Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
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).
2004 Chevrolet Silverado stalled, and died, the engine warning light came on, and the message center on the dash read " reduced engine power". The truck would not restart and steering and braking was limited. The consumer pulled off the road and checked under the hood for signs of failure, none were found. The vehicle as restarted but it had no power, idled roughly and would go no faster than 3-5 MPH. This problem recurred two more times. The problem was diagnosed at the dealer with a throttle actuator code, the throttle was replaced. The dealer believed the problem was with the fuel pump module because he had replaced several on similar vehicle, but since the code didn't come up during diagnostic he was unsure. The consumer mention a service bulletin (document id 1538353, #pip3022a- dated July 19, 2004) which the dealer was aware of. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated they received a letter approximately one year ago from the manufacturer stating that the instrument panel warranty was extended to seven years and 70,000 miles. In addition, the contact was advised not to bring the vehicle in under the warranty unless the fuel gauge had completely failed. The contact stated that the speedometer had been stuck at 120 MPH. Later, the speedometer independently dropped below zero and remained stuck there. In addition, the engine RPM gauge would fluctuate sporadically but the engine would not respond. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the failures were not covered under the extended warranty for the instrument panel and was advised that the entire instrument panel would need to be replaced. The failure mileage was 116,000 and the current mileage was 117,000. …
I was traveling on a side road after leaving my home and as I approached the stop sign at the intersection of a main road I applied the brakes and the peddle went all the way to the floor. I actually went right through the stop sign and almost hit another car traveling on the main road. On inspection of the vehicle I found that the brake lines that travel from under the hood along the frame to the anti-lock module are all severely rusted and one had a hole in it. This is a dangerous situation and GM need to do something about it. I am very upset about this because there were little kids in the car I almost hit and I would hate to think of what could have happened. I also noticed that the fuel lines in the same area are also very rotted. This doesn't usually happen unless the vehicle is much older.
3 times while climbing a hill, the engine has suddenly, without warning, lost all power, then died leaving me coasting down the highway. Engine is very hard to restart, but will restart if it sits for a few minutes. If this were to occur in an area where I cannot get off the highway, or while passing someone, it could be catastrophic. This has always occured while climbing a hill. Was returned to GM dealer after the first occurance, they stated it showed a lean code, they had no idea what to do. A week later, it stalled twice on one trip. Was returned to GM dealer again, they put another ground wire on the computer, said they had been having computer problems in vehicles lately. I have been afraid to let family in it and have not driven it since the last trip to GM dealer.
About 1 month after buying a new 2004 Silverado it started surging viloently when cold. It is inconsistant, sometimes lasts for blocks. I almost got rear ended last week while tryig to control the truck. GM refuses to do anything, saying there is no diagnosis codes set and they have never heard of Silverado`s surging. They class it as a feature and say I need to feather the clutch. Feathering the clutch in traffic is a good way to get killed. This has been going on about 4 months now. I believe they know what is wrong and it is happening with more then just my one truck; but they don't want to spend the money to fix it.
I was driving home from errand running and found the brake pedal going almost to the floor. Found a puddle of brake fluid under the truck near the back of the cab and bed of truck. Called my service person and he said it was probably a ruptured brake line, and from the description of where the puddle was it was probably above the gas tank where the line is secured to the frame. He also stated that he has repaired multiple Chevy trucks with the same problem. I have seen the underside of my truck and all the lines are rusted, including fuel and transmission cooling lines.
I was notified by a GM service center that the brake lines were very rusty and needed replacing.. While replacing the brake lines, I was told that the fuel lines were leaking, needing replacement and also the fuel sender unit needed replacing due to corrosion. This was a very costly repair and should not happen on a low mileage vehicle. I was told that this is a big problem on many GM trucks. I think I should be reimbursed for these repairs.
Dt: the fuel tank fell off the vehicle. The consumer noticed this problem on September 10, 2005. The consumer has not taken vehicle to a dealership yet. The consumer believed that two brackets broke, causing the tank to hang close to the road. The consumer felt that it was dangerous to move the vehicle because of the fuel tank being so close to the ground. The fuel tank was repaired.
Dt: the contact stated vehicle stalled intermittently. The dealer replaced the fuel pump on two separate occasions. This did not correct the problem. Also, the dealer replaced the ignition system. This replacement did not correct the problem again. The dealer could not find the cause for the problem. The vehicle is still having intermittent stalling. Problems.
I have a diesel truck. I noticed that I could smell fuel when the truck was idling. I checked underneath and notice a pool of fuel on the ground about midway back under the truck. I checked underneath and noticed the fuel line was leaking just before it entered the fuel cooler. The line had burst due to excessive rust.
Fuel System complaints in other Silverado years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, 4% of the model year's 622 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › fuel pump (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Chevrolet Silverado fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion 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 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
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.