Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 16 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500, most frequently naming the brakes, fuel system and steering categories. 91 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 2007 | 1 | 2 |
| Oct 2007 | 1 | 3 |
| Nov 2007 | 1 | 4 |
| Dec 2008 | 1 | 5 |
| Jun 2009 | 1 | 6 |
| Aug 2009 | 1 | 7 |
| Apr 2012 | 1 | 8 |
| Jul 2012 | 1 | 9 |
| May 2013 | 1 | 10 |
| Jul 2013 | 1 | 11 |
| Nov 2013 | 1 | 12 |
| May 2014 | 2 | 14 |
| Sep 2015 | 1 | 15 |
| Apr 2016 | 1 | 16 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS COLLINS SCHOOL BUS WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH ON AN INCLINED RURAL COUNTRY ROAD ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE NOTICED PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR AND WAS STOPPED BY FURTHER DOWN SHIFTING AND APPLYING EMERGENCY BRAKE. INFORMED BY REPAIR SHOP THE RIGHT FRONT HYDRAULIC LINE RUBBED THROUGH THE METAL BRAKE LINE CAUSING THE FAILURE. FAILURE MILEAGE 43,997.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 EQUIPPED WITH TOYO OPEN COUNTRY H/T TUFF DUTY TIRES, SIZE: LT245/75/R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAD CRACKS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, MULTIPLE PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,187 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,982.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR HINGES WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A MOUNTAIN ROAD APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY AND THE BRAKE DISCS OVERHEATED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. UPDATED 08/11/14*LJ UPDATED 08/18/2014 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL FILLER NECK TUBE WAS CORRODED, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK WHEN REFUELING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V388000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
ON JUNE 08, 2013 MY HUSBAND HAD PARKED THE VAN ALONG SIDE THE ROAD - HE WAS OUT OF IT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING - WHEN A COWORKER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VAN. THE COWORKER RAN OVER TO THE VAN AND SEEN THAT THE FIRE WAS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE VAN WAS ON FIRE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS VAN HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH SOMETHING SECURITY. ALL OF THE GAUGES WOULD SHUT DOWN AND IT WOULD DISPLAY "SECURITY " ON THE DASH. I PERSONALLY HAD CONTACTED OUR LOCAL CHEVY DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THE LOCAL DEALER SUGGESTED A NEW KEY MADE AT THE DEALERSHIP USING THE VIN NUMBERS. THIS MADE NO DIFFERENCE AS IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME MY HUSBAND WENT TO A DEALERSHIP IN NORWALK, OHIO INQUIRING ABOUT THE PROBLEM - THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE SOLUTION WAS EITHER. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE "SECURITY" IS OR HOW TO FIX IT......ALSO I AM WONDERING IF THIS "SECURITY" ISSUE IS THE REASON THAT I LOST MY VAN TO THE FIRE ON JUNE 08, 2013. I CONTACTED GM BUT THEY BLEW ME OFF SAYING I HAD OWNED THE VEHICLE TOO LONG TO GET ANY MONEY FOR MY LOSS. THESE VANS ARE DESIGNED TO CARRY LOTS OF PEOPLE AND IF MY FAMILY HAD BEEN IN THIS VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TIME TO GET EVERYONE OUT SAFELY AND THAT WORRIES ME GREATLY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK PIPE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
GASOLINE AND GASOLINE VAPOR WAS ESCAPING FROM THE FUEL FILLER PIPE LEADING TO THE FUEL TANK ON A 2004 CHEVY EXPRESS VAN 3500 SERIES. THE FILER PIPE WAS RUSTED THROUGH. THERE WAS A SEAM ON THE PIPE WHERE THE RUST THROUGH OCCURRED. GASOLINE WAS DRIPPING FROM THIS HOLE DURING GASOLINE FILL UP AND VAPORS WERE ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. WE HAD IT REPLACED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WAS A POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE SITUATION, ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. THIS WAS REPORTED TO GM. THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS PART, SO GM REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT PART AND LABOR. THE REPLACEMENT PART IS NOW PLASTIC. SO GM MUST HAVE RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM (BUT FAILED TO RECALL) AND CHANGED THE PIPE TO A RUST-PROOF MATERIAL. *JS
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
ENGINE
This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
ENGINE
This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.
POWER TRAIN
GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging or shipping. This bulletin advises the dealers to be more careful not to damage the transmissions during removal and to package the core properly for return.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 37.9 |
| 2007 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 42.1 |
| 2006 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 40.5 |
| 2005 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 44.5 |
| 2004Viewing | 16 | 0 | 0 | 32.0 |
| 2003 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 48.0 |
| 2002 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 43.4 |
| 2000 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.