RoadVitals

2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hd Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jun 24, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
47%
of 17 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hd submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Jun 24, 2014

THE BRAKES HAVE STOPPED WORKING ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS NOT PARTICULARLY UNEXPECTED GIVEN THE VEHICLE HAS 155,000 MILES. HOWEVER WHEN WE TRIED TO PURCHASE NEW PARTS WE WERE ADVISED THAT GENERAL MOTORS NO LONGER SUPPORTS OR MANUFACTURES THE NECESSARY PARTS ( ROTORS,PUMPS, ETC) FOR THE YEAR OF VEHICLE. HOW CAN THEY SIMPLY STOP MAKING PARTS FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS JUST 10 YEARS OLD? WE WERE TOLD TO GO TO A SCRAP YARD AND SEE IF WE COULD SCROUNGE THE NECESSARY PARTS THERE ! SHOULD THEY NOT BE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT ANY VEHICLE THEY MANUFACTURE? AND NOT SIMPLY DECIDE NOT TO MAKE PARTS ANY LONGER BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE PROFITABLE? WHAT IS GOING ON AT GM? WHAT ELSE DON'T WE KNOW ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES ON TOP OF THE OTHER GM SCANDALS THAT WE SEE LATELY, LEADING TO DEATH AND MAYHEM FOR INNOCENT CAR OWNERS? *TR

NHTSA ID
10605571
Incident
Jun 12, 2014
Mileage
155,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 5, 2014

TOWING A HEAVY BOAT AT INTERSTATE SPEED LIMIT IN KANSAS. APPLIED BRAKES TO DISENGAGE CRUISE UPON APPROACH TO EXIT RAMP. NOTICED MORE THAN USUAL PEDAL TRAVEL AND BEGAN TO PUMP TO FIND SOME BRAKES. PUMPING DID NOTHING, FULLY DEPRESSING IS ALL THAT WOULD SLOW VEHICLE. GOING DOWNHILL AND APPROACHING STOP AT END OF RAMP. ENDED UP GOING THROUGH STOP SIGN WITHOUT STOPPING. COULDN'T STOP WOULDN'T STOP. ROLLED THROUGH STOP SIGN INTERSECTING HIGHWAY SPEED 60 MPH. MADE THE TURN AND GOT STOPPED SOON AFTER SIGN BUT COULD HAVE ENDED UP IN HARMS WAY FROM INTERSECTING TRAFFIC HAD I PANICKED FROM NOT HAVING CONTROL AND WARNING LIGHTS AND ALARMS. AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS WRONG 5 SECONDS BEFORE GETTING T-BONED. ONCE UPON A TIME THE BODY WOULD RUST LIKE A REAR BUMPER IN ABOUT 10 YEARS. CHEVROLET SPENT MONEY TO MAKE THE PAINT LAST LONGER ON THE BODY. THAT RUST WOULD MAKE YOU GET PAINT OR A NEW TRUCK. IT WOULDN'T OR HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INJURE OR KILL YOU OR OTHERS. BRAKE LINES ON 1950 MODEL CARS ARE STILL STRONGER THAN THESE RUSTED OUT 9 YEAR OLD LINES. THE UNIT IS DESIGNED TO RUN A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES. ITS ONLY DESIGNED TO STOP BY MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR ABOUT 50 THOUSAND MILES. ITS AS IF THE LEADERSHIP AT GM FORGOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING THE UNIT STOP. SOMEONE WAS PROBABLY REWARDED FOR SAVING THE COST IN THE CHANGE OF MATERIAL OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE SAVINGS DRIVEN BY COST REDUCTION IN THE MATERIALS ORGANIZATION IS IN THIS CASE VERY BAD FOR BUSINESS. AFTER ALL IF A PRODUCT ENDS UP REDUCING THE NUMBERS OF CUSTOMERS THROUGH ACCIDENTS IT HAS TO IMPACT YOUR SALES. THESE PEOPLE MARKET THEIR PRODUCT AS ONE LONGEST RUNNING VEHICLES IN THE MARKET PLACE. CURRENT CONDITIONS ALSO HAS THEM THE LONGEST STOPPING VEHICLES IN CLASS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10586559
Incident
May 3, 2014
Mileage
80,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 15, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN IT ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD BEFORE STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE CONTACT WHO DISCOVERED THE RUST ON THE BRAKE LINES FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE BRAKES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,785.

NHTSA ID
10484837
Incident
Nov 15, 2012
Mileage
89,785 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 26, 2012

WE ARE THE SECOND OWNERS OF A 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 4WD TRUCK. WE HAVE HAD BRAKE LINES GO TWICE. THE LAST TIME WAS AT OUR TOWN DUMP. MY HUSBAND WAS STOPPED WITH THE TRUCK IN PARK AND WHEN HE PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO PUT THE TRUCK IN GEAR THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO REAL STOPPING POWER. HE CHECKED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE AND THAT, TOO, WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT CHEVY HAS BEEN ABLE TO USE SUCH DANGEROUS ENGINEERING ON SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS BRAKES. WE ALSO HAVE RUSTED TRANSMISSION LINES AND BACKER PLATES. IT IS GOING TO COST $2,000 (TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS) TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. WE ARE REQUESTING THAT A RECALL BE MADE FOR THIS DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING ON SUCH A NECESSARY FUNCTION. WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE WERE IN PARK AND PUTTING THE TRUCK INTO GEAR FROM PARK WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10482401
Incident
Oct 20, 2012
Mileage
97,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 9, 2012

BRAKE LINES CORRODED THROUGH DURING NORMAL OPERATION - RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. MECHANIC ESTIMATES $1200.00 FOR R&R. *TR

NHTSA ID
10464770
Incident
Jul 7, 2012
Mileage
134,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 14, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING AT AN EXTREMELY SLOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FOUR BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE TECHNICIAN PATCHED THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINES AS A TEMPORARY REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO EVENTUALLY HAVE THE FOUR BRAKE LINES REPLACED DUE TO A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN OF A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,400. UPDATED 04/26/12*LJ ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE INVOICE, ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE HEAVILY CORRODED AS WAS THE UNDERCARRIAGE. UPDATED 05/31/12

NHTSA ID
10451616
Incident
Feb 27, 2012
Mileage
65,400 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 6, 2011

2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD BRAKES FAILED DUE TO RUSTED STEEL BRAKE LINE. RUST OF COMPONENT WAS LOCATED UNDER DRIVER DOOR. CURRENTLY HAVING TROUBLE FINDING MANUFACTURER REPLACEMENT PART. LOOKS LIKE I WILL HAVE TO BEND MY OWN LINE. THE TRUCK HAS 40,000 MILES AND LOCATED IN TENNESSEE. THE TRUCK IS MAINLY USED ON A FARM AND HAS NOT BEEN ON SALTY ROADS TO A GREAT EXTENT. FORTUNATELY THE INCIDENT WAS WHILE USING THE TRUCK ON THE FARM SO THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR BODILY HARM. I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. IN 2010 I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS BECAUSE OF RUST. THE REAREND IS ALSO RUSTED ON THE TRUCK - SPRINGS, CARRIAGE, REAREND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10410639
Incident
Jul 5, 2011
Mileage
40,864 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 29, 2010

2 METAL BRAKE LINES BLEW OUT ON MY 2004 CHEVY 1/2 TON PU. THEY HAD BEEN RUSTED NEARLY THROUGH AND FIRST ONE BLEW THEN THE SECOND DIAGONAL IN A HARD STOP LEAVING ME WITH NO BRAKES EXCEPT THE EMERGENCY. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY BUT IT SURE COULD HAVE BEEN. THE LINES SEEMED TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO COATING TO PROTECT THEM FROM RUST AND CERTAINLY SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN THIS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10328112
Incident
Feb 7, 2010
Mileage
55,000 mi

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .