Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I had to replace the replace the housing on my transfer case as it wore a hole in and was leaking. At a cost of 1200 dollars due to myself catching it early as later with a fully disabled case would have been 2600 dollars. My mechanic who deals in transmission repairs told me this a very common problem for Chevy trucks from 1999 to 2006. He claimed he had done 7 transfer cases in one week and was actually replacing a fully wrecked one for 2600 dollars as I brought mine in to be worked on . It had worn a hole through the transfer case and was leaking. As this seems to be a serious defect . I feel it should have been under a recall and reimbursement should be in order for those who paid out of pocket for repairs. My mechanic also stated that he has replaced them at 35, 000 miles and on up. No rhyme or reason to when they fail or leak.
The component that failed according to the Chevrolet dealer is the "transfer case pump clips", which came loose inside the transfer case and wore a hole through the case causing the oil to come out. If I would not have noticed the oil on the back of my truck, I could have continued to drive the truck, which could have caused the transfer case gears to lock up the front and rear axles while driving and could have caused me to wreck, causing injury to myself, my family or someone else. I marked the area of the leak with a sharpie as depicted in the photos.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that the pump in the transfer case of the transmission failed. The contact stated that the failure caused a leak in the transfer case which allowed the transmission to drain all the transmission fluid from the transfer case. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 163,000.
On November 17, 2014, I was stopped in the middle lane of a highway waiting to pull into business parking lot, when I accelerated to pull in, my truck moved forward and then would only rev up the RPM's, almost getting hit by on coming traffic on the highway, I coasted in the parking lot, as the RPM's were still up, the transmission engaged and the truck moved forward with a loud thump. Local dealership replaced a part ($900) and sent me on my way. On December 27, 2014 while driving away from my house, once again the engine would rev up and the truck just coasted until it engaged causing a loud thump. I called and left message with service writer. On January 02, 2015, I was with 1/2 mile of my house and truck would not shift, I was able to turn around and drive back to the house at a very low speed keeping the RPM's low. …
Consumer complaint concerning transmission failures on 2003 Silverado. The transmission fluid was burnt, the reverse gear was inoperable and the transmission shifter was loose. The power steering fluid was low. Fluid was leaking from the gear box. The front seal on the power steering pump was worn and leaking, as well as the lower hose. The water pump gasket and lower radiator hose was leaking. The battery was replaced because it would not hold a charge. The A/C would only blow out air from the defrost vents. The A/C heater mode door actuator was worn. The check engine light illuminated. The fuel filter was replaced. The panel on the drivers seat was warped. The tires were replaced, however months later one of the tires developed a slow leak, due to a pin hole located in the sidewall. The rear pads and rotors were replaced. The front and rear shocks were replaced. …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that the transfer case was designed with a defect. As a result, the pump in the transfer case wore a hole from the inside to the outside of the transfer case. This allowed the oil in the transfer case to pump out the hole and caused the transfer case to run drive. The dealer stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and the contact would have to pay for the repair. The failure mileage was 130,000. Updated 3/16/09 the power steering started leaking fluid. The dealer informed the consumer the power steering fluid leak was coming from the hydro booster onto the power steering gear. The consumer lost his brakes. It was discovered the booster rod was missing. The parking brake did not work and the instrument cluster failed as well. The speedometer did not work it was reading 60 MPH even when the vehicle was parked. …
Dt: the consumer states that 2003 Chevrolet c 2500 was having a message on the instrument panel showing reduced engine power. Then, the engine immediately dropped power. The speed will dramatically slow to around 15 MPH. This happened 5 times currently. There have been several near misses as a result of the power reduction. The vehicle has been in the dealership 5 times for the engine power failure. The dealer replaced three times the wiring harness to the throttle position sensor, throttle body, power train control module, throttle actuator, control module, also, the ignition switch was replaced and the engine was still losing power. The manufacturer has been contacted, and the customer service department was very unwilling to help or provide the address to the regional office. …
Began hearing low moaning sound while driving down hwy. Pulled over immediately to determine cause. Found trans fluid leaking from allison trans. Trans. Shop found cracked extension housing and old metal fragments in trans pan. Old metal fragments were caked inside pan indicating a long existing problem and not the result of current cracked housing. Trans shop informed me this was a common defect in the Chevy allision trans, but was rare in vehicles with such low mileage (69000) and well maintained like my truck. Informed GM of problem. GM denied any problems with the allisons and are refusing to assist in resolving issue. Contacted allison directly and was informed the tranny was originally designed by them but is manufactured by GM and that GM had made modifications to their design. This truck also experienced $7000 worth of fuel injector issues at 50000 miles.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 hd. The contact stated that the brake pad on the rear passenger side worse out prematurely. The contact called the dealership and was told that the rotors needed to be turned and the brake pads needed to be changed. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 27,000. Updated 7/16/10 the consumer stated turning the rotors and replacing the pads will not solve the problem. Worn out pads and rotors are symptoms of another problem. The calipers were not working properly. The metal brake lines and other similar metal lines such as the transmission cooler lines all showed extreme rust on the outside. Updated 07/22/10
Took vehicle to dealer twice with complaint of parking brake non functional. Allowed truck to move FWD. When parked on incline,prk brake pedal fully depressed. Supposedly brakes adjusted twice,problem never better post dealer shop visit. Took it to private shop. Found to have pads soaked with differential fluid from rear end seal failure. Most probable cause of emergency brake failure. On discussing with mechanic, he mentioned this is a known common failure on these units. Paid for repairs myself. Never submitted for warranty repair to the dealer or to the ext. Warranty contract company (autogap xtend). Problem is fixed now. Seals ,old pads, repair receipt are in my possession.
Transmission complaints in other Silverado 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 7% of the model year's 449 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.