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2004 Chevrolet Classic

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

31 reports with mileage · 9 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Equipment. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

40 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2017
Fuel/propulsion System

MY FUEL LEVEL GAUGE IS MALFUNCTIONING. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HAD THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND THE IN DASH GAUGES CHECKED, IT WILL NOT REGISTER PAST 1/4 TANK. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES THE GAUGE WILL SUDDENLY DROP, THE LOW FUEL LIGHT WILL COME ON. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON, IT WILL AGAIN READ 1/4 TAN…

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MY FUEL LEVEL GAUGE IS MALFUNCTIONING. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HAD THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND THE IN DASH GAUGES CHECKED, IT WILL NOT REGISTER PAST 1/4 TANK. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES THE GAUGE WILL SUDDENLY DROP, THE LOW FUEL LIGHT WILL COME ON. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON, IT WILL AGAIN READ 1/4 TANK EVEN WHEN FULL. THE VEHICLE IS ALMOST ALWAYS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURS.

NHTSA ODI #10979149

85,000 miles · Feb 16, 2016
Electrical System

ANTI THEFT SYSTEM KEEPS ON COMING ON AND WILL NOT LET YOUR CAR START !!! THEY EVEN REPLACED THE KEY HOLES WITH FILLERS IN IT. YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KEY AND WAIT 15 TO 20 MIN. BEFORE IT WILL START OR SOMETIME IT WILL NOT WORK!!!! HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT AND THAT STILL DOES NOT FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH IT IS A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE NO…

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ANTI THEFT SYSTEM KEEPS ON COMING ON AND WILL NOT LET YOUR CAR START !!! THEY EVEN REPLACED THE KEY HOLES WITH FILLERS IN IT. YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KEY AND WAIT 15 TO 20 MIN. BEFORE IT WILL START OR SOMETIME IT WILL NOT WORK!!!! HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT AND THAT STILL DOES NOT FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH IT IS A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE NOW THE CAR WILL NOT START I HAVE CALLED GM BEFORE AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALL. WELL IF YOU LOOK AT THIS WEB SITE TO SEE ALL THE COMPLAINTS IN THESE CARS FOR THE IGNITION PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE FIXED AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT !!!!! I GUESS THEY WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GETS KILLED AGAIN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT !!! THEY ALREADY HAD A BIG LAW SUITE I GUESS THEY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANOTHER ONE IF THIS KEEPS ON HAPPENING WHEN PEOPLE DRIVE AND IT JUST CONKS OUT ON US AND THERE IS A BUNCH OF ACCIDENTS !!!! GM YOU REALLY NEED TO LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS !!!!! THEN YOU GUYS WANT US TO BUY MORE CARS WELL IF WE CAN NOT TRUST YOU TO FIX SOMETHING WHEN THERE IS MORE THEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR WHY WOULD WE GO BACK TO TRUST YOU AGAIN !!!! THIS IS VERY UNSAFE GM ESPECIALLY IF YOU WILL NOT FIX IT !!! ALSO MY CAR HAS UNDER 100,000 MILES ON IT !!! THIS HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS

NHTSA ODI #10836537

114,000 miles · Nov 5, 2015
Service Brakes

BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. ALL THE LINES(4) RUN VERY CLOSE TOGETHER UNDERNEETH THE AIR FILTER BOX. BY RUNNING THE LINES THIS CLOSE TOGETHER IT ALLOWS MOISTURES TO BE HELD IN THE TINY GAPS BETWEEN THE LINES, THERBY CUASING ACCELERATED RUSTING AND CORROSION. BRAKE LINES RUSTING OUT IN JUST OVER 10 …

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BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. ALL THE LINES(4) RUN VERY CLOSE TOGETHER UNDERNEETH THE AIR FILTER BOX. BY RUNNING THE LINES THIS CLOSE TOGETHER IT ALLOWS MOISTURES TO BE HELD IN THE TINY GAPS BETWEEN THE LINES, THERBY CUASING ACCELERATED RUSTING AND CORROSION. BRAKE LINES RUSTING OUT IN JUST OVER 10 YEARS SEEMS PREMATURE GIVEN HOW MANY OF THE VEHICLES 10 YEARS OLD ARE STILL ON THE ROAD. MAYBE I'M WRONG? LUCKILY I WAS JUST LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY TO GO TO THE CAR WASH. THE PICTURE IS TAKEN FROM UNDER THE CAR LOOKING UP FROM THE WHEEL WELL, THERE IS ALSO LITTLE PROTECTION FROM TIRE SPRAY

NHTSA ODI #10788735

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2015
Engine

I HAD TAKEN MY SON TO THE DR. AND THE CAR HAD BEEN TURNED OFF FOR LESS THAN 10 MINUTES. WHEN WE CAME BACK OUT, THE CAR WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T FIRE UP. AFTER SITTING IN THE BLAZING SUN WITH MY SICK CHILD FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, A FRIEND CAME TO ASSIST US. THE FUEL PUMP WAS KICKING ON, WE CLEANED THE …

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I HAD TAKEN MY SON TO THE DR. AND THE CAR HAD BEEN TURNED OFF FOR LESS THAN 10 MINUTES. WHEN WE CAME BACK OUT, THE CAR WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T FIRE UP. AFTER SITTING IN THE BLAZING SUN WITH MY SICK CHILD FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, A FRIEND CAME TO ASSIST US. THE FUEL PUMP WAS KICKING ON, WE CLEANED THE INTAKE AND CHANGED THE AIR FILTER WITH NO LUCK. WITH STARTER FLUID THE ENGINE WOULD FIRE UP BUT DIED AS SOON AS THE FLUID BURNT OFF. BEFORE HAVING IT TOWED HOME WE RESEARCHED IT ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM GLITCH. SURE ENOUGH, AFTER LEAVING THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION FOR 10 MINUTES,WITHOUT TRYING TO START THE CAR, WE TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN TRIED TO START THE CAR. IT FIRED RIGHT UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES SINCE THEN. ONE TIME I HAD TO GO THROUGH THOSE STEPS 3 TIMES TO GET THE CAR TO START. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH 2 CHILDREN. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF WE GET STRANDED IN THE EXTREME HEAT OR COLD OR CANNOT UTILIZE THE CAR IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. PLEASE HELP ME GET THIS ISSUE AMENDED.

NHTSA ODI #10749481

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2015
Unknown Or Other

THIS VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS WITH ITS STARTER. I'M NOT SURE OF THE FIRST DATE IT WAS NOTICED. INITIALLY THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION, IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 1/2 HR OR MORE FOR THE KEY TO COME OUT, THEN LONGER, THEN DAYS IN WHICH THE BATTERY WOULD HAVE TO BE RECHARGED. IT ALSO ON OCCASION WOULD ACTIVATE THE 'KILL-SWITCH' ON …

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THIS VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS WITH ITS STARTER. I'M NOT SURE OF THE FIRST DATE IT WAS NOTICED. INITIALLY THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION, IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 1/2 HR OR MORE FOR THE KEY TO COME OUT, THEN LONGER, THEN DAYS IN WHICH THE BATTERY WOULD HAVE TO BE RECHARGED. IT ALSO ON OCCASION WOULD ACTIVATE THE 'KILL-SWITCH' ON THE ALARM. WE WERE TOLD BY CHEVY THAT THE CAR WAS NOT 'RECOGNIZING' THE IGNITION KEY. FINALLY AFTER THE MONEY WAS AVAILABLE, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO CHEVY FOR REPAIR. INITIALLY IT WAS FINE...THE KEY DIDN'T GET STUCK, THEN ONLY A FEW TIMES ...NONE IN WHICH IT DIDN'T COME OUT....HOWEVER, THE CAR IN 2013? BEGAN TO DIE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. MY SON AND FINANCE' BOUGH THIS TO MY ATTENTION AND FOR SAFETY I NO LONGER DRIVE THE CAR AS THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS IN TRAFFIC, FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO STEER INTO A PARKING LOT AND PARK THE CAR. IT WOULD RESTART WITHOUT A PROBLEM.....BUT NOT KNOWING WHY OR WHEN IT WILL STOP WAS/IS TO MUCH OF A RISK SO WE TURNED IN THE REGISTRATION. WE TOLD CHEVY, WROTE ...BUT NO ONE HAS EVERY RESPONDED. I AM NOT SURE WHY THIS VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST FOR ITS IGNITION PROBLEM AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT WHO ELSE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. DUE TO ITS CONDITION, I CAN'T SELL IT OR DRIVE IT. YOUR HELP IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

NHTSA ODI #10725060

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 2014
Electrical System

2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, REPLACED IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER AND SWITCH*CW

NHTSA ODI #10653321

106,000 miles · Nov 20, 2014
Electrical System

THE PRESCRIBED/PROPOSED FIX BY GM OVER THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES IS THE MOST LAME EXCUSE FOR A FIX I HAVE EVER HEARD OF. JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD SAYING THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659861

144,000 miles · Oct 27, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY, ON OR OFF MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH TUMBLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY, ON OR OFF MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH TUMBLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

NHTSA ODI #10650206

Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 2014
Electrical System

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE KEY WOULD REMAIN STUCK IN THE OFF, ACCESSORY, AND/OR ON MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH TUMBLER NEE…

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TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE KEY WOULD REMAIN STUCK IN THE OFF, ACCESSORY, AND/OR ON MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH TUMBLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. DJR

NHTSA ODI #10649908

160,000 miles · Oct 13, 2014
Electrical SystemInjury

IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED/FALLS OUT WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. WE HAVE HAD SIX INCIDENTS WHERE WE PARKED CAR AND REMOVED KEY AND THEN CAR STARTED ROLLING. IN TWO INCIDENTS AN OPEN DOOR OF THE ROLLING CAR CAUGHT PERSON KNOCKING THEM DOWN, ONE INCIDENT JUST MISSED ROLLING OVER FOOT. IN EACH CASE FOUND THAT CAR WAS NOT IN…

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IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED/FALLS OUT WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. WE HAVE HAD SIX INCIDENTS WHERE WE PARKED CAR AND REMOVED KEY AND THEN CAR STARTED ROLLING. IN TWO INCIDENTS AN OPEN DOOR OF THE ROLLING CAR CAUGHT PERSON KNOCKING THEM DOWN, ONE INCIDENT JUST MISSED ROLLING OVER FOOT. IN EACH CASE FOUND THAT CAR WAS NOT IN PARK WITH KEY REMOVED. HAVE ALSO HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WHERE KEY WAS REMOVED BUT IGNITION REMAINED ON DRAINING THE CARS BATTERY EACH TIME. VERY HARD TO GET KEY LOCK INTO "OFF" POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644279

Official recalls

1

04V301000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage

Jun 30, 2004

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK THAT DOES NOT MEET SPECIFICATION. A WELD ON THESE FUEL TANKS MAY BE INSUFFICIENT, RESULTING IN A FUEL LEAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK, AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 23, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.