2004 Chevrolet Suburban

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

2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. CONSUMER STATES UNSATISFACTORY TRANSACTION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE SPARE TIRE ON HIS VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS STORED UNDER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON A CABLE LOWERING MECHANISM. THE TIRE WOULD LOWER ONLY FOUR INCHES BECAUSE OF A SECONDARY LATCH SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO BE RELEASED ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE CONSUMER SPENT HOURS OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD OF TIME, TRYING TO GET THE TIRE LOWERED TO THE GROUND. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM RELEASE IT. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT LOWER IT EITHER. THEY REMOVED THE ENTIRE MECHANISM AND THE TIRE AND AT THE CONSUMERS REQUEST THEY PUT IT IN THE CARGO AREA. THE CONSUMER STATED HIS CONCERN WAS THAT THE SYSTEM WAS IMPROPERLY DESIGNED. IT WAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RUST AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHICH COULD ALLOW IT TO MALFUNCTION. *JB

IN RESEARCHING ONLINE I'VE NOTICED THIS ON MANY DIFFERENT CHEVY 2004 MODELS. THE TACHOMETER, FUEL GAGE, AND SPEEDOMETER ARE WHAT I NOTICED PROBLEMS WITH AND WHAT OTHERS HAVE SEEN PROBLEMS WITH THOUGH THE SPEEDOMETER IS THE MOST PREVALENTLY NOTICED ITEM. THE GAUGE MOTORS ARE NOT STEPPING BACK DOWN WHEN RPMS, SPEED, OR FUEL LEVELS DROP THUS LEADING DRIVERS TO RESPOND IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WAYS. IN MY OWN CASE I ALMOST CAUSED A PILE UP WHEN I THOUGHT I HAD LOST MY SENSES AND APPLIED MY BRAKES A LITTLE HARDER THAN I SHOULD HAVE, ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND CERTAINLY AGITATED THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME WHEN THEY ALMOST HIT MY VEHICLE. I DON'T TYPICALLY GET THIS PROBLEM AS I TYPICALLY DRIVE LESS THAN 10 MILES A DAY. WHEN I DO HAVE TO DRIVE MORE THAN 60 MILES I TEND TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED TO BE MORE PREVALENT IN COLD CONDITIONS WHICH FITS WITH THE EXPLANATION I HAVE HAD THAT IT IS THE HOUSING OF THE GEAR MOTORS BREAKING DOWN AND JAMMING THE GAUGE GEARS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC USED IN THE HOUSING OF THE GEAR MAGNETS; "THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THE PLASTIC MATERIAL THAT HOLDS THE PERMANENT MAGNET FOR THE ROTOR OF THE STEPPER MOTOR." NOW THAT I AM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE ASKED AROUND ABOUT FIXES I HAVE TO STOP THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY AND TURN IT OFF. FROM THERE I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY ENOUGH TO BRING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MOMENTARILY ON AND THEN BACK OFF. IT STEPS THE TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, AND FUEL GAUGE BACK DOWN, (BIT BY BIT WITH EACH TURN OF THE KEY) WHICHEVER IS HAVING THE PROBLEM. THIS SOLUTION HAS BEEN REPORTED TO STOP WORKING AS THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST ESTIMATE OF OVER $450 FROM A PRIVATE SHOP AND AT OVER $800 FROM THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP. A GPS FOR SPEED AND A LOG BOOK W/ CALCULATOR CAN GET TWO OF THE THREE SOLVED FOR ME AT A PRICE OF LESS THAN $200; IT'S JUST NOT SAFE TO BE WRITING LOG BOOK ENTRIES WHILE I'M DRIVING. *TR

TERRIBLE KNOCKING IN TURNING STEERING WHEEL--REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY--STATES SHAFT, INTERMEDIATE REPLACE-MILEAGE WAS 35K NOW AT 55K SAME PROBLEM ONLY LOUDER AND WHEEL SEEMS LOOSE--CALLED DEALER--NEEDS TO REPLACE SHAFT AGAIN FOR A COST OF $300--I DRIVE MY GRANDCHILDREN TO SCHOOL AND TAKE LONG TRIPS--DEALER SAID CAR IS SAFE-I AM ABOUT TO MAKE ALONG TRIP AND CANNOT GET THE CAR SERVICED UNTIL MY RETURN IN A WEEK--THIS IS WORRISOME WHEN I FEEL I COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR IF SOMETHING SHOULD BREAK-WHY WOULD A SECOND DRIVE SHAFT BE FAULTY AS WAS THE FIRST. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND MY DEALER SAYS IT IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF 2004 SUBURBANS AND THEY EXPECT A RECALL. *TR

WITHIN ONE MONTH OF VEHICLE PURCHASE CONSUMER BEGAN TO HEAR A LOUD PITCH SCREECHING NOISE ANY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. NOISE CAN BE HEARD BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AT SOME DISTANCE FROM VEHICLE. NOISE HAS PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED OVER YEAR PERIOD AND OCCASIONALLY OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION WITH AIR CONDITIONER ON. *JB