2004 Gmc Sierra 1500: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 253 complaints
253
Total Complaints
57,192mi
Median Mileage
Instrument Cluster/Panel
Top Issue
12
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
36,000
25th Percentile
57,192
Median Mileage
82,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Instrument Cluster/Panel
47
Service Brakes
43
Electrical System
32
Steering
17
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
16
Vehicle Speed Control
8
Tires
6
Air Bags
6
Fuel/Propulsion System
5
Engine
5
Severity Assessment
12
Crashes
2
Fires
10
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS NO POWER. AAA WAS CALLED, AND IT WOULD NOT TAKE A JUMP. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BATTERY CABLE BOLT THAT BECAME DEFECTIVE FROM ACID. THE BATTERY CABLE PRONG AND WIRES WERE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK *SC *JB"
"WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HIT A MERIDIAN STRIP POLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SKIDDED INTO A GUARD RAIL, AND VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER TWICE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER AND DRIVER SUST..."
"WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HIT A MERIDIAN STRIP POLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SKIDDED INTO A GUARD RAIL, AND VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER TWICE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER AND DRIVER SUST..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Instrument Cluster/Panel
47 complaints
25th: 40,000 mi
Median: 50,000 mi
75th: 61,000 mi
Service Brakes
43 complaints
25th: 60,150 mi
Median: 87,750 mi
75th: 118,000 mi
Electrical System
32 complaints
25th: 45,200 mi
Median: 62,000 mi
75th: 93,721 mi
Steering
17 complaints
25th: 22,000 mi
Median: 36,000 mi
75th: 66,250 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
16 complaints
25th: 36,250 mi
Median: 56,000 mi
75th: 73,705 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
PA: 25
CA: 20
TX: 20
FL: 16
MI: 11
NY: 11
OK: 11
CO: 10
TN: 8
NC: 8
Who Files Complaints?
24.1%
Original Owners
75.9%
Second+ Owners
Gmc Sierra 1500 — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (5)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
Campaign 04V562000 | 26/11/2004
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO A WHEELCHAIR OCCUPANT.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT RETRACTORS AS NECESSARY. SURE-LOK WILL HANDLE THE REPAIRS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SURE-LOCK AT 1-908-231-1804 OR MOBILITYWORKS AT 1-800-769-8267.
Service Brakes, Air
Campaign 06E050000 | 06/06/2006
IF STOPPING DISTANCE IS LIMITED, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY ITS OWNERS AND WILL EITHER CREDIT THE CUSTOMERS ACCOUNT OR REPLACE THE UNIT. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-563-8507 EXT 3530.
Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire
Campaign 04V240000 | 17/05/2004
IF SOMEONE HAS A FLAT TIRE ON THE FRONT WHEEL, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO INSTALL THE PROVIDED SPARE TIRE.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPARE WHEEL WITH THE CORRECT OFFSET. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT REGENCY AT 1-800-989-4727.
Fuel System, Gasoline
Campaign 06E043000 | 19/05/2006
THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
Hub
Campaign 07E106000 | 17/12/2007
WHEEL SEPARATION CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
Maintain Your Electrical System
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Clean battery terminals annually with baking soda and water
- Replace the battery every 3-5 years before it leaves you stranded
- Don't leave accessories running with the engine off
- Check for corroded ground connections if you have intermittent electrical issues
- Replace dim headlights promptly — they're a safety issue and a wiring symptom
Vehicle Rankings
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28