← New search

2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Silverado 2500 years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 81.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

336 reports with mileage · 32 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 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 99 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports10 fire reports8 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

99 reports
Clear category filter
100,000 miles · Sep 20, 2012
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LEAK UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT LATER NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING AND NOTICED THAT THE HYDR…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LEAK UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT LATER NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING AND NOTICED THAT THE HYDRO BOOST UNIT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V043000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10476580

62,000 miles · Sep 17, 2012
Service Brakes

TRIED TO STOP PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR . UPON INSPECTION MULTIPLE BRAKE LINE FAILURES HAD OCCURRED. *TR *JS

NHTSA ODI #10475731

120,000 miles · Sep 14, 2012
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAULING A TRAILER AT 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AS THEY WERE DEPRESSED. THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP BEFORE ALL OF THE BRAKE FLUID SPILLED OUT. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAULING A TRAILER AT 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AS THEY WERE DEPRESSED. THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP BEFORE ALL OF THE BRAKE FLUID SPILLED OUT. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #10475432

40,000 miles · Aug 20, 2012
Service Brakes

WHILE STOPPING FOR TRAFFIC, BRAKE PEDAL ON MY FATHER'S TRUCK WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. LIMPED THE TRUCK HOME USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. ONCE HOME, NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING UNDER TRUCK. UPON INSPECTION, DISCOVERED BRAKE LINE FROM ABS MODULE TO PS FRONT WHEEL WAS ROTT…

Read full complaint

WHILE STOPPING FOR TRAFFIC, BRAKE PEDAL ON MY FATHER'S TRUCK WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. LIMPED THE TRUCK HOME USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. ONCE HOME, NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING UNDER TRUCK. UPON INSPECTION, DISCOVERED BRAKE LINE FROM ABS MODULE TO PS FRONT WHEEL WAS ROTTED THROUGH. NOTICED OTHER BRAKES LINES HAD SIGNIFICANT SURFACE RUST. REPAIRED LINE THAT RUPTURED. ON 08/19/2012 WHILE SLOWING FOR AN INTERSECTION THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AGAIN. LIMPED IT HOME AGAIN AND DISCOVERED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING UNDER TWO AREAS OF THE TRUCK. LINE THAT GOES FROM ABS MODULE TO REAR AXLE IS ROTTED THROUGH AND ANOTHER LINE FROM ABS MODULE TO FRONT AXLE IS ROTTED THROUGH. ALL THE METAL BRAKE LINES ALONG THE FRAME HAVE SEVERE RUST ON THEM. WILL NEED TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE HARD LINES FOR TRUCK TO BE SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10471619

107,138 miles · Jun 29, 2012
Service Brakes

WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED IN A VERY CONGESTED AREA, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY GOT VERY SOFT AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. BRAKING BECAME EXTREMELY LIMITED. WITH THE DRIVERS WINDOW OPEN THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BRAKE FLUID. IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED 5 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEED IT WOULD HAVE CERTAI…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED IN A VERY CONGESTED AREA, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY GOT VERY SOFT AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. BRAKING BECAME EXTREMELY LIMITED. WITH THE DRIVERS WINDOW OPEN THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BRAKE FLUID. IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED 5 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEED IT WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. ONCE STOPPED, A TRAIL OF BRAKE FLUID WAS APPARENT AND A PUDDLE HAD FORMED ON THE GROUND UNDER WHERE THE DRIVER SITS. CLOSER INSPECTION SHOWED ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES THAT RUNS FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER ON THE FIREWALL TO THE ABS CONTROL UNIT MOUNTED TO THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME RAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD RUPTURED. THIS BRAKE LINE, AS WELL AS THE ADJACENT LINE TO THE ABS CONTROLLER, AND THE LINE FROM THE ABS CONTROLLER TO THE REAR AXLE SHOWED SIGNS OF SEVERE CORROSION. THE SURFACE WAS RED AND LARGE CHUNKS OF CORRODED BRAKE LINE MATERIAL WERE FALLING OFF. THE ABS CONTROLLER, FUEL LINES IN THE AREA, AND THE FRAME RAIL ITSELF SHOWED VERY LIMITED SIGNS OF CORROSION TYPICAL OF A 7 YEAR OLD VEHICLE IN A SALT BELT STATE. 8 MONTHS PRIOR THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED AND A REPORT WAS SUBMITTED STATING THE BRAKE LINES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10463607

55,270 miles · Jun 29, 2012
Service Brakes

I WAS DRIVING ON SECONDARY ROAD DOING APPROX 30 MPH, WITH 2 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. THE FIRST VEHICLE HIT BRAKES TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT, 2ND VEHICLE APPLIED BRAKES , I APPLIED BRAKES IN MY TRUCK AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, ( A MINIVAN WITH A WOMAN DRIVING AND …

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING ON SECONDARY ROAD DOING APPROX 30 MPH, WITH 2 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. THE FIRST VEHICLE HIT BRAKES TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT, 2ND VEHICLE APPLIED BRAKES , I APPLIED BRAKES IN MY TRUCK AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, ( A MINIVAN WITH A WOMAN DRIVING AND 2 OR 3 CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEATS) I WAS APPROX ONE MILE FROM HOME AND WAS ABLE TO GET TO MY DRIVEWAY BY USING LOW GEAR AND I HAD MINIMAL BRAKING WITH PEDAL GOING ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. CHECKED IT IN MY DRIVEWAY AND FOUND BRAKE LINE HAD BURST DUE TO CORROSION OF STEEL BRAKE LINES. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 55, 271 MILES AND IS 8 YRS OLD . FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH CHEVY TRUCKS FOR YEARS. CHEVROLET AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM GAVE ME THE RUNAROUND AND ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY THAT I PAID $2,000 FOR.! WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS MATTER, I WOULD THINK THE NHTSB WOULD FORCE GM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE ISSUES AS I AM SURE THERE MUST HAVE BEEN MANY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM, AND, I MIGHT ADD HOW MANY FATALITIES???. DEALER SERVICE MGR. TOLD ME THEY PUT CHEAP LINES IN TO KEEP COSTS DOWN SO PEOPLE WILL BUY THEM. HECK OF A GREAT ANSWER FOR SOMETHING THAT BRAND NEW IS APPROX $50,000 . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10463513

29,975 miles · Jun 10, 2012
Service Brakes

STARTED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY. STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, SHIFTED BACK TO PARK. SHUT OFF ENGINE. LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND SAW BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER VEHICLE UNDERCARRIAGE AND ON DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE IS ONLY 8 YEARS AND HAS LESS THAN 30K MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10461127

149,016 miles · May 24, 2012
Service Brakes

DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE ON MY WIFE'S 2003 CHEVY 2500 HD SILVERADO CAUSED BY CORRODED BRAKE LINES, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WISE TO HAVE THE BRAKE LINES ON MY 2004 CHEVY 2500 HD SILVERADO CHECKED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES BY FITZGERALD AUTO IN FREDERICK, MD (WHERE I BOUGHT MY TRUCK, AND WHERE MY WIFE'S TRUCK HAD JUST HAD ITS…

Read full complaint

DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE ON MY WIFE'S 2003 CHEVY 2500 HD SILVERADO CAUSED BY CORRODED BRAKE LINES, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WISE TO HAVE THE BRAKE LINES ON MY 2004 CHEVY 2500 HD SILVERADO CHECKED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES BY FITZGERALD AUTO IN FREDERICK, MD (WHERE I BOUGHT MY TRUCK, AND WHERE MY WIFE'S TRUCK HAD JUST HAD ITS BRAKE LINES REPLACED), THE BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. SOME AREAS OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THEY WERE FLAKING OFF. I WAS INFORMED BY THE TECHNICIAN AND THE SERVICE ADVISER THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE LINES IS IMMINENT. AND WHILE IT WAS ALREADY CLEAR TO ME FROM THE VISUAL INSPECTION, THEY BOTH BELIEVED REPLACING THE BRAKE LINES NOW WAS NECESSARY TO AVOID BRAKE FAILURE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE TOTAL COST FOR MY TRUCK'S REPAIR WAS $1408.95. THIS IS AN 8 YEAR OLD VEHICLE, AND THE BRAKE LINES SHOULD NOT BE IN SUCH BAD CONDITION IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. I HAVE INSPECTED MY NEIGHBOR'S 2004 FORD F250 AND HIS BRAKE LINES LOOK BRAND NEW (THOUGH THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES). I HAVE INSPECTED A 2007 CHEVY AVALANCHE, AND THAT VEHICLES BRAKE LINES LOOK BRAND NEW (THOUGH THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES). WHATEVER MATERIAL WAS USED ON MY (AND MY WIFE'S) MODEL YEAR TRUCK(S), IT WAS SUBSTANDARD, AND CAUSES A HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10459577

60,000 miles · May 18, 2012
Service Brakes

WHILE PULLING UP TO A DRIVE UP WINDOW AT A FOOD STORE, THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I HEARD THE PRESSURE RELEASING UNDERNEATH. DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT SIDE BRAKE LINE FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS MODULE HAD BURST FROM RUSTING THROUGH. THERE IS HEAVY RUST ON SECTIONS OF ALL OF THE LINES. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY G…

Read full complaint

WHILE PULLING UP TO A DRIVE UP WINDOW AT A FOOD STORE, THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I HEARD THE PRESSURE RELEASING UNDERNEATH. DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT SIDE BRAKE LINE FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS MODULE HAD BURST FROM RUSTING THROUGH. THERE IS HEAVY RUST ON SECTIONS OF ALL OF THE LINES. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY GOING VERY SLOWLY WHEN IS BURST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10458899

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.