Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I experienced a sudden loss of engine power while travelling at highway speed. I am the original owner of a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 four wheel drive with the duramax diesel and allison transmission. On Sunday, October 4, 2015, shortly after a fuel stop, I was traveling on interstate 24 near paducah, ky. At approximately 65 MPH in the left lane with the cruise control set, I experienced a sudden loss of power accompanied by a loud engine rattling, and the check engine light came on. With some difficulty in heavy traffic, I was able to maneuver to the right shoulder of the road. I was able to drive the vehicle at about 25 MPH on the shoulder. Since I was just a few miles from the paducah exit, I limped there and into a hampton inn parking lot. Aaa responded and towed the truck to royal oaks Chevrolet in paducah. Since it was a Sunday, the service department was closed. …
When I got into the vehicle to start, the driver information center says "unknown driver". As a result of this condition, I cannot adjust mirrors, roll up windows, or get headlights to work. Also, the gauges for voltage, oil pressure, temperature, and fuel do not work. The radio does not work as well. Because of over engineering and faulty parts I cannot use this vehicle. I have already had the instrument cluster replaced as part of a recall. Many people have had this problem as searched, with no answer. General motors has failed to put in place safety systems or override functions to allow safe operation of the vehicle. GM is using computer controls which often fail to control important safety functions of the vehicle. I currently have the vehicle at the dealer and they have dismantled the bulk of the truck to diagnose the problem. …
Heater fan wiring harness overheats burns thru at connector between resistor and harness. Several wires in connector -the lead for full power to motor ( high speed setting) is supplied by 40 amp fuse. Wire is approx 16 gage with terminal connections subjected to long duty cycle with high amp load. Wire harness overheated causing fire in vehicle in oct 2005 ( 7,657 miles). Repaired under warranty. Repeat failure in aug 2010 ( 24,615 miles) on 2nd failure dealer stated happens all the time so he had parts dept keep ample supply of resistors and harnesses in inventory. Refused to repair under warranty. 2nd repair done by vehicle owner. Part numbers used in 1st repair by dealership were; connector 88953358 and resistor 89018596. 2nd repair by vehicle owner used delco parts #s - connector del15-81086, and resistor del pt2485. …
Many of the vehicles in this family suffer from random electrical shorts and or poor electrical grounding relating to the drive by wire throttle actuator. The result is that the vehicle will go into 'reduced engine power' mode randomly. In this mode the vehicle will idle but not accelerate or drive. This issue is well documented on message boards with no consistent fix. This condition exposes an extreme hazard as the vehicle can loose power at any time. This is a serious safety issue that should be investigated. I have had my vehicle loose power on the interstate and on high speed 2 lane roads with no shoulder and heavy traffic on 4 occasions. Numerous attempts to repair the issue have been unsuccessful.
As with many other posts here, I too have had problems with both the instrument cluster(bad speedometer and gauge readings, "electrical") and also the transfer case with holes wearing through the case, "pump slap". Everything I have researched has LED to issues in both problems. I have since replaced both problems but still nothing back from GM. What a shame that these and all other issues can't be addressed by GM. I have not yet had a problem with the brakes, yet, but I tell you, it will be looked into. These both have happened under normal driving conditions.
Check engine light came on and "low engine power" flashed where the odometer is. This caused the RPM's not to go over 2800. Code reader claims o2 sensors or throttle control module or catalytic convertor issues. We discovered it was none of the above. To fix problem change 3 relays located under hood in fuse box. Relay #8864. Then clear codes, should fix issue unless code persists. Relays will cause a fire if not changed out asap.
Driving on the interstate at 65-70 MPH truck shut off no power steering no brakes showing "reduced engine power" almost got into a wreck with my 2 year old son and 70 year old grandmother...I still owe $10,000 on this hunk of crap...it went away after a broken wire was fixed....but as I sit here in my truck at 3 am because I had to move it I started it up and once again reduced engine power...just so frustrating
Tl contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 hd. The contact stated that the heater electrical resistor, and connectors melted causing the heater blower to fail. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the connectors, and resistors. The manufacturer was contacted, but they will not assist with the repair. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 85,500.
Speedometer will change from a correct reading to a erroneous reading with no warning. If I turn on and off the vehicle, the speedometer will reset back 5 MPH each time I do this until rest to 0mph at a stand still. It will then correctly operate for varying amounts of time (50 - 500 miles) before it goes haywire again. GM acknowledges that this is a known problem and has a policy in place to repair at no cost if vehicle is 7 years old or less and less than 70,000 miles. My problem is that my vehicle is a 2004 with now 144,000 miles on it and GM will do nothing. Initially I contacted them on my own and was declined. After I sent a letter to the attorney general's office in mn, GM contacted me and for a second time denied helping correct this problem. I'm contacting you at the direction of the mn attorney generals office. …
Taking my son to school and while driving past the high school, I noticed my speedometer was showing me driving over 70 MPH. Concerned that I was traveling too fast and worried about getting a ticket, I slowed very drasticly to slow down to the posted (during school hours speed limit), causing a near traffic accident from vehicle behind me. Mean while, young high school student were distracted while crossing the road because of my abrupt speed change. After slowing down, I notice that while almost stopped, my speedometer was continuing to show speeds over 50mph. This all happened with my milage showing around 85,000 miles. The next day, I recieve a notice from GM saying that the vehicle May experiance speedometer problems and that GM will repair the problem with vehicles less than 70.000 miles. …
Electrical complaints in other Silverado 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
NHTSA has 105 complaints about the electrical system of the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 29% of the model year's 368 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (57 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 6 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.