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U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Chevrolet SILVERADO 2500 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

368 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

73,900 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 336 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 99 of 368 complaints (26.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior17447.3%
Steering behavior215.7%
Transmission and shifting174.6%
Electrical and battery issues133.5%
Fuel system concerns133.5%
Engine operation61.6%

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.

Service Brakes
99
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
57
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
54
Electrical System
46
Engine
14
Steering
13
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
10
Wheels
9
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Service Brakes99
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel57
Service Brakes, Hydraulic54
Electrical System46
Engine14
Steering13
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings10
Wheels9

Service Brakes: 99; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 57; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 54; Electrical System: 46; Engine: 14; Steering: 13; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 10; Wheels: 9

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
24
25,000 to 49,999
55
50,000 to 74,999
92
75,000 to 99,999
64
100,000 to 149,999
72
150,000 and above
29
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00024
25,000 to 49,99955
50,000 to 74,99992
75,000 to 99,99964
100,000 to 149,99972
150,000 and above29

Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 55; 50,000 to 74,999: 92; 75,000 to 99,999: 64; 100,000 to 149,999: 72; 150,000 and above: 29

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (92). 32 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.

2005
1
2006
17
2007
42
2008
33
2009
29
2010
39
2011
51
2012
26
2013
38
2014
42
2015
16
2016
13
2017
7
2018
5
2019
4
2020
2
2021
1
2023
1
2026
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20051
200617
200742
200833
200929
201039
201151
201226
201338
201442
201516
201613
20177
20185
20194
20202
20211
20231
20261

2005: 1; 2006: 17; 2007: 42; 2008: 33; 2009: 29; 2010: 39; 2011: 51; 2012: 26; 2013: 38; 2014: 42; 2015: 16; 2016: 13; 2017: 7; 2018: 5; 2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2023: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 174 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 17 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 10162280 · 2006-07-13 (July 13, 2006)

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, 2 MONTHS LATER A NOISE EMANATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I FOUND THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO BE VOID OF FLUID. I ADDED THE PROPER FLUID. IMMEDIATELY A LEAK OCCURRED FROM THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC BOOST. I RESEARCHED YOUR DATA AND YOUR INFORMATION INDICATED THAT A SAFETY RECALL EXISTS FOR THE BRAKE BOOST (#04V043000 AND #04V045000). THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THIS ISSUE UNLESS I PAY THE $1000.00 TO FIX IT. THEY SAY THAT NO RECALL EXISTS FOR MY VEHICLE. WHAT IS CORRECT? IN ADDITION, YOUR DATA ALSO SHOWS THE 2 OTHER SAFETY RECAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 59,698 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162280 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10165405 · 2006-08-14 (August 14, 2006)

LEFT REAR-AXLE SEAL HAS BLOWN A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE BRAKES WERE SOAKED WITH AXLE FLUID EACH TIME AND WE WERE TOLD THAT IT COULD CATCH FIRE IF BRAKES GOT HOT ENOUGH. THE BRAKES HAVE SMOKED, BUT HAVE NOT CAUGHT FIRE YET! THE AXLE-SEAL WAS REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER UNDER OUR WARRANTY. THE AXLE ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO STOP THE PROBLEM BUT, THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO DO THIS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 13,503 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165405 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10165893 · 2006-08-17 (August 17, 2006)

(1) I WAS IN A TIGHT TURN. I HAD JUST HAULED 2 TONS OF FEED FROM A FEED MILL 30 MILES AWAY. (2) THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES BOTH STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY AND WITH NO WARNING. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER MY VEHICLE AND HAD TO RUN INTO A FENCE POST TO STOP IT. HAD IT HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS ON A HIGHWAY, SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. THE TRUCK WAS COMPLETELY UNCONTROLLABLE. (3 VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. AFTER TWO DAYS OF TESTING, NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 30,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165893 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10232314 · 2008-06-25 (June 25, 2008)

INTERMITTENTLY SHIFT DISPLAY AND DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING. WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THE TRUCK WOULD BUCK. LOCKS WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN PUT INTO PARK. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. CODE P0708 IN SYSTEM FOR PARK/NEUTRAL SWITCH. REPLACE PARK/NEUTRAL SWITCH FOR A TOTAL OF $416.48. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,025 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232314 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10311685 · 2010-02-18 (February 18, 2010)

2004 CHEVY SILVERADO HD 2500 DIESEL--TRANSFER CASE WEARING FROM INSIDE OUT I TOOK MY TRUCK IN TO HAVE SERVICE WORK DONE ON IT, AND FOUND OUT FROM THE JASPER TRANSMISSION COMPANY, THAT THEY ARE DOING A LARGE NUMBER OF CHEVY TRANSFER CASES BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SHIMMIED RIGHT FROM THE FACTORY, CAUSING THE GEARS IN THE TRANSFER CASE TO EAT THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUSING ON THE TRANSFER CASE ITSELF. THIS THEN RESULTS IN THE TRANSFER CASE FLUID TO LEAK OUT, AND CAUSES THE GEAR BOX TO COME APART INSIDE THE TRANSFER CASE. THE CHEVY DEALER THAT I TO…

Owner-reported narrative. 144,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311685 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10213113 · 2007-12-28 (December 28, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE SPEEDOMETER DIAL IS NORMALLY AT 0, EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IN MARCH OF 2007, THE SPEEDOMETER COMPLETELY FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CORRECT THE FAILURE FOR FREE IF THE VEHICLE WAS AT 80,000 MILES OR BELOW. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $700. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10213113 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10216675 · 2008-02-01 (February 1, 2008)

ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION/INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10216675 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10161484 · 2006-07-05 (July 5, 2006)

AT 35000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER REPLACED PARTS WITH THE GAS TANK/FUEL LINE DUE TO IT BEING 'PLUGGED'. 10,000 MILES LATER IT HAPPENS AGAIN BUT NO WARRANTY AND AFTER VERY DISSATISFYING SERVICE AT DEALER WE OPTED TO A NEW MECHANIC. HE RESET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT 1 WEEK LATER IT WAS ON AGAIN. THEN HE REPLACED THE EMISSIONS LINE AND 3 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. ONE DEALER STATED THAT EXCESSIVE DRIVING ON GRAVEL ROADS LEADS TO THIS PROBLEM THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM IS NOT VENTED PROPERLY. (??) WE ARE…

Owner-reported narrative. 34,985 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161484 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10166281 · 2006-08-22 (August 22, 2006)

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY GOING 70 MPH ON MY WAY TO WORK DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN THE FAST LANE. ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST POWER AND THE TRUCK STARTED SLOWING DOWN QUICKLY. I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO TRY TO GET OVER AND GET OFF THE FREEWAY SO THAT I WOULD NOT GET RUN OVER, WHICH IS NOT AN EASY THING TO HAVE A VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR THAT WILL NOT GO OVER 15 MPH. THIS IS NOT VERY SAFE AND I COULD HAVE EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BY CARS TRYING TO SWERVE AROUND MY VEHICLE THAT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE PROBLEM WAS THE #7 FUE…

Owner-reported narrative. 69,407 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166281 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10274540 · 2009-06-21 (June 21, 2009)

THIS IS HOW IT STARTED.. I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO 2500 HD. AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD THE DOORS WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK ON THEIR OWN, AND THE TRUCK WOULD LOSE RPM'S AND WOULD ACT AS IF THE TRUCK SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED ITSELF. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD BLINK WITH THE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING OF THE DOORS. DID THIS OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES AS WE BABIED IT HOME. GOT IT HOME IN THE DRIVEWAY AND IT THREW 2 CODES CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR HIGH VOLTS AND LOW VOLTS. SO WE REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. TRUCK DROVE FINE FOR 4 DAYS. HOWEVER O…

Owner-reported narrative. 81,098 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274540 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10302894 · 2010-01-27 (January 27, 2010)

FUEL INJECTORS GO BAD CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL AND LURCH FORWARD WHILE IDLING. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER AND HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED 3 TIMES AND IS DOING IT AGAIN *CN *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10302894 at NHTSA ↗