Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. 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. 19 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I just replaced the battery in my 2004 chevy Silverado 1500 with only 97,000 miles on it, and i went to drive it down the road and the vehicle now loses power and cuts off making a left turn.. It did this twice and i parked it.. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE in my opinion.. PLEASE investigate the issue and report back to me please..
Wholes are developing in the transfer case near the output shaft and all the fluid leaks out causing the transfer case to grenade.
# 1 is the 4l60E transmission that sits on the exhaust and runs next to it on the opposite side the heat from the trans itself and the exhaust overheat the gasket which causes weak spots that leak along with burning up the 3-4 clutch. Lost everything but 1&2,R,N on trip to Illinois on way back went to speed up to pass and all sudden the engine started tacking out and leaking fluid. I applied fluid all the way home at a speed of 45mph in a 70 mph limit which caused a major safety hazard with traffic. Took to trans shop said the 3-4 clutch was fried and was no good due to overheating and loss fluid from damaged gasket that's split on the stamps from AC Delco. 2nd issue arises out 1rst, even more dangerous to point of dragging me down drive way and cutting into my leg leaving a small scar. When wheels are chalked , E brake applied the vehical should not move, so after doing so I climbed under and unhooked the shift cable from the trans instantly with dog in truck it began rolling right over me I grabbed the frame and stopped it for a few sec then boom it went again I had spin around or my legs or head would've be smashed to Oblivion. At that point it just kept going as it cut into my leg, I let it roll over me hopped up and tried trow it in park yet no cable attached it wouldn't stop and just kept going till it hit a small ditch at end my drive and half way in the road.My leg was cut and I was scratched up in many spots yet dog was ok. The trans quitting lead to the unhooking of the cable then the e/p brake not holding due to worn brake shins in the rear which have calipers so if the calpier would've held with the brake it'd been fine but under everything is a set small and thin pads that hold the truck when brake applied. There was a recall (#05042). Yet my vin was not included, chevy was called yet denied any responsibility of either matter or action to cure it. These defects could've killed me, decapitated, or killed my service dog!
SINCE IT WAS NEW MY TRUNK SURGES UNCONTROLLABLY AND VIOLENTLY AT TIMES. ITS NORMALLY WHEN I FIRST START IT IN MORNING AND FOR FIRST BLOCK OR TWO. ITS VERY DANGEROUS, IF IT EVER HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY I WILL DIE. GM THREATENED TO BANKRUPT ME IF I SUED UNDER LEMON LAW.
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS LITTLE BRAKING EFFORT AVAILABLE. AVOIDED A SEVERE ACCIDENT BY SWERVING INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE NEARLY COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER ONCOMING VEHICLE. SLOWED VEHICLE WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTING. CAUSE WAS RUPTURED BRAKE LINE DUE TO CORROSION. ALL LINES ARE SEVERELY CORRODED. *TR
ALL BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND LEAKING IN MY 2004 SILVERADO. ALL LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE SEVERE CORROSION. *TR
AFTER HEARING A NOISE, I WENT TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL IN MY UNIVERSAL JOINT. I CHANGE OIL EVERY 5,000 MI WHICH WOULD EQUAL 14 OIL CHANGES, ABOUT 10 OF WHICH WERE DONE BY THE DEALER. I ASKED THE SERVICE REP. IF THE OIL IN THE UNIVERSAL WAS CHECKED AT EVERY OIL CHANGE, AND HE SAID THE MECHANIC IS SUPPOSE TO CHECK IT BUT SOMETIMES THEY GET IN A HURRY. THAT MECHANIC COST ME $1,700.00 . THAT WILL BE THE LAST TIME I WILL SPEND $1,700. ON A CHEVY. *TR
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
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR
WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, TRUCK LOST 3RD GEAR. THIS IS THE SECOND CHEVROLET SILVERADO THIS HAS HAPPENED TO FOR US (FIRST TIME, WE THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED BAD TRANSMISSION) HOWEVER, IT IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO CHEVROLET MAKING JUNK, AND PUTTING THE PASSENGERS OF THEIR VEHICLES IN DANGER. DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 60 MILES PER HOUR, WITH A SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.I WILL BE PURSUING THIS FURTHER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE SPEED ODOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE. THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER PERTAINING TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR LEVER WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE POSITION. THE HEATER BLOWER FUNCTIONED IN ONLY TWO OF THE FIVE SETTINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. ...UPDATED 07-10-13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED A MECHANIC ADVISED THE FAILURES WERE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. UPDATED 7/17/2013 *JS
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
BOUGHT MY TRUCK NEW IN 2004 AS MY RETIREMENT VEHICLE. I HAVE ONLY 42,000 MILES. I HAD MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED TWO YEARS AGO UNDER A DEALER WARRANTY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER. WITHIN THE PAST WEEK MY TRANSMISSION HAS RANDOMLY SLIPPED FROM A DEAD STOP AS WELL AS DOUBLE CLUNKED FROM A DEAD STOP. MOST RECENTLY, THE AC IS RANDOMLY BLOWING OUT HOT AIR. I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A GOLF CART INSTEAD. SINCE THE TRUCK IS NOW 7+ YEARS OLD IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I'M HOPING THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND LEAVE ME STRANDED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY ON A HOT SUMMER DAY. NOTE: I WAS A VICTIM OF THE US FIDELIS EXTENDED WARRANTY SCAM. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 SILVERADO 1500 AND I HAD HEARD ABOUT A TSB FOR A PIN THAT ENGAGES THE CLUTCH ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FOR THE LSD REAR END. WITHOUT PREVIOUS ISSUES OR WARNING MY REAR END IN MY SILVERADO WENT OUT 2 DAYS AGO WHILE I WAS LEAVING FROM A STOP AT A RED LIGHT. THE CAR WAS RENDERED IMMOBILE AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY LOCAL SHOP IN WHICH FOR EVERYTHING TO BE REPLACED IS GOING TO COST ~$2000. THIS TSB CAN SAVE ME THOUSANDS BUT SINCE THERE IS NO OFFICIAL RECALL, GM WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I KNOW JUDGING FROM THE TRUCK FORUMS THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS OWNERS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. PLEASE HELP GM MAKE THIS RIGHT FOR US LOYAL GM CUSTOMERS. *TR
I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN MY 2004 SILVERADO Z71 EXTENDED CAB AND THE DRIVESHAFT BROKE IN HALF. I HAVE @106,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT IS CURRENTLY AT A REPAIR SHOP TO BE FIXED. I HAVE NEVER TAKEN THIS TRUCK OFF-ROAD. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS I HAVE READ MANY OTHERS WITH 2004 MODELS HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HAD IT OCCURRED WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING AS THE ENTIRE REAR DRIVESHAFT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRUCK WAS HANGING DOWN ONTO THE ROAD. *TR
CLUNKING SOUNDS FROM TRANSMISSION/DRIVETRAIN. GENERALLY LOUDER WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR. HAVE MENTIONED TO DEALER A COUPLE OF TIMES AND WAS TOLD IT IS NORMAL. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE ON THE WEB. *TR
SPEEDOMETER DRIVE MOTOR FAILURE, 2004 CHEVROLET 1500 PU. WHEN DRIVE MOTOR FAILS THE SPEEDOMETER WILL FREEZE AT A RANDOM SPEED. SINCE THE SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK, YOU MUST CALCULATE YOUR SPEED FROM A START POSITION OF WHERE IT WAS STUCK. EXAMPLE: IF THE SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK AT 70 MPH, AND YOUR DESIRED SPEED IS 45 MPH. YOUR SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 115 MPH. IF YOUR DESIRED SPEED IS 70 MPH, YOUR SPEEDOMETER WILL PEG OUT AT 110 MPH. IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE THAT THE SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK WHEN REDUCING YOUR SPEED, YOU COULD PANIC, AND ATTEMPT TO REDUCE SPEED TOO RAPIDLY POTENTIALLY CAUSING A REAR END ACCIDENT. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH MULTIPLE SPEED ZONES YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CALCULATE YOUR SPEED, ASSUMING THAT THE SPEEDOMETER IS TRACKING ACCURATELY. IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MUST BE REPLACED. MY COST WAS $386.00. THE SPEEDOMETER WILL SLOWLY RESET, EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, BY 5 MPH. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A FREQUENT PROBLEM, YET REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK SAID THEY REPLACE 3-4 PER MONTH. WHERE I HAD THE REPAIR MADE, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A VENDOR THAT DOES IT SO ROUTINELY THEY HAVE A 24 HOUR EXCHANGE TURN-AROUND.*AK
MY VEHICLE IS A 2004 CHEVY SLIVERED 4 X 4 EX. CAB. FIRST, AT AROUND JUNE OR JULY OF 2006 THE SPIDER GEARS HAD TO BE REPLACED IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL ($1,100 BILL...ABOUT 53,000 MILES). NOW, ON DECEMBER 8, 2006, THE SPEEDOMETER STOP WORKING (61,000 MILES). DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT IT TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I KNOW THERE WOULD BE LABOR COST CONCERNING THIS INSPECTION ($60-$80 PER HOUR). JUST YESTERDAY I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND, LITERALLY, HUNDREDS OF OTHER OWNERS OF CHEVY SILVERADOS AND OTHER GM PRODUCTS WITH THE SAME SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM THAT I HAVE. THE COST FOR A DEALER REPAIR IS ANYWHERE FROM $450 UP TO $1100. FROM WHAT I'VE FOUND, THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM INVOLVES A "STEPPER MOTOR" NOT WORKING PROPERLY OR A PLASTIC COVERED GEAR THAT CRACKS, MAKING THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE MOVE ERRATICALLY. IF THIS SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM IS AS PREVALENT AS IT SEEMS, GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO OWN UP TO IT'S RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! SOMEONE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION SHOULD TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND READ THE COMPLAINTS ON THE FOLLOWING INTERNET FORUM: HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-TAHOE/T2BGKBGI55EKNU77C/P2 THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE WITH VALID CONCERNS. THERE ARE 11 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS THERE! IT MAY SURPRISE YOU, OR IT MAY NOT, AS TO HOW POORLY GM PRODUCTS ARE CONSTRUCTED AND THE OUTRAGEOUS COST CONCERNING THE REPAIR BILLS TO FIX THEIR MISTAKES. THE INITIAL COST OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD COVER ANY AND ALL REPAIRS CONCERNING POOR CONSTRUCTION AND/OR ANY SAFETY ISSUES. ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.
DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 GM CHEVROLET K1500 Z71 EXTEND CAB 4X4. ANTI LOCK BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ABS THEY DID NOT HOLD. ON 2-11-05 HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED, AND THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX THE ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING ON 6-23/24-05 THE ABS DID NOT HOLD , CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO LIGHTLY BUMP ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER THEY TOLD HIM TO TAKE IT TO CITY CHEVROLET. HE TOOK IT TO THEM ON 7-5-05 ,AND HE STILL HAS NOT GOTTEN IT BACK YET. CONSUMER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN NOVEMBER . 2004 IN CANADA CONCERNING CORROSION IN THE ABS BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HE OWNED WAS MANUFACTURED BY GENERAL MOTORS IN CANADA LTD.. *AK THERE IS A SPECIAL ORDER PART THAT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE IN DEALER INVENTORY FOR THE INOPERATIVE BRAKES. VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO 2ND GEAR. ENGINE SURGES WHILE DRIVING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD TO PUSH DOWN AND DOESN'T STOP WELL. *TT
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.
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