Total Complaints
2 filings
GMC W4500 · model year
2004 GMC W4500
2 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004GMCW4500 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 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 W4500 is service brakes, hydraulic with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, diesel:storage:tank assembly (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 W4500. 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recalls (1)
05V16800020/04/2005
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH RPO IK9, DUE TO INSUFFICIENT DURABILITY AND TESTING, THE FUEL SWITCHING MANIFOLD SOLENOIDS LACK WATER OR SALT INTRUSION RESISTANCE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO FAILURE OF ONE OR MORE SOLENOIDS. FUEL SWITCHING MANIFOLD SOLENOID FAILURE WILL CAUSE INCORRECT FUEL DELIVERY RESULTI
Recent Complaints
20100706SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC W4500. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V168000, FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HESITATE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY CLEANED THE FUEL TANK. THE FOLLOWING DAY HE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AGAIN AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE MECHANIC. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS REPLACED. FOR TWO WEEKS A LOCAL MECHANIC PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHEN HE ENGAGED THE BRAKES HE HAD TO APPLY THEM TWICE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 149,690.
Mileage: 149,300
20100706FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC W4500. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V168000, FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HESITATE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY CLEANED THE FUEL TANK. THE FOLLOWING DAY HE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AGAIN AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE MECHANIC. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS REPLACED. FOR TWO WEEKS A LOCAL MECHANIC PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHEN HE ENGAGED THE BRAKES HE HAD TO APPLY THEM TWICE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 149,690.
Mileage: 149,300
Compare 2004GMCW4500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 GMC W4500 have?▼
The 2004 GMC W4500 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 GMC W4500?▼
Yes, the 2004 GMC W4500 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 GMC W4500?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 GMC W4500 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY.
Is the 2004 GMC W4500 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.