Most common 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada problems
Share of the 13 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Oldsmobile Bravada complaints by model year
Best Bravada years: 2004, 2003, 2001. Years to avoid: 2002, 1997, 1998. Compare all years →
2004 Oldsmobile Bravada recalls (2)
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.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
On certain sport utility vehicles, vibration and heat May cause the tail lamp/stop lamp bulb to loosen in its socket. If this occurs, the bulb May flicker and eventually become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tail lamp/stop lamp assemblies, and if necessary, replace them. The recall began on November 22, 2004.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada:
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.
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 Oldsmobile Bravada owners say
Fuel & propulsion system
Takata recall, my wife was in two accidents, one in April 2011 she was driving down a suburb street to catch a light on a left turn and when the light turned green for the other side coming at her, a car already at speed limit continued and my wife struck that car on its left side with her front left bumper ; airbags never deployed, she was in another accident on 12/4/2015. She was driving on the freeway in the far right lane going about 70mph when a van drifted into her lane forcing her off the road. Her car fishtailed when it hit the shoulder and when trying to regain control of the vehicle, it flipped over and rolled a times off the freeway, landing upside down and then caught fire. No airbags deployed in this case either.
Gas gauge , oil pressure, tachometer and speedometer all give false readings. This cause the inability to accurately maintain speed in accordance with speed limits. It also makes it impossible to determine fuel level which can lead to running out of gas while driving. Vehicle was looked at by dealer and determine instrument cluster is defective. Repair required cluster be sent to repair shop at a cost of $750. I did mot have this fixed since I have never heard of this kind of failure being the customers responsibility since vehicle safe operation is dependent on it. The vehicle is a 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada SUV.
Air bags
I was in a full impact collision driverside front took all impact of another vehicles front end. NO airbags deployed in my 2004 bravada!!
Takata recall, my wife was in two accidents, one in April 2011 she was driving down a suburb street to catch a light on a left turn and when the light turned green for the other side coming at her, a car already at speed limit continued and my wife struck that car on its left side with her front left bumper ; airbags never deployed, she was in another accident on 12/4/2015. She was driving on the freeway in the far right lane going about 70mph when a van drifted into her lane forcing her off the road. Her car fishtailed when it hit the shoulder and when trying to regain control of the vehicle, it flipped over and rolled a times off the freeway, landing upside down and then caught fire. No airbags deployed in this case either.
Electrical system
I was in a full impact collision driverside front took all impact of another vehicles front end. NO airbags deployed in my 2004 bravada!!
Was driving myself and 2 children down the highway and the headlights shorted out and didnt come back on right away I got truck pulled off the rd. And turned it off got out tapped on headlight assembly to see if there was a short or a bulb issue there was nothjng wromg with the bulds I got back in turned key still no headlights 20 mins later tries turning key and headlights switch and they finally began working this has happend 4 times in 2 weeks ive only owned vehicle less than 45 days!!! The cruise control has shorted out and the cooling fan system for engine and A/C has shorted out!!!
2004 Oldsmobile Bravada engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada a good car?
Based on 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Bravada rates better than average: 86% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Bravada at the same age. It is one of the best Bravada years by this measure. 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 Oldsmobile Bravada?
The fuel & propulsion system — 4 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › fuel pump. Next are the air bags (3) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 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 Oldsmobile Bravada?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2003 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002, 1997 and 1998. See the full Oldsmobile Bravada years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 83,000 miles; 33% 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.