Illustration2004 GMC SIERRA PICKUP SPEEDOMETER IS VERY ERRATIC. INDICATED SPEEDS ARE NOT ACCURATE. SOMETIMES SPEEDOMETER INDICATES 40-60 MPH WHEN TRUCK IS NOT MOVING. *NM
2004 GMC Sierra 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 181.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra 1500 years →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
200–25K
5125–50K
5150–75K
3075–100K
25100–150K
9150K+
186 reports with mileage · 26 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 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
81 reportsSPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *NM
SPEEDOMETER FAILS TO RESET TO ZERO. WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP, THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATOR STOPS AT A SPEED ABOVE ZERO (I.E., 30, 40, 50 MPH). WHEN THE VEHICLE RESUMES TRAVELING, THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATOR STARTS INCREMENTING AT THE SPEED AT WHICH IT STOPPED (I.E., 30, 40, 50 MPH). THEREFORE, THE INDICATED SPEED IS MUCH HIGHER T…
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SPEEDOMETER FAILS TO RESET TO ZERO. WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP, THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATOR STOPS AT A SPEED ABOVE ZERO (I.E., 30, 40, 50 MPH). WHEN THE VEHICLE RESUMES TRAVELING, THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATOR STARTS INCREMENTING AT THE SPEED AT WHICH IT STOPPED (I.E., 30, 40, 50 MPH). THEREFORE, THE INDICATED SPEED IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED. THIS IS NOT ONE INCIDENT, BUT AN ONGOING CONTINUOUS PROBLEM, AND VERY DANGEROUS. *NM
2004 GMC SIERRA AT 50,000 MILES DEVELOPED A SPEEDOMETER SHORT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHICH CAUSED WILD SWINGS IN MPH READINGS. AFTER MENTIONING IT TO A FRIEND WITH A CHEVY SILVERADO, SAME YEAR AND MILEAGE , I FOUND HE HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM . I HAD THE CLUSTER REPLACED AT MY COST.*JB
SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC IN FUNCTION I HAVE 44,000 MILES ON MY 2004 GMC SIERRA AND THE SPEEDOMETER IS IN NEED OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. *NM
SPEEDOMETER ACTING ERRATIC, SPEEDOMETER MAY REGISTER 120 MPH WHEN I'M GOING 60 MPH. THEN IT FINALLY QUITS. IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO GET REPLACED. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST OR SLOW I'M GOING WHICH ENDANGERS ME AND EVERYBODY AROUND ME. *JB
MY SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 GMC SIERRA HAS BECOME ERRATIC. SOMETIMES IT IS ZERO EVEN IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. SOMETIMES IT REGISTERS 120 MPH SITTING STILL. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO JUDGE SPEED IN SCHOOL ZONES. NO KNOW EVENTS LED TO THE FAILURE. THE REPAIR BILL WILL BE ABOUT $500 I AM TOLD. *NM
MY SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 GMC Z71 WORKS ERRATICALLY. SOMETIMES IT WILL PEG OUT AT 120 OR IT STICKS AT 70 MPH. WHEN I SEE THE SPEEDOMETER, IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS WORKING LIKE A CLOCK. IT STICKS AND RELEASES. *NM
SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYS ERRONEOUS READINGS, NEVER CORRECT. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION HARNESS NEEDED REPLACED. AFTER THE IGNITION HARNESS REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE DEAL…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION HARNESS NEEDED REPLACED. AFTER THE IGNITION HARNESS REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
Official recalls
204V562000 · Equipment Adaptive/mobility
Nov 26, 2004
ON CERTAIN VANS EQUIPPED WITH SURE-LOK WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT SYSTEMS, THE SPROCKET TEETH OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO A WHEELCHAIR OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT RETRACTORS AS NECESSARY. SURE-LOK WILL HANDLE THE REPAIRS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SURE-LOCK AT 1-908-231-1804 OR MOBILITYWORKS AT 1-800-769-8267.
04V240000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire
May 17, 2004
THE SPARE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS PROVIDED ON CERTAIN CONVERSION VEHICLES WILL NOT FIT ON THE FRONT WHEEL HUB DUE TO OFFSET OF THE WHEEL. HOWEVER, IT WILL FIT ON THE REAR WHEELS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF SOMEONE HAS A FLAT TIRE ON THE FRONT WHEEL, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO INSTALL THE PROVIDED SPARE TIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPARE WHEEL WITH THE CORRECT OFFSET. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT REGENCY AT 1-800-989-4727.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.