2003 Chevrolet Silverado Body & Structure Problems

The undercarriage or frame of our recent purchase of our 2003 used chevrolet k1500 silverado was discovered recently after purchase to be rusted through and through and chipping off day by day. A private master mechanic has looked the truck over and said that it was not safe to drive. Upon further investigating, the panels that hold up the roof of the truck underneath the interior panels are rusting through and through to the point of breaking. Dealership we bought it from just shrugged their shoulders and said basically oh well, it was sold as is. under the truck on the frame where the wheels are attached, forgive my descriptions but im no mechanic, looks like they can break off at any minute. we have ony about 3/4 of a front and back bumper we later discovered, and the roof of the truck looks as if it had rusted and messed up beause someone before us put plaster to redo the roof of the truck. im scared to put my mother in law in this truck to go anywhere because if it got into a wreck... it would be devestating for everyone. truck has been in a wreck before. pictures and truck is available for inspection upon request,

NOT MY VEH. NEVER HAS BEEN, TOLD DEALER 3 TIMES, STILL GETTING NOTICES.

I HAVE A 2003 SILVERADO AND UPON ARRIVING HOME I FELT MY BRAKE PEDDLE GO TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T STOP AND BACKED INTO MY TRAILER, I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND NOTICED A HUGE PUDDLE UNDER MY DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT THE STEEL HYDRAULIC LINE HAD RUSTED & BROKE. I AM DISABLED WITH 4 AUTO IMMUNE DISEASES AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT IT IN THE SHOP SO I ORDERED THE PART, REPLACED IT AND PROCEEDED TO BLEED THE LINE AND FOUND THAT 3 OTHER STEEL LINES HAD HOLES IN THEM OR HAD RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I ALSO HAVE RUST ALL UNDER THE TRUCK. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE TWO FRONT SUPPORT BRACES AS THEY HAVE RUSTED ALL THROUGH. AT $120 EACH. SO FROM FRONT TO BACK ALL THE STEEL LINES HAVE RUSTED. I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN MY DRIVE. HAD I DRIVEN ANOTHER MILE OR SO I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I NOW HAVE A FEAR OF DRIVING. BEING DISABLED IT IS TAKING ME SEVERAL DAYS TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE, AND STILL HAVE ONE LINE TO REPLACE. I PURCHASED MY SILVERADO BRAND NEW AND I LIVE IN KENTUCKY SO I DON'T HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF ROAD SALT OR SEA SALT. I HAVE OWNED CHEVROLET PRODUCTS MY HOLE LIFE. PRIOR TO THIS TRUCK I HAD A 1989 SILVERADO PURCHASED NEW AND PRIOR TO THAT I OWNED A 1971 MONTE CARLO HANDED DOWN TO ME AND NONE OF THESE VEHICLE HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH RUST LIKE THAT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO VEHICLE WITH THIS FEW OF YEARS. *TR

AT 60 TO 75MPH THERE IS A BAD VIBRATION OF THE TRUCK IT GETS SO BAD THE FREEWAY INTERCHANGES ARE SCARY...

I JUST BOUGHT MY TRUCK ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I WAS UNDER IT CHANGING THE OIL AND I NOTICED AN ALARMING AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE FRAME MEMBERS AND THE BRAKE LINES. SOME OF IT LOOKS SO BAD THAT I AM CONCERNED OF HAVING EITHER FRAME BREAKAGE OR A BRAKE LINE FAILING. I HAVE READ MANY OTHER STORIES OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER TRUCKS. I HAVE NOT HAD A FAILURE YET BUT I BELIEVE IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. AFTER READING ALL OF THE HORROR STORIES FROM OTHER OWNERS ON VARIOUS WEB SITES, I AM TERRIFIED EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT THAT THE BRAKES ARE GOING TO FAIL. I CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND $3000 TO $4000 TO HAVE THE TRUCK FIXED. ESPECIALLY WHEN I CONSIDER IT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OF A SAFETY ITEM. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL FOR THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE THE FRAME HAS BROKEN OR THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS SEVERE RUST ON THE FRAME AND REAR SHACKLES. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT BOTH THE FRAME AND THE REAR SHACKLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

FRAME RUST ENOUGH TO VOID INSPECTION. RUST NOTICED WITHIN A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. VEHICLE NOW FAILS INSPECTION. I HAVE ANOTHER OLDER GM VEHICLE HOUSED IN THE SAME PLACE, DRIVEN IN THE SAME AREA WITH DOUBLE THE MILEAGE AND THREE YEARS OLDER WITHOUT THIS ISSUE. I FEEL IT IS DESIGN/MATERIALS ISSUE. *JS

ON FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 2014 WHILE ON A FRIENDS PROPERTY IN PLACERVILLE, CA, MY SPARE TIRE FELL OFF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BED OF MY TRUCK. I'D BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW IN 2003 AND DON'T RECALL EVER HAVING USED THE TIRE SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW. I WAS ABLE TO FIND A COUPLE OF THE PARTS THAT SECURED THE SPARE UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK. IN ONE SENSE, I WAS GLAD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE ON A FREEWAY DOING 65 MPH. WHAT A CATASTROPHE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR OTHER DRIVERS BEHIND ME. THE VEHICLE IS NOT USED FOR OFF-ROAD PURPOSES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON 5/1/2014 TRAFFIC STOPPED SHORT. I HIT THE BRAKES TO STOP. THE TRUCK STOPPED OK. TRAVELED ABOUT ANOTHER 2 BLOCKS AND WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE PEDEL TO STOP. IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I AD NO BRAKES. I HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP, AFTER THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE RUSTED, BROKEN BRAKE LINE. THIS CAUSED THE TRUCK NOT TO STOP. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOUND UP TOTALING THE TRUCK DUE TO THE DAMAGE. *TR

ROCKER PANELS AND CAB CORNER RUSTED OUT, WAS ABLE TO PUSH MY FINGER THROUGH THE PAINT. HAD THEM REPLACED IN SPRING OF 2014. REPLACED A REAR BRAKE LINE AT THE TIME DUE TO EASE OF ACCESS WITH BOX REMOVED. SPRING OF 2016, I HAD A FRONT BRAKE LINE FAIL WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. HAD ENOUGH BRAKING LEFT TO STOP INT TIME. REPLACED FRONT BRAKE LINES DUE TO RUST. REAR SECTION OF FRAME IS RUSTING ALONG WITH LINES ON DIESEL FUEL COOLER AND FRONT CONTROL ARMS. THIS IS NOT MY PRIMARY VEHICLE. WE USE IT FOR TRIPS AND TO PULL OUR CAMPER. I HAVE TRIED TO DRIVE IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE ON SALTY AND SLOPPY ROADS. THE PAINT ON OUTSIDE AND THE INTERIOR LOOKS GREAT. I AM CONCERNED ON HOW MUCH LONGER IT WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE AND TOW.

I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY BECAUSE I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE FREEWAY AND WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE AUCTION THAT I WAS ATTENDING. WHEN I HEARD A NOISE I PARKED THE TRUCK AND LOOKED BACK TO SEE A WOMAN ROLLING A TIRE TOWARDS ME. SHE SAID YOU LOST YOUR TIRE. SURE ENOUGH THE TIRE ALONG WITH THE MECHANISM THAT DROPS AND RAISES THE TIRE CAME OFF THE FRAME. I`M SO GLAD IT HAPPENED IN THE PARKING LOT AND NOT ON THE FREE WAY. *TR

WHILE CHANGING MY OIL I NOTICED EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE BRAKE FLUID LINES RUNNING FROM THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK TO THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE MODULE UNDER THE TRUCK (ALONG TO FRAME RAIL). I BEGAN TO SEARCH FOR PRE-BEND REPLACEMENTS AND FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS OF ISSUES WITH CHEVROLET VEHICLES HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I WANT TO ENSURE THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT I AM UNABLE TO FIND EXACT REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID LINES. IT APPEARS THAT PEOPLE ARE REPLACING THEM WITH STRAIGHT STOCK BRAKE LINES AND GETTING THE CORRECT SHAPE AND LENGTH IS DIFFICULT. THESE THINGS APPEAR TO BE HARD TO REPLACE. I WANT TO REPLACE THESE TO ENSURE THE TRUCK IS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT EVEN GM DOES NOT APPEAR TO PROVIDE A DIRECT REPLACEMENT. *TR

DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL WHILE HOOKING TO TRAILER PREPARING TO HAUL FARM EQUIPMENT. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I FOUND FLUID RUNNING DOWN THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK CHECKED LINES AND FOUND BURST LINE AND ALL LINES LOOKED TERRIBLY RUSTED/ROTTEN. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A NEAR MISS SINCE I WAS ON A GRAVEL HILLSIDE AND HAD I BEEN HOOKED TO THE TRAILER I WOULD HAVE HAD A VEHICLE TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED WITH NO WARNING. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND JUST KEPT GOING INTO THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH THE FRONT BUMPER HAS TO REPLACED. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR

IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC FOR APROX 4 MINS AND STOPPING AND STARTING HIT THE BRAKES , PEDDLE GOES TO FLOOR HITTING CAR IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE NO BRAKES. AFTER ACCIDENT POLICE OFFICERS NOTICED FLUID COMING FROM UNDER TRUCK, CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK BECAUSE NO BRAKES AT ALL, WHEN ON TOW TRUCK{ FLAT BED} THEY SAW THAT BRAKES LINES THAT RUN ALONG FRAME WERE TOTALLY ROTTED OUT AND POPPED CAUSING THIS ACCIDENT. TRUCK AT THE SHOP AS WE SPEAK GETTING ALL NEW LINES INSTALLED AT THE COST OF 1000.00. ALWAYS BOUGHT A AMERICAN VEHICLE ALL MY LIFE 55YRS BUT WHEN I GET THIS BACK IT WILL BE FOR SALE....NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY A CHEVY OR ANY OTHER AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE.....I BEEN A UNION PIPEFITTER 40 YRS 3RD GENERATION,,,,,AND WILL BE SPREADING THE WORD..................... *TR

MY SON [XXX] WANTED A 4X4 TRUCK SO THIS GUY [XXX] SAID HIS WAS FOR SALE HE COULD TEST DRIVE IT,WELL THE 4X4 DID NOT WORK ON THE TRUCK THE MINUTE MY SON SHIFTED IT IN TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE THE TIRE ROD AND SOMETHING ELSE,SO MY DAUGHTERS FATHER [XXX] WORKS ON VEHICLES AND SALES THEM TOO. WELL I ASKED [XXX] TO HELP GET MY SONS TRUCK BACK FROM [XXX] AND FIX NICKS TRUCK SO WE COULD HAVE A VEHICLE BECAUSE WE WERE SHARING ONE VEHICLE. NICK WANTED AND [XXX] WANTED FINALLY [XXX] FIXED [XXX] TRUCK AND WHEN WE GOT MY SON TRUCK BACK IT WAS MAKING A NOISE,SO [XXX] SAID HE THINKS ITS THE FUEL PUMP NO BIG DEAL,I SAID OK. HE GAVE ME AND ESTIMATE TO FIX NICKS TRUCK OF 2000.00, WELL SOMEONE AT [XXX]"S WAS RIPPING ME OFF IT WAS ONLY 600.00 R AROUND THAT AMOUNT. WELL ME AND MY HUSBAND WERE GOING THROUGH A BAD DIVORCE HE HAD JUST SIGN OVER THE TITLE AND REGISTRATION TO ME,AND IT WAS LEFT IN GLOVE BOX MY FAULT,BUT HE FORGED THE DOCUMENTS PLUS CASH A 500.00 CHECK THAT I STOPPED PAYMENT ON. I MADE TO POLICE REPORTS PLUS THERE'S 2 911 CALLS WHERE WE R CHASING HIM BUT THE SPEED WAS GETTING OUT OF HAND I TOLD MY SON TO BACK OFF,WE PAID 1500.00 FOR THE TRUCK OUR LIFE IS WORTH MORE. I GOT THE COMPLAINT NUMBERS COPS DID NOTHING. WENT TO DMV HE TRIED TWICE THERE TO SWITCH IT THEY TURNED HIM DOWN,SO HE WENT TO A TITLE COMPANY IN LAFAYETTE,LA ON JOHNSTON STREET AND GOT IT DONE. PLUS I PAID MY INSURANCE FOR SIX MONTHS AHEAD, I REPORTED IT TO PROGRESSIVE THEY WERE MAILING MY REFUND CHECK,HE STOLE THAT AND APPLIED IT BACK I THINK HE R SOMEONE GOT IN A WRECK AND TRIED TO CLAIM A INSURANCE CLAIM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BRAKE LINING &FRAME. *TR

HIT BRAKES AND A LINE BLEW ALMOST HIT CAR INFRONT OF ME. LIKE ALL GM TRUCKS IN SNOW COUNTRY MY BRAKE LINES RUSTED THRU ALONG WITH MY REAR BACKING PLATES RUSTING OFF. GM DEALERS ALL KNOW ABOUT THIS BUT NOTHING IS EVER DONE. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE KILLED FROM BLOWN BRAKE LINES FOR THEM TO DO ANYTHING. I GUESS ALOT SINCE THEY HELD OFF TEN YEARS ON THERE CURRENT PROBLEM. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WHEN ACOUPLE OF PEOPLE GET HURT OR DIE AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A PROBLEM IT ISN'T DELT WITH. MAYBE BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE IN BED TOGETHER AND IT WILL COST SOME ONE SOME MONEY. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT REMOVE THE SPARE TIRE FROM THE CRADLE UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE SAFETY LATCH IN ORDER TO DROP IT DOWN. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BODY WAS SEVERELY RUSTED, COMPROMISING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.