RoadVitals

2004 Chevrolet Suburban Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
9
Latest May 22, 2019
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.
4%
of 204 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 windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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 visibility

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

Visibility
Filed May 22, 2019

REAR TAILGATE GLASS HAS SEPARATED FROM THE GLUED ON HINGES AND DROPPED DOWN ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING DESIGN, QUALITY ISSUE AND HAS HAPPENED ON A LARGE NUMBER OF SUV STYLE CHEVROLET VEHICLES AS CAN BE SEEN USING A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH CONCERNING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11209173
Incident
May 9, 2019
Mileage
130,050 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 22, 2012

HEARD RATTLE AND A WIND NOISE AS IF A DOOR OR WINDOW WAS PARTIALLY OPEN. REAR LIFTGATE GLASS PASSENGER SIDE HINGE PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM WINDOW GLASS, ALLOWING THE STRUT WHICH LIFTS THE WINDOW UP NORMALLY TO PUSH THE TOP EDGE OF THE WINDOW UP ABOUT AN INCH. WHAT MAKES THIS DANGEROUS IS THAT IF AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE WIND COULD HAVE EASILY CAUGHT THE LIFTED GLASS EDGE AND STRESS IT ENOUGH TO SHATTER AND INJURE SOMEONE OR DAMAGE A FOLLOWING VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10471898
Incident
Aug 15, 2012
Mileage
133,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 5, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE BEGAN TO MANUALLY OPEN THE REAR LIFT GATE. WHILE OPENING THE LIFT GATE, THE GLASS DETACHED FROM THE HINGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ID
10410502
Incident
Jun 1, 2010
Mileage
79,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 29, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIFT-GATE GLASS IS SEPARATING FROM THE WINDOWS' HINGES. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE GLASS MAY UNEXPECTEDLY FALL AND CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,000.

NHTSA ID
10285664
Incident
Aug 19, 2009
Mileage
57,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 17, 2008

OUR FAMILY WAS NOT HOME, THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AS NORMAL. MY NEIGHBORS WERE IN THE YARD AND SUDDENLY HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. THEY LOOKED OVER AND THE REAR WINDOW HAD SHATTERED AND BLEW THE GATE OPEN. IT ALSO MELTED THE PLASTIC THAT HOLDS THE GLASS. IT SEEMS AS IF POSSIBLY THE REAR DEFROSTER MAY HAVE BEEN FAULTY ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN MOVED IN 3 DAYS. GLAD SOMEONE WAS NOT STANDING BEHIND IT. IT BLEW GLASS ABOUT 10 FT. WAITING ON INS TO CALL BACK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10249006
Incident
Nov 16, 2008
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Suspension+1 more
Filed Nov 15, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND DOES NOT OPERATE AT ALL. THE REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. AT 40,000 MILES, THE DEALER ROTATED THE TIRES, BUT DID NOT CHECK THE ROTORS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,539 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 03/14/08.*LJ THE POWER WINDOW MOTORS, UNIVERSAL JOINTS AND SHOCKS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED

NHTSA ID
10208982
Incident
Mar 1, 2007
Mileage
60,539 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Nov 12, 2007

MY SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T CONSISTENTLY WORK. SOME TIME IT DOES.. SOME TIMES IT SAYS I'M DOING 110 MPH AND PEOPLE ARE PASSING ME AND MY RPMS ARE AT 1800. ALSO WHEN MY SPEED OMETER DOESN'T WORK MY REAR DFOG AND WIPER DO WORK. WHEN MY REAR DEFOG AND WIPER DON'T WORK MY SPEEDOMETER DOES WORK. I CHECKED ALL THE FUSES IN ALL THREE FUSE BOXES AND NONE ARE BLOWN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10208711
Incident
Jan 1, 2006
Mileage
62,000 mi
SuspensionVisibility
Filed Dec 28, 2006

2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WINDOW MOTOR REPLACEMENT**CC THE RIGHT POWER WINDOW WAS SLOW GOING UP. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD A MOTOR AND REGULATOR WAS NEEDED. THE FRONT TIRES WERE SEVERELY WORN ON THE INSIDE. AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10177504
Incident
Jul 20, 2006
Mileage
43,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 13, 2004

I HAVE JUST PURCHASED A 2004 K2500 CHEV. SUBURBAN WITH THE ELECTRIC CAMPER MIRROR OPTION. I HAVE DRIVEN IT TWO WEEKS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER (CONVEX) MIRROR HAS A HUGE BLIND SPOT THAT HIDES ALL CARS AND UP TO MEDIUM SIZE TRUCKS. IT IS DANGEROUS. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE TRUCK AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO FIX. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY CONFIRMED THERE IS NOT FIX AND ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE SERVICE MANANGER HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS BE CORRECTED. CHEVROLET'S POSITION IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO NOTHING ELSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10057146
Incident
Feb 13, 2004

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .