The 2003 Chevy 2500 Duramax refers specifically to the Chevy Silverado 2500 Duramax. The Silverado Duramax is a line of General Motors heavy duty trucks that are outfitted with the Duramax engine made by Isuzu on behalf of GM. While Isuzu no longer makes the Duramax engine for GM, the truck is still quite popular. This could be because the Duramax is a V-8 diesel engine. Although dirtier than their gasoline counterparts, diesels are known for being "workhorses". They run very efficiently and deliver an incredible amount of power and torque at low RPMs making them ideal for hauling and towing. With all of this heavy duty action, you should expect some troubles after a while. When your Chevy finally does need servicing, you'll need to troubleshoot the problem first.
Check the parking brake on your 2003 Silverado 2500 Duramax. The Duramax factory brake linings were known to wear excessively on the rear brakes. These brakes are typically not used extensively as most of the braking force is transferred to the front wheels (due to inertia). However, this excessive brake lining wear may cause the emergency or parking brake to not work properly. The brake system can be fixed by taking the truck to a GM dealer under the recall for this problem.
Check your 2500 Duramax for corrosion of the tailgate cables. The galvanized steel cables on the truck in 2003 unfortunately had a tendency to rust (odd as it may seem). This resulted in corrosion on the cables. If the cables break, the tailgate will damage the rear bumper due to the design of the truck. These cables can be replaced by a GM dealer at no charge subject to the recall for this problem.
Have your brake master cylinder and brake booster replaced at a GM dealer. The 2003 model year of the Chevy Duramax 2500 had a faulty brake booster/master cylinder assembly. The o-ring seal may fail causing increased brake pedal effort. This item can be replaced under the factory recall for this problem.
Check the seal on your Duramax 2500. Some models of the Duramax 2500 in 2003 had a faulty windshield seal. You may or may not be able to notice this upon a visual inspection. Take your Chevy truck to a GM dealership to have the windshield seal replaced under the factory recall for this issue.
