2004 Chevrolet Suburban Electrical System Problems

The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the instrument panel gauges, and warning lights functionality became inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

TAKATA RECALL. THE GAUGE CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. NOW THE IGNITION AND AC WILL NOT WORK. OIL PRESSURE SENSOR READING WRONG. TOOK IT TO GET CODE READ AND 35 CODES CAME UP. HAD TO PUT ON A TOGGLE SWITCH JUST TO START IT. CANT SEE SPEED AND THAT MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT. THINK ALL OF THIS IS DUE TO WATER LEAK ON DRIVERS SIDE. STEERING CONTROLS STOPPED WORKING TODAY. THIS REALLY NEED TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN TO THE MANUFACTURER AS IT COULD REALLY GET SOMEONE HURT OR KILLED.

THE TRUCK FAILS TO RESTART AFTER DRIVING IT AN AT FIRST IT WOULD RESTART AFTER 15 - 20 MINUTES AFTER IT SITS AN NOW IT DOES NOT START AT ALL SO FAR I KNOW IT IS HAPPENING TO MORE THAN 20 VEHICLES INCLUDING THE STATE PATROL 2016 SUBURBANS AND SEVERAL OF THE PICKUPS

VEHICLE GAS GAUGE AND ODOMETER GAUGES CLUSTERS ARE NOT WORKING THIS PUTS US IN DANGER I DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I NEED AND HOW FAST I WAS GOING THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE IT WAS A CLUSTER DEFECT

THE GM INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STEPPER MOTORS AND LIGHTS HAVE FAILED. THIS RESULTS IN A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AND THE FUEL LEVEL AS WELL AS OTHER IMPORTANT ENGINE INFORMATION.

THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHTS IN THE GM INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ARE NO LONGER WORKING. THIS CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE DRIVER CAN SHIFT INTO THE INCORRECT GEAR ACCIDENTALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO OTHER ALTERNATE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR IN THE VEHICLE.

WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE LOOKED AT SPEED IT WAS PEGGED OUT WAY PAST 120 I KNOW I WAS NOT GOING THAT FAST I WAS GETTING PASSED THEN WHEN I STOPPED IT ONLY COME DOWN TO ABOUT 110 SAYS U R RUNNING 100 SITTING STILL. *TR

SPEED READS 120MPH AND NOT MOVING . *TR

AT FIRST I GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WITH CODE P0430, O2 SENSOR LOWER BANK 2, THEN BANK 1. REPLACED THOSE TWO WORK FOR A WEEK THEN RPM AND SPEEDOMETER GAUGE FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN. I DROVE HOME FROM THE AIRPORT ONE NIGHT AND ALL GAUGE READING WENT ALL THE WAY UP. I WAS TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE WITH A SPEED LIMITED OF 55MPH AND THE READING IN MY CAR WAS OVER 120MPH. TOOK TO IN SHOP, SHOP RECOMMEND I NEED SPEEDOMETER SENSOR REPLACED. REPLACED THAT, NOW ALL THE INSTRUMENT GAUGE JUMP UP AND DOWN. SOMETIME ALL THE WAY FULL SOMETIME ALL THE WAY DOWN. FINALLY GOT TIRE OF TRYING TO FIX IT MYSELF AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND OUT IT WAS A BAD DASH INSTRUMENT AND BAD CATYLETE-CONVETER. THANKS TO CHEVY IT COST ME HEADACHE, GUESSING TIME, GIVING FALSE READING AND MOST OF ALL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET IT FIX RIGHT. *TR

AFTER REPLACING TEMPERATURE SENSOR ON ENGINE BY GARAGE, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CONTINUES TO ACT WITH HIGH READINGS & NOW IT HAS PEGGED TO MAXIMUM HIGH TEMP. THIS IS DISCONCERTING AND MY WIFE & I ARE VERY NERVOUS TO DRIVE IT IN NOT KNOWING IF IT IS A REAL ISSUE OF CONCERN. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT ORIGINAL OWNERS, AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN RELATED ISSUES WITH SPEEDOMETER, TEMP GAUGE, SENSOR, AND MORE COVERED BY COMPANY, THEY WILL NOT DO SO NOW ACCORDING TO LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP & ETHICALLY I THINK ONCE THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN NOTED AND THEN SHOW UP SHOULD BE HONORED. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPANY WOULD HAVE SET ASIDE THE PARTS AND MONEY TO INSTALL. VIDEO OF REPAIR LOOKS LIKE A SKILLED MECHANIC COULD RESET ORIGINAL MILES ON CURRENT BAD GAUGE SET TO REPLACEMENT AND POP IN WITHIN 15-30 MINUTES. COST FOR PANEL IS ABOUT $300 AND IF I SHIP IT OUT TO AN ONLINE REPAIR CENTER THEY'LL CHARGE ABOUT $90 FOR REPLACEMENT PART WITH UPGRADED PARTS FOR DURABILITY. AS A VETERAN WHO HAD TO RETIRE FROM A CIVILIAN JOB EARLY DUE TO MY DISABILITIES AND THE MONEY THESE CAR COMPANIES RECEIVED FROM BANK CRASHES STABILIZATION IN THE TIME OF OFFERED REPLACEMENT WOULDN'T I BE ELIGIBLE BASED ON THAT? *TR

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK OR INDICATES WRONG SPEED. MOST INSTRUMENT GAUGES ARE NOT WORKING OR ARE INTERMITTENT IN THEIR OPERATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY BLOW HOT AIR DUE TO A FAILURE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MOTOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BLOWER RESISTOR MODULE AND THE WIRING HARNESS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ UPDATED 11/17/2017*CN

SPEEDOMETER READS THAT I'M GOING FASTER THAN I AM. I CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF IT REGISTERS 10MPH. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY SINCE THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND I HAVE THREE CHILDREN THAT RIDE WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO. I RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET HAVE FOUND MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEEDOMETER ON THIS VEHICLE. SHOULD BE A RECALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!!! *TR

1ST COMPLAINT: AFTER PASSING A VEHICLE ON A HIGHWAY (THIS REQUIRED THE SUBURBAN TO GO INTO THE PASSING GEAR), THE SUBURBAN'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND ENGINE AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS FORCED TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER IN ORDER TO AVOID BE HIT BY PASSING VEHICLE. AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, THE SUBURBAN STARTED UP AGAIN. WE STARTED DRIVING AGAIN BUT AGAIN ONCE I TRIED TO ACCELERATE OR PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE THE SUBURBAN WOULD SHUT DOWN AGAIN. AUTO MECHANIC HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DO THIS. VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS IF THIS HAPPENS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY OR FREEWAY. 2ND COMPLAINT: CLUSTER PANEL WENT HAYWIRE. SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, OIL GAUGE NOT READING PROPERLY ETC. EVENTUALLY, THE ENTIRE CLUSTER PANEL SHUT DOWN. HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A COST OF ABOUT $500. 3RD COMPLAINT: DRIVERS SEAT FUNCTIONS AND HEATING MECHANISIM MALFUNCTIONED. THE DRIVERS HEATED SEAT STOPPED WORKING AND THE SEAT CONTROLS MALFUNCTIONED. THE SOME OF THE DRIVERS SEAT CONTROLS STOPPED WORKING OR ARE REVERSED. EXAMPLE; WHEN YOU PUSH THE LEVER TO MOVE THE SEAT FORWARD IT GOES BACKWARD AND VIS VERSA. THE DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT STOPPED WORKING AND IT WILL CANCEL OUT THE PASSENGERS SIDE HEATED SEAT. EXAMPLE; IF THE PASSENGER SIDE HEATED SEAT IS SELECTED, IT WORKS BUT ONCE YOU SELECT THE DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT IT WILL CANCEL OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE STILL DOESN'T WORK. AUTO MECHANIC CLAIMED THE DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT ELEMENT WAS BAD. HAD IT REPLACED AT A COST OF $300 BUT STILL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE ORIGINAL HEATED SEAT ELEMENT WAS NOT BAD EITHER. *TR

THE ENTIRE CONTROL PANEL ON THE DASH WILL GO OUT INCLUDING: SPEEDOMETER, RPM, GAS, OIL, ETC. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE MESSAGE CENTER, INCLUDING THE ODOMETER, IS BLANK ALSO. AT FIRST THIS HAPPENED PERIODICALLY UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT COME ON BUT WOULD COME OWN A FEW MINUTES AFTER DRIVING. THEN IT STARTED NOT COMING ON AT ALL. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER GIVES A FALSE READING THAT COULD CAUSE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AT AN UNSAFE SPEED. THIS FIRST HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY. I NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER SEEMED TO BE GIVING A FALSE READING. USING A GPS MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT I WAS UNKNOWINGLY TRAVELING AT A SPEED VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE SPEED LIMIT. THE ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT . THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX IT DESPITE THE OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. *TR

ON MY CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2004; SPEEDOMETER FAILED. MY SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK ANY MORE. IT NO LONGER CALCULATES SPEED. IT IS STUCK POINTING (RESTING) PAST FASTEST LABEL OF 120MPH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE INOPERABLE. THE ALTERNATOR AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD DISPLAY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF AT INTERSTATE AND LOW SPEEDS AND SHOW REDUCED POWER AND STABILITY SYSTEM DISABLED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, I WAS NEARLY KILLED ON THE INTERSTATE BY AND 18 WHEELER COMING UP BEHIND ME WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN.. *TR

I STARTED THE HOMEWARD SEGMENT OF AN 800 MILE TRIP ON JULY 4TH WEEKEND. SPEEDOMETER APPEARS TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY BECAUSE I MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST POLICE RADAR CHECKPOINT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND ENTERED A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. AFTER DRIVING AN ESTIMATED 50 MILES FOR THE DAY I WAS STOPPED BY THE STATE POLICE. HE SAID THAT HIS RADAR HAD ME GOING 74 IN A 55 SPEED ZONE WHEN ME SPEEDOMETER INDICATED 55 MPH. WHEN THE OFFICER INFORMED ME OF MY SPEED, I LOOKED AT MY SPEEDOMETER AND SAW THE NEEDLE WAS BELOW 0 MPH. THE SCARY PART OF THIS IS THAT I DID NOT REALIZE THAT I WAS GOING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT, PROBABLY BECAUSE I WAS ACCLIMATED TO THE HIGHER INTERSTATE SPEED, MY SPEED ODOMETER INDICATED I WAS TRAVELING THE SPEED LIMIT, AND UP UNTIL THIS TIME I HAD NO INDICATION THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I CONTINUED WITH THE TRIP AND USED MY GPS TO KEEP ME AT A SAFE SPEED THE REST OF THE TRIP. I COMPARED THE SPEEDOMETER MPH WITH THE GPS MPH MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE TRIP. THE SPEED ODOMETER WENT DOWN TO 0 MPH WHEN I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AFTER DRIVING AN ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL 40 MILES. AFTER DRIVING AN ADDITIONAL 30 MILES THE SPEED ODOMETER WAS INDICATING THE CORRECT SPEED. THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED ABOUT 70% OF THE TRIP. IT WOULD ALTERNATE BETWEEN NOT WORKING CORRECTLY AND WORKING CORRECTLY THROUGHOUT THE TRIP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CHEVY DEALER THE FIRST BUSINESS DAY BACK HOME. THE DEALER SAID THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MUST BE REPLACED. I AUTHORIZED THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS GOING BACK TO BE REFURBISHED. THIS FAILURE COMPROMISED NOT ONLY MY SAFETY BUT ALSO MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS. RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, I AM FINDING THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WIDESPREAD. *TR