← New search

2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Silverado 2500 years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 81.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

336 reports with mileage · 32 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 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 99 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports10 fire reports8 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

105 reports
Clear category filter
215,000 miles · Dec 29, 2018
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND "LOW ENGINE POWER" FLASHED WHERE THE ODOMETER IS. THIS CAUSED THE RPM'S NOT TO GO OVER 2800. CODE READER CLAIMS O2 SENSORS OR THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE OR CATALYTIC CONVERTOR ISSUES. WE DISCOVERED IT WAS NONE OF THE ABOVE. TO FIX PROBLEM CHANGE 3 RELAYS LOCATED UNDER HOOD IN FUSE BOX. RELAY #8864. TH…

Read full complaint

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND "LOW ENGINE POWER" FLASHED WHERE THE ODOMETER IS. THIS CAUSED THE RPM'S NOT TO GO OVER 2800. CODE READER CLAIMS O2 SENSORS OR THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE OR CATALYTIC CONVERTOR ISSUES. WE DISCOVERED IT WAS NONE OF THE ABOVE. TO FIX PROBLEM CHANGE 3 RELAYS LOCATED UNDER HOOD IN FUSE BOX. RELAY #8864. THEN CLEAR CODES, SHOULD FIX ISSUE UNLESS CODE PERSISTS. RELAYS WILL CAUSE A FIRE IF NOT CHANGED OUT ASAP.

NHTSA ODI #11163966

107,000 miles · Feb 11, 2018
Electrical System

MANY OF THE VEHICLES IN THIS FAMILY SUFFER FROM RANDOM ELECTRICAL SHORTS AND OR POOR ELECTRICAL GROUNDING RELATING TO THE DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE ACTUATOR. THE RESULT IS THAT THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO 'REDUCED ENGINE POWER' MODE RANDOMLY. IN THIS MODE THE VEHICLE WILL IDLE BUT NOT ACCELERATE OR DRIVE. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED…

Read full complaint

MANY OF THE VEHICLES IN THIS FAMILY SUFFER FROM RANDOM ELECTRICAL SHORTS AND OR POOR ELECTRICAL GROUNDING RELATING TO THE DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE ACTUATOR. THE RESULT IS THAT THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO 'REDUCED ENGINE POWER' MODE RANDOMLY. IN THIS MODE THE VEHICLE WILL IDLE BUT NOT ACCELERATE OR DRIVE. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON MESSAGE BOARDS WITH NO CONSISTENT FIX. THIS CONDITION EXPOSES AN EXTREME HAZARD AS THE VEHICLE CAN LOOSE POWER AT ANY TIME. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE LOOSE POWER ON THE INTERSTATE AND ON HIGH SPEED 2 LANE ROADS WITH NO SHOULDER AND HEAVY TRAFFIC ON 4 OCCASIONS. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE ISSUE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL.

NHTSA ODI #11072174

Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 2017
Electrical System

MAY 2016 INSTALLED 5 YEARS WARRANTY BATTERY. BATTERY DEAD EVERY THREE MONTH. CHARGED BATTERY. INSTALLED NEW BATTERY LAST WEEK. BATTERY DEAD TODAY. HAD ALTERNATOR TESTED. (FINE) NOTICE DASHBOARD LIGHT WHERE READ MILAGE LOOKED LIKE THIS AFTER TRUCK OFF #######. ONLY GREEN LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF

NHTSA ODI #11047326

142,000 miles · Feb 11, 2017
Electrical System

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65-70 MPH TRUCK SHUT OFF NO POWER STEERING NO BRAKES SHOWING "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" ALMOST GOT INTO A WRECK WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD SON AND 70 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER...I STILL OWE $10,000 ON THIS HUNK OF CRAP...IT WENT AWAY AFTER A BROKEN WIRE WAS FIXED....BUT AS I SIT HERE IN MY TRUCK AT 3 AM BECAUSE I HAD…

Read full complaint

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65-70 MPH TRUCK SHUT OFF NO POWER STEERING NO BRAKES SHOWING "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" ALMOST GOT INTO A WRECK WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD SON AND 70 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER...I STILL OWE $10,000 ON THIS HUNK OF CRAP...IT WENT AWAY AFTER A BROKEN WIRE WAS FIXED....BUT AS I SIT HERE IN MY TRUCK AT 3 AM BECAUSE I HAD TO MOVE IT I STARTED IT UP AND ONCE AGAIN REDUCED ENGINE POWER...JUST SO FRUSTRATING

NHTSA ODI #10953964

98,000 miles · Apr 8, 2016
Electrical SystemPower Train

AS WITH MANY OTHER POSTS HERE, I TOO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER(BAD SPEEDOMETER AND GAUGE READINGS, "ELECTRICAL") AND ALSO THE TRANSFER CASE WITH HOLES WEARING THROUGH THE CASE, "PUMP SLAP". EVERYTHING I HAVE RESEARCHED HAS LED TO ISSUES IN BOTH PROBLEMS. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED BOTH PROBLEMS BUT STILL NOTH…

Read full complaint

AS WITH MANY OTHER POSTS HERE, I TOO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER(BAD SPEEDOMETER AND GAUGE READINGS, "ELECTRICAL") AND ALSO THE TRANSFER CASE WITH HOLES WEARING THROUGH THE CASE, "PUMP SLAP". EVERYTHING I HAVE RESEARCHED HAS LED TO ISSUES IN BOTH PROBLEMS. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED BOTH PROBLEMS BUT STILL NOTHING BACK FROM GM. WHAT A SHAME THAT THESE AND ALL OTHER ISSUES CAN'T BE ADDRESSED BY GM. I HAVE NOT YET HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES, YET, BUT I TELL YOU, IT WILL BE LOOKED INTO. THESE BOTH HAVE HAPPENED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ODI #10854289

108,096 miles · Nov 8, 2015
Electrical SystemEngine

I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WITH THE DURAMAX DIESEL AND ALLISON TRANSMISSION. ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015, SHORTLY AFTER A FUEL STOP, I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 24 NEAR PADUCAH, KY. AT APPROXIMATEL…

Read full complaint

I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WITH THE DURAMAX DIESEL AND ALLISON TRANSMISSION. ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015, SHORTLY AFTER A FUEL STOP, I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 24 NEAR PADUCAH, KY. AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ACCOMPANIED BY A LOUD ENGINE RATTLING, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WITH SOME DIFFICULTY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 25 MPH ON THE SHOULDER. SINCE I WAS JUST A FEW MILES FROM THE PADUCAH EXIT, I LIMPED THERE AND INTO A HAMPTON INN PARKING LOT. AAA RESPONDED AND TOWED THE TRUCK TO ROYAL OAKS CHEVROLET IN PADUCAH. SINCE IT WAS A SUNDAY, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED. THE NEXT MORNING, THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT PULLED UP CODES PO202 AND P2149. THE SERVICE MANAGER REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE AND THAT IT WOULD BE SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE REPAIR PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN IS #05-06-04-047C. THE BULLETIN ADDRESSES "A SEVERE REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER (LIMP HOME MODE)" I WAS CHARGED $1,076 FOR REPAIRS FOR A KNOWN DEFECT THAT CHEVROLET KNEW ABOUT.

NHTSA ODI #10789056

126,700 miles · Jul 22, 2015
Electrical System

WHEN I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE TO START, THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER SAYS "UNKNOWN DRIVER". AS A RESULT OF THIS CONDITION, I CANNOT ADJUST MIRRORS, ROLL UP WINDOWS, OR GET HEADLIGHTS TO WORK. ALSO, THE GAUGES FOR VOLTAGE, OIL PRESSURE, TEMPERATURE, AND FUEL DO NOT WORK. THE RADIO DOES NOT WORK AS WELL. BECAUSE OF OVER ENGINEE…

Read full complaint

WHEN I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE TO START, THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER SAYS "UNKNOWN DRIVER". AS A RESULT OF THIS CONDITION, I CANNOT ADJUST MIRRORS, ROLL UP WINDOWS, OR GET HEADLIGHTS TO WORK. ALSO, THE GAUGES FOR VOLTAGE, OIL PRESSURE, TEMPERATURE, AND FUEL DO NOT WORK. THE RADIO DOES NOT WORK AS WELL. BECAUSE OF OVER ENGINEERING AND FAULTY PARTS I CANNOT USE THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED AS PART OF A RECALL. MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AS SEARCHED, WITH NO ANSWER. GENERAL MOTORS HAS FAILED TO PUT IN PLACE SAFETY SYSTEMS OR OVERRIDE FUNCTIONS TO ALLOW SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. GM IS USING COMPUTER CONTROLS WHICH OFTEN FAIL TO CONTROL IMPORTANT SAFETY FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE DISMANTLED THE BULK OF THE TRUCK TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. AFTER TWO DAYS IN THE SHOP, THEY STILL HAVE NOT FOUND THE PROBLEM. FAULTY ENGINEERING AND POOR PARTS HAVE LEAD TO THIS CONDITION. I HAVE BEEN A LIFELONG GM OWNER, BUT I WILL RECONSIDER THIS MOVING FOWARD. I AM SURE MY NEXT VEHICLES WILL BE OTHER BRANDS.

NHTSA ODI #10735698

50,000 miles · Sep 23, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT SLIGHTLY TAPPED THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #10638431

50,000 miles · Jul 28, 2014
Electrical System

ONE BY ONE, THE GAUGES ON THE DASH HAVE STOPPED WORKING, STARTING WITH THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THEN THE FUEL LEVEL GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, OIL PRESSURE, AND FINALLY THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE GAUGE ALL WENT OUT, LEAVING ONLY THE BATTERY VOLTAGE METER WORKING CORRECTLY. I KNOW AT LEAST THREE OTHER PEOPLE LIVING W…

Read full complaint

ONE BY ONE, THE GAUGES ON THE DASH HAVE STOPPED WORKING, STARTING WITH THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THEN THE FUEL LEVEL GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, OIL PRESSURE, AND FINALLY THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE GAUGE ALL WENT OUT, LEAVING ONLY THE BATTERY VOLTAGE METER WORKING CORRECTLY. I KNOW AT LEAST THREE OTHER PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN 20 MILES OF MY HOUSE THAT HAVE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2004 SILVERADOS. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10616917

175,000 miles · Apr 24, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

I BOUGHT A 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO FROM MEDVED AND I FEEL IT HAS A PROBLEM AND GM SAYS IT'S WORKING AS DESIGNED. MY PROBLEM IS THE MESSAGE MODULE LED'S ARE SO DIM THEY CAN'T BE READ IN THE DAYLIGHT AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES BY MEDVED TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THE P N R D D3 D2 LED"S ARE JUST FINE. …

Read full complaint

I BOUGHT A 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO FROM MEDVED AND I FEEL IT HAS A PROBLEM AND GM SAYS IT'S WORKING AS DESIGNED. MY PROBLEM IS THE MESSAGE MODULE LED'S ARE SO DIM THEY CAN'T BE READ IN THE DAYLIGHT AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES BY MEDVED TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THE P N R D D3 D2 LED"S ARE JUST FINE. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIX IT. I TOOK IT TO [XXX] AND A 18 YEAR SERVICE TECH SAID IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER AND GM SHOULD HAVE SENT OUT A RECALL BUT DIDN'T. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU CAN'T READ THE WARNINGS AND OTHER MESSAGES THAT APPEAR ON THE MODULE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10584731

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.