2004 Chevrolet Express recalls and problems

The 2004 Chevrolet Express has 6 recalls and 21 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is service brakes.

Pictured: a 2003 model; the 2004 may differ in details. Photo: 2003 Chevrolet Express by Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2004 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 24 Express model years — 7th most.

6recalls

21complaints

1crashes

2fires

0injuries

109,000median 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 →

6 recalls

Fuel System

Aug 8, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V388000 · 9,389 vehicles

Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with a left side cargo door, and originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Water and road contaminants may become trapped in the protective conduit that covers the fuel filler pipe and may cause the pipe to corrode.

Risk: Significant corrosion may allow fuel to leak during refueling, and in the presence of an ignition source; there is an increased risk of fire.

Remedy & notes

GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuel filler neck, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 1, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

GM's campaign number is 12166.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Seat Belts

Dec 19, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V558000 · 425,593 vehicles

Problem: On certain full-size passenger, cargo, or cutaway vans, the front and rear seat belt buckles will not latch or will not unlatch.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN FULL-SIZE PASSENGER, CARGO, OR CUTAWAY VANS, THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL NOT LATCH OR WILL NOT UNLATCH.

Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat occupant May not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, A SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the buckles and, if found to be inoperative, the entire buckle assembly would be replaced. For buckles found to be operative, dealer will replace only the upper buckle cover. The recall will be conducted in phases. The first phase mailing began during March 2006. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

Gm recall no. 05113. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Feb 8, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V043000 · 77,411 vehicles

Problem: Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with Bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator May crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND VANS EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH HYDRO-BOOST BRAKE ASSEMBLIES, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR MAY CRACK AND SEPARATE FROM THE HYDRO-BOOST ASSEMBLY DURING NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

Risk: If a separation occurred and the hood of the vehicle were open, fragments from the accumulator could cause injury to people in the immediate area. The presence of this crack or fractured surface could allow the hydraulic fluid to leak from the accumulator circuit of the booster assembly. The loss of fluid would cause increased steering and braking effort and a crash May occur without prior warning.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WERE OPEN, FRAGMENTS FROM THE ACCUMULATOR COULD CAUSE INJURY TO PEOPLE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. THE PRESENCE OF THIS CRACK OR FRACTURED SURFACE COULD ALLOW THE HYDRAULIC FLUID TO LEAK FROM THE ACCUMULATOR CIRCUIT OF THE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY. THE LOSS OF FLUID WOULD CAUSE INCREASED STEERING AND BRAKING EFFORT AND A CRASH MAY OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on March 23, 2005. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC trucks at 1-866-996-9463 and Hummer at 1-800-732-5493.

Gm recall no. 05006.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Power Train

Jul 6, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V320000 · 1,792 vehicles

Problem: Certain vans were built with a transmission shift cable assembly that May separate. If the cable assembly separates, the transmission shift lever position and the transmission indicator May no longer correlate.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN VANS WERE BUILT WITH A TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE ASSEMBLY THAT MAY SEPARATE. IF THE CABLE ASSEMBLY SEPARATES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER POSITION AND THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR MAY NO LONGER CORRELATE.

Risk: If this were to occur, the vehicle could move in a direction not anticipated by the driver, which could result in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE IN A DIRECTION NOT ANTICIPATED BY THE DRIVER, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the transmission shift cable assembly, and if necessary, replace it. The recall began on August 19, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

Gm recall no. 04061.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Seat Belts

Apr 19, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V189000 · 331 vehicles

Problem: Certain vans fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." these vehicles May have been produced with seat belt buckle assemblies containing a latch with a brittle condition that May not withstand the force requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN VANS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES CONTAINING A LATCH WITH A BRITTLE CONDITION THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE FORCE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk: The safety belt May not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, which could result in injury to the occupant.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT AS INTENDED DURING A CRASH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the safety belt buckle. The recall beagn May 7, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

Gm recall no. 04025.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Feb 4, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V045000 · 68,875 vehicles

Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND PASSENGER VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, ?PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.? SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION BRAKE HYDRO-BOOST HOUSING RELIEF VALVE BORE.

Risk: Consequently, the valve o-ring seal May fracture. Steering efforts May be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal May require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.

Original NHTSA wording

CONSEQUENTLY, THE VALVE O-RING SEAL MAY FRACTURE. STEERING EFFORTS MAY BE SLIGHTLY INCREASED WHILE BRAKING OR PARKING. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, A FRACTURED SEAL MAY REQUIRE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE SAME VEHICLE DECELERATION RATE AS PRIOR TO THE SEAT FRACTURE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on June 18, 2004. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; GMC at 1-866-996-9463; or Hummer at 1-866-486-6376.

Gm recall no. 04004.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

NHTSA investigations

HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILRES

EA04012 · opened Apr 30, 2004 · closed Feb 28, 2005 · led to recall 05V005000

Summary

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

2004 vs. other Chevrolet Express years

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

Questions

Does the 2004 Chevrolet Express have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Chevrolet Express, the latest from Aug 8, 2012 (fuel system). 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 Express?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention service brakes (6), fuel system (4), seat belts (3). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.