U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Chevrolet SILVERADO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

622 owner complaints analyzed

8 distinct recall campaigns

46,873 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 518 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 122 of 622 complaints (19.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	224	36.0%
Steering behavior	63	10.1%
Transmission and shifting	37	5.9%
Fuel system concerns	15	2.4%
Electrical and battery issues	14	2.3%
Engine operation	9	1.4%

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.

Service Brakes

122

Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel

100

Electrical System

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Vehicle Speed Control

Steering

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Service Brakes	122
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel	100
Electrical System	44
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	37
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	27
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	22
Vehicle Speed Control	19
Steering	16

Service Brakes: 122; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 100; Electrical System: 44; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 37; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 27; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 22; Vehicle Speed Control: 19; Steering: 16

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

157

25,000 to 49,999

120

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 157; 25,000 to 49,999: 120; 50,000 to 74,999: 84; 75,000 to 99,999: 72; 100,000 to 149,999: 59; 150,000 and above: 26

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (157). 104 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.

2003

2004

2005

120

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2022

2003: 3; 2004: 83; 2005: 120; 2006: 62; 2007: 97; 2008: 32; 2009: 18; 2010: 20; 2011: 19; 2012: 24; 2013: 48; 2014: 65; 2015: 24; 2016: 6; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 224 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 63 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 37 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 10051510 · 2004-01-02 (January 2, 2004)

3 MONTH OLD 2004 SILVARADO 4X4 HAD, STARTED DISPLAYING SEVERAL ERROR REPORTS, IE SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE 4WD UNIT, STEREO CONSOLE LIGHTS WOULD GET EXTREMELY BRIGHT THEN DIM. TOOK TRUCK TO LOCAL DEALER, POWER CHEVROLET OF TILLAMOOK OR. SERVICE MNGR "BOB HEAGAL" STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWICH, THEY REPLACED SWITCH AND TRUCK CONTINUED TO HAVE SAME PROBLEMS, A ERROR CODE CHECK SHOWED HARD CODED ERRORS IN EVERY MODULE OF TRUCK, MECHANICS ALSO HAD PROBLEMS READING CODES AS EQUIPMENT WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH TRUCK. 2ND ROUND …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051510 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10057372 · 2004-02-02 (February 2, 2004)

THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 363 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057372 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10062133 · 2004-03-14 (March 14, 2004)

WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH TRUCK PULLING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND BACK. TOOK BACK TO DEALER TO CHECK AND DEALER REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE FRONT END HAD NOT BEEN ALIGNED NOR SUPPOSSEDLY THE STEERING COLUMN NOT PROPERLY SECURED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062133 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10062915 · 2004-04-08 (April 8, 2004)

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SWAY BAR MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE, CAUSING THE FRAME AND MOUNTING BAR TO COME OFF. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK THE FRONT SWAY BAR MOUNTAIN BRACKET BROKE OFF AT THE WELD AND CAUSED ABNORMAL "ROLL" CONTROL AND HARD STEERING. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 737 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062915 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051536 · 2004-01-02 (January 2, 2004)

HARD SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR - SLIPPING INTO OVERDRIVE - EVENTUALLY FAILING TO UPSHIFT UNTILL RPM REACHED APRX 3500. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051536 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10075764 · 2004-08-05 (August 5, 2004)

THE VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. SOMETIMES THE GEARS CHANGE SMOOTHLY, AND OTHER TIMES THERE IS A THUMPING SOUND ACCOMPANIED BY JERKING. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. *AK IN ADDITION WHEN MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM A LOW SPEED TO A HIGHER SPEED THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO THE PROPER GEAR. THIS MADE IT SEEM LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH A RETROFIT KIT AND THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE WORKING FINE. THE VEHICLE'S CD PLAYER WAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075764 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10096483 · 2004-10-27 (October 27, 2004)

AFTER THE VEHICLE IS WARM, ONE OF THE INJECTOR SLEEVES BEGINS TO LEAK DIESEL AND OIL INTO THE CRANKCASE, CAUSING PLUMES OF WHITE AND BLACK SMOKE TO COME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE AND CAUSES THE TRUCK TO SPUTTER. A LOUD SOUND OF A VALVE FLAPPING VIOLENTLY ALSO IS HEARD. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES. EACH TIME, THEY SAY THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. ONE DEALER IN MONTEREY SAID THAT THE INJECTORS ARE FROM A 2003 MODEL TRUCK AND ARE SMALLER THAN THE 2004 SLEEVES, THEREFORE ALLOWING DIESEL AND OIL TO LEAK INTO THE CRANKCASE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,928 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096483 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10122258 · 2005-05-26 (May 26, 2005)

DT: DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, AND A PIECE OF PVC PIPE WENT INTO THE FRONT OF THE GAS TANK AND THEN MOST OF THE WAY OUT. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 15 POUNDS OF PVC PIPE STUCK IN THE TANK. THE ALUMINUM COVER ONLY COVERS THE BACK AND THE SIDE OF THE GAS TANK.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122258 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10083829 · 2004-09-14 (September 14, 2004)

WHILE RECLINING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. *AK *MR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083829 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10112332 · 2005-03-01 (March 1, 2005)

TAILGATE PROBLEM, DRIVERS SEAT FAILURE,CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, DECLINING BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS,WATER LEAKING IN DRIVERS DOOR,ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN RADIO,POWER MIRRORS. OWNER RETURNED TRUCK TO BANK FOR VOL.REPO.FEELING THIS TRUCK WAS BECOMING MORE UNSAFE TO DRIVE, THIS AMONG OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10112332 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10129038 · 2005-07-17 (July 17, 2005)

3 TIMES WHILE CLIMBING A HILL, THE ENGINE HAS SUDDENLY, WITHOUT WARNING, LOST ALL POWER, THEN DIED LEAVING ME COASTING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE IS VERY HARD TO RESTART, BUT WILL RESTART IF IT SITS FOR A FEW MINUTES. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN AN AREA WHERE I CANNOT GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, OR WHILE PASSING SOMEONE, IT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. THIS HAS ALWAYS OCCURED WHILE CLIMBING A HILL. WAS RETURNED TO GM DEALER AFTER THE FIRST OCCURANCE, THEY STATED IT SHOWED A LEAN CODE, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. A WEEK LATER, IT STALLED TWICE ON ONE TRIP. …

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129038 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10136042 · 2005-09-09 (September 9, 2005)

DT: 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS A SLIP IN IT AND IT STALLS. THE DEALERSHIP INSISTS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND IT CANNOT BE FIXED. THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND THEN CLANGS WHEN IT CATCHES INTO GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE THEY COULD MAKE A DECISION. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE APPROXIMATELY FEBRUARY 2005. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL OF THE TIME. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136042 at NHTSA ↗