Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 43 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.
The 25 most recent of 43, in the owner's own words
ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE POWER DROPS IMMEDIATELY, NO POWER AT ALL. I GET A MESSAGE THAT SAYS ENGINE POWER FAILURE. I CAN STOP AND SHUT TRUCK OFF WAIT ABOUT 10-20 MINUTES, CRANK TRUCK, LIGHT GOES OUT AND ENGINE HAS POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. TWICE THIS HAPPENED IN THE CITY LIMITS AND TWICE ON THE HIGHWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE BATTERY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER WHEN HE OBSERVED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAD SEIZED AND TOOK GREAT EFFORT TO TURN. ALSO, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP USING THE FIFTH WHEEL CAMPING TRAILER THAT WAS HITCHED WITH ELECTRONIC BRAKES TO SLOW AND EVENTUALLY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT AND IDLER PULLEY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 151,041.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING, HAD HEAVY GAS FUMES WHEN DRIVING AND AFTER TURNING ENG OFF, NOW I'M SEEING GAS LEAKING ON PAVEMENT COMING FROM UNDERNEATH AND BETWEEN CAB AND BED, FUMES ARE VERY STRONG, THERE'S SOME ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH DASH LIGHTS AND STARTING TRUCK IS NOW NOT WANTING TO START 1ST TRY
VEHICLE IS LEAKING COOLANT WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE. NO EXTERNAL LEAKS WHAT SO EVER. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT DETERMINED IT WAS A CRACKED HEAD CAUSED BY A BAD CASTECH HEAD. THERE IS COOLANT LEAKING INTO MY OIL BECAUSE OF THIS.
WHEN DRIVING OR STOP AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON IT START BLOWING HOT AIR JUST ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE VEHICLE CAN BE STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. CITY STREET OR A HIGHWAY OR TURNING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED COOLANT IN THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HAD TO REFILL THE RADIATOR WITH COOLANT IN SHORT INTERVALS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A STRONG BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED AN INSPECTION THAT LOCATED THE ENGINE VALVE FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE OIL TO LEAK ON THE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE CLOSEST DEALER WHERE THE COOLANT WAS FLUSHED AND REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS LEAKING COOLANT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS, SERVICE ENGINE, AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED AND THEN REMAINED ILLUMINATED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE DEALER RESET THE UNKNOWN CODES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS DISCONNECTED AND THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL DISCONNECTION FOR THE AIR BAGS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 06V417000 (AIR BAGS), 06V289000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), 05V043000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,502.
THE ABS KICKS IN AT LOW SPEEDS TO WHERE IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND HAVE A GRINDING FEEL AT THE DOOR PEDAL EVEN AFTER HAVING THE BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED. THE DASH CLUSTER GAUGES STOP WORKING ONE BY ONE,ONLY THE HEAT GAUGE WORK OFF AND ON. THE ENGINE BEGINS TO OVER HEAT WHEN SITTING IN IDLE 10 MINUTES, SOMETIMES 5 MINUTES DEPENDING ON HOW HOT IT IS,AND THE AIR CONDITIONING STARTS TO BLOW HOT AIR BUT IT BEGINS TO COOL OFF ONCE YOU START BACK DRIVING. I HAVE HAD THE WATER PUMP CHECKED,SOME HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND IT STILL DOES IT ONLY IN THE SUMMER
A TRUCK WENT THO A RED LIGHT AS I WAS UNDER THE LIGHT HEADING EAST AND THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS AT STOP LIGHT AND FOR UNKNOWN REASON IT TOOK OFF HITTING THE FRONT OF MY RIGHT FENDER AND PUTTING ME INTO A SPIN. AT FIRST I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED. THE MY VAN STOPPED. THE POLICE ASKED IF I WAS OK. I SAID NO.I GOT HIT IN THE FACE AND RIGHT ARM BY THE 2 AIR BAGS IN FRONT. I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE VAN. THE AIR BAGS WERE BROKE OPEN. NEVER HAD ACCIDENT BEFORE WERE AIR BAG WENT OFF. DID NOT KNOW HOW THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO LOOK. TILL I SEEN ON THE TV RECALLS. AND THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BREAK OPEN.THE JELL BEHIND MY RIGHT EYE SPLIT. I HAVE TO SEE A DR. EVERY 6 MONTHS NOW TO CHECK PRESSURE IN EYE FOR GLAUCOMA NOW. *TR
BULLETIN NO.: 06-06-01-019B CASTECH CYLINDER HEAD KNOWN CRACK IN THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES. I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS SERVICE BULLETIN SINCE 2009 AND HAVE BEEN FIGHTING GM ABOUT COVERING THIS AND THEY HAVE NOT. I AM STILL WAITING ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER GM OWNERS FOR A RECALL ON THIS FAULTY CASTING TO THE CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING A LOSS OF COOLANT THROUGH WEAK CAST MOLDING CRACK. PLEASE NOTICE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND EVIDENT PROBLEM. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED CAUSING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO INCREASE TO 240 DEGREES. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE HEADS WERE CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.
I HAVE HAD A SLOW COOLANT LOSS RECENTLY WITHOUT AND LEAK VISIBLE. FOUND OUT ITS MY HEADS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CRACKS. READ A LOT OF ARTICLES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SEEMS TO ME GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSTALLING HORRIBLE HEADS. *TR
WAS PICKING UP MY CHILDREN FROM SUMMER SCHOOL AND HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. I FELT THE COOL AIR HITTING ME BUT STILL FELT SOME HEAT...I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SUN HITTING ME THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. MY SON COMPLAINED THAT HE WAS HOT AND THERE WAS HOT AIR HITTING HIM. I REACHED OVER AND FELT THE AIR COMING OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AND IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT!!! IF MY SON WOULD OF BEEN SITTING ON THE FRONT SEAT HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN BURNED BY THE HOT AIR! I PULLED OVER AND TRIED CLOSING THE VENTS AND TURNED OFF THE A/C BUT HOT AIR STILL CAME THROUGH THE VENTS. THIS IS DANGEROUS, IF ELDERLY PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WITH SENSITIVE SKIN ARE SITTING IN THE FRONT AND THE A/C IS ON AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTS BLOWING SUPER HOT AIR A PERSON CAN GET BURNED!!! YOU NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS AND GET IT RECALLED. *TR
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE FIRST TIME I WAS ACCELERATING GOING UP A MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY ; IT WAS NOT A VERY STEEP GRADE BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORTH USING. THE ENGINE IS A V-8. I HAD IT LOOKED AT A DEALERSHIP . THEY FOUND NOTHING AND COULD NOT GET THE LIGHT TO COME BACK ON. AFTER A FEW DAYS IT WAS BACK ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT OVER NIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ON WHEN I STARTED DRIVING TO WORK AND THEN AFTER A WHILE IT WOULD COME ON. I HAVE CHANGED OIL , AIR FILTERS AND HAD MECHANICS CLEAN THE SENSOR. IT WILL GO OUT FOR A FEW MILES AND THEN COME BACK ON. ONCE IT HAS STARTED COMING ON AFTER A FEW MILES IT WILL COME AS SOON AS I START THE ENGINE EVERY TIME. AS I HAVE DRIVEN THE TRUCK NOW FOR 109,000 + MILES THE LIGHT STAYS ON. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MEAN ANYTHING BUT, I ALWAYS WONDER IN THE BACK OF MY MIND..."IS THIS THE TIME THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REALLY IS WARNING ME?" I HAVE READ ON SOME WEBSITES THAT THIS IS A COMMON THING FOR THE 2004 1500 SILVERADO BUT THAT CHEVROLET CHARGES $1,000 + TO FIX IT. THIS IS THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE ABOUT MY 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO. THIS IS MY 6TH CHEVY TRUCK. *TR
ANTI-FREEZE ALWAYS LOW, BUT NO SIGNS OF LEAKAGE. DUE TO BAD HEADS ON VEHICLE CAUSING COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE CAUSING SLUG DAMAGE, WHICH DESTROYED THE VALVES. THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR PROBLEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. GM KNEW THAT THEIR MANUFACTURER OF THE HEADS KNEW IT WAS AN ISSUE AND POSTED A BULLETIN, BUT REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE AND RESULTING IN US TAKING IT TO A DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CONTACTED GM, ON JUNE 7, 2014 AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP, TO HELP WITH THE REPLACEMENT COSTS AND GOT NO HELP WHATSOEVER DUE TO AGE OF VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. I EVEN ASKED IF THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE ENGINE IF I PAID FOR THE LABOR TO HAVE IT INSTALLED. THEY REFUSED. PLEASE GM OWN UP TO YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, STAND BY YOUR PRODUCT, AND FIX THE ISSUES AT HAND. *TR
COST $600 TO REPLACE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL!!! BRAKES NEVER WORKED PROPERLY ALWAYS HAVE TO PUSH TO THE FLOOR TO STOP EVEN ON NEW BRAKES SHOCKS ALWAYS NEEDING REPLACED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AFTER A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE LEFT LANE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE, NECK AND RIGHT HAND. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/29/14*LJ
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. TOOK TO SHOP HAD BEEN TOLD SPEED SOLENOID, REPLACED BOTH, FLUSHED TRANNY & CHANGED OIL. ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE FROM THE MINUTE WE TOOK THE PLASTIC OF THE SEATS. BRAKES, BEARINGS FUEL LINES, SPRINGS WATER PUMP ETC YOU NAME IT HAVE RECEIPTS FOR ALL OF IT. UNDER WARRANTY & AFTER. THIS TRUCK IS A LEMON. GMC WILL DO NOTHING, DEALER JUST PUTS HEAD DOWN & WALKS AWAY BECAUSE HE KNOWS MAJOR ISSUES IN THE FIRST 90 DAYS OF OWNING & CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. THIS PICKUP HAS NEVER LEFT THE BLACKTOP. NO OFFROADING, NOT HUNTING OR ANYTHING ELSE, NO VACATIONS IN FEAR OF BEING STRANDED. JUNK JUNK JUNK & NOW I GET TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WHEN CHRISTMAS IS 10 DAYS AWAY. I DON'T THINK MY CHILDREN WANT A NEW CHEVY VEHICLE EVER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE ODOMETER HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATELY FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000. UPDATED 9/17/13*CN THE RACK AND PINION, STEERING COLUMN AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO REPLACED. ALSO, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANTI-FREEZE LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A FRACTURE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000. *TR
NOTICED COOLANT LEVEL WOULD GET LOW. FOUND WATER PUMP MOUNTING GASKET LEAKING, REPLACED WATER PUMP AND GASKETS, BUT CONTINUED LOSING COOLANT. FOUND OUT THERE IS A KNOW DEFECT WITH CHEVY 4.8 AND 5.3 VORTEX ENGINE HEADS CRACKING AROUND THE MOUNTING BOLT HOLES. CHEVY ISSUED A TSB BUT WILL NOT WARRANTY A KNOW DEFECT. IT STRANGE THEY WILL COVER A HVAC BLOWER MOTOR ISSUE THAT IS KNOW BUT NOT A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH HEADS CRACKING WITHOUT ANY FAULT OF THE OWNER. *TR
EMISSIONS DEFECT CONCERNING BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS. DUE TO THIS ISSUE TRUCK CAN NOT PASS ARIZONA STATE INSPECTION DO TO ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. THOUSANDS OF SILVERADO, SIERRA, SUBURBAN, TAHOE, YUKON AND EVEN ESCALADE OWNERS HAVE SPENT MILLIONS ON THIS PROBLEM AFTER THEIR WARRANTIES RAN OUT AND SOME CAN'T RENEW THEIR LICENSES FOR FAILING AN ETEST BECAUSE OF IT. PLEASE HELP GET GM TO RECALL THIS. *TR
I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 4X4. I HAVE A BROKEN REAR EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY 5.3 V8. I HEAR THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM. MY LOCAL DEALER WANTS $1,600 TO FIX IT BECAUSE YOU DO NEED TO PULL THE ALUMINUM HEAD TO REPAIR IT!! I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THE HEAD NEEDING TO BE PULLED, BUT I BELIEVE THAT GM NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THIS EXTREMELY COMMON AND ONGOING PROBLEM. IT IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT!! *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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