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Chevrolet Express 3500Model year report

2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 Problems

Complaints
16filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
63,222miles, 14 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500. The part named most often is brakes, with 5 complaints (31% of the total), followed by fuel system (4) and steering (4). 14 of the complaints include a mileage, and 36% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 63,222 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 91 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part. Fuel system complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Brakes: “The brakes on my 2004 chevy EXPRESS 3500 activate without warning, stopping the vehicle in traffic. A warning light indicated a failure of the stability control system. Fault code c0196 was recorded. My dealer replaced the electronic brake control module, but the problem continues to occur. I was almost rear-ended when the vehicle stopped without warning in traffic.”

NHTSA complaint #10275040, filed 2009-06, 50,000 miles

Fuel system: “Gasoline and gasoline vapor was escaping from the fuel filler pipe leading to the fuel tank on a 2004 chevy express van 3500 series. The filer pipe was rusted through. There was a seam on the pipe where the rust through occurred. Gasoline was dripping from this hole during gasoline fill up and vapors were entering the passenger compartment. We had it replaced by a certified mechanic because it was a potentially explosive situation, according to the mechanic. This was reported to GM. There was no recall on this part, so GM refused to pay for the cost of the replacement part and labor. …”

NHTSA complaint #10463960, filed 2012-07, 170,000 miles

Steering: “On june 08, 2013 my husband had parked the van along side the road - he was out of it working. The vehicle was not running - when a coworker noticed smoke coming from the van. The coworker ran over to the van and seen that the fire was in the steering column. Within minutes the entire van was on fire. My concern is that this van had been having issues with something security. All of the gauges would shut down and it would display security on the dash. I personally had contacted our local chevy dealer to inquire about this problem and how to take care of it. …”

NHTSA complaint #10524779, filed 2013-07, 200,000 miles

Body and structure: “The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet EXPRESS 3500. The contact stated that the passenger and driver side door hinges were fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10594475, filed 2014-05, 25,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

36% of the 14 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 39,000 and 128,000 miles.

7%0–100%10–2529%25–5021%50–750%75–10029%100–15014%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (14 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 63,222 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

20062007320082009201220133201420152016
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 91 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 91 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Express 3500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20125150,0000—12—Not enough data
2009959,7472———Not enough data
20081181,0001———Not enough data
20071188,4111———Not enough data
2006158,0001———Stable
20051776,0000———Stable
20041663,2220———Stable
20031272,5150———Not enough data
20011145,3860———Not enough data

All Chevrolet Express 3500 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 have?

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 5 complaints (31% of the total), followed by fuel system with 4.

Has the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Chevrolet Express 3500 reported?

Among the 14 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 63,222 miles and the middle half falls between 39,000 and 128,000 miles; 36% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.