There are 50 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Silveradoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
When starting vehicle , after initial dash lights times out, I now get an AIRBAG 9malfunction light). Tried resetting, did not work. Now, every time I start the engine, the comes on and stays on.
EMAIL FROM CONGRESSMAN SCHNEIDER ON BEHALF OF HIS CONSTITUENT REGARDING TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. *LD *TR
AT ALL TIMES DURING OPERATION, THE SUBJECT VEHICLE HAS A 'SERVICE AIR BAG' MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, ALONG WITH THE RED ILLUMINATED SYMBOL INDICATING AIR BAG PROBLEM. FROM WHAT I'VE FOUND VIA INTERNET SEARCHES, THIS SEEMS TO BE COMMON ON THE CHEVY TRUCKS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE PROBLEM WOULD PREVENT THE AIRBAG(S) FROM OPERATING IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, BUT I CANNOT ASSUME THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD ACTUATE IF/WHEN NEEDED, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. IT CERTAINLY SEEMS THAT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL, WITH A REQUIREMENT FOR GM TO CORRECT THE DEFECT AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES. INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
AIR BAD SERVICE LIGHT IS GOING ON. PLUGGED IN COMPUTER AND IT STATED THAT THE FRONT IMPACT SENSOR IS FAULTY. AFTER CHECKING BOTH SENSORS NOTHING IS WRONG.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 800 (NA). WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED OFF AND ON. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A TAKATA SETTLEMENT NOTICE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TAKATA RECALL, I CONTACTED HERNDON CHEVROLET AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME SINCE TAKATA HAS NOT SENT THEM REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT TAKATA WOULD NOT BE SENDING REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS SENSE THEY WERE BANKRUPT. HERNDON CHEVROLET REFUSED TO EVEN CONTACT ME IF REPLACEMENT PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE . I THEN CALLED LOVE CHEVROLET OF COLUMBIA AND WAS TOWED BY THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT'S THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS AT THIS TIME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT, THE SEAT BELTS WERE TOO LONG RESULTING IN THE PASSENGER NOT BEING RESTRAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.
HAD TO REMOVE SEAT FOR REPAIRS. WHEN SEAT REPLACED RED SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND MESSAGE APPEARS THAT SAYS "SERVICE AIR BAG." I CAN NOT PURCHASE SENSOR FOR THE SEAT WHICH IS RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE, BUT HAVE PURCHASE THE WHOLE UNIT WHICH INCLUDES THE MASTER UNIT UNDER THE DASH.
AFTER MY TRUCK RECEIVED A REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE A DECELERATED THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKED UP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING T 30 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES HOWEVER, THE EXTENT OF THE INJURIES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,776.
TRUCK COLIDED WITH GUARD RAIL. BOUNCED OFF, HIT VEHICLE 1, THEN INTO VEHICLE 2 THEN STOPPED AFTER HITTING VEHICLE 3 A SEMI TRUCK. ALL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO FRONT OF THE CHEVY SILVERADO. AT NO TIME DID THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY. SILVERADO WAS DETERMINED TO BE TOTALED DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE DAMAGE ON THE FRONT. AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED DURING ONE OF THE IMPACTS. *JS
I HIT A DEER HEAD ON AND TOTALED MY SILVERADO. I HIT IT AT 55 MPH AND NEITHER OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAGS WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BRIDGE. DURING THE CRASH, THE FRONT END SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DEPLOY. APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS AFTER IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED LUMBAR SPINE INJURIES, FRACTURED RIBS, AND AN INJURED LUNG. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT SUFFERED LACERATIONS TO THE FACE AND SCALP AND METAL FRAGMENTS WERE PRESENT ON THE FACE AND IN THE SCALP. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
SEAT BELTS ARE CLEAN AND FREE OF DEBRIS, BUT DO NOT LATCH PROPERLY. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER BELTS. *TR
HIT IN REAR OF DRIVER SIDE CORNER OF BED AND SENT TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH FRONT OF TRUCK THEN ROLLING SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE HALTING TO A STOP. HIGHWAY PATROL REPORT TAKEN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALSO FAILED TO RETAIN ITS PASSENGER. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED SUFFERED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONTAL AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 03/29/11 *BF UPDATD 03/30/11
SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE A WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. SUBSEQUENT, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH SEVERE ENOUGH TO TOTAL THE VEHICLE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE (SAME MODEL) WAS PURCHASED, IT TOO HAS A "SERVICE AIRBAG" LIGHT. *TR
TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,340. UPDATED 11/16/10. *LJ
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026