GMC SIERRA DENALI · model year

2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI

15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004GMCSIERRA DENALI carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 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 SIERRA DENALI is service brakes with 3 filings, followed by electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (2) and air bags:frontal (1). 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 2 investigation files overlapping the 2004 SIERRA DENALI. 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
2
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

15 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT1
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT1
TIRES1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN1

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

20140717SERVICE BRAKES

I WAS DRIVING DOWN ROUTE 24 IN LEWES, DELAWARE APPROACHING A YELLOW LIGHT WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY COMPLETELY FAILED DESPITE PUTTING THE PEDDLE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I WAS FORCED TO VEER ONTO THE SHOULDER THEN INTO A FARMERS FIELD IN ORDER TO SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN ENOUGH TO FORCE IT INTO PARK. APPARENTLY THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES ON THESE TRUCKS ARE COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND HAVE A HISTORY OF FAILING. ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THE REAR CALIPERS LOCK UP AND THERE ARE NO BRAKES AT ALL SWITCH CAN CAUSE A CRASH. THERE IS NO WARNING GIVEN UNTIL THE HYDRAULIC LINE SNAPS AND THE FLUID IS RELEASED. MY TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS NOT A WORK TRUCK BUT MERELY A PERSONAL VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, I AM ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION DO TO THE POOR SELECTION GM MADE OF PUTTING THE S-10 PICK UP TRANSMISSION IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HEAVIER TRUCK. *TR

Mileage: 108,000

20140717POWER TRAIN

I WAS DRIVING DOWN ROUTE 24 IN LEWES, DELAWARE APPROACHING A YELLOW LIGHT WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY COMPLETELY FAILED DESPITE PUTTING THE PEDDLE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I WAS FORCED TO VEER ONTO THE SHOULDER THEN INTO A FARMERS FIELD IN ORDER TO SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN ENOUGH TO FORCE IT INTO PARK. APPARENTLY THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES ON THESE TRUCKS ARE COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND HAVE A HISTORY OF FAILING. ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THE REAR CALIPERS LOCK UP AND THERE ARE NO BRAKES AT ALL SWITCH CAN CAUSE A CRASH. THERE IS NO WARNING GIVEN UNTIL THE HYDRAULIC LINE SNAPS AND THE FLUID IS RELEASED. MY TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS NOT A WORK TRUCK BUT MERELY A PERSONAL VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, I AM ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION DO TO THE POOR SELECTION GM MADE OF PUTTING THE S-10 PICK UP TRANSMISSION IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HEAVIER TRUCK. *TR

Mileage: 108,000

20130807SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE FULLY DEPRESSED AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86,000.

Mileage: 86,000

20120607SERVICE BRAKES

FRONT BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION, IN JUNE 2012 HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM. *JS

Mileage: 65,000

20110714ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

2004 GMC SIERRA 6 LITER V8 - EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKEN OFF - $600 TO REPAIR. DESIGN AND/OR PART DEFECT. DEALER SAID THIS HAPPENS. RECALL OR HAVE GM CORRECT? *TR

Mileage: 135,522

20100204TIRES

OVER THE PAST WEEK, I NOTICED THAT MY GMC DENALI TRUCK WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT SO I HAD TO OVERSTEER TO THE RIGHT. EACH DAY, THE EFFECT BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED SO I HAD THE LOCAL GMC DEALER CHECK OUT THE TRUCK. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CORDS IN THE FRONT GOODYEAR WRANGLER HP TIRE HAD SEPARATED--IT WAS A BLOWOUT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING WITH MY TRUCK TO HAVE CAUSED THE SEPARATION, THE TREAD WEAR WAS EVEN ON ALL TIRES, THEY WERE REGULARLY CHECKED FOR INFLATION, AND MOST OF THE TREAD WAS LEFT SINCE I HAVE PUT LOW MILEAGE ON THIS TIRES. A NUMBER OF DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED DUE TO FAILURE OF THIS TYPE OF TIRE. I HAD BOTH FRONT TIRES REPLACED AND OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I WILL REPLACE THE REMAINING TWO TIRES. I CANNOT CHANCE A DEATH OR INJURY. PLEASE RECALL THESE TIRES. HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO DIE. *JB

20071112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONS. SPEEDOMETER FLUTTERS AND DISPLAYS WRONG SPEED. GETS STUCK. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

20071112SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

ABS BRAKE ACTIVATES AT SLOW SPEEDS. WHEEL HUB BEARING PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

20071112SUSPENSION:REAR

ABS BRAKE ACTIVATES AT SLOW SPEEDS. WHEEL HUB BEARING PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

20071112SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT

ABS BRAKE ACTIVATES AT SLOW SPEEDS. WHEEL HUB BEARING PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

20070319ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONS. GOES TO 120 THEN 0. STAYS AT 0. STOPS WORKING. SKIPS AROUND.

Mileage: 40,000

20070306SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I AM EXPERIENCING THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT IS DESCRIBED REGARDING THE RECALL OF GMC LIGHT TRUCKS FOR ABS ACTIVATION AT SLOW SPEEDS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE HUB AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY. I HAVE A 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI WHICH, ACCORDING TO GMC, IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MASSIVE RECALL PROMPTED BY YOUR INVESTIGATION. MY ISSUE, AS DESCRIBED BY THE DEALER, IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ISSUE AND REASON FOR RECALLING THOSE OTHER VEHICLES. *JB

Mileage: 48,000

20050216STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

QUADRA STEERING LOCKS UP, CAUSING THE REAR OF THE TRUCK TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK TO TRAVEL IN A CRABBING OR ANGLED POSITION. ON TWO LANE ROAD THE REAR IS IN THE ONCOMING LANE AND THE VEHICLE IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. MESSAGE ON DASH IS "SERVICE 4 WHEEL STEER" DEALER CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM. VEHICLE STILL AT DEALERSHIP.*AK

Mileage: 23,520

20041130CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN A ROLL OVER, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, SEAT BELTS DID NOT SECURE THE OCCUPANTS. THE DRIVER WAS UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE PASSENGER WAS UNDER THE DASHBOARD. *AK

Mileage: 5,300

20041130CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN A ROLL OVER, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, SEAT BELTS DID NOT SECURE THE OCCUPANTS. THE DRIVER WAS UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE PASSENGER WAS UNDER THE DASHBOARD. *AK

Mileage: 5,300

Compare 2004GMCSIERRA DENALI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI have?
The 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI has 15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI?
Yes, the 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI 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 GMC SIERRA DENALI?
The most-complained component for the 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI is SERVICE BRAKES with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI 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.