2004 Gmc SIERRA 2500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
143 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 122 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 33 of 143 complaints (23.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 60 | 42.0% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 7.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 7.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 5.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 3.5% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 33 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 27 |
| Electrical System | 20 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 16 |
| Engine | 9 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 5 |
| Steering | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 3 |
Service Brakes: 33; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 27; Electrical System: 20; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 16; Engine: 9; Fuel System, Diesel: 5; Steering: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 8 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 32 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 37 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 20 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 32; 50,000 to 74,999: 37; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 8
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (37). 21 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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 12 |
| 2007 | 19 |
| 2008 | 15 |
| 2009 | 11 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
2005: 1; 2006: 12; 2007: 19; 2008: 15; 2009: 11; 2010: 10; 2011: 18; 2012: 15; 2013: 10; 2014: 11; 2015: 7; 2016: 4; 2017: 3; 2018: 4; 2020: 1; 2021: 2
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 60 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 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 10145909 · 2005-12-22 (December 22, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 5 MPH OR LESS THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. WHEN BRAKE PRESSURE WAS RELEASED, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THE SAME PUMP ACTIVATED THE POWER STEERING AND THE POWER ASSIST BRAKES;. HE REPLACED A VALVE ON THE PUMP. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, AND HE RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT PRODUCED NORMAL CODES. THERE WAS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN PIT3310 , AND THE CONTACT FELT THIS WAS RELATED TO THE ONGOING P…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145909 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164082 · 2006-08-01 (August 1, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE STOPPING DISTANCE WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164082 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10176121 · 2006-12-14 (December 14, 2006)
STEERING LINKAGE PROBLEMS: I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE I'VE OWNED MY TRUCK. MY FATHER, WHO ALSO HAS A 2500HD, HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS WELL. THEY LUBED AND GREASED THE SHAFT AT ONE POINT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AND IS PERSISTENT IN BOTH OF OUR TRUCKS. BOTH OF OUR TRUCKS ARE '04 MODELS AND I HAVE LESS THAN 40K MILES ON MINE. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL COME UNATTACHED FROM THE LINKAGE. NOT A VERY SAFE PROBLEM TO HAVE. I HOPE SOMEONE WILL TAKE THESE COMPLAINTS SERIOUSLY. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10176121 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10177806 · 2007-01-04 (January 4, 2007)
DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, MY SPEEDOMETER STARTED INDICATING I WAS DOING 20 MPH WHILE I WAS ACTUALLY GOING AT LEAST 60 MPH. IT PROCEEDED TO ONLY INDICATE SPEEDS FROM APPROX -10 MPH TO 10 MPH. THEN THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WENT 180 DEGREES BEYOND IT'S MAX, THEN THE BATTERY GAUGE DID THE SAME. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177806 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10217784 · 2008-02-12 (February 12, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT WAS WARMING UP HIS VEHICLE WITH A PORTABLE COMPRESSOR HOOKED UP TO THE AUXILIARY POWER IN THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD TO INFLATE A TIRE. HE NOTICED SMOKE NEAR THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE CONTACT UNPLUGGED THE COMPRESSOR, SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, OPENED THE HOOD, AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD AND THE CABIN WERE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. …
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217784 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10193767 · 2007-06-19 (June 19, 2007)
TACHOMETER GAUGE RIDES ALL OVER, HAD TRANSMISSION CHECKED, OKAY. HAD A SCAN DONE, NO ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION CODES, OVERDRIVE DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN TACHOMETER GAUGE IS ERRATIC, ON SCAN, RPM IS NORMAL AT ABOUT 700, WHILE TACHOMETER SHOWS APPRXIMATELY 3750 RPM.BEING TOLD BY CHEVROLET DEALER PERHAPS A DASHBOARD CLUSTER PANEL. ABOUT $400.00. THIS TRUCK ONLY HAS 48,000 MILES ON IT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10193767 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10211054 · 2007-12-06 (December 6, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE GEAR AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COAST BACKWARDS. TWO DAYS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGED OUT OF TWO WHEEL DRIVE AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE SO THE CONTACT SAFELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND WAITED TWO MINUTES. HE THEN PRESSED THE BUTTON ON THE TRANSFER CASE TO RE-ENGAGE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACE…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10211054 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163763 · 2006-07-28 (July 28, 2006)
DIESEL POWER KEEPS REDUCING. TRUCK HAS BEEN TO DEALER TWICE. ALL MAINTENANCE IS PERFORMED PER OWNERS MANUAL, INCLUDING FUEL FILTERS. TRUCK HAS BEEN TO DEALER TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I SUSPECT INJECTOR FAILURE OR OTHER FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM. AT 5000 MILES THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD A NEW INJECTOR PUMP REPLACED. I FEEL THAT THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO TRAILER WITH. I HAVE TROUBLE MAINTAINING SPEEDS ON EVEN THE SMALLEST OF GRADES NOT TOWING MUCH WEIGHT. I HAVE CONTACTED GM, WHICH WAS LESS THAN HELPFUL. DEALER INSISTS THAT IT NEEDS THE "THROTTLE BOD…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163763 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10226827 · 2008-05-06 (May 6, 2008)
FUEL LEAK. FUEL PUMP LEAKING CAUSE FUEL TO BE SPEW OUT OVER ENGINE AND UNDER CARRIAGE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 129,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10226827 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10283188 · 2009-08-31 (August 31, 2009)
LETTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT REQUESTING ASSISTANCE IN DIFFICULTIES DEALING WITH GM REGARDING A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS IN HIS 2004 GMC K2500 PICKUP TRUCK. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. HE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS, POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. AFTER 45 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE MECHANIC FOUND LOOSE PINS ON THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTORS AT C107 AND C108. THE MECHANIC STATED H…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10283188 at NHTSA ↗