2004 Chevrolet Aveo recalls and problems

The 2004 Chevrolet Aveo has 2 recalls and 206 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

2004 Chevrolet Aveo
Photo: 2004 Chevrolet Aveo by U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2004 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 9 Aveo model years — 3rd most.

2recalls
206complaints
23crashes
9fires
20injuries
60,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
Check your VIN →

2 recalls

Exterior Lighting

May 19, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V261000 · 218,000 vehicles

Problem: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Aveo vehicles equipped with daytime running lights (DRL). In the affected vehicles, there may be heat generated within the DRL module located in the center console in the instrument panel, which could melt the DRL module.

Risk: If the DRL module melts due to the heat generation, it could cause a vehicle fire.

Remedy & notes

GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a revised DRL module, inspect the wiring connector for heat damage, and clean the DRL circuit grounds. Owners were sent interim notices on August 14, 2014. The recall began on February 6, 2015. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14236.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Seat Belts

Aug 17, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V407000 · 32,301 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the rear safety belt can become twisted.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR SAFETY BELT CAN BECOME TWISTED.

Risk: If this occurs the safety belt retractor May lock in position so that the belt cannot be used. In the event of a vehicle crash, personal injury to the seat occupant could occur.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THIS OCCURS THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR MAY LOCK IN POSITION SO THAT THE BELT CANNOT BE USED. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT COULD OCCUR.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install a safety belt webbing guide to prevent the belt from twisting. The recall began on October 15, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438. Vehicle owners located in Guam should contact gm customer assistance at 1-671-648-8453.

Gm recall no.04069.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2004: 23 complaints20042005: 12 complaints2006: 19 complaints20062007: 13 complaints2008: 16 complaints20082009: 16 complaints2010: 30 complaints2010302011: 15 complaints2012: 11 complaints20122013: 4 complaints2014: 17 complaints20142015: 18 complaints2016: 7 complaints20162017: 1 complaints2018: 3 complaints20182019: 1 complaints20191

NHTSA investigations

STUCK THROTTLE VALVE

EA08005 · opened Feb 14, 2008 · closed Oct 14, 2008
Summary

TO DATE, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) IS AWARE OF 29 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS/FIELD REPORTS AND 52 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT AFFECTING 69 UNIQUE SUBJECT VEHICLES.BECAUSE THE ALLEGED DEFECT CONDITION IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR DURING WINTER MONTHS WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW FREEZING, ODI UPGRADED THIS INVESTIGATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS ON FEBRUARY 14, 2008 SO THAT IT COULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FIELD EXPERIENCE DURING THE 2007/2008 WINTER SEASON.BY LETTER DATED MAY 22, 2008, GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM) SUPPLEMENTED ITS PREVIOUS INFORMATION REQUEST RESPONSE WITH FIELD DATA RECEIVED BY GM THROUGH MAY 1, 2008.ACCORDING TO GM, WHEN MOISTURE FREEZES IN THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) SYSTEM AND/OR THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE TRACT IT IS MOST OFTEN OBSERVED AS A HARD TO START/NO START CONDITION, THROTTLE STUCK CLOSED, ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, STALLING AT IDLE, OR OIL LEAKAGE.OF THE 29 COMPLAINTS RELATED TO STUCK THROTTLE, ODI IDENTIFIED 5 REPORTS THAT ALLEGE UNWANTED ACCELERATION, 13 REPORTS DESCRIBE AN APPARENT HIGH-IDLE CONDITION AT START UP OR WHEN SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WITHOUT ANY ALLEGATION OF UNWANTED ACCELERATION OR DIMINISHED BRAKING PERFORMANCE, AND THE REMAINING 11 REPORTS DESCRIBE AMBIGUOUS ALLEGATIONS OF STUCK THROTTLE WITHOUT REGARD TO SEVERITY OR CONSEQUENCE.ODI ANALYSIS OF FIELD INCIDENT DATA SHOWS THAT THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY TRENDS APPEAR TO BE IN DECLINE, WITH ONLY 1 ADDITIONAL COMPLAINT AND 6 WARRANTY CLAIM…

STUCK THROTTLE VALVE

PE07051 · opened Oct 19, 2007 · closed Feb 14, 2008
Summary

ON OCTOBER 19, 2007, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED STUCK THROTTLE INCIDENTS DUE TO ICE FORMATION WITHIN THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE TRACT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004-2005 CHEVROLET AVEO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FOR SALE OR LEASE IN THE UNITED STATES.THIS INVESTIGATION WAS PROMPTED BY A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN (05F-069) CONDUCTED BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM) INVOLVING SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FOR SALE OR LEASE IN CANADA.AT THAT TIME, GM ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB #05-06-04-065) TO ADDRESS THE ALLEGED DEFECT CONDITION IN U.S. VEHICLES.GM SUBSEQUENTLY REVISED THE CANADIAN RECALL CAMPAIGN TO INCLUDE MORE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS AFTER IT DISCOVERED CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE NOT PROPERLY SERVICED UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL CAMPAIGN.GM REVISED THE CANADIAN RECALL CAMPAIGN A SECOND TIME TO INCLUDE MORE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE THROTTLE BODY, INTAKE MANIFOLD, POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMS TO FURTHER REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF ICING WITHIN THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE TRACT.AGAIN, GM ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB #08-06-04-009) TO ADDRESS THE ALLEGED DEFECT CONDITION IN U.S. VEHICLES USING THE REVISED PROCEDURE.ODI IS AWARE OF 28 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS/FIELD REPORTS AND 46 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT AFFECTING 63 UNIQUE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE ALLEGED DEFECT CONDITION IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AR…

2004 vs. other Chevrolet Aveo years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2004. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo, the latest from May 19, 2014 (exterior lighting). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (83), electrical system (37), air bags (23). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.