2004 Chevrolet SUBURBAN 1500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
182 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
83,999 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 167 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel is the most frequently named component, appearing in 48 of 182 complaints (26.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 42 | 23.1% |
| Steering behavior | 17 | 9.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 3.8% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 2.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 2.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 48 |
| Electrical System | 35 |
| Service Brakes | 27 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 |
| Steering | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 6 |
| Tires | 5 |
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 48; Electrical System: 35; Service Brakes: 27; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 12; Steering: 11; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling: 6; Tires: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 19 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 40 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 50 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 31 |
| 150,000 and above | 21 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 19; 50,000 to 74,999: 40; 75,000 to 99,999: 50; 100,000 to 149,999: 31; 150,000 and above: 21
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (50). 15 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 22 |
| 2008 | 27 |
| 2009 | 32 |
| 2010 | 24 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 2 |
2006: 10; 2007: 22; 2008: 27; 2009: 32; 2010: 24; 2011: 15; 2012: 7; 2013: 12; 2014: 16; 2015: 7; 2016: 4; 2017: 4; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 42 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 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 10234443 · 2008-07-15 (July 15, 2008)
MY 2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN JUST DIES WHILE DRIVING, I LOOSE POWER STEERING & MY BRAKES. IT HAS HAPPENED 2X IN 2 DAYS. IT PRESENTS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, FOR MYSELF & OTHER DRIVERS. WHEN A DIAGNOSTIC IS RUN IT IS NEGATIVE, NOTHING SHOWS UP. ALL OF THIS OUT OF NOWHERE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234443 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10243190 · 2008-09-23 (September 23, 2008)
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM INFORMING ME OF A POTENTIAL DEFECT ON THE SPEEDOMETER OF ANY 04 CHEVY SUBURBAN, BUT IT STATED THAT I SHOULD NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP UNLESS THERE IS A PROBLEM. YESTERDAY 9-22-08 COMING BACK FROM MY SON BALL GAME THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK ON 70 AND WHEN MY HUSBAND APPLIED THE BRAKE INSTEAD OF DECREASING THE SPEEDOMETER WAS GOING TOWARD THE 120 MARK AND WE WERE ALMOST AT A COMPLETE STOP. NOW GM DID SEND INFORMATION THAT THERE MIGHT BE PROBLEMS BUT DON'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS YOU SUSPE…
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243190 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158306 · 2006-05-26 (May 26, 2006)
THE STEERING COLUMN U JOINT THAT CONNECTS TO THE STEERING BOX HAS LOOSENED CAUSING A CLUNKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE U-JOINT HAS NOT FAILED AS OF THIS TIME, BUT A FAILURE OR BINDING COULD EASILY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PART AND OFFER A "GREASE KIT" TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, GREASE WILL NOT TAKE THE PLAY OUT OF A LOOSE U-JOINT. THIS IS A COVER-UP REMEDY TO MAKE THE LOOSENESS LESS OBVIOUS. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS OVER $300 FOR A REPLACEMENT PART ALONE …
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158306 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10210100 · 2007-11-27 (November 27, 2007)
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE NOT WORKING. ODOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, OIL GAUGE, BATTERY GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE DO NOT WORK - THE ONLY GAUGE THAT DOES WORK IS THE SPEEDOMETER. LOOKING AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS, I SHOULD ASSUME THE SPEEDOMETER WILL BE GOING OUT. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS - IT READS 250 - 260 ALL THE TIME. YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOUR ARE RUNNING HOT OR NOT. THE GAS GAUGE NEEDLE IS TOTALLY UPSET DOWN - WE HAVE TO GO OFF OUR "HOW MANY MILES 'TIL WE RUN OUT GO GAS" SCREEN TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH GAS WE HAVE. I'VE REPLACED T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10210100 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10220981 · 2008-03-12 (March 12, 2008)
MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS. - TACHOMETER DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY - DOES NOT WORK SOME OF THE TIMES; WILL STICK IN DIFFERENT PLACES, ETC; DATE OF FAILURE: FEB 2008 - STEERING COLUMN HAS AUDIBLE/PHYSICAL THUMBING/BANGING WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT - DATE OF FAILURE: 02/01/2008 (32,000 MILES); - A/C SOMETIMES GOES TO BLOWING HEAT - WHEN TURNED OFF AND ON IT WILL SWITCH TO A/C - NOT ALWAYS - SOMETIMES TURNING AUTO OFF AND THEN ON WILL FIX PROBLEM - DATE OF FAILURE FIRST NOTICED 06/01/2006; - DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER - WHEN I TURN IT ON I SMELL ELECTR…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10220981 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10220452 · 2008-03-08 (March 8, 2008)
2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500 4WD NORMAL DRIVING SECONDARY ROADS. AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED NORMALLY THROUGH SECOND GEAR. IMMEDIATELY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE 2-3 SHIFT RESULTED IN SEVERE SLIPPAGE. THERE WAS NO NOISE, NO FLUID LEAKS OF ANY KIND AND NO FLUID CONTAMINATION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE SELLING DEALER AND HAS HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED AN TWO OCCASIONS BY THE DEALER. A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS AND BEHAVIORS WERE NOTED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGH…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10220452 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10232654 · 2008-06-29 (June 29, 2008)
I DRIVE A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Z71. WHEN I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE TRANSFER CASE SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL. I DIDN'T TOUCH THE TRANSFER CASE CONTROLS OR ANYTHING IT JUST GOES INTO NEUTRAL. IT WORKS JUST FINE IN AUTO 4WD, 4HI, AND 4LO. THIS ONLY OCCURS WHILE DRIVING IN 2HI. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING FIXED YET BECAUSE ELECTRONICALLY IT APPEARS THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING NORMALLY. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE APART MY TRANSFER CASE AND I CANT AFFORD IT. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS WAS SOME KIND OF MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR SOMETH…
Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232654 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169776 · 2006-10-02 (October 2, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN PARK, AND WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. IT WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
Owner-reported narrative. 20,790 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169776 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10217965 · 2008-02-13 (February 13, 2008)
ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008, I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN ON I-285 IN ATLANTA, GA. WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. I-285 IS AN EXTREMELY CONGESTED , SIX LANE WIDE, DANGEROUS ROADWAY. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER EXPOSED ME AND 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC VEHICLE COLLISION. ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE HAS 130,000 MILES, IT IS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED TO AVOID JUST THE VERY SITUATION THAT HAPPENED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING OF IMPENDING POWER LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DALTON, GA. ( ABOUT 90 MILES NORTH OF ATLANTA) A…
Owner-reported narrative. 130,080 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10175522 · 2006-12-07 (December 7, 2006)
IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO FILL THE GAS TANK. EVEN WITH THE RUBBER BOOT SEALED AGAINST THE NECK, GASOLINE SPLASHES OUT ALL OVER THE GROUND. NO FIRE YET. THIS HAPPENS AFTER ONLY A FEW GALLONS IN PUT INTO A 31-GALLON TANK CONTAINING 8-10 GALLONS. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING TO FILL THIS TANK. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 170,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175522 at NHTSA ↗