2003 GMC Sierra 1500 Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 07/14/2026

55Service Brakes complaints

30.6%Of all 180 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES55 · 30.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL32 · 17.8%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC32 · 17.8%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP11 · 6.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 6.1%

Share of the 180 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 overview page.

What owners report

“ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT RED LIGHT. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. SWERVED TO NOT REAR-END CAR IN FRONT. RAN RED LIGHT BECAUSE UNABLE TO STOP…”NHTSA complaint 10630081 — filed 09/02/2014

“WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE BRAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70-75 MPH), PEDAL WENT IMMEDIATELY TO FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT. PEDAL HAD HELD FIRM MOMENTS BEFORE…”NHTSA complaint 10622442 — filed 08/15/2014

“BRAKE LINE CORROSION CAUSED REAR DRIVERS SIDE STEEL LINE TO BURST AND LOSE MOST OF THE TRUCK'S BRAKING ABILITY. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY AT…”NHTSA complaint 10615143 — filed 07/21/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the most-reported problem area on the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500: 55 of 180 complaints on file (30.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 have in total?

180 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 13 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.