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2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Suburban 1500 years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

167 reports with mileage · 15 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 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 13 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 reports4 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

182 reports
60,230 miles · Mar 9, 2009
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

2004 SUBURBAN WITH LESS THAN 65000 MILES, CUTS OUT DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SITTING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, UPHILL OR DOWN HILL. VEHICLE GIVES NO WARNING, NO LIGHTS LIGHT UP, JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN NO POWER. CAN START BACK UP SOMETIMES IMMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROB…

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2004 SUBURBAN WITH LESS THAN 65000 MILES, CUTS OUT DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SITTING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, UPHILL OR DOWN HILL. VEHICLE GIVES NO WARNING, NO LIGHTS LIGHT UP, JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN NO POWER. CAN START BACK UP SOMETIMES IMMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE, CALLED DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261344

70,800 miles · Mar 9, 2009
Electrical System

MY SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ON MY VEHICLE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP, IT SHOWS I AM GOING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 50-70 MPH. WHEN I AM GOING 40 MPH, IT SHOWS I AM GOING OVER 120 MPH. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I AM GOING AND OBVIOUSLY, SPEED LIMITS ARE THERE FOR A REASON.…

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MY SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ON MY VEHICLE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP, IT SHOWS I AM GOING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 50-70 MPH. WHEN I AM GOING 40 MPH, IT SHOWS I AM GOING OVER 120 MPH. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I AM GOING AND OBVIOUSLY, SPEED LIMITS ARE THERE FOR A REASON. I HAVE CONTACTED CHEVY AND ALSO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM ON 2003 AND 2004 CHEVY AND GMC VEHICLES. THEY HAVE A SPECIAL COVERAGE FOR IT, BUT IT ENDS AT 70,000 MILES. MY VEHICLE HAS 71,000 MILES ON IT AND SO, THEY WILL NOT FIX IT WITHOUT CHARGING ME AROUND $700. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, AS EVIDENCED BY THE HUGE # OF VEHICLES AFFECTED AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM, AS IT AFFECTS SAFETY . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261338

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2009
Electrical System

THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE VEHICLE IS NOT SHOWING THE TRUE SPEED (IT SOME TIMES SHOWS 110 WHEN YOU ARE GOING 45, OR SHOWS 35 WHEN YOU ARE GOING 65. THIS IS NOT SAFE WHILE DRIVING ON ANY ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261004

30,000 miles · Mar 4, 2009
Steering

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN THAT HAS A BAD VIBRATION AND CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATE THEIR IS NO RECALL, BUT I KNOW OF 4 PEOPLE WITH CHEVY TRUCKS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE ALSO DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MULTIPLE PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF…

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I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN THAT HAS A BAD VIBRATION AND CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATE THEIR IS NO RECALL, BUT I KNOW OF 4 PEOPLE WITH CHEVY TRUCKS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE ALSO DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MULTIPLE PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE. I AM NOT SURE IF LEFT UNFIXED WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, BUT I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT AND HURT MYSELF OR OTHERS. I ONLY HOPE WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLET VEHICLES. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10260761

83,999 miles · Feb 22, 2009
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10259608

50,000 miles · Feb 19, 2009
Electrical SystemPower Train

VEHICLE IS A 4WD MODEL, EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED TRANSFER CASE. THE CONTROL ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN A SNOWSTORM AND UNABLE TO USE THE 4WD. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAD THE CONTROL REPAIRED ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM QUICKLY RETURNED. I AM TOLD THIS IS A VERY COMMON PRO…

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VEHICLE IS A 4WD MODEL, EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED TRANSFER CASE. THE CONTROL ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN A SNOWSTORM AND UNABLE TO USE THE 4WD. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAD THE CONTROL REPAIRED ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM QUICKLY RETURNED. I AM TOLD THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 4WD CHEVROLET AND GMC TRUCKS, FOR MANY MODEL YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10259332

90,000 miles · Feb 12, 2009
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER HAS NOT WORKED FOR OVER A YEAR. THE NEEDLE IS ALWAYS PINNED. ONCE IN A WHILE IT WILL START AT APPROXIMATELLY 30MPH AT IDLE. LOCAL DEALER ADVISED APPROX. 500.00 TO FIX. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258427

88,000 miles · Feb 8, 2009
Electrical System

THE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN TRAVELING ONLY 50 MPH IT READS 91 MPH. CAN'T TELL HOW FAST I'M DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257950

54,000 miles · Feb 4, 2009
Wheels

WE WERE DRIVING BACK FROM THE AIRPORT, 60 MILES FROM OUR HOME. BEFORE WE LEFT THE AIRPORT AREA WE HEARD A NOISE. AS WE ARE HEADED HOME APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE STABILITY NOTIFICATION AND THE ABS LIGHTS COME ON. FIRST TIME THEY HAD COME ON. EVERY NOW AND THEN WE HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL. …

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WE WERE DRIVING BACK FROM THE AIRPORT, 60 MILES FROM OUR HOME. BEFORE WE LEFT THE AIRPORT AREA WE HEARD A NOISE. AS WE ARE HEADED HOME APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE STABILITY NOTIFICATION AND THE ABS LIGHTS COME ON. FIRST TIME THEY HAD COME ON. EVERY NOW AND THEN WE HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL. THE NOTIFICATION AND LIGHTS CUT OFF AND ON ALL THE WAY TO OUR DESTINATION. APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES FROM OUR HOME, WE HEAR A NOISE AS IF SOMETHING CAME OFF BUT YET THE SUBURBAN WAS DRIVING OKAY FOR THE EXCEPTION OF NOISE AND GRINDING. WE DECIDED TO KEEP DRIVING AS WE ARE IN A HORRIFIC CONSTRUCTION ZONE. THE NEXT DAY I CALL FOR AN APPT FOR INSPECTION AT A PRIVATE WHEEL AND BRAKE SHOP FOR AN ESTIMATE. THEY SAID I HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES AND THE FRONT WHEEL TIRE WAS JUST ABOUT TO FALL OFF. THEY SAID THEY WERE EVEN APPREHENSIVE ABOUT MAKING IT FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, INSIDE. I CALL THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THE HUB ASSEMBLIES AND IT WOULD COST APP $560 TO $600 PER WHEEL FOR REPAIR. I COULD NOT AFFORD THIS SO I TOOK IT TO REPAIR AT THE WHEEL SHOP. MY VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY AT THE TIME 54,000 MILES. I DO HAVE THE OLD PARTS FOR INSPECTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257445

75,000 miles · Jan 31, 2009
Electrical System

MY 2004 SURBURBAN, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGAN FAILING AT 75,000 MILES. IT IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE OF THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWING INCORRECT SPEED, THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE IS PEGGED MOST OF THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257063

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.