2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 182 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (43% of complaints); the 2005 and 2006 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Dec 2007
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 182 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Takata recall. The gauge cluster stopped working. Now the ignition and ac will not work. Oil pressure sensor reading wrong. Took it to get code read and 35 codes came up. Had to put on a toggle switch just to start it. Cant see speed and that makes it very dangerous to drive at this point. Think all of this is due to water leak on drivers side. Steering controls stopped working today. This really need to be a safety concern to the manufacturer as it could really get someone hurt or killed.”Owner report · Electrical System · Nov 2018
“The brake fluid lines rusted at the area under the driver side wheel, causing the fluid to leak unexpectedly, thus rendering no brakes. The leak happened on my vehicle and another in this same area. The mechanic said there could be is a problem in the manufacturing of the lines due to the construction and because its too close to the wheel salt and road conditions causes this area to rust more easily. He's had a number of chevy sub. With this same problem in for repair/replacement.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Oct 2017
“Brake modulating system spontaneously caught on fire while parked in my driveway. Once the fire was put out, the car would no longer start.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Apr 2017
Show 7 more owner reports
“Vehicle gas gauge and odometer gauges clusters are not working this puts us in danger I did not know how much gas I need and how fast I was going this should be fixed by the manufacturer because it was a cluster defect”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jul 2016
“The gear shift indicator lights in the gm instrument cluster are no longer working. This creates a safety issue because the driver can shift into the incorrect gear accidentally causing an accident. There is no other alternate gear shift indicator in the vehicle.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2016
“The gm instrument cluster stepper motors and lights have failed. This results in a safety hazard because it is important to know the speed of the vehicle and the fuel level as well as other important engine information.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet suburban 1500. The contact stated that the rear hatch would not open. The dealer stated that the actuator needed to be replaced. The contact notified the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000. Updated 04/20/16*lj *tr”Owner report · Structure · Dec 2015
“I was driving down a two lane highway at 50 miles per hour a dog ran out in front of my suv, I hit the brakes hard and noticed the pedal went to the ground. Drove the car home carefully. When I got it in the garage found rusted through brake lines going to the rear of the car leaking. There is excessive rust on the lines and an electrical harness that goes to the gas tank has rubbed a hole in the line.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Aug 2015
“The brake line from the front to rear rusted and ruptured resulting in virtually no braking. Upon further inspection the brake lines are all badly rusted and in need of replacement. Very unfortunate gm chose to use such an inferior material for such an important component. Very dangerous situation gm should be making owners aware of.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jun 2015
“I took the vehicle to local chevrolet dealer for oil change and yearly state inspection. The vehicle passed the state inspection/emissions control test. I was not notified that there were any issues concerning the vehicle. The vehicle was driven 5 miles to home. Two days, started the car, but had no brakes. The brake pedal went to the floor. A warning light was on. There were puddles of brake fluid in the driveway. I had the vehicle towed back to the dealer. They informed me that te brakeline had completely corroded. The cost for repair was quoted at $800. From what I understand, this sudden and complete brake failure could have occurred at any time, even while driving the vehicle. *tr”Owner report · Service Brakes · Dec 2014
When filing, owners marked a crash in 2 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS. THE INBOARD RETENTION NUT USED TO MAINTAIN HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY CAN LOOSEN RESULTING IN AN ABS LIGHT INDICATION, NOISE, AND/OR WHEEL SEPARATION.
Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
How other years compare
Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Suburban 1500 years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.
Check your exact Suburban 1500 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 reliable?
NHTSA has 182 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. The most complained-about area is electrical system (43% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 84,300 miles or less.
Does the 2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning wheels. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.