Most common 2004 GMC Envoy problems
Share of the 367 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Envoy complaints by model year
Best Envoy years: 2001, 1999, 2009. Years to avoid: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2003, 2004. Compare all years →
2004 GMC Envoy recalls (1)
Exterior lighting › Turn signal
On certain trucks and sport utility vehicles, the driver wishing to signal a turn by moving the directional signal lever, (up or down) May cause the front marker/turn lights and rear turn lights to flash in a manner similar to hazard warning, rather than flashing on the desired side only.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the suspect flasher modules with a new flasher module designed with sealed relays and more durable contact material inside of the relays free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2005.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2004 GMC Envoy:
Loss of Headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV.
Turn signal failures
By letter dated April 29, 2005, GM notified the agency that it is conducting asafety recall ( NHTSA recall no. 05V198 ) involving certain model years (my) 2003-2004 Isuzu ascender, Chevrolet trailblazer, GMC envoy, Oldsmobile bravada and my 2004 Buick rainer vehicles.the recall applies to vehicles built from April 2003 through November 2003 for a total vehicle population of 286,478.GM reports the directional/hazard…
Fuel pump module leaks gasoline
During the course of this ea investigation, odi observed that the majority of the complaints (88%) and warranty claims (94%) were reported for vehicles that are registered for use in the salt belt region of the us.this area includes 20 states in the northeast, mid atlantic and the midwest regions and the district of columbia.consumers in the salt belt region reported to odi that they could smell fuel vapors in their…
Brake lamp failure
GM states that some brake/tail lamp bulbs can prematurely become inoperative due to malfunctioning brake/tail lamp sockets.on March 2, 2004, GM initiated a 6-year/72,000 mile special policy for 989,487 subject vehicles to inspect and replace the rear brake/tail lamp bulb socket assemblies.on April 4, 2004, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe04-032) based on consumer…
What 2004 GMC Envoy owners say
Electrical system all 164 →
The contact owns a 2004 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the contact noticed that the front passenger's door was on fire. The contact stated that he arrived home just in time and noticed the fire. The contact stated that, because it was raining, the contact's wife had powered the window up; however, the contact noticed that the window was down when the fire occurred. In addition, the contact stated that the fire was blazing, and after the fire was extinguished, the smoke was still visible. The contact extinguished the fire. The contact disconnected the battery. In addition, the contact stated that it could have been a huge fire because the fuel tank had just been refilled prior to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
Headlight's,taillight's,turn signals stop working whenever they want.It's pretty scary to lose your headlight's when your driving at night.There's nothing i can do about it,except to sit wherever it happend and wait for them to come back on.My wife was following me one day and told me my brakelight's and turn signal stopped working and started to work again,she said this happened a couple time's at the same red light.There a couple of thing's (electrical)inside the vehicle that don't work anymore but i really dont care about them.To get the odometer to work i have to knock pretty hard on the plastic cover that cover's the instrument cluster,sometimes it stay's on,most of the time it wont stay on.The DIC (driver control center) doesn't work anymore.I cant even get to it.The speakers on the left side of the vehicle dont work anymore.I thought i would tell you about the inside also because …
Fuel & propulsion system all 67 →
Vehicle was being driven on a two way highway at approximately 55 MPH. Vehicle lost engine power while driving and the gas pedal lost resistance and went to the floor. Vehicle was steered over to the side of the road. While the vehicle was steered over to the side of the road, check engine and other dash lights started flashing chaotically. White smoke started coming from under the hood. Within a short time, white smoke turned into black smoke and then flames started to appears. The fire under the hood eventually continued to grow until it completely burned the engine compartment most of the first two rows of the interior before the firemen arrived and were able to put out the fire.
Vehicle was being driving approximately at 55 MPH. Engine loss power, gas pedal lost resistance and went all the way down to the floor board. Vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and engine was stalled and all the dash lights were flashing one and off. Engine started to have white smoke coming from under the hood. After a few minutes, the white smoke turned into black smoke and the engine caught on fire. Vehicle was engulfed in flames after a few minutes.
Lights all 40 →
Headlight's,taillight's,turn signals stop working whenever they want.It's pretty scary to lose your headlight's when your driving at night.There's nothing i can do about it,except to sit wherever it happend and wait for them to come back on.My wife was following me one day and told me my brakelight's and turn signal stopped working and started to work again,she said this happened a couple time's at the same red light.There a couple of thing's (electrical)inside the vehicle that don't work anymore but i really dont care about them.To get the odometer to work i have to knock pretty hard on the plastic cover that cover's the instrument cluster,sometimes it stay's on,most of the time it wont stay on.The DIC (driver control center) doesn't work anymore.I cant even get to it.The speakers on the left side of the vehicle dont work anymore.I thought i would tell you about the inside also because …
While driving at night both low beam headlights go out completely without warning. Vehicle traveling at highway speed and has happened while driving in city as well. Highbeam headlights work when switched on after low beam stop working. Cannot leagally drive with highbeams on always. My Envoy is in excellent condition and is dealer serviced even though it has high mileage. There was a recall for 2006 and up for this type issue, why was the 2004 model year not looked at? There are others that have had the same issue with lowbeam headlights. Fusebox underhood is labeled to confuse owner and relays not described well in owners manual. There is no relay listed for low beam headlights. Headlight driver module is a know failure component. GM also changed OnStar to digital system leaving GM cars like mine with analog OnStar unservicable and requires expensive upgrade. …
2004 GMC Envoy engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 GMC Envoy a good car?
Based on 367 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Envoy rates avoid: 3.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Envoy at the same age. It is one of the Envoy years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 GMC Envoy?
The electrical system — 164 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (67) and lights (40).
How many recalls does the 2004 GMC Envoy have?
There is 1 recall for the 2004 GMC Envoy, the most recent from May 5, 2005 (turn signal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Envoy?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2001, 1999 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2003 and 2004. See the full GMC Envoy years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 GMC Envoy problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 72,000 miles; 24% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.