2004 Gmc SIERRA 1500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
212 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 186 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel is the most frequently named component, appearing in 47 of 212 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 71 | 33.5% |
| Steering behavior | 22 | 10.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 4.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 3.8% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 3.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 47 |
| Service Brakes | 43 |
| Electrical System | 32 |
| Steering | 17 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 16 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 |
| Air Bags | 6 |
| Tires | 6 |
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 47; Service Brakes: 43; Electrical System: 32; Steering: 17; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 16; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Air Bags: 6; Tires: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 51 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 51 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 30 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 25 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 51; 50,000 to 74,999: 51; 75,000 to 99,999: 30; 100,000 to 149,999: 25; 150,000 and above: 9
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (51). 26 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 |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 19 |
| 2007 | 43 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2010 | 17 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 14 |
| 2014 | 23 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2004: 5; 2005: 2; 2006: 19; 2007: 43; 2008: 16; 2009: 19; 2010: 17; 2011: 9; 2012: 12; 2013: 14; 2014: 23; 2015: 7; 2016: 4; 2017: 7; 2018: 6; 2019: 3; 2020: 2; 2021: 2; 2023: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 71 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 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 10095093 · 2004-12-08 (December 8, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HIT A MERIDIAN STRIP POLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SKIDDED INTO A GUARD RAIL, AND VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER TWICE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER AND DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO A HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095093 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10099775 · 2004-12-10 (December 10, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH VEHICLE STALLED .CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK BRAKE PEDAL WAS RUSTED. BUMPER WAS RUSTING. *TC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10099775 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10117257 · 2005-04-27 (April 27, 2005)
POWER STEERING FADED AT HIGH SPEED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE STEERING ROTATION SENSOR. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE POWER STEERING KICKED BACK IN VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE HIGHWAY FROM TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK A NORMAL STEERING ROTATION SENOR WILL FADE OUT POWER STEERING AT HIGH SPEEDS SO YOU HAVE BETTER FEEL OF THE ROAD. AS SPEED DECREASES THE STEERING SHOULD ONCE AGAIN BECOME EASY WHEN SPEED DECREASES. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, THE STEERING WOULD BE HARD AT LOW SPEEDS AND WHILE YOU ARE APPLYING…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10117257 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10181861 · 2007-02-07 (February 7, 2007)
I HAVE A 2004 GMC SIERRA EXT. CAB TRUCK WITH ABOUT 70K MILES ON IT. IN THE PAST WEEK, THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED READING HIGHER THAN 120 MPH WHILE DRIVING. I WAS ONLY DOING AROUND 50 MPH. WHEN STOPPED IT READS AROUND 60 MPH. I CAN START AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES AND THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WILL DROP AROUND 10 MPH EACH TIME IT STARTS. WHEN IT GETS TO 0, IT WILL READ FINE FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN GRADUALLY START CLIMBING UP PAST 120 MPH AGAIN. 2ND COMPLAINT. AROUND EVERY 20K TO 25K MILES, I HAVE TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER A…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10181861 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10166709 · 2006-08-28 (August 28, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION MADE A NOISE WHILE IT WAS CHANGING GEARS. AT FIRST THE NOISE WAS A LIGHT PING BUT NOW THE NOISE HAD BECOME REGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE SOUND GRADUATED TO A CLUNK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED THAT A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE FIXED. THE NOISE WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. UPDATED 9/28/2006 - *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166709 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10186911 · 2007-04-03 (April 3, 2007)
SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY VEHICLE, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE 7-8 ISSUES, ONE SELLING POINT WAS THE ONSATR CELLULAR SERVICE, NEVER WORKED, ETC. ETC. ETC. THE SALIENT MATTER AT THIS TIME IS THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN ORGINALLY EXHIBITED A CLINCKING SOUND SHIFTING FROM 2ND-3RD AND FROM 3RD-2ND, THE NOISE WAS SPORADIC AND WENT FROM A CLINCKING TO A DECIRNABLE CLUNK ALL THE TIME, THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE REPAIRS AND NOW STATES THE MATTER IS A CONCERN BUT IT IS NOT A PROBLEM, THE OEM, GMC, HAS STATES THAT THER IS NOTHING TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186911 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090091 · 2004-09-29 (September 29, 2004)
UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS NO POWER. AAA WAS CALLED, AND IT WOULD NOT TAKE A JUMP. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BATTERY CABLE BOLT THAT BECAME DEFECTIVE FROM ACID. THE BATTERY CABLE PRONG AND WIRES WERE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090091 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10240003 · 2008-08-27 (August 27, 2008)
I OWN A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500 Z71 WITH 32,000 ON THE ODOMETER. ON THE MORNING OF 27AUG2008 THE ABS MOTOR LOCATED ON THE FRAMERAIL UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT TURNED ON IMMEDIATELY UPON TURNING THE IGNITION TO ON. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. I HAD TO CONTINUE AND DRIVE TO WORK. THE LIGHT STAYED ON THE WHOLE TIME. ONCE I ARRIVED AT WORK I REMOVED THE FUSE FOR THE MOTOR. NOW I HAVE NO ABS AND THE LIGHTS ARE ON ALL THE TIME. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME WAS ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. IT WAS R…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240003 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10165723 · 2006-08-17 (August 17, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION HARNESS NEEDED REPLACED. AFTER THE IGNITION HARNESS REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 36,415 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165723 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10190621 · 2007-05-14 (May 14, 2007)
INTERNAL FAILURE OF PART IN FUEL TANK THAT CAUSED THE FUEL GAUGE TO NOT READ ACCURATELY, BUT ALLOWED THE LOW FUEL LIGHT TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. THIS PART WAS NOT A PART OF THE FUEL PUMP, BUT WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PUMP AS THE PUMP WAS A WARRANTY ITEM ,AND THIS PART WAS NOT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10190621 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10427199 · 2011-09-26 (September 26, 2011)
FUEL TANK HAS RUSTED STEEL SUPPORT STRAPS; REAR STRAP BROKE AND TANK DROPPED A FEW INCHES PLACING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON RUSTED FRONT SUPPORT STRAP. TANK WOULD BOUNCE UP AND DOWN DUE TO BUMPS IN ROAD. FORTUNATELY MY FRIEND, FOLLOWING MY TRUCK, ALERTED ME AND WE SECURED TANK WITH A LENGTH OF ROPE. HAD HE NOT ALERTED ME IT IS LIKELY FRONT STRAP WOULD HAVE FAILED, DROPPING TANK ONTO PAVEMENT. THE DEFECT WAS NOTED JUST BEFORE I WAS ABOUT TO PROCEED ONTO INTERSTATE 93. HAD THE FRONT STRAP FAILED, THE FUEL TANK WOULD HAVE DRAGGED FOR A DISTANCE AT H…
Owner-reported narrative. 92,405 miles reported. Look up ODI 10427199 at NHTSA ↗