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 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
In June 2006 the truck was taken to pinkerton Chevrolet because of a hot wire smell. The dealership said they could not duplicate the smell. An oil change was done at the same time. Approximately 7 weeks later the truck shut off. My husband attempted to restart the truck to no avail. He left the truck in the off position and went for help. He returned 20 minutes later to find that the truck caught on fire in the cab. The dome light was on but the doors were shut. The dealership says they think rats got into the engine but there was no fire in the engine only in the cab. The truck is moved everyday. We have two other trucks and a camper that is stationary all the time and they have no rat nests in them. We have no tall grass around our house or in our yard. The truck sat at the dealership in the tall grass for a week before it was even looked at after the incident. …
On aug 13, 2008 at approx midnight our truck which was parked in our driveway started on fire. It did damage to the engine and we believe it started with the glow plug relay switch or something electric covered by power train warranty. Today is sept 13th and we just received a ltr from GM that they are not taking any responsibility. We are frustrated and the truck is damaged and we do not believe we will be made whole as the insurance wants to total and pay only the market value which is much less than blue book. We are without a vehicle and GM has been less than reluctant to respond to calls, etc. The truck has been sitting at dealer for a month waiting for someone from GM to inspect to validate fire dept report and accept responsibility. I am disgusted with their customer service and the fact that you cannot talk to anyone with authority. …
Dt: the consumer stated that the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado caught on fire and burned. The driver's seat compartment was where the most damage was done. The truck had been parked for thirty minutes. There were no problems that the consumer was aware off that would have caused the fire. The driver seat, dash, and door were completely consumed by fire. The insurance company has totaled the truck. The driver had left the driver side door window rolled down when he parked the truck. When the consumer found the truck on fire the window was rolled up. The fire department was not called because the consumer was able to put the fire out. An insurance report was taken. The insurance adjuster took pictures of the truck. The consumer called GM and reported the fire. The consumer filed a complaint with GM. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the driver seat. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ECM box was damaged and needed replacement. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact also stated that the same failure occurred in December of 2015. The approximate failure mileage was 78,344.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the inside of the vehicle emitted smoke and the contact smelled burning wires. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
The connector to the fan blower motor resistor burned up and melted on my 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The technician that worked on this vehicle said that the connector shorted out, causing the resistor plug to burn up. He also stated that this was common in certain GM vehicles. Chevrolet said there was no problem.
Speedometer failure. Took the truck to the Chevrolet repair center to be told that the warranty will not cover and the price they are asking is outrageous. The defect is known to the repair man there for I was informed that they were having it very frequently, therefore it ias a manufactures defect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that the instrument panel would not illuminate at night to display pertinent information, such as the speedometer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 277,638.
Instrument cluster panel gauges work sporadic, or not at all. Speedometer reads over 120 MPH all the time, and gas gauge does not work at all. I have not repaired them yet because of cost ($500+ labor and programming fees).
Instrument panel/cluster is no longer functioning. Speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure gauge and so on are erratic and giving false readings. Dealer is not willing to assist. Please advise, rc, esquire.
Electrical complaints in other Silverado years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado?
NHTSA has 159 complaints about the electrical system of the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, 26% of the model year's 622 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (100 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Chevrolet Silverado electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, though it has 8 recalls for other components. 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 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 49,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 7 fires and 3 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.