2004 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about corroded steel brake lines that let the pedal go to the floor, and about instrument cluster faults where the speedometer reads wildly wrong or quits. Both tend to show up on trucks that are driven regularly rather than at any single mileage, and many complaints describe the brake problem appearing with no warning lamp beforehand. Steering column knock, stalling, and engine head or gasket leaks round out the recurring themes.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Rusted-through brake lines / pedal to the floor

   • 71 complaints (33%)
   • median 64,985 mi at 9.2 yrs old (62 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $850 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2020

   Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking to the floor with little or no braking, often followed by finding brake fluid pooling under the driver's side and steel lines that are heavily rusted, flaking, or burst. Owners say the problem turned up with no warning light and sometimes at low speed in a driveway or parking lot, while others report it at highway speed. Repairs described include replacing the rusted hard lines, and some owners say they were told there were no related recalls. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 30,000 to over 140,000 miles, and several complaints mention vehicles kept in rust-belt states.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the steel brake lines inspected along their full length, especially above the rear axle and under the driver's door, for rust, bubbling, or damp spots. Ask for service records showing the lines were replaced rather than patched, and check the fluid level and pedal feel before driving.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brakes failed without warning and vehicle would not stop. Pulling into car wash and when brakes were applied the pedal went to the floor and the truck went out the other side of the car wash. Could have been very dangerous as I pull an equipment trailer with 7000 pounds on it and it would have been impossible to stop. I will never own a GM product again. This is unacceptable.”

   NHTSA complaint #10595995, filed 2014-06, 214,000 miles

   “Driving into the village, had to stop for someone making a left turn, and the brake pedal went to the floor. Complete braking failure. No accident, I was able to pull off to the right, but real scary, my son was with me. Got the truck home and now all the brake fluid ran down the drive way. Looks like GM went cheap again, the brake lines are horribly rusted and the fluid is leaking from an area just under the drivers seat.”

   NHTSA complaint #10633054, filed 2014-09, 42,397 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Speedometer and instrument cluster faults

   • 73 complaints (34%)
   • median 50,390 mi at 3.8 yrs old (66 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $525 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2018

   Owners describe the speedometer sticking at a fixed reading, sweeping to 120 mph while parked, reading far below actual speed, or quitting entirely, sometimes along with the odometer and temperature gauge. Several complaints say the dealer acknowledged many similar cases but treated it as out of warranty, with quoted repairs in the range of a few hundred dollars for the cluster or its stepper motors. A few owners also mention an intermittent instrument panel failure while driving. Commonly reported between roughly 30,000 and 70,000 miles, with some cases appearing past 100,000 miles.

   6 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the truck and watch the speedometer needle at rest, then compare indicated speed against a phone GPS on a short drive. Ask whether the cluster has been repaired or replaced, and confirm the odometer reading is consistent with service records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My speedometer on my 2004 Gmc sierra has become erratic. Sometimes it is zero even if the vehicle is moving. Sometimes it registers 120 MPH sitting still. It is very difficult to judge speed in school zones. No know events LED to the failure. The repair bill will be about $500 I am told.”

   NHTSA complaint #10172752, filed 2006-11, 41,800 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10207108, filed 2007-10, 47,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalling and head gasket or cracked head leaks

   • 13 complaints (6%)
   • median 79,520 mi at 8.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2018

   Several complaints describe the engine stalling or shutting off at any speed, on both highway and city roads. Others report coolant mixing with the oil from a leaking head gasket or a cracked cylinder head casting, with mechanics replacing heads and gaskets; owners say the manufacturer declined assistance. A separate complaint notes a heater core leak leaving the passenger carpet wet and no heat. Reported from about 78,000 to 130,000 miles in the engine-related complaints, with stalling noted past 120,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the coolant reservoir and oil dipstick for mixing or a milky appearance, look for coolant residue around the head and heater core, and ask about any head gasket work. Note any rough idle or extended crank when starting.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Cracked cylinder heads, also known as castech head casting #706 these heads crack on the engine cause antifreeze to mix with the oil and destroy the engine, I have contacted GM and they will do nothing for me, even though there has been lawsuits and its a very well known problem with the vortec 4.8 and 5.3l GM engine.”

   NHTSA complaint #10558592, filed 2014-01, 112,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2004 Gmc SIERRA 1500. The contact stated the head gasket leaks radiator fluid into the motor. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic that diagnosed that the engine head needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. The VIN was not available.”

   NHTSA complaint #10937654, filed 2016-12, 13,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Steering column clunk or knock

   • 26 complaints (12%)
   • median 31,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (21 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2021

   Complaints describe a clunk or rattle felt and heard through the steering wheel, often at low speed or while turning, traced by dealers to the intermediate steering shaft or upper column. Owners report that greasing or lubricating the shaft quiets it temporarily and that the noise returns, with some having the shaft or column bearing replaced more than once. Often noted from around 20,000 miles upward, with several owners reporting repeat occurrences after 50,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Turn the wheel slowly while parked and at low speed with the hood open, listening for a clunk or feeling for play in the wheel. Ask whether the intermediate shaft has been greased or replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “7-11-2005 replaced intermediate shaft at 13620 miles, 9-26-2007 52271 replaced intermediate shaft, 59639 replaced right inner tie rod and rack-rack gear leaking, 59993 replaced lower bearing steering column, 71159 replaced rack-rack seal rupture, 82910 replaced intermediate shaft-steering shaft-and lower bearing column. There's either something wrong with there parts or they way they build there vehicles. I've owned several GM vehicles and this is the first time I've have multiple problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #10339529, filed 2010-06, 13,620 miles

   “Knocking in the steering shaft assembly began at 20,000 miles. Steering shaft has to be greased by service center every 10k miles to prevent knocking. Speedometer, odometer, and engine temperature gauges stopped working. Speedometer used to register max MPH when doing 70mph then stopped working at all.”

   NHTSA complaint #10361348, filed 2010-10, 65,000 miles

Buying note. On this model year, budget for an inspection of the steel brake lines and the instrument cluster before purchase, since both are cited repeatedly in owner complaints and are relatively expensive if neglected. Confirm what has already been repaired and keep service records for the brake lines and speedometer.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.