Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 212 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 212, in the owner's own words
BRAKE FAILURE TODAY ON CHEVY SIVERADO. DRIVING 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY. THE CAR AHEAD OF ME SLOWED AND I BRAKED. PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT STOPPING VEHICAL. WAS ABLE TO COME TO STOP AND COULD SEE RUSTED BRAKE LINES BY DRIVER DOOR. HAD WIFE PRESS BRAKE PEDDLE TO SEE FLUID SRAYING FROM RUSTED AREA. HAD ZERO BRAKING POWER WHEN FIRST WENT OUT
REAR BRAKE LINE BLEW WHEN TRYING TO APPLY BRAKES. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS OR ANYTHING PEDAL JUST WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. HAD TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD INTO AN EMBANKMENT TO AVOID A COLLISION AT A RED LIGHT! MECHANIC SAID THAT ALL MY BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ANOTHER ONE WAS TO FAIL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY FAILED AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED. THE CONTACT ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME, THE ROCKER PANELS AND THE TAILGATE HINGES HAD ALSO RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I WAS DRIVING ON RT.7 IN SCHENECTADY NY, SPEED WAS AROUND 35MPH, TRAFFIC SIGNAL CHANGED TO RED, AS I WAS APPLING THE BRAKES THE PEDDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR, LUCKY FOR ME THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME, OR IN THE INTERSECTION. MY TRUCK DID ENVETUALLY STOP, BUT IT WAS AFTER PASSING THRU THE INTERSECTION. THE RED LIGHT ON THE DASH DID NOT COME ON TILL THE BRAKES FAILED. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED MAIN BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR WHEELS BLEW DUE TO RUST.
BRAKES FAILED SUDDENLY DUE TO SEVERELY CORRODED BRAKE LINES. BRAKE PEDAL WAS SLIGHTLY MUSHY AT STOP SIGN COMING OFF OF FREEWAY. AT THE NEXT STOP SIGN (3-WAY INTERSECTION ON 55-MPH COUNTY HIGHWAY) THE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NOBODY IN THE INTERSECTION OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT MAY HAVE OCCURRED. APPARENTLY GM'S POSITION IS THAT BRAKE LINES ARE MAINTENANCE ITEM, AND THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. I'VE OWNED OLDER VEHICLES (INCLUDING A NEARLY 50-YEAR OLD CHEVROLET TRUCK) IN SNOW COUNTRY AND HAVE NEVER SEEN BRAKE LINES THIS RUSTY. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THE RUPTURE DID NOT OCCUR IN AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION.
WHILE EXITING OF A HIGHWAY AND TRAVELING 25 MPH MY BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. I PUSHED THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT DID NOT SLOW THE TRUCK. AS A RESULT I REAR ENDED A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD NOW WARNING OR CHECK LIGHT FOR THE BRAKES PREVIOUS OR SINCE. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED CORRODED AND LEAKING BRAKE LINES IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF MY TRUCK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE BRAKE FLUID WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY. I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I NOTICED I HAD TO START PUTTING THE BRAKES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP, ESPECIALLY ON AN INCLINE. THE BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES SO I TOOK IT TO A SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY BRAKE LINE BLEW AND ALL THE OTHER BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED AND THE TRUCK IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS TRUCK IS ONLY 11 YEARS OLD, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 108K MILES. I CALLED A LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND THEY QUOTED ME 3K+ TO FIX IT. IT INVOLVED AT LEAST 20 HOURS OF LABOR AND THEY NEEDED TO LIFT THE FRAME OFF TO FIX. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THEIR ARE NO RECALLS FROM GM OR ATLEAST THEM OFFERING ANY HELP TO PAY FOR THIS. THE DEALER DID NOT OFFER ME ANY HELP OR REMEDY TO THE SITUATION, JUST WANTED ME TO FORK UP 3K.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ONCE MORE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, THE BRAKE LINES UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,527.
MY BROTHER INLAW OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA AND EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES IN 2009. UPON INSPECTING MY BRAKE LINES ON MY 2004 SILVERADO I OBSERVED THE THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BEFORE THEY FAILED AS WELL. MY TRUCK WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME! AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I DETERMINED THAT THEY WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIRS. I STILL HAVE THE CORRODED BRAKE LINES, RECEIPT AND PICTURES OF LINES ON TRUCK BEFORE REPLACEMENT. KEEPING ALL EVIDENCE IN CASE OF RECALL. BY THE WAY, MY EXHAUST SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE BRAND NEW. WHY DIDN'T THEY USE THE SAME MATERIAL FOR THE BRAKE LINES? I DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS UNTIL CNN STARTS RUNNING STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM!
THE BRAKE LINES ON MY TRUCK ARE COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT. WHEN I WENT TO GET INTO MY TRUCK AND DRIVE AWAY NO BRAKE PEDAL EXSISTED. YET AGAIN ANOTHER QUALITY GM PRODUCT MADE FROM INFERIOR MATERIALS.
THIS IS THE (2) TIMES LOSING MY BRAKES DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES. TODAY 7-11-2015 I LOST THEM AGAIN AND ONCE AGAIN DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES. I ENDED UP DRIVING INTO SOME BUSHES TO STOP AND JUST MISSING (2) TREES. IM NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THE US THAT IS HAVING THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON THIS TYPE OF MAKE. I ASK THAT YOU RECALL THIS MAKE A.S.A.P. BEFORE ANY LIVES ARE LOST. ONCE AGAIN I REPEAT RECALL THIS MAKE A.S.A.P. IF I HIT THOSE TREES I'D BE DEAD!! P.S. HELP HELP!!!!!!
WIFE WAS DRIVING ON 301 SOUTH IN MARYLAND ON 10\27\2012 WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES WHEN PULLING OVER TO GET GAS. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKE FLUID WAS VISIBLE ON GROUND BY THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. SHE HAD TO LEAVE IT AT THE GAS STATION UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO REPAIR. BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED THROUGH I REPLACED IT AND GOT TRUCK HOME. REPLACED 2ND BRAKE LINE ON 11/08/15. NOW 07/10/2015 ANOTHER LINE HAS RUSTED THROUGH IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE REMAINING LINES.
ABS LIGHT ON AND E B C M. PUMP WON'T STOP RUNNING UNLESS REMOVE FUSE I AM ORIGINAL OWNER
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WENT TO HIT MY BRAKES AND THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO WARNING NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH AT ALL TOOK ME A CITY BLOCK TO STOP MY EMERGENCY BRAKE BARELY WORK I'M GLAD I WAS NOT IN DC LIKE I WAS AN HOUR BEFORE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT
2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED WHEN THE FIRST LINE OF THE DUAL SYSTEM FAILED, THE SECOND SYSTEM RECEIVED ADDITIONAL PRESSURE WHICH CAUSED THAT ONE TO FAIL TOO. *JB
STEEL BRAKE, FUEL AND TRANSMISSION LINES ARE EXTREMELY RUSTY AND FAILURE APPEARS TO BE IMMINENT, ESPECIALLY ON BRAKE LINES. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
HI, NOT SURE IF YOU ARE AWARE, BUT THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO BRAKE LINES. ON 2/21/15, MY SON WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK (VIN# [XXX]). HE WAS ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HOME WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I HAD TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO AN AUTO MECHANIC AND HE SAID ALL THE LINES WERE RUSTED OUT. ONE LINE BURST, BUT ALL NEEDED REPLACING. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 36,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. I AM GLAD THAT NO ONE WAS KILLED OR INJURED. I AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY GM/CHEVROLET. I DID SOME RESEARCH THROUGH THE NTSB, AAA, EDMUNDS, AND MOTOR TREND AND THEY ALL SEEM TO THINK THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN YEARS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND THANKFULLY, MY 17 YEAR OLD SON KNEW ENOUGH TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, [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. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,322.
I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY HIT BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. LOOKED UNDER TRUCK AND BACK LEFT BRAKE LINE HAD BLOWN OUT UPON LOOKING AT REST OF BRAKE LINES THEY TO WHERE RUSTED AND BULGING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED LUCKILY HAPPENED IN DRIVEWAY AND NOT IN THE MORNING WHEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING DOWN A VERY HILLY ROAD GM SHOULD NOT HAVE USED INFERIOR BRAKE LINES. *TR
DRIVING A WELL MAINTAINED TWO WHEEL DRIVE 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 CREW CAB PICKUP AT 30 MPH ON A SUBURBAN ROADWAY. I APPLIED HARD BRAKING AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO LOW 1 AND APPLY E-BRAKE TO STOP BEFORE CRASH. EXAMINATION OF STEEL BRAKE LINES FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS MODULE UNDER THE DRIVERS FLOOR SHOWED EXCESSIVE CORROSION AS REASON FOR FAILURE. THE LINES THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY AFFECTED TRAVEL OVER DRIVER SIDE FRAME RAIL AND ARE OUT OF SIGHT FOR ROUTINE VISUAL INSPECTION. THIS VEHICLE OPERATED IN THE "SALT BELT" (NEW ENGLAND) AND ROAD SPRAY FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DIRECTLY IMPACTS THIS AREA. AFTER REPLACING ALL STEEL LINES WITH STAINLESS LINES (OVER $500.00 IN PARTS & LABOR) THE BRAKE SYSTEM WORKED AS DESIGNED. *TR
AFTER CHECKING THE UNDERSIDE OF MY 04 SILVERADO 1500 4X4 FOR A FUEL FILTER( WHICH IT DOESN'T HAVE) I NOTICED THE BRAKE LINES TO BE SEVERELY CORRODED. MOST OF THE WORST AREAS WERE IN THE BENDS AROUND THE FRAME FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER AND ALONG THE FRAME. *TR
WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP BEFORE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR SUDDENLY AND WITH NO WARNING. MY TRUCK WENT OUT INTO THE ROAD WHERE I QUICKLY TURNED HARD RIGHT TO AVOID CROSSING THE ROAD. I THEN USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PULL OVER AND STOP. I AM A MECHANIC BY TRADE, AND I KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. MY TRUCK IS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION AS I AM ONLY THE SECOND OWNER. THE FIRST OWNER HAD GARAGE KEPT THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED. I DO NOT PLOW SNOW OR OFF-ROAD IT. I HAD A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC FIX THE TRANSFER CASE ISSUE (GM ALSO KNOWS ABOUT THIS) LAST SUMMER. HE INSPECTED MY TRUCK THEN AND FOUND NOTHING TO BE ALARMED ABOUT. I DID TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE BRAKE LINES, TO WHICH HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE HIS IN HIS 2004 SUBURBAN. TWO OTHER FRIENDS OF MINE THAT BOTH HAVE 2004 TAHOES, HAD TO REPLACE THEIR BRAKE LINES DUE TO THE EXACT ISSUE. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW HAS A 2006 SILVERADO, HE REPLACED HIS LINES LAST YEAR, AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM! THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND GM WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR OWN PRODUCT? I HAVE BEEN A GM OWNER SINCE I COULD DRIVE. I WON'T BE ANYMORE! I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT A RECALL OR SOME TYPE OF ACTION IS NOT BEING DONE. *TR
BACKING OUT MY DRIVEWAY I APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND SAW BRAKE FLUID LEAKING TO GROUND BELOW DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL AND DOOR. *TR
MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR DUE TO A RUSTED BRAKE LINE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP BUT VERY SCARY. UPON INSPECTION I REALIZED EVERY METAL LINE IN THE TRUCK IS RUSTED AND EITHER ALREADY LEAKING OR WILL BE SOON. I'VE HAD 5 CHEVY TRUCKS AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED ANYTHING LIKE THIS WITH ANY OF THEM. IF I WANT TO KEEP MY TRUCK SAFELY ON THE ROAD THAT I STILL OWE $10,000 ON, I AM NOW FACED WITH THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING EVERY BRAKE LINE, THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES, THE ENGINE OIL COOLER LINES, THE POWER STEERING LINES, PUMP AND COOLER, AND THE FUEL LINES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS! CHEVROLET GETS GOOD MONEY FOR THESE TRUCKS AND THEY OBVIOUSLY MESSED UP ON THIS DESIGN. THE RUST PROBLEM WITH THE WORKING PARTS UNDER THE TRUCK IS UNBELIEVABLE. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET MORE THAN 100,000 MILES OUT OF A TRUCK THAT COST $40,000! I AM SHOCKED THAT CHEVROLET PUT A STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST ON THIS TRUCK THAT WILL LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINES THAT CAN CAUSE A FIRE OR THE BRAKE LINES THAT COULD KILL MY FAMILY ARE MADE OF INFERIOR RUST PRONE MATERIALS! GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD BE ASHAMED AND TUCK THEIR HEADS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS AS THEY WATCH THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS BECOME LOYAL TO ANOTHER AUTOMAKER THAT MIGHT HAVE MORE RELIABLE VEHICLES OR AT LEAST STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AND DESIGNS. SHAME ON THEM! *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.
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