CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500 · model year

2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500

15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004CHEVROLETEXPRESS 1500 carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 EXPRESS 1500 is fuel/propulsion system with 3 filings, followed by air bags (2) and service brakes, hydraulic (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2004 EXPRESS 1500, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

15
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

15 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3
AIR BAGS2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS1
VISIBILITY1
TIRES1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
ENGINE1

Recalls (1)

06E04300019/05/2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CE

Recent Complaints

20190120FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

MY 2004 CUTAWAY CHEVY SOLD AS A 2005 FOUR WINDS HAS THE EXACT PROBLEM FOR THIS RECALL. RECALL NUMBER 12V388000 RECALL DATE 08/08/2012 COMPONENT FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP SUMMARY GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS AND GMC SAVANA VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH A LEFT SIDE CARGO DOOR, AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. WATER AND ROAD CONTAMINANTS MAY BECOME TRAPPED IN THE PROTECTIVE CONDUIT THAT COVERS THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND MAY CAUSE THE PIPE TO CORRODE. CONSEQUENCE SIGNIFICANT CORROSION MAY ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK DURING REFUELING, AND IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE; THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF FIRE. WHAT OWNERS SHOULD DO GM WILL NOTIFY

Mileage: 33,000

20160131FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE FUEL FILLER TUBE LEAKS FUEL, IS CORRODED. AND ALSO THE REAR FUEL TANK STRAP, AT THE TOP OF THE CHASSIS IS ALSO CORRODED, AND THE FUEL TANK IS HANGING DOWN, CAUSING A RISK AND FIRE HAZZARD AS IT IS VERY CLOSE TO THE DRIVESHAFT.

Mileage: 160,000

20150529CrashAIR BAGS

I WAS TRAVELING EAST THRO AN INTERSECTION WHEN A TRUCK ON THE MY RIGHT RAMMED ME IN THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR.I FELT THE CAR SPIN AND THE TRUCK ENDED UP IN MY RIGHT REAR BUMPER AND WHEN I CAME TO A STOP BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND I WAS INJURED AND THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED AND I HAVE EYE DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT EYE AND NECK INJURY AND BACK INJURY. STILL SEEING SPINE DR. AND EYE DR EVERY 6 MONTHS. *TR

Mileage: 250,000

20150529CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY

I WAS TRAVELING EAST THRO AN INTERSECTION WHEN A TRUCK ON THE MY RIGHT RAMMED ME IN THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR.I FELT THE CAR SPIN AND THE TRUCK ENDED UP IN MY RIGHT REAR BUMPER AND WHEN I CAME TO A STOP BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND I WAS INJURED AND THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED AND I HAVE EYE DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT EYE AND NECK INJURY AND BACK INJURY. STILL SEEING SPINE DR. AND EYE DR EVERY 6 MONTHS. *TR

Mileage: 250,000

20150529CrashENGINE

I WAS TRAVELING EAST THRO AN INTERSECTION WHEN A TRUCK ON THE MY RIGHT RAMMED ME IN THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR.I FELT THE CAR SPIN AND THE TRUCK ENDED UP IN MY RIGHT REAR BUMPER AND WHEN I CAME TO A STOP BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND I WAS INJURED AND THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED AND I HAVE EYE DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT EYE AND NECK INJURY AND BACK INJURY. STILL SEEING SPINE DR. AND EYE DR EVERY 6 MONTHS. *TR

Mileage: 250,000

20120822FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, FUEL SPEW BACK OUT OF THE FILLER NECK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V388000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY: FILLER PIPE AND CAP). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000. UPDATED 10/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL FILLER NECK CORRODED UPDATED 10/19/2012 *JS

Mileage: 114,000

20110517TIRES

WE PURCHASED A COMPLETE SET OF GENERAL GRABBER HTS 235/75R16 FOR OUR CHEVY EXPRESS VAN AT DUNN TIRE ON 11/15/08. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A 60K WARRANTY. WE WENT IN FOR THE REQUIRED ROTATIONS AND NOTED THAT THE TREAD DIDN'T SEEM TO BE WEARING WELL. AT THE 20K MILE ROTATION IN JANUARY OF 2011, DUNN TIRE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT PERFORMING AS ADVERTISED AND TOLD US THAT THEY WOULD LIKELY NEED TO ADJUST THE TIRES ON A PRO-RATA BASIS AT THE NEXT ROTATION AT 25K MILES. IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT THE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE IN SOME WAY. THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON OUR VAN LIVED UP TO THEIR 40K WARRANTY AND WE REPLACED WITH THESE GRABBER HTS TIRES AT 39747 MILES. OUR DRIVING HABITS ARE CONSERVATIVE AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE TIRES AHEAD OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THE TREAD WAS SO BAD ON THESE GRABBER HTS TIRES THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO DRIVE OUR VAN ON SNOWY ROADS DURING THIS PAST WINTER. WE ALSO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HYDROPLANING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN WE DROVE THE VAN THROUGH HEAVY RA

20100130SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2004 CHEVY EXPRESS 1500. *TR

Mileage: 18,580

20090330SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

ABS ENGAGES AT SLOW SPEED, AT TAIL END OF BRAKING, EVEN ON DRY SURFACES. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST EIGHT MONTHS. STARTED SOMETIME IN EARLY SUMMER/LATE SPRING 2008. *TR

Mileage: 35,000

20090319AIR BAGS

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG EMPLOYED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE THE SHOP. THE VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT STANLEY CHEVROLET CELINA TX 972-382-3000 CONTACT GARY WERNER SERVICE MANAGER. THE VEHICLE OWNER IS RICK DIETEL OF AMERSOL INC. 214-503-9977. *TR

Mileage: 91,048

20080924VISIBILITY

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT TURN OFF. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

20071226FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE INSIDE THE FUSE BOX AFTER BEING PARKED FOR FOUR DAYS. THE FIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FUSE BOX. AS OF DECEMBER 26, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 166,000.

Mileage: 166,000

20060801ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS G-VAN ENGINE OVERHEATED CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FROM DRIVER CABINET AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. *KB THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. *JB

Mileage: 21,719

20060801SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS G-VAN ENGINE OVERHEATED CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FROM DRIVER CABINET AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. *KB THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. *JB

Mileage: 21,719

20060616VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

WINDSHIELD IS FULL OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE SCRATCHES, BUT IT MUST BE IN LAMINATION (?), BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FEEL THEM ON EITHER THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF THE GLASS. GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE, CAUSING ANNOYING VISION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. NO REAL INCIDENT DATE, JUST GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE, SPREADING. *JB

Compare 2004CHEVROLETEXPRESS 1500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500 have?
The 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500 has 15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500?
Yes, the 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500?
The most-complained component for the 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500 is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.