no report yet
Engine and engine cooling
Risk. IF THE DAMPER COMES LOOSE, A FUEL LEAK MAY RESULT.
2004 GMC SierraProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 188 owner complaints about the 2004 GMC Sierra, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 7 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 5, 2016. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 GMC Sierra has problems
188 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
44Service brakes2 crash/fire/injury
39Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
28Service brakes, hydraulic3 crash/fire/injury
18Power train3 crash/fire/injury
14Steering
9Structure
8Vehicle speed control
7Visibility
5Air bags
3916 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 44 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 39 | 2 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 28 | 3 |
| Power train | 18 | 3 |
| Steering | 14 | 0 |
| Structure | 9 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 1 |
| Visibility | 7 | 0 |
| Air bags | 5 | 4 |
| 16 other systems | 39 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
7 recalls
2004 GMC Sierra recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Parking brake
Risk. IF THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD, UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
no report yet
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk. A LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ROUTING THAT IS NOT LOW AND SNUG ON THE HIPS CAN ALLOW THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON AN OCCUPANT'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW…
no report yet
Service brakes, hydraulic
Risk. IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WERE OPEN, FRAGMENTS FROM THE ACCUMULATOR COULD CAUSE INJURY TO PEOPLE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
Show 3 more recalls
no report yet
Front: anchorage
Risk. THE STANDARD REQUIRES CHILD SEAT LOWER ANCHORAGES IN TWO SEATING POSITIONS FOR VEHICLES WITH THREE REAR SEATING POSITIONS.
no report yet
Tailgate: hinge and attachments
Risk. ANYONE SITTING OR STANDING ON THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE OF THE TAILGATE WHEN BOTH CABLES FRACTURED COULD BE INJURED BY FALLING FROM THE TAILGATE.
no report yet
Service brakes, hydraulic
Risk. CONSEQUENTLY, THE VALVE O-RING SEAL MAY FRACTURE.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with GMC.
Mileage at failure
When do service brakes problems start?
90kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 44 service brakes complaints. 64% were reported before 100,000 miles.
0under 30k miles28under 100k miles16100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other Sierra year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sierra median. How we score
'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2004 GMC Sierra safety ratings
2004 GMC Sierra Regular Cab in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 4 stars (18.5% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Sierra owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I HAVE A 2004 GMC SIERRA AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY AIRBAG LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AND THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE SENSOR AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO MORE IN DEPTH ON THE ABS BUT TO GO MORE IN DEPTH THEY CHARGE $80.00 AN HOUR JUST TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE IT…
RUSTED OUT/ CORRODED BRAKE LINES BURST WHILE STOPPING FOR A DEER RUNNING OUT ON THE ROAD. WAS WARNED OF THIS PROBLEM UPON PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IN 2010 AND PERSONALLY COATED ALL BRAKE LINES B4 WINTER EVERY YEAR...NEVER SAW WORSE LINES! I OWN CLASSIC CARS THAT ARE TWICE AS OLD WITH SHINEY ORIGINAL…
I EXPERIENCED A BRAKE LINE FAILURE ON MY 2004 GMC SIERRA CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCK. I WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED AND COMING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE REAR EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I FOUND THE AREA AROUND THE…
Own a 2004 Sierra?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.