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Silverado | 1 | 1% | 118,000 |
| 2015 Silverado | 2 | 3% | 95,000 |
| 2014 Silverado | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2011 Silverado | 4 | 5% | 4,105 |
| 2009 Silverado | 3 | 4% | 19,250 |
| 2008 Silverado | 4 | 2% | 71,500 |
| 2007 Silverado | 13 | 7% | 53,500 |
| 2006 Silverado | 19 | 10% | 24,000 |
| 2005 Silverado | 26 | 8% | 25,072 |
| 2004 Silverado | 84 | 14% | 19,750 |
| 2003 Silverado | 130 | 19% | 39,000 |
| 2002 Silverado | 245 | 35% | 42,638 |
| 2001 Silverado | 306 | 35% | 49,850 |
| 2000 Silverado | 450 | 34% | 54,000 |
| 1999 Silverado | 815 | 49% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Silverado | 84 | 30% | 66,500 |
| 1997 Silverado | 57 | 21% | 70,000 |
| 1996 Silverado | 31 | 17% | 78,000 |
| 1995 Silverado | 27 | 10% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.
Risk: Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.
Fix: Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; gmc at 1-866-996-9463; or hummer at 1-866-486-6376.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado. Contacted stated while driving at approximately 55 mph, the brake pedal was depressed in a panic situation and the pedal went straight to the floor board. *bf
2003 chevrolet silverado rusted brake lines *cn when the dealer tested the brakes, the brake pedal went to the floor and five brake lines burst under the driver seat area. *jb
I have a 2003 chevy silverado and the brake system start going out last week. Took it to my gmc dealer , where i purchase the vehicle from. They stated that the brake line are completely rusted and the issue is so extensive that they cannot do work to it. I need to find an independent auto repair…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Chevrolet Silverados have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 130 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado (19% 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 service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?
The median reported mileage is 39,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,700 (half paid between $720 and $2,400), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 28 of 130 complaints, followed by “rear rotors” (13).
Other 2003 Chevrolet Silverado problems
- Service Brakes problems (124)
- Electrical System problems (116)
- Power Train problems (81)
- Steering problems (80)
See all 2003 Chevrolet Silverado problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all Silverado years.