2004 GMC Sierra 3500: common problems

Owners of the 2004 GMC Sierra 3500 filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 24

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 58% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
4 Steering 8% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
6 Structure 4% of all complaints
7 Tires 4% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 14 complaints (58% of all).
Electrical system: 5 complaints (21% of all).
Fuel system: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Steering: 2 complaints (8% of all).
Powertrain: 1 complaints (4% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion10 · 42%
brake failure4 · 17%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 8%
A/C or heater1 · 4%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 4%
brakes on its own (phantom braking)1 · 4%
steering or power steering problems1 · 4%
vibration1 · 4%
warning lights, check engine1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Service brakes	14	0	0
Electrical system	5	0	0
Fuel system	4	0	0
Steering	2	0	0
Powertrain	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The fan for the heater doesnt work on all speeds properly, stopped working entirely
Electrical system · 2023-09-13 · NHTSA complaint #11544341
Upon inspection, the dealer found at least two locations where the brake line had rusted through. He recommended to replace all brake lines with a line that was corrosion resistant. The repair was just under $2000. I have not contacted gmc since the truck has 74,000 miles and is out of all warranties.
Service brakes · 2014-10-26 · NHTSA complaint #10650123
They found that the rear brake line had corroded at a clip above the frame rail above the gas tank and advised me that they would have to replace the rear brake line.
Service brakes · 2014-03-19 · NHTSA complaint #10573350
Not one with a rust hole, but all of them corroded from one end to the other. I know the truck is 8 years old, but it sits most the time and almost always through the winter. I have only had one other car in 30 years that had a brake line rust. It should not be happening in this high end of a vehicle.
Service brakes · 2013-09-25 · NHTSA complaint #10545340
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 gmc sierra 3500. While driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle became resistant to acceleration. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where the technicians stated that all eight fuel injectors would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired.
Fuel system · 2011-04-20 · NHTSA complaint #10396956
The contact stated that the fuel injectors produce white smoke. Ocassionally, the vehicle becomes difficult to start. The contact serviced the injectors every 10,000 miles, but the failure is persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they kept replacing the injectors, but to no avail.
Fuel system · 2009-07-31 · NHTSA complaint #10278985
While pulling the trailer at 65 mph, the sidewall on the passenger tire blew out. No repairs have been made. The cause of the failure was unknown. The failure mileage was 600.
Tires · 2009-03-23 · NHTSA complaint #10262837
Speedometer erratically shows incorrect speed while driving. Sometimes displaying 120mph or 0mph. Very dangerous and should be a mandatory recall checked with dealer and would cost $800.00 to replace bad instrument cluster. Only has 73,000 miles.
Electrical system · 2009-01-05 · NHTSA complaint #10253878

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20061
20071
20084
20093
20101
20114
20124
20132
20143
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 3500 has 19 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 24, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2004 GMC Sierra 3500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, fuel system. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (42%), brake failure (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 GMC Sierra 3500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2004 GMC Sierra 3500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2004 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.