U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Chevrolet AVEO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

206 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

60,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 160 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 31 of 206 complaints (15.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	19	9.2%
Engine operation	13	6.3%
Electrical and battery issues	12	5.8%
Steering behavior	10	4.9%
Transmission and shifting	9	4.4%
Fuel system concerns	5	2.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling

Electrical System

Engine

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Exterior Lighting

Power Train

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling	31
Electrical System	27
Engine	21
Air Bags	15
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	14
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	13
Exterior Lighting	10
Power Train	9

Engine And Engine Cooling: 31; Electrical System: 27; Engine: 21; Air Bags: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 13; Exterior Lighting: 10; Power Train: 9

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 38; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 52; 75,000 to 99,999: 25; 100,000 to 149,999: 22; 150,000 and above: 3

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (52). 46 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2004: 23; 2005: 12; 2006: 19; 2007: 13; 2008: 16; 2009: 16; 2010: 30; 2011: 15; 2012: 11; 2013: 4; 2014: 17; 2015: 18; 2016: 7; 2017: 1; 2018: 3; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 13 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10060986 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)

BRAKE PEDAL TO CLOSE TO THE ACCELERATOR. RESULTING IN CONSUMER TO ACCELERATE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP. *PH *MR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10060986 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10093322 · 2004-09-29 (September 29, 2004)

BRAKE CALIPER BROKE WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, DUE TO SAFTEY REASONS, TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD THE CAR. CAR WAS BOUGHT 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO FAILURE AND HAD 12 MILES ON THE CAR WHEN PURCHASED. CAR NOW HAS JUST UNDER 500 MILES.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093322 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10102054 · 2004-12-02 (December 2, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. ALSO, REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED, IT DID NOT RETRACT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10102054 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10172543 · 2006-11-03 (November 3, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR TWO MONTHS, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, THEN WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THE GENERATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172543 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10138020 · 2005-09-28 (September 28, 2005)

CD PLAYER GETS TOO HOT. IT HAS MELTED A CD. I RUN IT FOR 15 MINUTES AND YOU CAN'T EVEN TOUCH THE FACE OF IT OR THE CD ITSELF. I'VE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY ITS NORMAL. I BELIEVE THAT WITH THE CLOCK, THE CD PLAYER, AND THE IGNITION (& KEY) GETTING PRETTY HOT THAT IT'S AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10138020 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10165408 · 2006-08-14 (August 14, 2006)

FIRST, I HAVE AN 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO TIRES DUE TO FLATS. IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE SOME SPECIAL TYPE OF TIRES ON THIS TYPE CAR. ONE TIRE IS PLUGGED AND THE OTHER WAS REPLACED BY A NEW TIRE. SECOND I HAVE 15,040 MILES ON THE CAR SINCE PURCHASE. THIRD, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS RE: NOISE UNDER THE PASSENGER WHEELS AND THE DRIVERS WHEELS MORE THAN TWICE. THE BATTERY HAS FAILED TO BE USEFUL TWICE. I NEED TO KNOW IF THESE CARS CAN BE LOOKED AT FOR DEFECTS BECAUSE THEY ARE A NEWER MODEL AND I HAVE ASKED OTHER IF TH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10165408 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10095580 · 2004-10-11 (October 11, 2004)

MY CHEVROLET AVEO PULLS TO THE RIGHT, UPON ACCELERATION AND DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED. I MADE THE DEALERSHIP AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THAT IT NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THEY GAVE IT AN ALIGNMENT AND IT HELPED FOR A FEW WEEKS. THEN THE VEHICLE STARTING PULLING TO THE RIGHT AGAIN. I TOOK IT FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THEY SAID THE VEHICLE HAS TORQUE STEERING AND WITH THE WAY IT IS BUILT IT WILL DRIVE LIKE THIS. SUGGESTED WELDING WEIGHTS ON LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE TO MAKE IT HEAVIER ON THE LEFT SIDE, ALSO SUGGESTED A WIDER TIRE, BUT THEY WOULD N…

Owner-reported narrative. 147 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095580 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10100251 · 2004-11-20 (November 20, 2004)

MY VEHICLE WILL BE DRIVING FINE AND I WILL ATTEMPT TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN AND INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD WILL COME ON AND THE CAR WILL STOP! THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 4 TIMES IN 2 WKS AND DEALER CAN NOT "DUPLICATE MY CONCERN" I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS 600 MILES ON IT, I DRIVE 15 MILES A DAY TO AND FROM WORK, NO HIGHWAY. DEALER CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND I AM FORCED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. IT IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE CAR COMES TO A STOP WHEN EVER IT…

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100251 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10100122 · 2004-11-17 (November 17, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING ON I-94 MADE A SUDDEN DECREASE IN SPEED FROM 70 MPH TO 60 MPH AND CAR SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL, AND THE ONLY THING SAVING ME FROM FLIPPING THE CAR WAS AFTER MARKET RIMS AND TIRES. THUMP SOUND, SOUNDED LIKE A FLAT TIRE, CHECKED ALL THE TIRES AND THEY WERE FINE. CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, ENGINE WAS TITLED TO DRIVER'S SIDE, AFTER INSPECTION ON SIDE OF EXPRESSWAY FOUND OUT THAT THE HALF SHAFT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION MOUNT BOLTS. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THESE BOLTS TO FAIL IF THE CAR IS DRIVEN RESPECTIVELY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 5,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100122 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10100552 · 2004-11-25 (November 25, 2004)

DURING COLD WEATHER THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR FOR THE FIRST 1/2 MILE. THE "HOLD" BUTTON IS NOT ON.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 9,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100552 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10098749 · 2004-11-12 (November 12, 2004)

FUEL INJECTOR STUCK OPEN MAKING A LOUD TICK. GM TOLD ME IT WAS A LIFTER ENGINE IS DOHC. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098749 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10142949 · 2005-11-17 (November 17, 2005)

SES LIGHT COMES ON NOT DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM. THE FUEL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING, GAS ESCAPES SOMEWHERE, NOT GETTING THE ACTUAL GAS MILEAGE FOR THE VEHICLE. FILL UP ON WED OF ONE WEEK, USE ONLY 34 MILES, MUST FILL UP BY TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK, THE BRAKES MAKE LOUD NOISE LIKE BRAKES ARE GOING OUT, MORE OF STEEL RUBBING, PULLS EXCESSIVELY TO THE RIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR ON THE BRAKES, WAS TOLD DUST WAS ON THE ROTORS, CLEANED OUT, PROBLEM STILL EXIST, NOW A BUCKLING IS FELT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. AS FOR THE GAS PROBLEM, CAR WAS LEFT OVERN…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,734 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142949 at NHTSA ↗