The 2003 Chevrolet Silverado starts in the low $4,000 range, which sounds like a good deal, but transmission fluid leaks starting at around 150,000 miles and catalytic converter replacements every ten years may wind up costing you more than you spent on the truck itself.
Is the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado a Good Used Truck?
- Overall Rating 6/10 – The 2003 Chevrolet Silverado is a good truck, but it’s showing its age with powertrain complaints piling up and the wear and tear of multiple owners taking its toll on most units.
- Interior, Comfort & Cargo 8/10 – While the entertainment features may be outdated, the Crew Cab still feels like a living room on wheels, and the bed options provide more than enough space for basic hauling.
- Reliability 4/10 – It’s not really Chevrolet’s fault, there just aren’t many vehicles that are still thriving after two decades on the road.
- Safety 5/10 – Not only is the safety tech outdated, the truck earned lackluster ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on release.
- Gas Mileage 5/10 – The Base model gets 16/21 miles to the gallon, city/highway, and the LT gets just 15/19. Even for a twenty year old truck, these numbers aren’t great.
- Value 5/10 – If you just want something basic and cheap so you can move some furniture without getting a rental or calling a friend, you could do a lot worse. If you want a daily driver or a fulltime work truck, you’ll probably wind up spending more money on repairs than you would on new truck payments.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
What Do Critics Say About the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
- Consumer Reports liked the 2003 Silverado’s user-friendly four-wheel-drive system and high payload capacity, but felt that the powertrain could have been smoother and the handling less unwieldy.
- Edmunds had nothing but praise for the powerful V8 engine options, and they were impressed with the innovative-for-the-time tech features Autotrac four-wheel-drive mode, but they found the build quality lacking in some areas, with the interior trim feeling cheap.
- Kelley Blue Book users find the 2003 Silverado to be reliable and comfortable, but some drivers report that the base engine is a bit underpowered and makes a lot of noise.
What Common Problems Does the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado Have?
The 2003 Chevrolet Silverado has racked up more than 2,000 user complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the past twenty years.
A fractured seal in the hydraulic brakes system is perhaps the most worrying of the truck’s common issues. A recall was issued to replace the broken o-ring seal in 2004, but complaints continue to roll in to this day with many drivers finding that they were not included in the recall.
Electrical issues are a major problem as well, with a number of drivers reporting electrical fires under the hood, owing to a faulty blower motor resistor. Ignition failure has also been a concern.
A whole host of transmission problems have been reported, with transmission fluid leaks being among the most common, and most concerning. Failure mileage is usually in the 150,000 mile range.
While 15 recalls, 2,110 complaints, and 9 investigations may sound worrying, it all comes down to the test drive. There are a lot of issues to look out for, well-kept Silverado may run like new for years to come.
How Long Will the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado Last?
According to RepairPal, you’re looking at $714 in annual maintenance costs to keep your 2003 Silverado on the road. Every ten years or so you should expect to shell out a minimum of $2,373 for a new catalytic converter. If the previous owner didn’t get that taken care of recently, that’s going to come out of your pocket sooner than later.
There are reports of Silverados hitting seven figures on the odometer, but, as we can’t exactly vouch for the previous owner’s driving and maintenance habits, you should expect to get about 200,000 good miles out of your 2003 Chevy before the repair costs outweigh the price of buying a new one.
How Is the Technology?
Entertainment technology is outdated, but robust in the higher trim levels. The LS upgrades you from AM/FM and four speakers to a six-speaker setup with auto tone control and speed compensated volume, and LT comes with a six-disc CD changer and Bose speakers.
Safety technology is likewise out of date. You’ve got your anti-lock brakes and full airbags, and that’s about it. Everything you expect in a 2003 work truck, and nothing extra.
Is the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado a Good Value?
The 2003 Silverado isn’t the best value used truck on the market, but it’s an okay deal if you know what you’re getting. A Work Truck model starts at around $4,028 at the dealership, which is a fair price for twenty year old pickup that you’ll probably only be using for the occasional furniture haul or construction job.
Higher trim levels can sell for more than ten grand, and at that price the truck isn’t really worth it unless the seller has kept it in mint condition.
What are the Different Models of the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
There are four basic trim levels for the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado, the entry-level Base and Work Truck, and the higher-end LS and LT models.
The Base trim is the entry level truck, featuring:
- AM/FM stereo with seek & scan with four speakers
- Two dash-mounted 12 volt power outlets
- Vinyl seating
- Dual-zone manual air conditioner
- Manual windows and door locks
The LS is the mid-range truck, adding:
- Heated exterior mirrors
- Power windows and locks
- Cruise control
- Keyless remote entry
The LT is the top-range Silverado, which adds:
- Six speaker Bose audio
- Six disc CD changer
- Light-sensitive auto-dimming exterior mirrors
- Power seat adjuster for the driver
The Work Truck is just a Base Silverado but with a V8 engine and no frills. These are also known as the Fleet Truck, because they’re mainly sold for commercial purposes.
What Engines Come In the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
- The base engine for a 2003 Silverado 1500 is a 4.3L Vortec V6, producing 260 lb.-ft. of torque and 200 horsepower. This engine is paired with a 4-speed automatic and will tow up to 7,900 pounds.
- If you’ll accept no fewer than eight cylinders, the next engine up is a 5.3L Vortec V8. This will get you 325 lb.-ft. of torque, 285 horsepower, and towing capacity up to 9,100 pounds.
- 2500 models are exclusively powered by a 6.0L V8 which brings the towing capacity up to 12,000 pounds, cranking out 300 horsepower and 360 lb.-ft. of torque.
What Colors Does the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado Come In?
How Comfortable Is the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado?
Even the basic Work Truck model is comfortable enough to function as a daily driver, but after twenty years on the road, the suspension may be a bit rickety.
There’s plenty of room in the cab of a 2003 Silverado. The Regular Cab is spacious enough for a couple adults, and the Double Cab will fit the whole team in a pinch, but the Crew Cab takes us into SUV territory if you’re going to be taking the gang with you on every trip.
How Much Storage Space Does the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado Have?
Storage space isn’t an issue in the 2003 Silverado. Chevy offers two bed size: Short and Long, at 6-foot-6-inches, and 8-foot, respectively. Either one of these is big enough for an average adult to lay out in and take a nap.
Get the big one if you’re mainly using this truck for the occasional hauling job, get the little one if legroom in the cab is a bigger priority.
What Are the Differences Between Years?
The 2003 Silverado is part of the 1st Generation, sharing a platform with the second generation Sierra. The first gen would launch with the inaugural 1999 edition, being overhauled with the 2nd Generation 2007 model close to a decade later.
1999: The Silverado launched with the Regular and 3-door Extended cab options, packing a trio of Vortec engines: the 4300 V6, 4800 V8, and 5300 V8.
2000: Silverado redesigned the Extended cab for a four-door configuration.
2001: Traction control was added for 2001, as was a new composite truck box.
2002: Minor visual design changes were introduced in 2002, but no major overhauls under the hood or in the features.
2003: The biggest difference between the 2002 and the 2003 was a slight design change to the audio and HVAC controls.
2004: Chevy added the Crew cab to the option list in 2004.
2005: Chevrolet added a power sunroof to the Extended and Crew cabs for 2005.
2006: Chevrolet expanded the trims with stylish carbon fiber, brushed aluminum, and burled wood options.
2007: The suspension and fascia both got a redesign, adding coilover struts to the front wheels for a smoother ride.
How Does the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado Compare to the Competition?
2003’s top three sellers were the F-Series, the Silverado, and the Silverado, in that order. So how do they compare?
Ford beats Silverado for reliability. Both trucks are showing their age, but the 2003 F-Series comes in with fewer than 500 complaints on file with the NHTSA. Chevy drivers have registered four times that many complaints.
The 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 boasts fewer recalls and complaints than the Silverado, but taps out at a maximum towing capacity of 8,650 pounds, around five hundred pounds behind a maxed-out 1500 Silverado.
An F-Series is your best bet for overall reliability in a 2003 full-size. But for many buyers we’re talking Coke and Pepsi here. If you prefer Chevy to Ford, or vice-versa, you probably won’t be sweet-talked into switching teams.
