There are 12 owner-reported suspension complaints for the 2003 GMC Sierrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
LOUD NOISES FROM LEFT REAR WHEEL, LIKE A LOOSE PART, THEN A GRINDING SOUND. SUSPECT IT WAS NOT FIXED IN RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA DENALI. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING SOUND IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR AXLE BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PART WAS NOT BEING MANUFACTURED AND THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
HAD DEALERSHIP REPLACE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE BRAKES WERE SERVICED, I STARTED NOTICING THAT THE BRAKES WERE PULSATING, WHICH WAS FELT IN THE PEDAL, AT LOW SPEEDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID DURING THE TEST DRIVE THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATING UNNECESSARILY. THEY THEN PUT IT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE FOR SOME REASONS. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH WHEEL ABS SENSORS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE ABS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. WHEN THE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED, AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, BUT DIDN'T PICK UP THAT THE SENSORS WERE FIRING. I'M DOUBTING IT IS COINCIDENCE THAT THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT RANDOM. THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF CORRELATION BETWEEN THE WHEEL BEARING BEING REPLACED, THE PADS AND ROTORS BEING REPLACED, AND NOW THE SENSORS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. MY VEHICLE IS A 2003 GMC SIERRA AND HAS 47000 MILES ON IT. ALL THIS HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND 1500 MILES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE WHEEL BEARINGS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,149.
I HAVE A 2003 SIERRA PICKUP 4X4, 64,000 MILES. IT HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD. 4 WHEEL DRIVE HAS ONLY BEEN ENGAGED LESS THAN A DOZEN TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. MILEAGE HAS BEEN APPROX 50/50 BETWEEN HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING. ON A RECENT TRIP FROM PRESCOTT AZ TO PHOENIX AZ, THE PASSENGER SIDE HUB ASSEMBLY FAILED ON 2003 GMC SIERRA PICKUP; 2500HD WITH DURAMAX DIESEL ENGINE. ONCE HUB ASSEMBLY FAILED, THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE BROKE AND BASICALLY ALLOWED FOR THE WHEEL TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE HUB ASSEMBLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND HAD IT FAILED APPROX 10-15 MILES EARLIER IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAINS BETWEEN PRESCOTT AZ AND PHEONIX AZ. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM; PEORIA PONTIAC GMC, PEORIA, AZ. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED THE HUB ASSEMBLY FAILURE AND AXLE BREAKAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE DRIVER'S SIDE HUB ASSEMBLY; IT WAS ALSO BAD. I ASKED THE SERVICE PERSON IF THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE THAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. THE RESPONSE WAS A DISCONCERTING NO; THIS JUST SEEMS TO HAPPEN ON SOME OF THE PICKUPS. I HAVE PAID TO HAVE BOTH FRONT HUB ASSEMBLIES REPLACED AND THE PASSENGER AXLE; APPROX $2500. MY BIGGER CONCERN IS FIRST THAT 65000 CITY & HIGHWAY MILES SEEMS PRETTY LOW FOR A FAILURE POINT OF SOMETHING SO CRITICAL AS THE STEERING AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SECONDLY THAT THERE IS APPARENTLY NO FIX OR ADDITIONAL EXPLANATION OF HOW TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. MY IMMEDIATE SUSPICION IS THAT GM INADEQUATE HUB ASSEMBLIES ON THEIR DIESEL PICKUPS AND ARE NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE ADDITIONAL STRESSES OF THE HEAVY WEIGHTS AND TORQUES, ETC. I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY ELDERLY PARENTS AND WE WERE LITERALLY LUCKY THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A FLAT OPEN AREA OF ROAD AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. *JB
I PURCHASED A 2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB TRUCK FROM PARSONS FORD IN MARTINSBURG WV. IT WAS SOLD TO ME IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION. THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE SHOT. THE TIRES ARE CUPPED. THE VEHICLE BOUNCES WHEN EXCEEDING 45 MPH. THE INSPECTION STICKER HAD BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED WHICH INVALIDATES IT THEREFORE IT WAS SOLD TO ME WITHOUT A VALID INSPECTION. I HAVE TRIED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN DAYS OF PURCHASING IT. PARSONS FORD REFUSES TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK STATING THEY DID NOTHING WRONG. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *NM
THERE HAVE BEEN NO INJURIES DUE TO THE FRONT HUB BEARING BEING WORN BUT WHEN WE MAKE A TURN WE ALWAYS FELT A KNOCKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH MADE US THINK OF SOMETHING BEING LOOSE. WE HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT JUST BY SHAKING THE WHEEL YOU COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS WORN. WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS OR GOING TO BE A RECALL ON IT BECAUSE THE TRUCK IS A 2003 SIERRA AND ALL MECHANICS WE'VE SPOKE TO DO NOT BELIEVE THE BEARING SHE BE WORN ALREADY. THIS HAS LEFT US WITHOUT A VEHICLE UNTIL IT GETS RESOLVED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *NM
DT: CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ON HIS VEHICLE GRABBED, AND PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. CONSUMER STATED THE ABS LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *JB ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP ACROSS LANES BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED.*TT *SB
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HUB FAILED AT RELATIVELY FEW MILES. MAKING A VIBRATION AND NOISE AT ANY SPEED, HEATING UP.*AK
VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE NOISE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE TIRES CHECKED. FRONT TIRE AXLE NUT WAS FOUND TO BE LOOSE. ALSO, THE ROTORS AND BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
ON SIERRA 1500 HD, REAR LEAF SPRING WASHERS ROUTINELY COME LOOSE AND FALL OFF, CAUSING REAR SPRINGS TO SLAP EXCESSIVELY, CAUSING REAR OF VEHICLE TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY, MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. *JB
PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SUSPENSION VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, RESULTING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DEVELOPING BULGES. PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED, AND THE OTHER TIRES WERE ROTATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR TIRE.*AK
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