2003 Chevrolet Silverado Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 124 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 92,900 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (50% of reports).
- 124service brakes complaints
- 92,900median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,050typical repair cost reported by owners
- 17%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 62 of 124 complaints (50%)
- Went floor: mentioned in 42 of 124 complaints (34%)
- Line rusted: mentioned in 11 of 124 complaints (9%)
- Using emergency: mentioned in 8 of 124 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado at $2,050, and half of them between $1,300 and $2,450.
Based on 12 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2015), 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 problems happen?
Based on 120 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 124 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Chevrolet Silverado service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Silverado | 31 | 25% | 41,000 |
| 2015 Silverado | 6 | 8% | 12,366 |
| 2014 Silverado | 8 | 6% | 12,206 |
| 2013 Silverado | 2 | 3% | 14,947 |
| 2012 Silverado | 9 | 13% | 7,299 |
| 2011 Silverado | 5 | 7% | 34,500 |
| 2010 Silverado | 2 | 3% | 10,000 |
| 2009 Silverado | 4 | 5% | 53,691 |
| 2008 Silverado | 4 | 2% | 31,940 |
| 2007 Silverado | 21 | 11% | 65,500 |
| 2006 Silverado | 83 | 46% | 64,888 |
| 2005 Silverado | 61 | 19% | 93,500 |
| 2004 Silverado | 122 | 20% | 91,850 |
| 2003 Silverado | 124 | 18% | 92,900 |
| 2002 Silverado | 70 | 10% | 103,000 |
| 2001 Silverado | 40 | 5% | 99,000 |
| 2000 Silverado | 58 | 4% | 132,013 |
| 1999 Silverado | 52 | 3% | 131,000 |
| 1998 Silverado | 1 | 0% | — |
| 1997 Silverado | 1 | 0% | 90,000 |
| 1995 Silverado | 2 | 1% | 250,000 |
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.
While routinely driving my 03 chev silverado truck, the brakes failed. When i was able to safely stop and move to a safe place, i looked under the vehicle and saw brake fluid leaking from one of the brake lines which had failed due to excessive corrosion. As a retired police officer, i have…
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…
Front brake lines rusted through and spilled brake fluid while moving at slow speed. Had front brake lines replaced. Six months or so later, rear brake lines rusted through and spilled brake fluid while moving at slow speed. Had rear brake lines replaced. Abs is now contaminated and is causing stop…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Chevrolet Silverados have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 124 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado (18% 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?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 92,900 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,050 (half paid between $1,300 and $2,450), from 12 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 62 of 124 complaints, followed by “went floor” (42).
Other 2003 Chevrolet Silverado problems
See all 2003 Chevrolet Silverado problems or service brakes problems across all Silverado years.