2003 Chevrolet Silverado Powertrain & Transmission Problems

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.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH, THE CLUTCH PANEL ASSEMBLY FRACTURED INTO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND A DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH PANEL FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BOTH TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,337.

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. TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR MY APPROVAL TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE WHICH HAS A PIN HOLE IN IT AND SOME OTHER PARTS FOR $3100. I REALIZE THAT PROBLEMS CAN HAPPEN WITH ANY MANUFACTURE, HOWEVER THIS GM ISSUE WITH A PINHOLE IN THE TRANSFER CASE THAT IS CAUSED BY AN INTERNAL PART THAT BREAKS AND DRIVERS LOSING POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN IS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. I FOUND MANY FORUMS AND SOLUTIONS ON THE INTERNET AND ONE ON NHTSA. AFTER MARKET PARTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO REPLACE THE CHEAP PARTS WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT RESEARCH THIS ISSUE PRIOR TO HAVING THE ISSUE. IN ADDITION, I CALLED A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR THE TRANSFER CASE REPLACEMENT, I WAS TOLD THEY REPAIRED THREE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND TWO ARE IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. LOSS OF POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN IS NOT SOMETHING TO IGNORE, FROM PERSONAL VEHICLES TO PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLES, THIS POWER LOSS COULD TURN INTO SOMETHING MUCH LARGER THAN SOME ATF STAIN IN THE DRIVEWAY. THANK YOU

THE 2003 SILVERADO 1500 SHORT BED PU U-JOINTS KEEP GOING OUT. HAVE REPLACED THEM ATLEAST 6 TIMES. PU HAD 30,000 WHEN PURCHASED IN 2006. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE BUILD OF THE PU THAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM, DON'T MATTER WHAT KIND OF TIRES I PUT ON THE PU IT HAS A VIBRATION ALL THE TIME. THE VIBRATION COULD BE WHATS CAUSING THE U-JOINTS TO GO OUT. I HAVE HAD 10 PLY TIRES ON IT FOR OFF ROAD USE AND NOW I'M RUNNING HIGHWAY TIRES AND STILL HAVE THE VIBRATION, SO I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE TIRES IT'S MORE OF A DESIGN IN BUILD PROBLEM RETHER THAN A MECHANICAL PROBLEM I THINK. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST POWER TO THE TRANNY, I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A DIAGNOSTIC CENTER AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTOR, MY ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AS WELL BUT I CANT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 35 MILES AN HOUR IT ACCELERATES SLOWLY GAINING SPEED. *TR

VEHICLE WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL PRIOR TO ACCIDENT, I LOST CONSCIOUSNESS & DO NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THE CRASH EARLY ON. WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE ROLLED FRONT TO REAR 1 1/2 TO 2 1/2 TIMES, PRIOR TO COMING TO REST ON ITS TOP. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT. I SPENT 3 DAYS IN ICU AND AM NOW RECUPERATING AT HOME. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT . THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, HE NOTICED A TICKING SOUND FROM THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE BEARING AND TIMING CHAIN WERE DAMAGED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRANSFER CASE DID NOT CONTAIN ANY FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

OK THE PROBLEM I'M ABOUT TO STATE IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 1500 HDS SINCE THEY WHERE NEW AND CHEVY HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OVER THE YEARS WITH A REFUSAL TO REPAIR. THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL IS WHAT THE PEDAL SENSOR TELLS TO MOVE THE THROTTLE BODY. EVERY SO OFTEN (SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY) THIS MODULE WEIRDS OUT AND PUTS THE TRUCK IN TO REDUCED ENGINE POWER (LIMP MODE) AND WON'T DO OVER 25 MPH WHICH IS VERY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRAVELING FREEWAYS AND TURN PIKES WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS HIGH.I MYSELF HAVE BEEN ALMOST RAN OVER BY BIG RIGS BECAUSE MY TRUCK DECIDED TO GO INTO THIS REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. I MYSELF HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE MULTIPLE TIMES WITH CHEVROLET CORPORATE WITH THEM TELLING ME THAT I'M SCREWED AND TO GET OVER IT. DON'T GET ME WRONG I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I JUST WISH CHEVY WOULD STAND BY THEIR VEHICLES INSTEAD OF BLOWING US OFF. *TR

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. *JB

TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE FOR A MOMENT WHILE PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL. TRUCK WAS IN DRIVE AND WOULD ENGAGE AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF ACCELERATING. *TR

VEHICLE WAS IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE, WHEN THE WHOLE TRUCK SHUTTERED, I LOST THE DRIVE CAPABILITIES OF THE TRUCK THEN STOPPED AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE TO FIND FLUID COMING OUT OF THE TRANSFER CASE. IN MY CASE THIS HAPPENED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, IF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. PLEASE CONTACT ME ON A POSSIBLE RECALL FOR THE TRANSFER CASE. UPDATED 12/01/2014 *JS

2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS. *SMD AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID HAD DROPPED FROM THE TRANSFER CASE, WHICH IN TURN SEIZED UP. THE TRANSFER CASE WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 2,033.87. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN A FEW EARLIER. HOWEVER, HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG. *JB

MY 16 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WENT INTO "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" MODE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND IDLE SPEED. IT TOOK SEVERAL RESTARTS BEFORE IT CLEARED AND WOULD RUN CORRECTLY. ABOUT THE TIME I MADE IT HOME IT WENT BACK INTO THIS MODE AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AT ANY SPEED. *TR

REDUCE ENGINE POWER MESSAGE. 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO. DRIVING DOWN MAJOR 3 LANE HIGHWAY, MESSAGE APPEARS AND TRUCKS POWER GOES TO 15 MPH. TRIED TO GET INTO SLOWER LANE AND OFF HIGHWAY AND WAS ALMOST IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DUE TO NO POWER. TRUCK WILL NOT ACCELERATE ANY FASTER THAN THIS. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE. MAJOR SAFETY FEATURE WITH CHEVROLET. OTHER THAN DINGER GOING OFF AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT TRUCK LOOSES ALL POWER TO ACCELERATE. CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. CODES ARE READING THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THIS IT SEEMS THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER YEAR AND MODELS DOING SAME WITH PEOPLE SPENDING $1,000.00 OR MORE AND PROBLEM NOT RESOLVED. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE. AFTER UNHOOKING BATTERY FOR APPROX. 10 MIN. IT WILL RESET ITSELF AND MESSAGE WILL BE GONE UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AND MAKE A TURN FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

PURCHASED A USED 2003 SILVERADO, 120,000KM. ENCODER MOTOR ON TRANSFER CASE (4X4) FAILED. WAS TOWED AND PART REPLACED. COST $900.00.ENCODER OFF MY TRUCK WAS CORRODED AND SEIZED. VERY POORLY BUILT. THIS IS APPARENTLY A PART COMMON TO MOST 4X4 GM TRUCKS. THIS MUST BE A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR THE INDUSTRY AND CONSUMERS. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 SILVERADO THAT HAS BEEN HAVING ROUGH IDLING ISSUES. THE TRUCK DOESN'T IDLE ROUGH EVERYDAY,BUT WHEN IT DOES THE VOLTAGE FLUXUATES BETWEEN 10-14 VOLTS. BEFORE THIS STARTED HAPPENING IT STAYED AT A STEADY 14 VOLTS. NOW THE VOLTAGE IS DROPPING AND THE RPM'S ARE DROPPING TO AROUND 200-300 RPMS THEN SOME TIMES IT WILL DIE IN MOTION. I HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND HAD THE BATTERY TESTED THEY ARE GOOD. THERE WAS LOW FUEL PRESSURE SO I REPLACED THE PUMP,STILL NOTHING IS HELPING. I FOUND A INTERNET SITE (WWW.TOPIX.COM) THERE IS 15 PAGES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NOBODY CAN FIND A DEFINITE PROBLEM. THERE IS PEOPLE SPENDING THOUSANDS ON THEIR VEHICLE TO FIX IT AND THE PARTS DON'T ALWAYS HELP. I HAVE NO WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON,SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START ANYMORE. I'M BROKE. I FEEL THAT GM NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS. *TR *JS

MY 2003 CHEVROLET C/K 1500 SILVERADO IS 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 3 PREVIOUS TIMES. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL NEAR MISSES AS A RESULT OF THE POWER REDUCTION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS DUE TO THE ENGINE POWER FAILURE - AT TIMES THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY REPLACED 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 DEALERSHIP AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET ANY HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR