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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
14 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
104,936 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 brakes problems

brakes problem

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2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Owner Comments (Page 4 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #88

Jul 302014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 97,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was traveling down the expressway about 70 mph and needed to brake quickly for road construction. When I stepped on the brake pedal, it went to the floor board and there was no pressure. The red brake light came on immediately, but there was no warning before applying the brakes. With difficulty, I was able to get the vehicle to stop and barely missed the vehicle way out in front and the road construction equipment and crew. I was scared to death.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #87

Jul 282014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 96,884 miles
I was getting ready to brake my vehicle at a stop sign, as I applied the brake pedal it went straight to the floor. Luckily I was able to apply the emergency brake to stop the truck. I only lived close by so I was able to get home without further incident. When I inspected the truck, brake fluid was all over my engine compartment and upon further inspection I could see my front driver's side steel brake line was rotted out.

- South Setauket, NY, USA

problem #86

Feb 042013

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 135,247 miles
I was driving down the road and stepped on my brake pedal and it went to the floor I was told the brake lines rusted out. I had it repaired and then happened twice more. Know I had to order ss. Brake lines before my wife or someone else got killed!!!!!!!!!!!!! something needs to be done about this before someone dies.

- Arapahoe, NC, USA

problem #85

Jul 022013

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 125,962 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brake lines rusted through leaking all brake fluid while traveling 65+ on the New Jersey turnpike. I am making this report to confirm brake problems on 2004 Suburban as was recently reported in the New York times. Cost to repair was in excess of $1000. General Motors should seriously consider a recall and possibly consider usually stainless steel tubing for the brake lines!

- East Farmingdale, NY, USA

problem #84

Jun 272014

Silverado 2500 4WD 8-cyl

  • 25,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to stop the vehicle, the brakes malfunctioned. The contact indicated that the brake pedal had to be pressed to the floor in order to stop the vehicle. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the brake lines had ruptured causing brake fluid to spill from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the defect but no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 09/05/14 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired. No assistance was offered from the manufacturer. The consumer stated the vehicle appears safe but, the new lines appear to be similar material from the previous defected lines. Updated 12/3/2014

- Pennsburg, PA, USA

problem #83

Jul 102012

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
I was driving the vehicle, , I tried to stop, and the pedal went to floor, I had the vehicle towed to a local shop. All the brake line were rusted out, I find out now GM sells a replacement kit with the line coated in ABS plastic. GM knows there is an issue with this truck.

- Ivor, VA, USA

problem #82

Jun 052013

Silverado 2500 4WD 8-cyl

  • 98,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In preparation to leave on a camping trip the next morning I attached a tag along trailer to the truck. When I pulled forward a little to test the brake and running lights on the trailer and to achieve a more level ground, so as to turn on the refrigerator, my brake pedal went to the floor and I could hear liquid leaking from under the driver's side of the truck. Upon further investigation, my mechanic replaced all the brake lines as he deemed them all unsafe due to exterior rusting. We are so glad that the brake line failure happened in the drive way and not on the interstate highway.

- Easthampton, MA, USA

problem #81

Jul 052014

Silverado 2500

  • 90,423 miles
Steel brake lines failed due to corrosion under the hood in the engine compartment and along the frame behind the driver side door. Lost the ability to stop the truck. Luckily, there was no one else on the road.

- La Crosse, WI, USA

problem #80

Jul 042014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 119,000 miles
Was driving on highway and applied brakes just before exiting on off-ramp and pedal went to the floor. Inspection of brake lines revealed that rf brake line that runs under the radiator ruptured and is severely corroded. All other brake lines having heavy corrosion as well.

- Fairfax, VA, USA

problem #79

Jun 262014

Silverado 2500

  • 96,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that the brake lines were completly rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician stated that the brake lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 96,000. The VIN was not available.

- Peabody, MA, USA

problem #78

Jun 082014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 89,764 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Wife was driving my 2004 Chevy Silverado with 89764 miles when she was coming to a stop the brake pedal went right to the floor she went into other lane to avoid hitting the car in front of her. The steel brake line by the gas tank had ruptured. Seems like this is a common thing on these trucks however Chevrolet won't even acknowledge that there is an issue until someone dies. I have been a loyal GM guy for 32 years unless they acknowledge this problem and offer some kind of repair "I will never buy from GM again" and I will advise everyone I know to do the same. However I don't think they really care they will just get more money from the government when they can't sell cars.

- Wyoming, PA, USA

problem #77

Jun 122014

Silverado 2500 4WD 8-cyl

  • 210,000 miles
I was driving down my hill when my brake pedal unexpectedly went to the floor. I coasted the rest of the way down the hill in low (automatic trans) and turned around and coasted back into my driveway where I could check it out. My rear main brake line was rusted in two and the others were completely corroded. The metal on my exhaust has no rust after all of these miles but the brake lines are obviously made of a far cheaper metal. I read a lot of articles where this is a huge problem with these trucks from 1999 to 2003. GM, old or new needs to accept responsibility and recall these cheap brakes.

- Racine, OH, USA

problem #76

Jun 052014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
While applying moderate brake pressure in heavy morning traffic on clean dry pavement, the brake pedal collapsed to the floor, followed by rear brake lock-up. I swerved to avoid a collision. I was forced to use the parking brake to move to safety. Inspection revealed a metal brake line failure. In fact, all brake lines were severely rusted. I thought this was highly unusual. However one work colleague and one neighbor immediately revealed that they had suffered the same failure on other GM trucks of that age. My mechanic reported doing several dozen brake line replacements on GM trucks in the 2000 to 2006 era. Surely this is a major class safety problem.

- Severna Park, MD, USA

problem #75

May 162014

Silverado 2500 6-cyl

  • 112,000 miles
Since the purchase of the truck new the parking brake has never worked correctly. While the brake is engaged the vehicle will still roll. After noticing GM had issued a recall on this model truck for similar problems I contacted them. General Motors has informed me that my truck is not included in the recall. On the above date while launching my boat the truck lunged backward while I was behind (parking brake engaged) as a life long GM owner this will be my last.

- Kingston, NH, USA

problem #74

Jan 142014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 43,000 miles
Rusted brake line broke, causing loss of brakes.

- Halesite, NY, USA

problem #73

May 062014

Silverado 2500

  • 162,280 miles
Wife was driving her niece and nephew and coming up on a stop sign to cross a busy highway. The pedal went to the floor. I checked the brake lines and they are extremely corroded/rusted and have a failure in at least one location. This did not result in a crash or injury but could have easily been fatal. There is no way that a truck only 11 years old should have brake lines rusting like this and having complete failure.

- Mclean, IL, USA

problem #72

Apr 282014

Silverado 2500 4WD 8-cyl

  • 91,700 miles
I was backing out of my driveway and a brake line blew. Lucky it happened in the driveway and not coming down a hill. I had to have the truck towed to a repair shop and they said all the lines need to be replaced due to rust. The cost to replace the lines is around $950.

- Oneida, NY, USA

problem #71

Apr 172014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 86,740 miles
I drove to dental office, parked my truck, attended appointment. I returned to my truck, drove approx. 1-2 miles before coming to an intersection where my lane was stopped at a red light on this two lane road. 3 vehicles in front of me were stopped at a red light. I attempted to slow down when my brakes failed with no warning. The brake pedal went all the way to the floor and was barely slowing down. I swerved left and had to cross double yellow lines into oncoming traffic to avoid crashing into the car in front of me, which would have collided with the two other cars at the light. Once that accident was avoided, someone turned from a side street headed directly at my veh. I managed to slow, cut back into my proper lane and narrowly avoid hitting the stopped cars at the light once again. I regained very little stopping ability.once stopped, my brake light came on. Brake line broke in rear left drivers side. Brake lines need to be replaced.

- Parkville, MD, USA

problem #70

Apr 222014

Silverado 2500

  • 100,000 miles
When I left our garage I noticed that the red brake system light was on. Usually my husband drives this to work but we switched vehicles because I needed to haul a trailer to help move my daughter. I have only drive this vehicle one other time so I was unfamiliar with how it handled. I noticed that I had to press hard to stop but thought that was how it handled. I drove over 120 miles with it this way, I didn't know what was wrong with it, by the time I pulled into our drive, I could barely stop the vehicle. My husband came out to release the trailer out back. He got in and said, "what's wrong with the brakes"" I said, "what do you mean"" he told me I had no brakes and I could have been killed. It was a near miss incident but I have found (as a former safety manager) that those near miss incidents often show a root cause) that in the future means something. Please let me know if there ever is a class action suit to recoup the money we will have to pay to have this repaired.

- Quincy, MI, USA

problem #69

Jan 112014

Silverado 2500 8-cyl

  • 58,000 miles
Brake line broke due to excessive rusting of line. Internet research shows many many owners having same problem.

- House Springs, MO, USA

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