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2004 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 35.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
41Owner complaints

Model-year median: 35

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2004 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 41 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 11 reports
  • Service Brakes: 10 reports
  • Fuel System, Diesel: 5 reports
  • Electrical System: 4 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    72
    2001    50
    2002    42
    2003    41
    2004    46
    2005    52
    2006    39
    2007
    Compare all Silverado 3500 years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    11    Service Brakes
    10    Fuel System, Diesel
    5    Electrical System
    4    Engine And Engine Cooling
    4
    All reported categories
    Engine
    2    Steering
    2    Structure
    2    Fuel System, Gasoline
    1    Fuel/propulsion System
    1    Power Train
    1    Suspension
    1    Unknown Or Other
    1    Visibility
    1

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

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    35 reports with mileage · 6 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.

    • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Service Brakes. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Fuel System, Diesel. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    5 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

    Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

    4 reports
    Clear category filter
    29,000 miles · Jun 25, 2010
    Engine And Engine Cooling

    BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS 2004 6.0 CHEVY SILVERADO 3500 29000 MILES. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10340163

    48,000 miles · Feb 14, 2009
    Engine And Engine Cooling

    MANIFOLD BOLTS RUSTING OUT. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10258641

    37,525 miles · Sep 12, 2008
    Engine And Engine Cooling

    ON 3 OCCASIONS THE LOWER LEFT INTER-COOLER HOSE HAS COME DISCONNECTED CAUSING A SEVERE LOSS OF POWER TO THE DIESEL ENGINE. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10242021

    70,800 miles · Sep 12, 2008
    Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Diesel

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVEROLET SILVERADO 3500. ON APRIL 20, 2008,WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH UP HILL, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED ON ITS OWN. THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING WHEN HE OPENED THE HOOD AND HE NOTICED OIL AND DIESEL…

    Read full complaint

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVEROLET SILVERADO 3500. ON APRIL 20, 2008,WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH UP HILL, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED ON ITS OWN. THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING WHEN HE OPENED THE HOOD AND HE NOTICED OIL AND DIESEL FUEL ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER. THE MECHANIC TESTED THE CYLINDER BY BLOWING AIR INTO IT AND THE AIR TRAVELED TO THE CRANK CASE. AFTER THE MECHANIC PERFORMED THIS TEST, HE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PISTON WAS CRACKED AND A HOLE WAS PRESENT. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE CYLINDER TO FILL UP WITH AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUEL. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND BLOW. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,800.

    NHTSA ODI #10241998

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.