Model year record
The 2004 Chevrolet Classic has 1 safety recall and 40 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (29 complaints).
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
| City / highway | 21 / 31 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,700/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemIgnition › Switch; Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers | 29 | 94,112 mi |
| Engine | 4 | 94,650 mi |
| Service brakes, electric | 2 | — |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | — |
| Equipment | 2 | — |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission | 1 | — |
| SuspensionFront › Wheel bearing | 1 | — |
| VisibilityDefroster/defogger/hvac system | 1 | — |
| Steering | 1 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingEngine | 1 | — |
| Equipment adaptive/mobility | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
MY FUEL LEVEL GAUGE IS MALFUNCTIONING. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HAD THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND THE IN DASH GAUGES CHECKED, IT WILL NOT REGISTER PAST 1/4 TANK. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES THE GAUGE WILL SUDDENLY DROP, THE LOW FUEL LIGHT WILL COME ON. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON, IT WILL AGAIN READ 1/4 TANK EVEN WHEN FULL. THE VEHICLE IS ALMOST ALWAYS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURS.
ANTI THEFT SYSTEM KEEPS ON COMING ON AND WILL NOT LET YOUR CAR START !!! THEY EVEN REPLACED THE KEY HOLES WITH FILLERS IN IT. YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KEY AND WAIT 15 TO 20 MIN. BEFORE IT WILL START OR SOMETIME IT WILL NOT WORK!!!! HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT AND THAT STILL DOES NOT FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH IT IS A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE NOW THE CAR WILL NOT START I HAVE CALLED GM BEFORE AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALL. WELL IF YOU LOOK AT THIS WEB SITE TO SEE ALL THE COMPLAINTS IN THESE CARS FOR THE IGNITION PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE FIXED AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT !!!!! I GUESS THEY WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GETS KILLED AGAIN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT !!! THEY ALREADY HAD A BIG LAW…
BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. ALL THE LINES(4) RUN VERY CLOSE TOGETHER UNDERNEETH THE AIR FILTER BOX. BY RUNNING THE LINES THIS CLOSE TOGETHER IT ALLOWS MOISTURES TO BE HELD IN THE TINY GAPS BETWEEN THE LINES, THERBY CUASING ACCELERATED RUSTING AND CORROSION. BRAKE LINES RUSTING OUT IN JUST OVER 10 YEARS SEEMS PREMATURE GIVEN HOW MANY OF THE VEHICLES 10 YEARS OLD ARE STILL ON THE ROAD. MAYBE I'M WRONG? LUCKILY I WAS JUST LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY TO GO TO THE CAR WASH. THE PICTURE IS TAKEN FROM UNDER THE CAR LOOKING UP FROM THE WHEEL WELL, THERE IS ALSO LITTLE PROTECTION FROM TIRE SPRAY
I HAD TAKEN MY SON TO THE DR. AND THE CAR HAD BEEN TURNED OFF FOR LESS THAN 10 MINUTES. WHEN WE CAME BACK OUT, THE CAR WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T FIRE UP. AFTER SITTING IN THE BLAZING SUN WITH MY SICK CHILD FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, A FRIEND CAME TO ASSIST US. THE FUEL PUMP WAS KICKING ON, WE CLEANED THE INTAKE AND CHANGED THE AIR FILTER WITH NO LUCK. WITH STARTER FLUID THE ENGINE WOULD FIRE UP BUT DIED AS SOON AS THE FLUID BURNT OFF. BEFORE HAVING IT TOWED HOME WE RESEARCHED IT ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM GLITCH. SURE ENOUGH, AFTER LEAVING THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION FOR 10 MINUTES,WITHOUT TRYING TO START THE CAR, WE TURNED THE KEY TO THE…
THIS VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS WITH ITS STARTER. I'M NOT SURE OF THE FIRST DATE IT WAS NOTICED. INITIALLY THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION, IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 1/2 HR OR MORE FOR THE KEY TO COME OUT, THEN LONGER, THEN DAYS IN WHICH THE BATTERY WOULD HAVE TO BE RECHARGED. IT ALSO ON OCCASION WOULD ACTIVATE THE 'KILL-SWITCH' ON THE ALARM. WE WERE TOLD BY CHEVY THAT THE CAR WAS NOT 'RECOGNIZING' THE IGNITION KEY. FINALLY AFTER THE MONEY WAS AVAILABLE, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO CHEVY FOR REPAIR. INITIALLY IT WAS FINE...THE KEY DIDN'T GET STUCK, THEN ONLY A FEW TIMES ...NONE IN WHICH IT DIDN'T COME OUT....HOWEVER, THE CAR IN 2013? BEGAN TO DIE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. MY SON AND FINANCE' BOUGH THIS TO…
2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, REPLACED IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER AND SWITCH*CW
THE PRESCRIBED/PROPOSED FIX BY GM OVER THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES IS THE MOST LAME EXCUSE FOR A FIX I HAVE EVER HEARD OF. JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD SAYING THIS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY, ON OR OFF MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH TUMBLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.