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2004 GMC Sierra 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 181.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

186 reports with mileage · 26 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 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

212 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2007
Tires

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT SPEED LIMIT OF 75 MPH ON RURAL FREEWAY WHEN RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AND BLEW. THERE WAS NOTHING THE DRIVER HIT OR RAN OVER. IT JUST BLEW OUT ALMOST CAUSING A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10207856

47,000 miles · Oct 28, 2007
Electrical SystemSteering

I HAVE A 2004 Z71 SIERRA TRUCK WITH A 5.3 ENGINE THAT HAS A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. IT READS 120MPH ALL OF THE TIME AND THEY HAVE QUOTED ME AROUND $550 TO FIX. I ALSO HAVE A CLUNK IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED ONCE BY WARRANTY BUT IT HAS RETURNED AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10207108

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2007
Steering

WHINE AND CLUNKING SOUNDS IN THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEN STEERING, PARTICULARLY IN A LEFT TURN. ONE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS GREASE PROBLEM. NO WORD FROM GMC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10205945

10,000 miles · Oct 17, 2007
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WRONG LUBRICATING GREASE WAS APPLIED TO THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY REPLACED THE GREASE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO YEARS LATER. AS OF OCTOBER 17, 2007, THE DEALER H…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WRONG LUBRICATING GREASE WAS APPLIED TO THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY REPLACED THE GREASE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO YEARS LATER. AS OF OCTOBER 17, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

NHTSA ODI #10205940

62,000 miles · Oct 10, 2007
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP, THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUED TO DISPLAY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH. AFTER RESUMING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED 75 MPH. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE SPEEDOMETER WENT FROM 70 - 14…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP, THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUED TO DISPLAY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH. AFTER RESUMING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED 75 MPH. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE SPEEDOMETER WENT FROM 70 - 140 MPH BEFORE HE RESUMED DRIVING. THE SPEEDOMETER REMAINED THERE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND HAS NOT CHANGED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000.

NHTSA ODI #10205355

Mileage unknown · Sep 14, 2007
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10203035

60,000 miles · Sep 10, 2007
Electrical System

I HAVE HAD TWO OCCURRENCES WHERE THE SPEEDOMETER STICKS AND/OR REGISTERS SPEEDS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS BEING DRIVEN. IN THE LATEST INSTANCE, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE IT STARTED FLUCTUATING TO WHERE IT WAS REGISTERING 120 MPH. WHEN I STOPPED AT A TRUCK STOP AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF IT WAS STILL REGISTERING 40 MPH. T…

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I HAVE HAD TWO OCCURRENCES WHERE THE SPEEDOMETER STICKS AND/OR REGISTERS SPEEDS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS BEING DRIVEN. IN THE LATEST INSTANCE, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE IT STARTED FLUCTUATING TO WHERE IT WAS REGISTERING 120 MPH. WHEN I STOPPED AT A TRUCK STOP AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF IT WAS STILL REGISTERING 40 MPH. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN. I THOUGHT POSSIBLY THE RAIN MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT IF MOISTURE HAD GOTTEN IN TO THE ELECTRONICS SOMEWHERE. AFTER A FEW DAYS IT STARTED WORKING NORMALLY AGAIN UNTIL LAST NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10202426

41,600 miles · Aug 19, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

REDUCED ENGINE POWER, THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 7 TIMES. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN TO 1500 RPMS MAXIMUM. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY VALVE AND ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. THIS PART WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $481. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TWICE MORE. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN T…

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REDUCED ENGINE POWER, THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 7 TIMES. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN TO 1500 RPMS MAXIMUM. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY VALVE AND ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. THIS PART WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $481. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TWICE MORE. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN TRAVELING IN TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10200046

46,000 miles · Aug 9, 2007
Electrical System

MY 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500 HAS ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONS. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ON A TRIP WITH MY SPEEDOMETER READING 65 MPH AND ALL THE TRAFFIC OF A 4 LANE EXPRESSWAY WAS PASSING ME. I THEN REALIZED MY PORTABLE GPS UNIT WAS READING A MUCH SLOWER SPEED. SPEEDING UP TO THE GAPS READING MY TRUCK SPEEDOMETER REGISTERED 110 M…

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MY 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500 HAS ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONS. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ON A TRIP WITH MY SPEEDOMETER READING 65 MPH AND ALL THE TRAFFIC OF A 4 LANE EXPRESSWAY WAS PASSING ME. I THEN REALIZED MY PORTABLE GPS UNIT WAS READING A MUCH SLOWER SPEED. SPEEDING UP TO THE GAPS READING MY TRUCK SPEEDOMETER REGISTERED 110 MPH. AT TIMES THE READINGS ARE REVERSED. AND AT OTHER TIMES THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I?VE DISCOVERED GM HAS USED FAULTY ?CLUSTER STEPPER MOTORS? AND MANY CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM AND GM KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY THERE HAVEN?T BEEN ANY REPORTED DEATHS YET DUE TO THE PROBLEM ONE WOULD HOPE THAT A RECALL WOULD RESULT BEFORE THERE ARE FATALITIES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10198948

44,000 miles · Aug 7, 2007
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING AT TIMES, GETS STUCK AROUND 70MPH WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES AT OTHER SPEEDS. WHEN THE TRUCK IS TURNED OFF IT DOES NOT GO TO ZERO INSTEAD IT GOES TO 20-40MPH AND THEN I GUESS IT THINKS THAT'S WHERE ZERO STARTS. TRUCK ONLY HAD 42,000 MILES WHEN THESE PROBLEMS STARTED AND IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. THE TR…

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SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING AT TIMES, GETS STUCK AROUND 70MPH WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES AT OTHER SPEEDS. WHEN THE TRUCK IS TURNED OFF IT DOES NOT GO TO ZERO INSTEAD IT GOES TO 20-40MPH AND THEN I GUESS IT THINKS THAT'S WHERE ZERO STARTS. TRUCK ONLY HAD 42,000 MILES WHEN THESE PROBLEMS STARTED AND IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. THE TRUCK IS A 2004 GMC SIERRA Z71 ALMOST NEW. SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST I'M GOING WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10198799

Official recalls

2

04V562000 · Equipment Adaptive/mobility

Nov 26, 2004

ON CERTAIN VANS EQUIPPED WITH SURE-LOK WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT SYSTEMS, THE SPROCKET TEETH OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO A WHEELCHAIR OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT RETRACTORS AS NECESSARY. SURE-LOK WILL HANDLE THE REPAIRS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SURE-LOCK AT 1-908-231-1804 OR MOBILITYWORKS AT 1-800-769-8267.

04V240000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire

May 17, 2004

THE SPARE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS PROVIDED ON CERTAIN CONVERSION VEHICLES WILL NOT FIT ON THE FRONT WHEEL HUB DUE TO OFFSET OF THE WHEEL. HOWEVER, IT WILL FIT ON THE REAR WHEELS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF SOMEONE HAS A FLAT TIRE ON THE FRONT WHEEL, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO INSTALL THE PROVIDED SPARE TIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPARE WHEEL WITH THE CORRECT OFFSET. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT REGENCY AT 1-800-989-4727.

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.