There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Silveradoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Wholes are developing in the transfer case near the output shaft and all the fluid leaks out causing the transfer case to grenade.
The transfer case wore a pine hole in the case from the oil pump spring lock not securing movement causing me to loose all oil from transfer case. This left me stranded when I could not shift into 4 wheel drive the could not get it to re- engage 2wheel drive. This could have possibly caused catastrophic loss of control had the transfer case locked up while driving at high speed on slick roads or if someone ran into me from sudden lock up of the drive train.
# 1 is the 4l60E transmission that sits on the exhaust and runs next to it on the opposite side the heat from the trans itself and the exhaust overheat the gasket which causes weak spots that leak along with burning up the 3-4 clutch. Lost everything but 1&2,R,N on trip to Illinois on way back went to speed up to pass and all sudden the engine started tacking out and leaking fluid. I applied fluid all the way home at a speed of 45mph in a 70 mph limit which caused a major safety hazard with traffic. Took to trans shop said the 3-4 clutch was fried and was no good due to overheating and loss fluid from damaged gasket that's split on the stamps from AC Delco. 2nd issue arises out 1rst, even more dangerous to point of dragging me down drive way and cutting into my leg leaving a small scar. When wheels are chalked , E brake applied the vehical should not move, so after doing so I climbed under and unhooked the shift cable from the trans instantly with dog in truck it began rolling right over me I grabbed the frame and stopped it for a few sec then boom it went again I had spin around or my legs or head would've be smashed to Oblivion. At that point it just kept going as it cut into my leg, I let it roll over me hopped up and tried trow it in park yet no cable attached it wouldn't stop and just kept going till it hit a small ditch at end my drive and half way in the road.My leg was cut and I was scratched up in many spots yet dog was ok. The trans quitting lead to the unhooking of the cable then the e/p brake not holding due to worn brake shins in the rear which have calipers so if the calpier would've held with the brake it'd been fine but under everything is a set small and thin pads that hold the truck when brake applied. There was a recall (#05042). Yet my vin was not included, chevy was called yet denied any responsibility of either matter or action to cure it. These defects could've killed me, decapitated, or killed my service dog!
ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AT IDLE.CK ENGINE LIGHT ON.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED PRIOR TO DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. UPDATED 09/21/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE RETENTION CLIP FOR THE OIL PUMP IN THE TRANSFER CASE FAILED, THE PUMP CREATED A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE CASE. UPON COMPLETE DISCHARGE OF THE LUBRICATION FLUID. THE VEHICLE WOULD SPIKE ITS RPM AND DROP INTO NEUTRAL OR A LOWER GEAR. UPDATED 03/01/16. *JB
STEEL BRAKE, FUEL AND TRANSMISSION LINES ARE EXTREMELY RUSTY AND FAILURE APPEARS TO BE IMMINENT, ESPECIALLY ON BRAKE LINES. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THE TECHNICIAN NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A HOLE WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS LITTLE BRAKING EFFORT AVAILABLE. AVOIDED A SEVERE ACCIDENT BY SWERVING INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE NEARLY COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER ONCOMING VEHICLE. SLOWED VEHICLE WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTING. CAUSE WAS RUPTURED BRAKE LINE DUE TO CORROSION. ALL LINES ARE SEVERELY CORRODED. *TR
WRONG CLIP ON OIL PUMP IN TRANSFER CASE WEARS HOLE IN CASE . ALL THE OIL DRAINS OUT OF CASE CAUSING CATISTROPHIC FALLERS. CAUSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS AN OFFERED NO HELP. THIS COULD CAUSE REAL DANGER TO OWNER IF THIS HAPPENED IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS. THIS HAPPENED WHEN VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITH NO WARNING. MY CASE WAS FOUND BY TEC BEFORE FALL IRE MY BROTHERS FAILED ON A TRIP LEAVING HIM STRANDED.
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. TOOK TO SHOP HAD BEEN TOLD SPEED SOLENOID, REPLACED BOTH, FLUSHED TRANNY & CHANGED OIL. ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE FROM THE MINUTE WE TOOK THE PLASTIC OF THE SEATS. BRAKES, BEARINGS FUEL LINES, SPRINGS WATER PUMP ETC YOU NAME IT HAVE RECEIPTS FOR ALL OF IT. UNDER WARRANTY & AFTER. THIS TRUCK IS A LEMON. GMC WILL DO NOTHING, DEALER JUST PUTS HEAD DOWN & WALKS AWAY BECAUSE HE KNOWS MAJOR ISSUES IN THE FIRST 90 DAYS OF OWNING & CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. THIS PICKUP HAS NEVER LEFT THE BLACKTOP. NO OFFROADING, NOT HUNTING OR ANYTHING ELSE, NO VACATIONS IN FEAR OF BEING STRANDED. JUNK JUNK JUNK & NOW I GET TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WHEN CHRISTMAS IS 10 DAYS AWAY. I DON'T THINK MY CHILDREN WANT A NEW CHEVY VEHICLE EVER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE HYDRO BOOST WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE HYDRO BOOST WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
AFTER HEARING A NOISE, I WENT TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL IN MY UNIVERSAL JOINT. I CHANGE OIL EVERY 5,000 MI WHICH WOULD EQUAL 14 OIL CHANGES, ABOUT 10 OF WHICH WERE DONE BY THE DEALER. I ASKED THE SERVICE REP. IF THE OIL IN THE UNIVERSAL WAS CHECKED AT EVERY OIL CHANGE, AND HE SAID THE MECHANIC IS SUPPOSE TO CHECK IT BUT SOMETIMES THEY GET IN A HURRY. THAT MECHANIC COST ME $1,700.00 . THAT WILL BE THE LAST TIME I WILL SPEND $1,700. ON A CHEVY. *TR
WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, TRUCK LOST 3RD GEAR. THIS IS THE SECOND CHEVROLET SILVERADO THIS HAS HAPPENED TO FOR US (FIRST TIME, WE THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED BAD TRANSMISSION) HOWEVER, IT IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO CHEVROLET MAKING JUNK, AND PUTTING THE PASSENGERS OF THEIR VEHICLES IN DANGER. DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 60 MILES PER HOUR, WITH A SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.I WILL BE PURSUING THIS FURTHER. *TR
APPLIED BRAKES AT A STOP SIGN AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. TOTAL LOSS OF STOPPING ABILITY. AFTER USING THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP. LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK TO SEE BRAKE FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. ALL BRAKE LINES AND THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES CORRODED AND 2 BURST. ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED. CLEARLY THE SILVERADO HAS AN ISSUE WITH THIS AND THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE RUSTING BEYOND COMPARABLE YEAR & MILEAGE TRUCKS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE UNDER CARRIAGE IN THIS CONDITION REGARDLESS OF AGE AND THIS TRUCK HASN'T ACHIEVED 10 YEARS OFF THE LOT YET. *TR
WE ARE THE SECOND OWNERS OF A 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 4WD TRUCK. WE HAVE HAD BRAKE LINES GO TWICE. THE LAST TIME WAS AT OUR TOWN DUMP. MY HUSBAND WAS STOPPED WITH THE TRUCK IN PARK AND WHEN HE PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO PUT THE TRUCK IN GEAR THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO REAL STOPPING POWER. HE CHECKED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE AND THAT, TOO, WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT CHEVY HAS BEEN ABLE TO USE SUCH DANGEROUS ENGINEERING ON SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS BRAKES. WE ALSO HAVE RUSTED TRANSMISSION LINES AND BACKER PLATES. IT IS GOING TO COST $2,000 (TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS) TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. WE ARE REQUESTING THAT A RECALL BE MADE FOR THIS DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING ON SUCH A NECESSARY FUNCTION. WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE WERE IN PARK AND PUTTING THE TRUCK INTO GEAR FROM PARK WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. *TR
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE SPEED ODOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE. THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER PERTAINING TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR LEVER WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE POSITION. THE HEATER BLOWER FUNCTIONED IN ONLY TWO OF THE FIVE SETTINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. ...UPDATED 07-10-13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED A MECHANIC ADVISED THE FAILURES WERE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. UPDATED 7/17/2013 *JS
NOTICED COOLANT LEVEL WOULD GET LOW. FOUND WATER PUMP MOUNTING GASKET LEAKING, REPLACED WATER PUMP AND GASKETS, BUT CONTINUED LOSING COOLANT. FOUND OUT THERE IS A KNOW DEFECT WITH CHEVY 4.8 AND 5.3 VORTEX ENGINE HEADS CRACKING AROUND THE MOUNTING BOLT HOLES. CHEVY ISSUED A TSB BUT WILL NOT WARRANTY A KNOW DEFECT. IT STRANGE THEY WILL COVER A HVAC BLOWER MOTOR ISSUE THAT IS KNOW BUT NOT A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH HEADS CRACKING WITHOUT ANY FAULT OF THE OWNER. *TR
BOUGHT MY TRUCK NEW IN 2004 AS MY RETIREMENT VEHICLE. I HAVE ONLY 42,000 MILES. I HAD MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED TWO YEARS AGO UNDER A DEALER WARRANTY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER. WITHIN THE PAST WEEK MY TRANSMISSION HAS RANDOMLY SLIPPED FROM A DEAD STOP AS WELL AS DOUBLE CLUNKED FROM A DEAD STOP. MOST RECENTLY, THE AC IS RANDOMLY BLOWING OUT HOT AIR. I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A GOLF CART INSTEAD. SINCE THE TRUCK IS NOW 7+ YEARS OLD IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I'M HOPING THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND LEAVE ME STRANDED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY ON A HOT SUMMER DAY. NOTE: I WAS A VICTIM OF THE US FIDELIS EXTENDED WARRANTY SCAM. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026