2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 body problems

Filed Jul 8, 2022 · Body · GA

The undercarriage or frame of our recent purchase of our 2003 used chevrolet k1500 silverado was discovered recently after purchase to be rusted through and through and chipping off day by day. A private master mechanic has looked the truck over and said that it was not safe to drive. Upon further investigating, the panels that hold up the roof of the truck underneath the interior panels are rusting through and through to the point of breaking. Dealership we bought it from just shrugged their shoulders and said basically oh well, it was sold as is. under the truck on the frame where the wheels are attached, forgive my descriptions but im no mechanic, looks like they can break off at any minute. we have ony about 3/4 of a front and back bumper we later discovered, and the roof of the truck looks as if it had rusted and messed up beause someone before us put plaster to redo the roof of the truck. im scared to put my mother in law in this truck to go anywhere because if it got into a wreck... it would be devestating for everyone. truck has been in a wreck before. pictures and truck is available for inspection upon request,

Filed Jan 21, 2018 · Body, Electrical · 160,000 miles · MN

'takata recall' my air bags were framed unsafe from being a vehicle from a warm climate. Replacement was needed to ensure safe guards.

Filed Oct 30, 2016 · Body, Brakes · 160,212 miles · KY

I have a 2003 silverado and upon arriving home I felt my brake peddle go to the floor and I couldn't stop and backed into my trailer, I got out of the truck and noticed a huge puddle under my driver side wheel. After investigating I found that the steel hydraulic line had rusted & broke. I am disabled with 4 auto immune diseases and cannot afford to put it in the shop so I ordered the part, replaced it and proceeded to bleed the line and found that 3 other steel lines had holes in them or had rusted all the way through. I also have rust all under the truck. I will have to replace the two front support braces as they have rusted all through. At $120 each. So from front to back all the steel lines have rusted. I was blessed to have had this happen in my drive. Had I driven another mile or so I could have been killed. I now have a fear of driving. Being disabled it is taking me several days to repair my vehicle, and still have one line to replace. I purchased my silverado brand new and I live in kentucky so I don't have a great deal of road salt or sea salt. I have owned chevrolet products my hole life. Prior to this truck I had a 1989 silverado purchased new and prior to that I owned a 1971 monte carlo handed down to me and none of these vehicle had any problems with rust like that. This should not be happening to vehicle with this few of years.

Filed Sep 16, 2016 · Body · 147,000 miles · UT

At 60 to 75mph there is a bad vibration of the truck it gets so bad the freeway interchanges are scary...

Filed Aug 7, 2016 · Body, Brakes · 188,000 miles · KY

I just bought my truck about a month ago. I was under it changing the oil and I noticed an alarming amount of rust on the frame members and the brake lines. Some of it looks so bad that I am concerned of having either frame breakage or a brake line failing. I have read many other stories of the same thing happening to other trucks. I have not had a failure yet but I believe it is just a matter of time. After reading all of the horror stories from other owners on various web sites, I am terrified every time I drive it that the brakes are going to fail. I cannot afford to spend $3000 to $4000 to have the truck fixed. Especially when I consider it a manufacturer defect of a safety item. Please issue a recall for these problems before people are injured or killed because the frame has broken or the brakes have failed.

Filed May 6, 2015 · Body, Brakes · 145,000 miles · NE

Brake lining &frame.

Filed Mar 3, 2015 · Body · 95,000 miles · NY

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that there was severe rust on the frame and rear shackles. The independent mechanic stated that both the frame and the rear shackles needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.

Filed Sep 18, 2014 · Body, Brakes · 128,650 miles · KY · crash

Just leaving home to go look at some parts for a pole barn and left driveway went to stop sigh , I proceeding to go down mitchell hill rd and on the second turn no brakes , luckily I have some experience in this area and instantly applied my emergency brake and put truck into lower gear . This was enough to slow me down so I didn't go over the guard rail but did hit it roughly . I made it to the bottom and coasted to a stop . Got out and looked under hood and truck to find brake fluid was pouring on to the ground. I had it towed home . Upon further inspection I located the cause of brake failure was due to brake lines broke due to heavy rust all over them .. Now I do a little research online for replacement parts and find out that this is a serious issue with many owners of chevrolet silverado's . Why hasn't their been a recall . Why is because of the amount of money involved and gm doesn't want to pay . So someone else will be paid , but not the owners . Or a fatality will have to occur for someone to make a decision . That's the world we live in now ! Sad but true .

Filed Jul 30, 2014 · Body, Tires · 160,000 miles · CA

On friday, june 21, 2014 while on a friends property in placerville, ca, my spare tire fell off the underside of the bed of my truck. I'd bought the truck new in 2003 and don't recall ever having used the tire since I bought it new. I was able to find a couple of the parts that secured the spare under the bed of the truck. In one sense, I was glad it didn't happen while on a freeway doing 65 MPH. What a catastrophe that would have been for other drivers behind me. The vehicle is not used for off-road purposes.

Filed Jul 10, 2014 · Body, Fuel system · 230,000 miles · LA

My son [xxx] wanted a 4x4 truck so this guy [xxx] said his was for sale he could test drive it,well the 4x4 did not work on the truck the minute my son shifted it in to 4 wheel drive the tire rod and something else,so my daughters father [xxx] works on vehicles and sales them too. Well I asked [xxx] to help get my sons truck back from [xxx] and fix nicks truck so we could have a vehicle because we were sharing one vehicle. Nick wanted and [xxx] wanted finally [xxx] fixed [xxx] truck and when we got my son truck back it was making a noise,so [xxx] said he thinks its the fuel pump no big deal,I said ok. He gave me and estimate to fix nicks truck of 2000.00, well someone at [xxx]"s was ripping me off it was only 600.00 r around that amount. Well me and my husband were going through a bad divorce he had just sign over the title and registration to me,and it was left in glove box my fault,but he forged the documents plus cash a 500.00 check that I stopped payment on. I made to police reports plus there's 2 911 calls where we r chasing him but the speed was getting out of hand I told my son to back off,we paid 1500.00 for the truck our life is worth more. I got the complaint numbers cops did nothing. Went to dmv he tried twice there to switch it they turned him down,so he went to a title company in lafayette,la on johnston street and got it done. Plus I paid my insurance for six months ahead, I reported it to progressive they were mailing my refund check,he stole that and applied it back I think he r someone got in a wreck and tried to claim a insurance claim. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).