2004 Chevrolet Suburban Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph he noticed the temperature gauge increased to the high indicator. The engine coolant hot message was displayed. The contact stated that while attempting to pull over there was an abnormal popping noise and smoke was detected. The air bag warning light illuminated and the driver's side air bag deployed without impact or crash and struck the driver in the face, chest, and right hand. There was no medical attention provided, or a fire or police report filed. The vehicle was left on the side of the road. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

GM TSB 06-06-019B GRADUAL COOLANT LOSS (JUNE 2007) MY VEHICLE IS SHOWING SIGNS OF COOLANT LOSS. SAMPLED OIL VIA CATERPILLAR, RESULTS SHOW COOLANT IN OIL. CHANGED OIL AND FOUND SLUDGE IN OIL FILTER. BOUGHT VEHICLE FROM A DEALER "AS IS-NO WARRANTY" . CANNOT BELIEVE A PROFESSIONAL SHOP "MISSED THIS" ON THEIR VEHICLE INSPECTION/PREP FOR RE-SALE. WILL BE TAKING TO DIFFERENT DEALER FOR COOLANT PRESSURE TEST 09.09.14 TO VERIFY WHAT I ALREADY KNOW. MY VEHICLE HAS THE CASTECH CYLINDER HEADS. THIS IS A REPAIR THAT I CANNOT PAY FOR OUT OF POCKET AT THIS TIME. I'M HOPING FOR OUT OF WARRANTY ASSISTANCE TO HELP W THIS REPAIR. FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE ON-LINE AND IN GM FORUMS. SOMEONE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE AN ENGINE SEIZE OR CATCH FIRE ON THEM. *TR

EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAK CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON BOLTS BROKEN ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *TR

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE CEASED RUNNING. PULLED OFF ROAD AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO GARAGE. NO VEHICLE FUNCTION WORKED EXCEPT EMERGENCY FLASHERS. VEHICLE JUST "DIED" AND STOPPED OPERATING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION, A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, COOLANT WAS DISPENSED INTO THE RADIATOR RESERVOIR EVERY TWO DAYS WITHOUT COOLANT VISIBLE ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

THE REAR EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE BROKE AND NOW THE VEHICLE HAS AN EXHAUST LEAK. *TR

AT RANDOM YOU WILL JUST BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A MESSAGE COMES ON THAT SAYS REDUCE ENGINE POWER AND THE T/C LIGHT COMES ON ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, IS VERY UNSAFE, AND IS GETTING WORSE. WE HAVE HAD WORK DONE TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM BUT ITS STILL HAPPENING. WE DON'T HAVE TONS OF MONEY TO FIX THIS, LIVE IN THE COUNTRY, AND HAVE 5 KIDS. THIS IS OUR ONLY TRANSPORTATION AND WE HAVE A RATHER LARGE LOAN ON THE THING AND ITS TURNING INTO YARD ART. *TR

2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN GOES INTO REDUCED POWER ENGINE W/O REASON CHANGE THE ENGINE, BECAUSE HIGH MILES, CHANGE TRANSMISSION, CHANGE THROTTLE BODY,CHANGE GAS PEDAL MODULE, CHANGE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SPEND OVER 4,000 ON THE TRUCK WITHOUT COUNTING THE ACCIDENT CAN OCCUR IN THE INTERSTATE 78 WEST BECAUSE OF THE LOST OF POWER, DEALERS DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM NEITHER THE LOCAL MECHANICS CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE ACTION IN THIS MATTER AND READ AT EDMONDS.COM AND SEE ALL THE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE WARNING LIGHT DISPLAYED REDUCED ENGINE POWER. SHE ENGAGED HER HAZARD LIGHTS AND PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND WAITED A FEW SECONDS AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT. WHEN SHE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE REDUCED ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON AND SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AGAIN AND RESTARTED IT. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,788.

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ONE DAY AND REDUCED ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. MY SUBURBAN SLOWS TO ABOUT 35MPH AND WILL NOT GO ANY FASTER. THIS OCCURS ABOUT 15 TIMES A MONTH. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE DRIVING BEHIND ME WHEN IT COMES TO A SUDDEN SLOW IF I CAN NOT GET OFF THE ROAD. WE HAVE BROUGHT IT TO A DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. WE HAVE CHANGED THE THROTTLE PEDAL POSITIONING SENSOR, MAP SENSOR, CRANK SENSOR, KNOCK SENSOR, SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG WIRES. NOTHING HAS WORKED. *TR

2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN W/80,000 MI. USED FOR TOWING RV-"REDUCED ENGINE POWER". CODES ARE NOT SPECIFIC FOR THE PROBLEM AND MULTIPLE REPAIRS HAVE NOT FIXED PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXTREME HAZARD WHEN TOWING AS RIG CANNOT MOVE OFF THE ROAD WITH SO LITTLE POWER. I AM READING MANY POSTS ONLINE FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER STABILITY WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED AS THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY DECELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY, THROTTLE BODY SENSORS AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 183,632.

I BOUGHT A NEW 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 LS IN EARLY SEPTEMBER 2005. ONE EVENING I WENT TO A RESTAURANT TO EAT, WENT INSIDE AND WAS SEATED. MAYBE 5 MINUTES PASSED, COULD HAVE BEEN LESS. THE OWNER BEGAN YELLING THAT A VEHICLE IN THE LOT WAS ON FIRE. I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A CAR NEXT TO MINE BELLOWING SMOKE. I RAN OUTSIDE TO MOVE MY 2004 SUBURBAN AWAY FROM THE BURNING CAR AND TO MY AMAZEMENT DISCOVERED IT WAS MY SUBURBAN! THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO PRIOR INDICATION OF ANYTHING WRONG SUCH AS AN OVER-HEATED ENGINE. NO INDICATION OF ANY MALFUNCTION WHATSOEVER. THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY OFF WHEN THIS FIRE STARTED. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500 WITH 90K MILES. IN NOVEMBER 2008 AT 80K MILES I NOTICED THE HEATER WASN'T HEATING. CHECKED AF TO FIND IT WAS A GAL LOW. NO LEAKS DETECTED ANYWHERE AND NO SMOKING FROM EXHAUST. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO 3 GARAGES INCLUDING ONE AUTHORIZED GM DEALER, ALL DIAGNOSTIC TEST WERE NEGATIVE FOR CRACKED HEADS OR HEAD GASKETS. SUGGESTIVE OF PROBLEM BUT NOT DEFINITIVE. THE GM DEALER STARTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION STUDY D/T HAVING TO ADD 1 - 1.5 QUARTS OIL EVERY 1500 - 2000 MILES. IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP UNTIL JUNE 2009 WHEN WE EXPERIENCE SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING BUT NOT SMOKING. I CHANGED THE OIL AGAIN AND DROVE THE VEHICLE THE NEXT MORNING. MADE IT 25 MILES WHEN OIL PRESSURE DROPPED AGAIN AND ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. I ACTUALLY DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME UNDER FULL POWER BUT ALARMS GOING OFF AND NO OIL PRESSURE. I PULLED THE OIL PAN OFF AND FOUND THE ROD BEARINGS BURNED AND CRYSTALLIZED. NOW LOOKING AT NEW ENGINE. GM DENIES PROBLEM WITH THAT MODEL ENGINE AND REFUSES TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. JUST PRIOR TO EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE PROBLEMS WE DID HAVE TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ALL OF INSTANCES STARTED AROUND 80K MILES. *TR

REAR HEATER HOSE RUBBING ON THE FRAME OF VEHICLE CAUSED A FAILURE. *TR

THE COOLANT LEVEL IN THE RESERVOIR CONTINUED TO DROP, PROMPTING ME TO REFILL IT WEEKLY. SERVICE SHOP WORKED ON THIS ON AND OFF FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. AFTER SEVERAL ENGINE OVERHEATING SITUATIONS, WE TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT SHOP. TURNS OUT OUR HEADS ARE CRACKED. THEY WERE MANUFACTURED BY CASTECH AND ARE KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE ACCORDING TO GM BULLETIN #06-06-01-019B (DOCUMENT ID 1986750). THERE IS NOW SO MUCH ANTI-FREEZE IN OUR ENGINE THAT THE ENTIRE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE CORROSIVE NATURE OF THE FLUID. GM SAID THAT THEY WOULD PAY NOTHING TOWARDS OUR REPAIR. THE ENGINE ONLY HAS 91K MILES AND NOW NEEDS TOTAL REPLACEMENT B/C OF AN ISSUE THAT GM KNEW ABOUT SINCE 6/12/07 BUT NEVER CONTACTED US ABOUT. HAD THE REPLACED THE HEADS BACK IN 2007, WE MOST CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE FACING TOTAL MOTOR REPLACEMENT AT THIS TIME. *TR

MY 2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN JUST DIES WHILE DRIVING, I LOOSE POWER STEERING & MY BRAKES. IT HAS HAPPENED 2X IN 2 DAYS. IT PRESENTS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, FOR MYSELF & OTHER DRIVERS. WHEN A DIAGNOSTIC IS RUN IT IS NEGATIVE, NOTHING SHOWS UP. ALL OF THIS OUT OF NOWHERE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN PARK, AND WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. IT WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

OWNER OF A 2004 CHEVY TAHOE Z71 4X4 LAT AUGUST 2006 MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START AFTER AN OVERNIGHT STAY. SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2004, I HAD TO REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER. AFTER TOWING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, 5 TIMES I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD A BAD INTAKE MANIFOLD AND IT WAS CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO NOT START. THEY REPLACED IT. A FEW WEEKS LATER. ABOUT A MONTH LATER MY VEHICLE DID NOT START. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. 3 WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM EMERGED AGAIN, THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THAT MY BATTERY WAS BAD, THEY REPLACED IT. NOW THIS WEEKEND OF MARCH 10, THE SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS DEAD AND WILL NOT START. I AM VERY ANAL ABOUT TAKING MY VEHICLE FOR REGULAR CHECKUPS. WHY IS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE BUT THE DEALER CANNOT FIND OR FIX IT. I CANNOT RELY ON Y VEHICLE, I MAY GO TO WORK OR TO STORE ETC. EXPECT TO GET IN MY VEHICLE TO COME HOME OR EVEN ON VACATION. THE POINT IS THAT I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO START OR HALT ON ME. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER ALARM RINGS AND THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY LOSES POWER. THE POWER RETURNS AFTER THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. THE DEALERSHIP REWIRED THE VEHICLE, REPLACED THE MODULATOR, SENSOR AND RELAY. THESE ATTEMPTS HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE PROBLEM.