2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 HD

Routine

Owners filed 17 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes5
000
Steering3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
000
Electrical System2
000
Structure › Body1
000
Steering › Gear Box › Shaft Pitman1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000
Engine1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Steering
Filed May 3, 2020SC

POWER STEERING WAS MAKING NOISE I ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID IN THE LEAK I HAD MORE POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT KEPT ON LEAKING NOW THE STEERING GOT SO HARD TO HARD TO TURN SO WENT TO THE STORE BUY SOME POWER STEERING FLUID ADDED TURN ON THE TRUCK AND LICKED IT ALL SO NOW THE POWER STEERING IS HARD TO TURN

Electrical System
Filed Sep 22, 201750,000 milesOR

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO CREW CAB AND MY SERVICE SHOP HAS DETERMINED THE CLUSTER PANEL IS FAULTY IT PRESENTS MISREADINGS WHICH IS CAUSING ERROR CODES READINGS IN THE COMPUTER. THEY TESTED THE OIL PRESSURE AND THE TACH AND SAID THE COMPONENTS WERE WORKING CORRECTLY WITH IN RANGE IN SPITE OF THE FACT THE GAUGE DIALS ON THE PANEL WERE SHOWING THINGS WERE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY OR WITH IN RANGE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE TACHOMETER GAUGE DIAL PERIODICALLY EITHER DOES NOT REGISTER IT WILL STAY AT ZERO, OTHER TIMES IT WILL EXCEED ABOVE THE HIGHEST # ON THE PANEL. THE OIL GAUGE DIAL STAYS CONSISTENTLY IN THE SAME POSITION WHICH EXCEEDS ABOVE THE HIGHEST # READING LEVEL ON THE PANEL. PERIODICALLY THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAYS ON FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN IT WILL GO OFF FOR ABOUT 3-6 MONTHS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, HOW ARE DRIVERS TO KNOW IF SOMETHING IS TRULY WRONG WITH THE TRUCK WHEN THE CLUSTER PANEL IS NOT PRESENTING THE CORRECT READING. WE DEPEND ON THE CLUSTER PANEL TO ALERT US WHEN SOMETHING IS GOING AWRY. I HAVE JUST RECENTLY RAN INTO THIS ISSUE WITH MY TRUCK AND IT ONLY HAS APPROX 50,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. I HAVE JUST RECENTLY STARTED WORKING WITH THE CHEVY COMPANY BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL SO FAR IN GETTING ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH THIS AND I AM TOLD IT WILL BE APPROX $800.00 TO R & R IT. I TRULY HOPE THAT OTHER OWNERS WILL COME FORWARD WITH THIS ISSUE AND IF WE STAND TOGETHER WE CAN CONVENIENCE CHEVROLET THAT THEY NEED TO STAND B

Engine
Filed Sep 27, 201635,000 milesKS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR RANDOMLY ILLUMINATED. TWO DEALERS WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES, BUT WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FUEL CAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FUEL CAP WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 04/06/17 LJ *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Jun 24, 2014155,000 milesFL

THE BRAKES HAVE STOPPED WORKING ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS NOT PARTICULARLY UNEXPECTED GIVEN THE VEHICLE HAS 155,000 MILES. HOWEVER WHEN WE TRIED TO PURCHASE NEW PARTS WE WERE ADVISED THAT GENERAL MOTORS NO LONGER SUPPORTS OR MANUFACTURES THE NECESSARY PARTS ( ROTORS,PUMPS, ETC) FOR THE YEAR OF VEHICLE. HOW CAN THEY SIMPLY STOP MAKING PARTS FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS JUST 10 YEARS OLD? WE WERE TOLD TO GO TO A SCRAP YARD AND SEE IF WE COULD SCROUNGE THE NECESSARY PARTS THERE ! SHOULD THEY NOT BE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT ANY VEHICLE THEY MANUFACTURE? AND NOT SIMPLY DECIDE NOT TO MAKE PARTS ANY LONGER BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE PROFITABLE? WHAT IS GOING ON AT GM? WHAT ELSE DON'T WE KNOW ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES ON TOP OF THE OTHER GM SCANDALS THAT WE SEE LATELY, LEADING TO DEATH AND MAYHEM FOR INNOCENT CAR OWNERS? *TR

Service Brakes
Filed May 5, 201480,000 milesIL

TOWING A HEAVY BOAT AT INTERSTATE SPEED LIMIT IN KANSAS. APPLIED BRAKES TO DISENGAGE CRUISE UPON APPROACH TO EXIT RAMP. NOTICED MORE THAN USUAL PEDAL TRAVEL AND BEGAN TO PUMP TO FIND SOME BRAKES. PUMPING DID NOTHING, FULLY DEPRESSING IS ALL THAT WOULD SLOW VEHICLE. GOING DOWNHILL AND APPROACHING STOP AT END OF RAMP. ENDED UP GOING THROUGH STOP SIGN WITHOUT STOPPING. COULDN'T STOP WOULDN'T STOP. ROLLED THROUGH STOP SIGN INTERSECTING HIGHWAY SPEED 60 MPH. MADE THE TURN AND GOT STOPPED SOON AFTER SIGN BUT COULD HAVE ENDED UP IN HARMS WAY FROM INTERSECTING TRAFFIC HAD I PANICKED FROM NOT HAVING CONTROL AND WARNING LIGHTS AND ALARMS. AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS WRONG 5 SECONDS BEFORE GETTING T-BONED. ONCE UPON A TIME THE BODY WOULD RUST LIKE A REAR BUMPER IN ABOUT 10 YEARS. CHEVROLET SPENT MONEY TO MAKE THE PAINT LAST LONGER ON THE BODY. THAT RUST WOULD MAKE YOU GET PAINT OR A NEW TRUCK. IT WOULDN'T OR HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INJURE OR KILL YOU OR OTHERS. BRAKE LINES ON 1950 MODEL CARS ARE STILL STRONGER THAN THESE RUSTED OUT 9 YEAR OLD LINES. THE UNIT IS DESIGNED TO RUN A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES. ITS ONLY DESIGNED TO STOP BY MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR ABOUT 50 THOUSAND MILES. ITS AS IF THE LEADERSHIP AT GM FORGOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING THE UNIT STOP. SOMEONE WAS PROBABLY REWARDED FOR SAVING THE COST IN THE CHANGE OF MATERIAL OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE SAVINGS DRIVEN BY COST REDUCTION IN THE MATERIALS ORGANIZATION IS IN THIS CASE VERY BAD FOR BUSINESS. AFTE

Service Brakes
Filed Nov 15, 201289,785 milesPA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN IT ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD BEFORE STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE CONTACT WHO DISCOVERED THE RUST ON THE BRAKE LINES FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE BRAKES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,785.

Service Brakes
Filed Oct 26, 201297,000 milesNH

WE ARE THE SECOND OWNERS OF A 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 4WD TRUCK. WE HAVE HAD BRAKE LINES GO TWICE. THE LAST TIME WAS AT OUR TOWN DUMP. MY HUSBAND WAS STOPPED WITH THE TRUCK IN PARK AND WHEN HE PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO PUT THE TRUCK IN GEAR THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO REAL STOPPING POWER. HE CHECKED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE AND THAT, TOO, WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT CHEVY HAS BEEN ABLE TO USE SUCH DANGEROUS ENGINEERING ON SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS BRAKES. WE ALSO HAVE RUSTED TRANSMISSION LINES AND BACKER PLATES. IT IS GOING TO COST $2,000 (TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS) TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. WE ARE REQUESTING THAT A RECALL BE MADE FOR THIS DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING ON SUCH A NECESSARY FUNCTION. WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE WERE IN PARK AND PUTTING THE TRUCK INTO GEAR FROM PARK WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 9, 2012134,000 milesNJ

BRAKE LINES CORRODED THROUGH DURING NORMAL OPERATION - RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. MECHANIC ESTIMATES $1200.00 FOR R&R. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Mar 14, 201265,400 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING AT AN EXTREMELY SLOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FOUR BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE TECHNICIAN PATCHED THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINES AS A TEMPORARY REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO EVENTUALLY HAVE THE FOUR BRAKE LINES REPLACED DUE TO A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN OF A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,400. UPDATED 04/26/12*LJ ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE INVOICE, ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE HEAVILY CORRODED AS WAS THE UNDERCARRIAGE. UPDATED 05/31/12

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Jul 6, 201140,864 milesTN

2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD BRAKES FAILED DUE TO RUSTED STEEL BRAKE LINE. RUST OF COMPONENT WAS LOCATED UNDER DRIVER DOOR. CURRENTLY HAVING TROUBLE FINDING MANUFACTURER REPLACEMENT PART. LOOKS LIKE I WILL HAVE TO BEND MY OWN LINE. THE TRUCK HAS 40,000 MILES AND LOCATED IN TENNESSEE. THE TRUCK IS MAINLY USED ON A FARM AND HAS NOT BEEN ON SALTY ROADS TO A GREAT EXTENT. FORTUNATELY THE INCIDENT WAS WHILE USING THE TRUCK ON THE FARM SO THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR BODILY HARM. I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. IN 2010 I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS BECAUSE OF RUST. THE REAREND IS ALSO RUSTED ON THE TRUCK - SPRINGS, CARRIAGE, REAREND. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Apr 29, 201055,000 milesMD

2 METAL BRAKE LINES BLEW OUT ON MY 2004 CHEVY 1/2 TON PU. THEY HAD BEEN RUSTED NEARLY THROUGH AND FIRST ONE BLEW THEN THE SECOND DIAGONAL IN A HARD STOP LEAVING ME WITH NO BRAKES EXCEPT THE EMERGENCY. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY BUT IT SURE COULD HAVE BEEN. THE LINES SEEMED TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO COATING TO PROTECT THEM FROM RUST AND CERTAINLY SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN THIS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Steering
Filed Feb 9, 201037,000 milesMI

HAD TO REPLACE INTERMITTENT STEERING SHAFT FOR THE THIRD TIME. PROBLEM WITH DRIVING SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. THE UNIVERSALS HAVE NO GREASE FITTINGS, SO THE BEARINGS WEAR OUT OR GIVE OUT. *TR

Steering
Filed Mar 4, 200979,000 milesMT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME MUCH HARDER TO OPERATE IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURNS. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 79,000.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 11, 200939,000 milesMA

SPEEDOMETER GETS STUCK AN DOES NOT ACCURATELY GIVE SPEED. THERE ARE SO MANY REPAIR FACILITIES FOR THIS THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 8, 200772,000 milesSC

TL*- ON 08/30/06 CONTACT'S VEHICLE CHANGED FROM THE TWO-WHEEL DRIVE GEAR INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION BY ITSELF. THE SAME DAY THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER REGISTERED ACTUAL SPEED INACCURATELY. ON 8/31/06 THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ICP AND THE ATC MODULE. ON 01/05/07 WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE SHOWED THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT CURRENTLY WAS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *AK THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS LUBED. UPDATED 02/13/07. *JB

Steering › Gear Box › Shaft Pitman
Filed Aug 15, 200640,000 milesTN

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SERVICE DEALER OFFERED TO REPACK THE STEERING COLUMN WITH HIGH TEMPERATURE GREASE. THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED BY THE VEHICLE INSURER ABOUT THE AFTERMARKET PART RECALL # 06E010000, PITMAN ARM. THE AFTER MARKET PARTS MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 21, 200610,000 milesPA

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PULLED INTO ANOTHER LANE WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH DUE MILD TO MEDIUM WINDS. WHILE STEERING TO CORRECT THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE THE WIND STOPPED BLOWING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE OVERCORRECTED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TRAVEL TWO LANES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OR REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT WITH A FACTORY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ON 07/26/06.

17 of 17 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200526000Routine
2004 — this page17000Routine
2003101030Routine
200222000Routine
200116000Routine

Compare every Silverado 1500 HD year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.