CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 · model year

2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500

23 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004CHEVROLETSUBURBAN 2500 carries 23 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 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 SUBURBAN 2500 is electrical system: instrument cluster/panel with 5 filings, followed by seats (2) and electrical system (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.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2004 SUBURBAN 2500, 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.

23
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

23 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL5
SEATS2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
SERVICE BRAKES2
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
STEERING1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
STRUCTURE1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES1
ENGINE1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20160711SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE LINES BETWEEN THE AREA OF THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR AND ABS MODULATOR HEAVILY CORRODED. ONE OR MORE LINES FAILED ON 7/10/2016 REQUIRING VEHICLE TOW. VEHICLE WAS OPERATIONAL ASIDE FROM THE FAILURE OF BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN DEPRESSED, VEHICLE BRAKE PEDDLE HAD LITTLE RESISTANCE AND TRAVELED COMPLETELY TO FLOOR PANEL UNDER NORMAL PRESSURE FROM FOOT. THE INCIDENT/FAILURE OCCURRED DURING NORMAL TRAVEL AND DURING AN ATTEMPTED STOP AT RED LIGHT. BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE PREVENTED A SAFE STOP AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION RUNNING A RED LIGHT. FORTUNATELY, THE INTERSECTION WAS CLEAR AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS AND A TOW VEHICLE CALLED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED UNTIL REPAIRS CAN BE APPLIED. TOWING EXPENSE- 125.00 PARTS EXPENSE- 85.00 (REPLACING ALL AFFECTED LINES, FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM.) LABOR- 100.00 APPROX.

Mileage: 103,500

20160517FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL RUNNING OUT TOP OF GAS TANK AFTER FUELING

Mileage: 144,000

20121031SERVICE BRAKES

WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT IDLE I NOTED EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AFTER PLACING MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND WAS VERY SLOW IN RETURN. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND VISUALLY CHECKED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND CONNECTIONS. I NOTED THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS NOT COMPLETELY AT THE FULL MARK. I CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE HYDRAULIC CONNECTIONS AND FOUND NO ACTIVE LEAK AND NO FLUID ON THE GROUND BENEATH THE VEHICLE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP IN TOWN (OUT OF STATE VISIT) ADVISING THE SHOP OWNER OF THE PROBLEM INVOLVING BRAKE TRAVEL. A MECHANIC DETERMINED THE BRAKE LINES ON MY VEHICLE WERE ROUTED ALONG THE VEHICLE FRAME, MADE OF STEEL, AND UNPROTECTED RESULTING IN CORROSION, HOLES, AND ACTIVE LEAKS. TWO OF THE LINES WERE REPAIRED AND NOW THE REMAINING TWO LINES REQUIRE REPAIR. I OBSERVED AND NOTED CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ALONG THE VEHICLE FRAME RUNNING TO THE REAR OF THE VEHI

Mileage: 115,000

20120920ENGINE

THE REAR EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE BROKE AND NOW THE VEHICLE HAS AN EXHAUST LEAK. *TR

Mileage: 154,000

20110915SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH UP AN INCLINE, THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND SUDDENLY THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE FOUR BRAKE LINES RUPTURED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

20101021SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

FORWARD BRAKE LINES COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGHOUT WHICH LED TO A LEAK AND SUBSEQUENT BRAKE FAILURE. OTHER BRAKE COMPONENTS WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE RUSTED SOMEWHAT PREMATURELY. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

20101002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING CORRECTLY IT DOES NOT GO BELOW 42 MPH AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT GO BELOW 90 MPH. *TR

Mileage: 71,760

20100218STRUCTURE

TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN. LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY WHILE DRIVING THEN WILL NOT UNLOCK. THERE IS NO MANUAL WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK, HENCE NO ESCAPE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20100218LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN. LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY WHILE DRIVING THEN WILL NOT UNLOCK. THERE IS NO MANUAL WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK, HENCE NO ESCAPE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20100125SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. AT LOW SPEEDS, HE WOULD DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. IT SEEMED THAT THE ABS WOULD ACTIVATE AND CAUSE HIM TO MOVE A FEW FEET FORWARD. THE ABS ALSO INCREASED THE STOPPING DISTANCE AND ALMOST CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH ON TWO OCCASIONS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THERE WERE NO CODES PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED TO-DATE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND ASKED IF THEY COULD INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE IN RECALL 05V379000 BUT WAS INFORMED THAT HIS MODEL YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 80,300. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000. UPDATED 2/22/10 *CN UPDATED 05/17/10.*JB

Mileage: 76,000

20090709ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUSTER IN THE VEHICLE WAS FAULTY AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW HOW FAST SHE IS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, WHICH WOULD COST BETWEEN $500-$600. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED ON THE VEHICLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

Mileage: 87,000

20090216FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS IN 02/2008. POWER SEAT ADJUSTER AND SEAT HEATER QUIT WORKING. PROBLEM FOUND TO BE HIGH RESISTANCE IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR UNDER DRIVERS SEAT. SUBSTANTIAL BURNING AND MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR PRESENT. SECOND OCCURRENCE ON 2/13/09, FOUND SAME HIGH RESISTANCE PROBLEM AT THE CONNECTOR BETWEEN BODY AND REAR HATCH. CAUSED REAR WIPER AND DEFROSTER TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. BOTH INCIDENTS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT A VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT THAT IS PRODUCED BY CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH A HIGH RESISTANCE CONNECTION. BOTH CONNECTORS HAVE EVIDENCE OF EXTREME HEAT AND LEAD ME TO BE LESS THAN CONFIDENT THAT THESE TWO CONNECTORS ARE THE ONLY ONES ON THIS VEHICLE THAT ARE FAULTY. I SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SEAT CONNECTOR IN FEBRUARY OF 2008, BUT FIND NO RECORD OF IT AT SAFECAR.GOV AND HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE COMPLAINT. *TR

Mileage: 63,000

20081205ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

SPEEDOMETER JUMPED FROM APPROX.69 TO 110 AND CONTINUED TO STAY HAYWIRE AND IS NOT READING ACCURATELY. APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM BY CHEVY BUT THEY ARE ONLY REPAIRING IN 7 YEARS 70,000 MILES. OF COURSE I AM AT 4 YEARS AND AT 77,000. I WAS OVER 74K MILES WHEN NOTICE CAME OUT SO EVEN THEN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET KNOWN DEFECT FIXED. *TR

Mileage: 77,198

20081008SEATS

A SHORT IN THE WIRING THAT POWERS THE HEATED SEATS AND POWER DRIVERS SEAT. CONNECTOR IS BURNED AND MELTED. AS A RESULT OF THE SHORT, MY BATTERY HAS BEEN DRAINED TWICE. LUCKILY THIS WAS FOUND BEFORE A FIRE OR SERIOUS INJURY. *TR

Mileage: 52,341

20081008ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

A SHORT IN THE WIRING THAT POWERS THE HEATED SEATS AND POWER DRIVERS SEAT. CONNECTOR IS BURNED AND MELTED. AS A RESULT OF THE SHORT, MY BATTERY HAS BEEN DRAINED TWICE. LUCKILY THIS WAS FOUND BEFORE A FIRE OR SERIOUS INJURY. *TR

Mileage: 52,341

20080922ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

REAR HEATER HOSE RUBBING ON THE FRAME OF VEHICLE CAUSED A FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 82,000

20080216SEATS

POWER SEAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE QUIT WORKING ALONG WITH SEAT WARMERS ON BOTH FRONT SEATS. EXAMINATION FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL FEED AT THE REAR OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD FAILED IN SOME MANNER, CAUSING HIGH RESISTANCE IN THE POWER AND GROUND CIRCUITS WHICH IN TURN LED TO ARCING AND BURNING OF THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR. THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE CONNECTOR AND ITS PROXIMITY TO CARPETING AND POTENTIAL CONTENTS IN THE VEHICLE RAISES CONCERNS OF A POSSIBLE INTERIOR FIRE. *TR

Mileage: 52,789

20080118CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE INTO A DITCH. THE FRONT END WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

20070630STEERING

2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN 2500 SERIES WITH QUADRASTEER. THE REAR WHEEL STEERING FAULTS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 5 MILES, OFTEN WHEN EXITING A TURN. THIS CAN LEAVE THE REAR WHEELS FULL LEFT (OR RIGHT) IF THE TURN WAS TIGHT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRAB DOWN THE ROAD SIDEWAYS. IF THE ROAD IS NOT WIDE AND THE DRIVER IS NOT EXTREMELY AWARE A SIDESWIPE ACCIDENT COULD EASILY OCCUR. THE REAR WHEELS SLOWLY SELF CENTER AFTER 10 TO 15 SECONDS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES. THEY EITHER SAY THEY HAVE REPLACED A SENSOR, TIGHTENED A LOOSE CONNECTION, OR NO PROBLEM FOUND. SOMETIMES IT WILL BE OK FOR 20 MILES OR SO BUT THE PROBLEM ALWAYS RECURS. UNABLE TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

Mileage: 5,000

20070423ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

1. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN SPEEDOMETER STARTS SLOWLY REGISTERING DOWN TO ZERO 2. COULD NOT TELL HOW FAST I WAS GOING 3. DEALERSHIP AGREED TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *JB

Mileage: 38,000

Compare 2004CHEVROLETSUBURBAN 2500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 have?
The 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 has 23 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500?
The most-complained component for the 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 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.