Problems with 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Speedometer. may go to 65 mph sitting still. works periodically and then suddenly will jumped to 90 mph. this is a safety issue - especially when hauling grandchildren!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have emailed gm three times with absolutely no response of any kind. *tr

2003 chevrolet silverado k1500. consumer states problem with electronic dash *tgw the speedometer has been inconsistently working since july 2010. the gauge would be fine at first, when suddenly it would register speeds that were not correct and the needle was slow to respond to any change in speed and it would not drop to zero when the consumer came to a complete stop. it would usually correct itself overnight, but not always and it would remain normal until the next intermittent episode. also, there was an intermittent clicking noise coming from the dash. the consumer also stated the doors would lock and unlock on their own while stopped and while driving. the headlights went out briefly, all of the dash displays and side door light panels worked intermittently. the power heated seats would jerk and make noises. *jb

Speedometer is not working at all, will not register which is causing the transmission to slip. it is constant, and we cannot drive the vehicle we had to take vehicle to have it repaired, it cost $492.50. gmc/chevy is aware of the problem but no recall has been issued and if your vehicle is 7 years new or has less than 80,000 miles it is being fixed for free. my vehicle is only 7 years old but has 100,000. i also own a 2004 gmc envoy which appeared to be running okay and then on the way home from getting the chevy fixed now the speedometer on the envoy is not working. i have attempted to call gmc customer service and i am just getting the run around. i spoke to john at jba chevrolet (he is the mechanic - 410-766-6305) he said this is a known problem. *tr

I have a 2003 silverado that has been having rough idling issues. the truck doesn't idle rough everyday,but when it does the voltage fluxuates between 10-14 volts. before this started happening it stayed at a steady 14 volts. now the voltage is dropping and the rpm's are dropping to around 200-300 rpms then some times it will die in motion. i have replaced the alternator and had the battery tested they are good. there was low fuel pressure so i replaced the pump,still nothing is helping. i found a internet site (www.topix.com) there is 15 pages of people with the same problem. nobody can find a definite problem. there is people spending thousands on their vehicle to fix it and the parts don't always help. i have no warning lights coming on,so i don't even know where to start anymore. i'm broke. i feel that gm needs to do something for all the people affected by this. *tr *js

I contacted chevy concerning my failed instrument panel and why it wasn't under a safety recall and i was told it was under a courtesy warranty recall up to 7 yrs or 80,000 miles, which i have succeeded when i could afford to get it fixed. chevy said that it wasn't under a total recall because a speedometer not working is not a federal safety issue that is required for a recall. the dealership told me that it should have been under a recall because of so many that have had to be replaced. please advise. *tr

Instrument cluster quit working. everything was working fine going to work then home. started the truck to go to church and nothing worked on the instrument cluster with exception of the lights. *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). 2003 chevrolet silverado, [xxx] sticking speedometer, unable to determine correct speed. outside warranty extension parameters of 7 yr 80,000 miles. i believe this is a safety issue and warrants a recall, not a warranty extension. contacted customer service and they are unwilling to help. must repair at own expense. *tr

Speedometer on chevy 1500 silverado 2003 erratic at times. dealers at first did not acknowledge a recall, and now state i am out of policy allowance. never received notice of recall, only heard in news. problem has become much worse in past 2 months, i first reported to dealer at 70k in jan 2010. *tr

Speedometer started working sporadically. sometimes sticks below 0, sometimes moves sporadically and does not indicate correct speed. internet search shows this is a very common problem. gm is aware of this problem and has issued a service bulletin, but is it only valid for vehicles under 80k miles. this is a safety hazard in that the driver does not accurately know the vehicle speed and does not know if he/she is traveling at a safe speed. when the speedometer reads lower than the actual speed (it may read 5 or 10 mph below the actual speed, or may be much lower, as the indicated speed is unreliable), the driver may be going faster than he/she realizes into a curve or turn, which might lead to a crash, possibly injury or death. chevrolet advertises that they build the longest lasting trucks. isn't it reasonable to expect something as basic as a speedometer to work properly for more than 80k miles? dealer said a new instrument cluster is needed to repair this defect. since the vehicle is beyond 80k miles, this would cost the owner approximately $500. *tr

Speedo failed. needle stuck at various speeds. contacted gm. not helpful at all. guess somebody has to die before they will take any action. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that the instrument clusters failed and he is unable to read any gauges on the vehicle. the dealer stated that since his warranty is not valid he has to pay $400 to repair the vehicle. the manufacturer was called and a claim was filed. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 174,000.

2003 chevrolet silverado speedometer is showing i'm traveling at 70 mph when actually doing about 10 mph, and at other times shows i'm traveling 30 mph when actually going significantly faster. this is causing a safety issue, and it appears that this is a systemic issue with chevrolet. *tr

Left turn signal causes the turn signals to act as hazard signals preventing other drivers from knowing the truck is turning left. it is sporadic, but often hear a buzz under steering column when it occurs. see it is an often reported problem with a failed hazard lamp flasher module whose contacts fail due to moisture. must be replaced with a sealed module. chevy claims there is no recall on faulty part (called 4/8/10). *tr

The left daylight running light burned out. upon removing the bulb the socket was brown and the electrical contacts looked charred. this was the original bulb installed at the factory. cleaned contacts with sandpaper and installed new 4114 bulb as was removed. i still have the burned out bulb. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that she was involved in an accident in december 2009. since the accident, the speedometer stopped working. the needle on the speedometer no longer moved. she took the vehicle to the dealership and was told that the instrument cluster needed to be replaced and would have to be done so at her expense. she had not called the manufacturer to-date. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 89,000. the failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

Erratic speedometer, engine trouble / check abs lights always on. no specific event, just started registering very high speeds or very low speeds that did not match actual speed of vehicle. changes every time vehicle is turned off and turned back on or when stopped. unable to gauge and maintain speed prudent for weather conditions in our area, which is usually snow, sleet, rain, or all three at once. dangerous condition not knowing speed and causes anxiety from worry and possibility of speeding ticket. cannot concentrate on road ahead trying to determine speed from passing objects. trouble lights just came on and stayed on. unable to remedy. *tr

I have a 2003 chevy silverado 1500 and i want to report the defects i've noticed with my truck. first of all, the seat belt tends to jam for no reason. i was sitting at the intersection when i tried to lean over and the seatbelt was jammed. i could not move at all. this has happened several times to me and some friends. another problem is the a/c system. my truck has dual control system and the drivers side will blow hot air while the passengers side blows sold air all while the settings are both in cold air. turning off the ignition and restarting seems to temporarily fix the problem but within 20 minutes i am back to square one. this problem is extremely common as i have heard many other people complain of the exact same problem. finally, the other issue is the speedometer. the speedometer seems to work only when it wants too. i had this problem about 2 yrs after i bought it and i experience this more often now. sometimes other gauges will not work either such as the battery and rpm gauge. *tr

Speedometer is not working and/or inaccurate. *tr

The fuel gauge and the oil temperature gauge a few weeks ago started not working properly. the needles would stick and therefore could not read gauges. at first they would just not work from time to time, but now they do not work at all. i have a letter from chevrolet informing me that a problem like this could happen and if it did to contact my dealer for an appointment to inspect the problem. if the dealer found that the problem was valid then chevrolet would replace the instrument panel. the letter also stated that they would only fix the problem if the pickup fell between the guidelines of no more than 70,000 miles or 7 years from date of purchase, whichever occurred first. therefore when i spoke to chevrolet and my pickup had 97,000 miles, even though it has not been 7 years since purchase, they told me that there was nothing they could do to help me because i had gone over the mileage restriction. the part can only be bought by the dealer and installed by a certified chevy mechanic, because it has to be programmed. it cost around $350.00 to fix this problem that only occurred because of a defective part. i have been a driver for a major delivery company for 20 years and this problem falls in the category of a safety issue. the gas gage does not work, resulting in never knowing when and where the vehicle could run out of gas. the oil pressure gauge is not working, therefore not allowing the driver of the pickup to know if there is enough oil in it at all times to prevent overheating which could result in burning a motor up. *tr

2003 chevy silverado speedometer reading inaccurately. ascending to 120mph and staying while doing posted speedlimit. *tr

The climate control fan speed module has shorted out causing the wiring harness to melt. the module overheated to a point that caused smoke and almost ignited will could have resulted in a fire under the dashboard. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. while driving 30 mph, the speedometer became stuck and then increased to 80 mph. currently, the speedometer is stuck at 78 mph and does not move. the vehicle is parked in the contact's driveway. he had to use his gps to control his miles per hour while driving. the dealer informed him of a class action lawsuit and that they extended the mileage failure regarding the lawsuit. however, the contact would be responsible for the cost to repair his vehicle. the manufacturer is aware of the failure and the contact feels that they should pay for the repair. the failure mileage was 108,000.

We bought a 2003 chevy silverado 1500 pickup for our daughter to drive to college. the speedometer quit working correctly; it would give random (incorrect) speeds, or none at all. we spoke with different mechanics who said the part costs $500. they said this problem is common to the 2003 chevy silverado pickups. they also said since the part is so expensive, people usually can't afford to repair it, so they go without a speedometer. *tr

Chevy 2003 silverado odometer error after 70,000 miles it reads odometer error every time you crank it and speedometer does not work. *tr

My 2003 silverado speedometer is no longer working properly. this seems to be a common problem with these vehicles. it will sit idle at 20 mph while sitting still and say that i'm going 90 when i'm going 70 mph( or so i think. just guessing ). the web sites and dealerships are saying that gm will only fix it if your car is under 7 yrs old and under 70,00 miles. this seems to be a problem with many gm cars and is a danger to drivers(we do not know the actual speed we are going!). *tr

My 2003 silverado speedometer is stuck to the far right. the information center changes from english, french, and spanish by its self. the temperature control for the divers side will go to max heat by its self. the service department said that it would cast $600 dollars to fix the speedometer. *tr

I started my 2003 chevy to let it warm up and went back in the house then came back out find the wiring for the heater under the passenger dash was on fire. the damage to the vehicle is still undetermined. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that some of the instrument panel indicators were not illuminated. only the mileage and gear shifter areas were illuminated. the rpm, speedometer, gasoline, and battery gauges were all malfunctioning. all of the lights failed to illuminate when the vehicle was started. the manufacturer stated that there was a recall for this failure; however, the vehicle exceeded the mileage requirement. the manufacturer further stated that they would not be responsible for the repair. the vehicle is currently parked in the driveway and has not been repaired. he believes that the vehicle is unable to be driven because he cannot determine what speed he is traveling. the current and failure mileages were 130,000.

My instrument panel quit reading actually speed. it only does it every once in while. it always reads slower then what the actual speed is. after the truck is shut off awhile it reads right after the truck is restarted. the price is around 500 to replace. my truck i bought used with 100000 miles on it. it got 114000 now so i will have to replace it unless a total recall is done on it to replace all instrument clusters for all with more then 70000 miles on it. *tr

Speedometer indicator does not go to zero, starts at 65 mph and goes over 120 mph. immediate failure. so far checked to see if a recall, noted that your website had over 35 complaints above instrument cluster. *tr

During october of 2008, i received a letter from general motors informing me that my 2003 chevrolet silverado was among a group of vehicles affected by potential instrument gauge problems, and that i should only bring my vehicle to a dealer for evaluation if i was actually experiencing problems with the instrument cluster. the letter went on to state that the vehicle warranty on this issue was being extended to 70,000 miles or 7 years, whichever came first. well, at the time i received the notice, my truck had approximately 110,000 miles on it, so i was basically "out of luck" as far as gm was concerned. at that time, my vehicle was not exhibiting any of the symptoms described in the letter. however, shortly after christmas, 2008, my instrument cluster did begin to malfunction. beginning with the tachometer not reading at all, the symptoms progressed to sporadic tachometer readings, and then the speedometer began to be affected. right now, the speedometer can intermittently read anything from "zero" (when i am actually doing more than 50 mph) to 110 (when i am actually doing about 60 mph). when the symptoms began to occur, i called my local gm dealer to see about repairs, and i was told my vehicle was "outside of the repair window" for the courtesy repair, and when i asked how much it would cost to repair it on my own, i was told "about $500". since the problem is (so far) very intermittent and unpredictable, and since i don't happen to have a spare $500 to spend on a serious safety problem which gm has apparently known about for some time and refuses to address beyond a very limited scope, i elected to "wait and see". but in the meantime, i have no accurate speedometer reading, and must attempt to gauge my speed by that of the other vehicles surrounding me at any given time. this is hardly an acceptable situation. i have owned many vehicles over my lifetime (i am 60 years old), and i have never had any with instrument cluster failures. shame, shame, gm. *tr

The speedometer on my 2003 silverado started acting erratic. at first the vehicle speeds were highly inaccurate, i.e. while driving 60 mph on the highway using a gps unit the speedometer showed between 100 and 110 mph. shortly after the hand went to bottom horizontal position and rendered the speedometer useless. i understand from discussion forums on the internet that this is a common problem that is resolved through the replacement of the instrument cluster. possibility of inadvertent wrong choice of speed could become dangerous for vehicle operator and bystanders. *tr

Erratic speedometer does not correctly indicate speed. can show both lower and higher than actual speeds. no corrective measures at this time. using tachometer to gauge speed. *tr

Speedometer sticks at 30mph, will not reset to zero. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that the brake lights and horn worked intermittently. the dealer previously repaired the components under warranty. the warranty has expired and the dealer does not want to repair the failures for free. the manufacturer stated that the contact would have to pay for the repairs. the failure mileage was 6,000. updated 12/22/08. *lj

Tl -the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet surburban 1500. he states that while driving the whole instrument panel stop working.pulled over shut the vehicle off and then the instrument worked. the dealer has not been contacted yet there are plenty complaints about this component on the vehicle. the failure mileage 90000 and current was 91000.

Speedometer on 2003 chevy silverado began to malfunction and then stopped working. current mileage is 97,000 which is over the mileage for the current warranty repair. common and dangerous problem in gm vehicles and should be recalled and fixed without mileage limitations. owner also not sent notification of problem nor was it on the carfax report when vehicle purchased. *tr

problem is internal gauge cluster defect. in other words, the speedometer doesn't work. for the last 6 months, the gauge has a mind of its own. mostly much higher than the actual speed. i called puritain of cape cod to fix and they said vehicle has over the 70,000 miles. they since have gone out of business. *tr

Driving on the freeway thinking that the other drivers were going slow. i then noticed that the engine rpm was more like i was traveling at approximately 95 mph while speedometer registered 65 mph. eventually during this trip the speedometer dropped to zero mph. after stopping and resuming the trip the speedometer appeared to be working properly, but that only lasted for about 15 miles when i noticed it again losing speed while the engine rpm remained the same. again it eventually dropped to zero. i have been researching on the internet and have noted at least 300 similar complaints. this is a safety issue. i could have easily caused an accident, or received a citation had i had the misfortune to have been observed by law enforcement before i detected the malfunction myself. this needs to be a recall before someone gets killed. *tr

The speedometer on my 2003 chevrolet silverado freezes up, and does not indicate the true speed of the vehicle. i received a letter of recall/repair from gm addressing this problem, but the letter states that they will only repair the problem if the vehicle is less than 7 years old or has less than 70,000 miles. here is where i have a huge problem with this. when i got the letter from gm, my truck had 66,000 miles on it. at this time, the speedometer was working fine. the letter states in bold lettering " do not take your vehicle to the dealer unless it is showing signs of failure". my truck did not develop this issue until it reached 77,000 miles. gm now refuses to replace the defective speedometer under the recall, but wants $600.00 to replace the speedometer. there is no way to determine the true speed of the truck, and to me is a huge safety issue for my family. *tr

I received tickets for driving over the speed limit. i found out later it was because the instrument cluster in my model truck was defective and registering the speed 10-15 mph over actual. i consider this defective part a safety hazard to myself and to the general public and reported it to gm. then i found out that gm had a recall of the this same part or instrument cluster in my model of truck. i never received notice of the recall nor was i ever informed at the time of service at a gm dealer that there was a recall. after finding out that there was a recall of this part, i went to the gm dealer for a replacement but was then informed that my vehicle had passed the mileage limit on the recalled part and that they (gm) would no longer honor the defective part. my problem with gm is that if this defective part is a safety hazzard then gm is responsible to repair it. i was informed by an attorney, a law enforcement officer and a judge that gm is required to supply a speed ometer that registers the correct speed within +-5 mph. this defective part is off by 10-15 mph. i have been informed that gm has refused to repair at no charge thousands of similar trucks with the same defective part. this puts not only the driver of these vehicles at risk but also the public at large. a 10-15 mph error in speed could be disasterous in a school or construction zone. *tr

Speedometer sticks. *tr

We just received class action suit papers regarding the failure of the speedometer today on 8-13-08. the paper work says gm began a special coverage campaign on 9-28-07 so why are we just now hearing of this. my speedometer went out at 78k (may 4th 2008)! had i received this paperwork the speedometer would have been covered under this lawsuit. at the time they (gm) decided to replace the speedometer (september 2007) i only had 68k. this is unfair. the dealer knows they should recall their faulty product, but are willing to settle in a class action law suit. there is just one problem! most people who have a 2003 model have more than 70k on the vehicle. we now have 84k miles, a speedometer that has completely quit working, and a company that does not want to take responsibility for their errors. i don't understand why there is no recall! there are enough people to file a class action suit so therefore, should there not be enough to make them recall this product? *tr

Realized my speedometer was not accurate during a trip on the interstate, became worse and eventually stopped working. *tr

I had one incident about 6 months to a year ago when the speedometer in my vehicle failed to read properly. i later received a letter from chevrolet stating there was a defect involving the speedometer. however, the mileage on my vehicle (about 100k at that time) was over the 70k maximum for the company to repair it. i have since had it happen several more times, off and on, during 2008. the speedometer sticks, example: at 30 mph, then you have to subtract 30 mph from whatever it registers to get your actual speed. i contacted the 1-800 number for chevrolet. they offered me a $200 voucher for other "maintenance" at the dealer, but refused to replace the speedometer. i have not had it looked at because i will be charged a diagnostic fee on something that they are not willing to replace. it is obvious that the defect is in the part, and is not due to any neglect on my part. i did tell the 1-800 clerk to send the voucher after she told me that there was no other recourse. she stated that the voucher was for me being a loyal customer. *tr

I purchased a 2003 chevrolet silverado pickup in december 2006. in the beginning of 2007, many of my instrument panel gauges begin to stick. some days they would work, some days they wouldn't. shortly after this, i received a "courtesy" letter from gm describing the problems happening to my vehicle and advising owners of a special coverage that would extend the warranty for certain customers. my vehicle, having over the number of miles allowed, does not qualify for this coverage. since that time, all the gauges on my instrument panel have gone out. i strongly disagree with gm's claim that this is "not a safety issue". not having a speedometer, or any other gauges on the vehicle is extremely unsafe! i have a five year old vehicle, and i unequivocally believe this issue should be elevated from one of a "courtesy extension" to a recall. this defect has nothing to do with the mileage on my truck, and i should not be penalized for the number of miles on it! i contacted gm customer service, but i was advised that my vehicle was over the allowable mileage for this special coverage and i could not be assisted. this situation is truly an accident waiting to happen. *tr

Approx. 2 years ago the instrument panel went out in our chevy silverado tk. at that time there was about 50k mi. on the truck. we could not afford to have the panel fixed. we have been driving the truck as is. we have had many chevy tks. about one mo. ago we received a letter in the mail about chevy products having the same problems as ours. but the stipulations are in our eyes un acceptable. you can have no more than 70k mi. on the vehicle in order for chevy to fix this defect. if they knew of the defect how can there be this kind of stipulation... for those of us in ca, the miles traveled are many more than other states. also the defect in the vehicle does not discriminate. when it happens it happens! the letters were sent out to vehicles that are 2003's. it has already been 5 yrs. we believe there should be a recall on this part. *tr

Sound coming from transmission when push on gas,no power on right side gear light doesn't work i service 4 wd it's tell me to service i start up it's picks which gear (stationary) door on right stop working lost all power.

The speedometer on my 2003 chevy 1500 sticks and does not move back toward zero as i slow down at times. it seems to be more common when i have the heat on which is necessary in wisconsin for most of the year. it started to happen at the end of last winter but there was no recall for it at the time and by the time there was a recall for vehicles w/ less than 70,000 miles, mine had too many miles on it. now it is happening a lot more frequently. *tr

The entire gauge cluster goes blank, no readings. this affects the speedometer as well as engine monitoring gauges. i feel that this is very much a safety issue. besides the loss of speed information, without the ability to monitor the engine there is no way to know if failure is immanent. engine failure on the highway could easily lead to loss of control of the vehicle. *tr