There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2003 GMC Sierrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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?
An accident has not occurred yet, but it something I'm concerned deeply about. Awhile back there was a recall on the instrument cluster of the gmc Sierra 1500 (possibly othets on the list, im sure). I did wind up having the cluster replaced, there didn't seem to be any issues at the time. Now...the replacement cluster has gone haywire. I notice no issues with operations at this time. But the cluster doesn't register certain things or it fluctuates on and off, or doesn't read correctly at all. Is it possible that the replacement could have been bad as well?
(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". HOWEVER, DUE TO THE INFERIOR DESIGN OF THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT ITSELF, THE MANUFACTURE HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT OR IF DESIGNED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO REPLACE JUST THE TPS, BY RIVETING THE TPS TO THE THROTTLE BODY, AND MAY HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE THROTTLE BODY. I AM HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED FOR A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR, AND WILL ELABORATE FURTHER UPON SUCCESSFUL REPAIR IF DESIRED. *TR
2003 GMC SIERRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS DRIVING 55 MPH. HOWEVER, THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWED 100 MPH. IT WENT ON FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THE NEXT DAY, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING ERRATIC AGAIN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, HOPING IT WOULD BE SOMETHING SMALL, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A $700 EXPENSE. *JB
WHEN PLACED IN PARK THEN TURNED OFF THE KEY WOULDN'T COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE WHILE RUNNING THE KEY WOULD COME OUT FREELY. *TR
A FIRE IN THE DASH BOARD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR BACK YARD DRIVE WAY. DASH BOARD AREA MELTED WHERE THE HEAD UNIT AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER IS LOCATED. BURNED THE HEAD LINER WHERE A COMPARTMENT WAS. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE INSIDE/OUTWARD. BURNED SPOTS ON THE SEATS FROM THE DASH BOARD BURNING. EVERYTHING IN THE FRONT OF THE CAB IS BLACK. ALL WINDOWS WERE UP AND TRUCK WAS LOCKED. FIRE HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN WE WERE ALL ASLEEP. WE DROVE THE TRUCK ON 2/20/14, WITH NO PROBLEMS. PARKED IT IN THE DRIVE WAY ABOUT 5:30 PM ON 2/20/13. NEXT MORNING SAW THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED, BUT FACING OUTWARD. OPENED THE DOOR AND WAS IN SHOCK. THIS TRUCK IS VARY SPECIAL TO US. IT BELONGED TO OUR SON THAT PAST AWAY 1/10/2013. CAN'T SEEM TO FIND IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS FOR 2003 SIERRA 1500 HD CREW CAB. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PANEL CLUSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 UPDATED 1/28/15*CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF WHEN HE HEARD A NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER HAD INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED IN ORDER TO DEACTIVATE THE BLOWER MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND THEY INFORMED THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GENERAL MOTORS A FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT A SPEEDOMETER DEFECT. THE LETTER EXTENDED THE MANUFACTURES WARRANTY TO 7 YEARS 80,000 MILES ON THE GAUGE CLUSTER DUE TO DEFECTS. THE LETTER SAID IN BOLD UNDERLINED WORDS NOT TO BRING THE TRUCK IN IF IT IS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY PROBLEMS. IT IS NOW PAST THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THE SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING. IT IS STUCK AT 80MPH AND WILL NOT MOVE. I TOOK IT TO THE GMC DEALERSHIP AND GM WILL NOT FIX THE UNIT SINCE IT IS TO OLD. I BELIEVE IT IS VERY DANGEROUS NOT TO KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY GM AND GM HAS NOT HAD TO HAVE A RECALL ON THE UNIT? GM SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR ALL THE AFFECTED CARS AND TRUCKS WITH THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ABNORMALLY AND THE SPEEDOMETER HAD FAILED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
STARTED VEHICLE IN MORNING AND NOTICED NO READINGS FROM ANY GAGES, (OIL PRESS., TEMP., TACH., FUEL, SPEED) NOR COULD I READ ODOMETER. SURROUNDING DASH LIGHTS FUNCTIONAL. WHILE DRIVING, I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD .... EVERYTHING BEGAN TO WORK. AT END OF DAY LEAVING WORK, NO PROBLEM ..... STOPPED ON WAY HOME, RESTARTED, PROBLEM RETURNED. TURNED STEERING WHEEL, PROBLEM GONE. ARRIVED HOME, TURNED VEHICLE OFF ..... RESTART, PROBLEM BACK AGAIN. SEARCH ON NET SAYS IT IS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. WHAT IS THE COST FOR NEW/USED CLUSTER? IS IT EASY TO INSTALL? *TT
I EXPERIENCE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH MY TRUCK THAT FLASHES AN ERROR CODE "REDUCED ENGINE POWER". THIS IS TIED TO ERROR CODE P1516. USUALLY THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN COLDER PARTS OF THE YEAR, AND ON A COLD SOAKED ENGINE, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED OTHER TIMES AS WELL. AS SOON AS THE ERROR OCCURS THE THROTTLE SHUTS AND LEAVES THE VEHICLE WITH ONLY INERTIA TO ATTEMPT TO GET OFF THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON THE INTERSTATE, AND THOUGH I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET, I DO CONSIDER IT DANGEROUS. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITHOUT A SOLUTION. *TR
THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT YOU, NOT LISTING A RECALL BY GM ON THE DASH BOARD CLUSTER MINE HAS FAILED, THE SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GM PARTS BULLETINS & INFORMATION - TO CADILLAC, CHEVROLET AND GMC DEALERS SUBJECT:BULLETIN GMP07-174 - SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT #07187' INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER GAUGE NEEDLE FUNCTIONMESSAGE #:VSU20071575 CAMPAIGN - INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WARRANTY EXTENDED # 07187C: SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT - INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER GAUGE NEEDLE FUNCTION - (MAR 20, 2009) I LOOKED IN YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND NOTHING RELATED. *TR
2003 GMC SIERRA PICK-UP I WAS DRIVING TODAY ABOUT 45 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR AND WAS RUNNING GREAT AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, MY SPEEDOMETER WENT UP TO 120 MILES AN HOUR AND WOULD NOT GO BACK DOWN. WHEN I GOT HOME AND PUT MY VEHICLE IN PARK, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD ONLY GO DOWN TO 70 MILES AN HOUR. I HAVE ALMOST 68,000 MILES ON IT. WHAT IS WRONG AND WHAT CAN I DO TO GET THIS FIXED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE I GET A TICKET? *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER IN THE TRUCK REGISTERS FALSE MPH. FOR EXAMPLE WHEN PARKED THE SPEEDOMETER READS 50 MPH, WHEN TRAVELING ON THE ROAD THE SPEEDOMETER WILL REGISTER 80 MPH AND THE ACTUAL SPEED MAY BE ONLY 30 MPH. *TR
NO WARNING ON MY 2003 GMC TRUCK SPEEDOMETER STARTED GOING FROM 70 MPH TO 120 AND BEYOND WHEN IN REALITY I WAS GOING PROBABLY 30 MPH. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE A MAN NEEDS TO KNOW HOW FAST HE'S REALLY GOING AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH THERE'S ALOT OF GM OWNERS WHO DON'T KNOW HOW FAST THERE GOING RECALL ANYONE. *TR
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. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRING SYSTEM CAUSED THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR TO MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE DASH CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE FOR THE DASH CLUSTER TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO INACCURATELY READ A SPEED OF 90 MPH. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN RESTARTING, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STILL READING INACCURATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
GMC 2500 DIESEL HD SLE SIERRA REARWHEEL DRIVE INSTRUMENT PANAY IS INOPERATIVE. HAVE TO USE IPHONE FOR SPEED AND GUESS AT GAS EFFECTING CRUISE CONTROL INTERIOR LIGHTS FAN SPEED AND CD PLAYER
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 25, 2026