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6.8

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$500
Average Mileage:
83,600 miles
Total Complaints:
13 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace the instrument cluster (8 reports)
  2. not sure (4 reports)
  3. replace it (1 reports)
2004 Chevrolet Suburban electrical problems

electrical problem

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2004 Chevrolet Suburban Owner Comments

problem #13

Feb 112012

Suburban LT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,200 miles

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

This is only the next in a line of issues with this vehicle. Passenger side window motor failed. Brake lines rusted out and failed, with no warning at all. $1000 to fix the rear lines only. Mechanic says the front will be more expensive when they go. Rust and total failure of components on the chasis and under carraige. With only 60,000 miles (8 years) I won't be buying another Chebby.

- Richard T., North Granby, CT, US

problem #12

Sep 062006

Suburban V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,000 miles

this was brought up to the Chevy dealor before the warranty expired and the dealor informed us that it was nto covered by warranty and that there was no recall either. At that time the needle was just jumping and got stuck at a certain speed but would go back to almost zero occasionally. We had our "non" dealer look at it and he made not on his service invoice. the Chevy Dealer also had made a note about this issue. So after a few months and after the vehicle's warranty has expired the whole dashboard stops working. Now we take it back and they will replace it for $500.00, too much because our "non" Dealer mech. will do it for $350.00. No brainer here, right? Since it was not under warranty why should i pay more for something that should have been covered in the fiorst place!

Fast foward a year or two and we now get a recall, well sort of it is a reimbursement for replacement for the speedometer instr cluster, however there is a catch. since the dealer did nto do the job and we did not have it replaced before the warranty was up even thhough we had documentation that it was defective before the warranty was up they would not honor it.

NEVER will I ever buy another Chevy or General Motors product, EVER! this is not the only problem that we had with this vehicle. But since it is only one problem at a time we have to deal with each and it is not considered a LEMON.

- lmcleod, Middletown, CT, US

problem #11

Feb 102010

Suburban LS V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 119,000 miles

I HAVE ANOTHER CAR FOR MORE THEN THIS ONE AND I HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL, ISN'T INCREDIBLE THAT THIS THINS HAD FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, IS CHEVROLET DOING SOMETHING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

- Jose C., El Paso, TX, US

problem #10

Aug 152009

Suburban LT V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,000 miles

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

The speedomter first started jumping around not giving correct reading but then go back to working. Now the speedometer shows going 110 while backing up and if passing a car it shows a decline in mph.!!!!

This vehicle has been nothing but a nightmare....drivers side door electrical, heater and a/c work then not work, speedometer, electric seats and heaters come on and off. My father was a Chevrolet Dealer for over 30 years...born and raised around Chevrolets. Doubt I will own another...Owned a 91 Suburban,96 Tahoe,99 Suburban, 2005 Crew Cab Silverado, and this 2004 Suburban. They all had issues ( one or another )...each time I would get pissed and trade for a Toyota ( never had one problem) . Missed the dependablity of my 2004 Sequoia, 2005 Avalon, 2002 4 Runner....no problems, noise, dependable, and cheaper to own and run!!!!! Why can we not make these type of vehicles. The thing is GM will not even stand behind there product.

The problems seem to be happening with over 80,000 miles and at the cost of the customer because warranty only good to 70,000 miles. I am the 2nd owner of my Suburban and it has been babied. If I trade it or keep it ...It has to be fixed. Looks like at my expense. It is sad to say but GM looses more of repeat purchases for this reason. I want a product of value and a company that will stand by its product. GM is not one of them.

- franklin-hall, Estill Springs, TN, US

problem #9

Sep 162009

Suburban LT 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,000 miles

Tolerated the problem for about 2 months then decided it was not worth a speeding ticket. Called the dealer who services our Suburban, and the service adviser informed me that this is a CHRONIC PROBLEM for 04 Suburbans/Tahoes. He went to bat for me and got GM to cover the parts and I paid only the labor which was still $130, but better than the $500 total.

Friends have and 04 Suburban as well whose speedometer quit at 86k miles, and they were socked $800 to have it repaired.

When GM knows they have a chronic problem on $45,000 vehicles, the really need to take care of the problem and the customers.

- kfg1969, Omaha, NE, US

problem #8

Jun 012009

Suburban 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,000 miles

Babied like new 30,000 Mi. speedo stops working, Steering knocks, Passenger side front window quit.for the amount of money this is will cost to fix I can get a cheep cherokee to beat on and have fun.

- sdickinson, Brick, NJ, US

problem #7

May 132009

Suburban LT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,111 miles

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

One day, the speedometer stopped reading accurately, moving up to 95 mph (the carpool kids loved it--"You're going 95 mph!")

It stopped working altogether the next day, I made an appt, and 2 days later, it worked again. En route to the appt, the speedometer was off by 10-15mph (compared to the Garmin reading.)

The dealer told me I was out of the time/mileage (111k) window to have it fixed but "there have been problems noted with the speedometer in the past." I'm getting it repaired this week, after the part comes in...$510 later. Ugh.

- toiletratt, Middletown, DE, US

problem #6

May 132009

Suburban LT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,111 miles

There is a link for the speedometer claim if you had to get your cluster replaced.

www.speedometersettlement.com

There are a few stipulations..under 80,000 miles is one reimbursement, and it looks like under 70K gets reimbursed. Doesn't work for my 111,111 mile car, but good luck to anyone else.

- toiletratt, Middletown, DE, US

problem #5

Mar 282009

Suburban LE 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 85,000 miles

WHAT THE HELL ,WE PAY ALL THIS MONEY FOR THESE SUV'S AND NOW WE HAVE TO INVEST MORE MONEY TO FIX PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED.I HAD A 1999 CHEVY SUBURBAN WITH 178000 MILES,NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM..

- dcisneros, Salinas, CA, US

problem #4

Dec 302008

Suburban LX V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 101,000 miles

ONLY 1,000 MILES OVER EXTENDED WARRANTY AND DEALERSHIP(LANDERS IN BENTON, AR) WOULD NOT HELP AT ALL FINANCIALLY. STATED THE CLUSTER WOULD BE OVER $1,000. OUR GPS SYSTEM HAS A SPEEDOMETER (CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE FOR NOW)

- Annie W., Benton, AR, US

problem #3

Dec 222008

Suburban 5.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 96,000 miles

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

they need to win the class action suite. It is stupid that all of us are having problems and they don't want to admit.

- labadoo, Whitewater, WI, US

problem #2

Dec 112007

Suburban LS 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,000 miles

Their is a campaign from Chevrolet to cover the repair, check with your chevy dealer. The mileage I have, was more than the mileage perimeters, of their Campaign. And the fact that I wasn't a regular customer to the dealer, they wouldn't "Good Will" it. I, also was quoted $450 for repair. 1st to go out was the battery gauge, then the speedo would work intermittently, now the fuel gauge quit. Thats it, I have to bit the bullet. By the way, If your a good regular customer to your dealer, (definition of: " a good regular customer" is: someone who has ALL work done at the dealer, NOT JUST WARRANTY) he might "Good Will" the repair, or split the cost, if over perimeters. I was a Lincoln Mercury service manager.

- jet pilot, Sugar Grove, IL, US

problem #1

Jun 182007

Suburban LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 63,000 miles

This speedometer failure is fairly common. It started intermittently and became worse.Chevy knew of the problem and said they'd fix it up to 7 years, 70,000 miles.By the time it became really annoying, I had 75,000 miles on it (of course). I was quoted $450 to fix it. I'll fight with the dealer tomorrow and remind them that I have bought 3 cars from them. I'm probably screwed! My advice- don't buy a new car.

- johngalt, Ouray, CO, US

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