FaultScore

2003 GMC Sierra 2500 steering problems

10 of the 193 complaints about the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 are about the steering — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 53,000 miles.

D

10

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering 8 80.0%
Shaft Sector 2 20.0%

Steering across every GMC Sierra 2500 year

2001 11 17.7%
2003 10 16.1%
2005 17 27.4%
2006 10 16.1%
2016 14 22.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 157,000 miles Hesperia, CA

STEERING

HAD INJECTORS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 50000 MILES AFTER NOTICING EXCESS EXHAUST SMOKE ON STARTUP AND ALSO POWER STEERING HOSES WERE LEAKING, AGAIN AT 105000 MILES THEY TOTALLY FAILED AS I WAS BRINGING MY WIFE HOME FROM HOSPITAL ON I-15 IN CA. UP CAJON PASS AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER, BUT GM DEALER WOULD NOT COVER INJECTORS UNDER WARRANTY AS TRUCK WAS11 YEARS OLD AND THEIR COVERAGE WAS FOR 7 YEARS ONLY, NOW AGAIN HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AT 147000 MILES BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE SMOKE ON STARTUP. THIS TIME I WENT TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AS THEY WERE $1000 CHEAPER AND STATED THESE UPGRADED INJECTORS SHOULD LAST 150000 MILES NOT 50000. HAD TO HAVE POWER STEERING HOSES REPLACED AGAIN ALSO ALONG WITH POWER BRAKE SERVO BECAUSE THEY WERE LEAKING AGAIN AT 157000 MILES. I HAVE ALL OF THIS DOCUMENTED IN WRITING BY SERVICE DEPTS.

NHTSA complaint #11308791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 170,000 miles Hamilton, AL

STEERING

BRAKES ARE SPONGY NOT RIGHT POWER STEERING WHINES AS DO BRAKES

NHTSA complaint #11173437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 69,671 miles Elkton, MD

STEERING

POWER STEERING COOLER AND LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING, ENGINE OIL COOLER LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING, TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING. ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. WORK DONEA T GMC DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #10448528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 99,000 miles Lebanon, NJ

STEERING

MANY COMPONENTS UNDER THE TRUCK ARE SEVERELY RUSTED. TWO BRAKE LINES FAILED IN AUGUST 2011 DUE TO RUST. THE REST ARE READY TO FAIL SOON. THE POWER STEERING LINE RUSTED OUT THIS MONTH (DECEMBER). RUST AT SENSORS OF ABS SYSTEM CAUSES ERRATIC ABS OPERATION.

NHTSA complaint #10441253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 53,000 miles Riverside, CA

STEERING

2003-? GMC TRUCK, STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. HAD SHAFT REPLACED AT 17,000 MILES DUE TO RATTLE AND THUMPING IN STEERING COLUMN. REPLACED AGAIN AT 53,000 MILES. POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL DUE TO MANUFACTURE, ENGINEERING OR DESIGN. PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED BY GM ONLY REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE OF SHAFT. UPON ONLINE SEARCH, I DISCOVERED NUMEROUS OTHER CONSUMERS THAT HAVE/HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH GMC TRUCKS, VANS, SUVS, ETC.

NHTSA complaint #10362840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,000 miles Livonia, MI

STEERING

STEERING COLUMN RATTLE. HAVE HAD SERVICE ON AT LEAST 6 OCCASIONS, ALL PROVING UNSUCCESSFUL. FIXES HAVE BEEN EITHER LUBE INJECTION, OR REPLACEMENT OF INTERMEDIARY SHAFT. NO FIX HAS LASTED LONGER THAN 5,000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10167373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,000 miles RIO Rancho, NM

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR

LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING SHAFT.

NHTSA complaint #10141386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15 miles Crestview, FL Crash 1 injured

STEERING

2003 GMC 2500HD DURMAX TRUCK. WHEN YOU APPLY BRAKES HARD THE STEERING LOCKS UP AND YOU CAN'T TURN. GM SAYS THIS IS STANDARD OPERATING FOR THIS TRUCK. THIS TRUCK HAS ABS. ABS GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO STEER WHILE BREAKING. THIS IS HARD TO DO WHEN STEERING LOCKS UP. GM HAS SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THERE ARE 3 OTHER TRUCKS ALL GMC OR CHEVY IN MY TOWN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL OF US HAVE GOTTEN THE SAME RESPONCE FROM GM. CALL BBB DONT CALL US.

NHTSA complaint #10052861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 26,722 miles Crowley, TX

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR

2003 GMC 3/4 TON PICKUP. PROBLEM WITH INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. HAVE A 1999 GMC 3/4 TON THAT THE SHAFT HAS BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES. SON HAS A 2001 TAHOE THAT HAS HAD THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED TWO TIMES. WHEN WILL SOMEONE MAKE THEM GET THIS FIXED IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10045815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Macon, NC

STEERING

THE 4X4 WHEEL DRIVE CAME ON. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

NHTSA complaint #10006405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 problems

← Full 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 report