Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
(electrical) as an ongoing issue, the dashboard gauges/indicators (I.e. Tach, speedometer, etc..) will sometimes not register until several minutes after the vehicle has been running (this could be for up to miles) it has not affected vehicle performance to date. (fuel/propulsion system) I have begun having issues where it goes into "reduced engine power". Further diagnostic attempts have LED me to believe that it is due to a faulty throttle position sensor (part of the throttle body), tac module, or app assembly (accelerator pedal). Most likely cause May be due to the throttle position sensor, as this issue has happened when the vehicle is on "cruise control". …
Tl contact owns a 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 hd. While driving 35 MPH, the warning lights on the instrument panel continued to flash on and off. In addition, the windshield wipers activated and smoke was noticed underneath the hood. The contact had been driving for several minutes before noticing the smoke. The hood could not be opened and the fire department was called. A police report was filed. Ten minutes later, the vehicle was engulfed in flames and destroyed. The failure and current mileages were 65,000. Updated 09/25/08 the consumer stated it was a possible fuel line failure. Updated 09/26/08.
Blower motor resistor does not operate. Upon inspection, harness and final stage are damaged due to excessive heat. I need to replace both components because I fear it will cause a fire. Many posts on the same thing. Why is there nothing done about this? My BMW had same issue but it was a recall on their cars. Why is it not a recall on GM? Is it because they are an American car company?
At around 102K miles, speedometer needle quit returning to zero when the vehicle stops moving. Needle May come to rest at any point on the dial when vehicle is stopped, and the rest point May or May not change while the vehicle is underway, making it difficult to estimate speed (e.g., needle May initially indicate 30 MPH at rest, but actual speed underway isn't necessarily 30 MPH less than indicated because the rest point May have changed). And when the dial zeros at 120 MPH, the truck effectively has no speedometer at all rather than just an inaccurate one. I received a letter from GM warning of potential instrument failures and offering free repair on vehicles with less than 70K miles; an email correspondence with GM confirmed that they would not repair mine for free or at reduced cost. …
I have a 2003 GMC diesel pickup. I have had the vehicle in twice for electrical repairs in the last 9 months. The electrical problems observed include: airconditioner cutting in/out, radio cutting in/out, power windows not working, dash gauges cutting in/out, idiot lights coming on (ABS, brakes, check engine etc). It was repaired once by the dealership at a cost of $500. Now, 9 months later, the vehicle is back in for the exact same problem. The techniciain took it for a ride and had so many problems, he was afraid he wouldn't make it back to the dealership.
Tl contact owns a 2003 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that the instrument cluster failed several times. The failure progressed and the gauge would not function. The vehicle was previously repaired at a dealership but the failure occurred again. The contact called the dealership again but the dealer stated that there was nothing they could do. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current mileage was approximately 118,000. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that the heater light failed first followed by the driver's side instrument panel lighting. He took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the failure was not covered. The passenger side of the instrument panel failed later and the entire panel went black. The vehicle will be repaired at the contact's expense. The failure mileage was 69,000 and the current mileage was unknown.updated 06/17/09. The dashboard lights and gauges failed completely. Updated 06/17/09.
The instrument cluster has been failing one gauge at the time since 4 years ago, finally it quit all together, I called GM and my local dealership and I was told there was nothing they can do but to charge me for check up and possibly get me a new cluster for 400.00 what a joke. I know GM has been aware of this problem but nothing gets done. What is it going to take to get GM to get this problems serviced with no cost, after all it's their reputation.... I won't buy another GM vehicle.
Instrument panel cluster components failed thus all gauges on dash board went "flat"/back to -0-; vehicle did operate however could not even read how much gas was in tank. Also as of mileage of 13312 notice vehicle began to use oil, as of 26300 after watching the vehicle noticed that it was extremely low; apparently the vehicle has been leaking oil on the intake - loosing almost 2 quarts of oil - on a newer vehicle it should not be using this much oil.
2003 GMC Sierra 2500 hd ext. Cab, 8-ft. Box. In cooler weather, fall, winter, spring, the gauges malfunction. That is, the speedo and tach read wildly high or don't activate at all, and the other gauges all are non functional. This is intermittent and is apparent when starting on cold mornings. So far, symptoms have disappeared in warmer temps. It has occurred every year. There is an advisory, but GMC won't act on my word, must see it.
Electrical complaints in other Sierra 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 GMC Sierra 2500, 23% of the model year's 160 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2003 GMC Sierra 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 GMC Sierra 2500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 92,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.