Problems with 2004 Chevrolet Colorado ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet colorado. the contact stated that the interior lighting, door chime, and radio did not turn off. the vehicle was taken to mayse automotive group (2032 s elliott ave, aurora, mo 65605) where it was determined that the wires running from the rear driver's side door had to be replaced; however, the parts for the repair were no longer being manufactured. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 190,000.

Vehicles bcm-body control module is defective or the system in its self is defective. vehicles will not start or may shut off at random from time to time. scan tools will not be able to recognize the problem as the bcm. so repairs made may make it seem like it fixed the problem but a couple hours/days/weeks later the problem will disguise it self as something else or even come back as the same problem. i myself was told it was the starter and hey it worked, until 3 hours later. then told the ignition passlock was defective, got it fixed until 1 hour later. now i have narrowed it down to what controls the whole system, the bcm. many people have complaints about this same issue all over the web forums, i dont know if any has been reported to nhtsa. so i figured i would start. i have this system effects 2004-2012 models of chevy colorado, gmc canyon and hummer h3.

Idle control via electronic throttle body raises rpm very high when the accelerator pedal is not depressed, causing uncontrolled acceleration of vehicle during coasting or when brake pedal is applied. turning the vehicle off with the key is the only action that has resulted in a cessation of extremely high idle. after restarting the vehicle, the symptom is gone and the vehicle operates normally. this behavior is erratic and inconsistent, the problem has been difficult to duplicate during diagnosis. all testing and inspection of the electronic throttle body, wiring harness, connectors, and functions within the engine computer has shown no defect or indication that a wiring fault, dirty throttle body, or other "wear and tear" item is the cause of this intermittent revving at idle. the most recent event occurred on august 9th 2017. this has been occuring for at least 6 months, on average once a month in frequency.

Problem # 1: had to replace the hvac resistor and its wiring harness. resistor plug and the harness plug was burned and melted...fire hazard! this safety hazard could have burned up my vehicle. problem #2: the abs warning light keeps coming on and when this happens (every day or so) the brakes do not work properly. this seems to happen when the vehicle is not parked on a level surface. the fault occurs once the vehicle moves forward from the parked position.

I bought this vehicle in 2014 with only 86000 miles on it. i had to have brand new key cut and programmed when i purchased it. starting in july of 2016 i started having issues with it not starting and cutting out. now it won't start at all. it is the theft system not allowing it to start. i have read thousands of complaint about this issue over many different gm vehicles. some nearly causing wrecks, stranding people with kids , etc. why has this issue been let go for so long. does gm not care about their customers. i bought another chevy right after i bought this truck. we got rid of it because it was doing the same thing.

I too have experienced problems with the hvac system of this truck. i have had to replace no less than 4 resistors and connectors due to melting and burned connections. i have not had to replace a single fuse. my hvac is once again inoperable and i have opened and inspected each connection point to locate the problem. i have found multiple connectors to be burned or melted. this problem has been flagged by the nhsta in the hummer h3 vehicles which use the same hvac system. the chevrolet/gmc/isuzu colorado/canyon (gmt355) should be included in this recall. there is no reason these connections should get hot enough to bubble and burn plastic before burning out a fuse. i can provide images upon request. i can also provide an example of a failed connector in the hvac speed control switch for physical inspection. i have set the "fire" flag on this report as there has been evidence of multiple electrical fires on multiple occasions in several locations in the hvac system of this vehicle. *js

Airbag light is on. my truck has never been in an accident. through research i have found that the wiring in the door breaks. *tr

A/c heater resistor and plastic connector for both resistor and blower motor arced and melted. also air bag light is on. *tr

Turn ignition to off position and park indicator light and radio stays on. have to jiggle key to get to go off. come out several hours later and park indicator light and radio are back on./ also, heat and air control fan only works on high speed. i was told it was a resistor ,i replaced resistor and it still continues to do this. i can reach down and jiggle the resistor and it works on all speeds for a short while only. have a friend with gmc canyon that has had this problem since his was new also. *tr

2004 chevrolet colorado. consumer writes in regards to engine and ignition switch problems. *smd the consumer stated on april 12, 2014, the vehicle shut off while driving 30 mph. the brake pedal was hard to push and the dashboard read reduced power. after waiting three minutes, the consumer was able to re-start the vehicle. the vehicle stalled again, after driving two miles. according to the service invoice, the pcm computer was bad.

I was making a left turn and i let the clutch out a little too fast which stalled the engine. i went to restart and engine just craned over and over would not start. that is where i almost got hit. had to push trk thru intersection .i have had this problem with it not restarting for a few years now.i have to wait 10 minutes before restarting. it happens intermittently when i go to start it does not start. it just cranks over.the book says its an anti-theft switch.i have to wait 10 minutes before restarting.i have seen on chevy colorado trk sites that it is a common problem with the ignition switch. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet colorado. the contact stated her vehicle would stall intermittently after it was turned on. the failure was diagnosed, both the dealer and manufacturer were aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 117,000.

This incident occurred twice. it involves the heater blower motor resistor assembly. 8 years ago my daughter used put her back pack on the passenger floor where it repeatedly made impacted the connection to the blower motor relay assembly. this eventually caused the pin and socket on the orange wire to separate to the point where it arced and burnt. i found and repaired the socket when the heater would only work on high. on the 16th of dec 2013, a passenger size 12 shoes accidentally, and unwittingly kicked the same spot and caused the same fault. i repaired the socket again. my complaint is the resistor connection is in a spot to easily service, but it is in a vulnerable spot for accidental contact. i believe it needs a robust protective cover, either metal or plastic. for people that cannot repair their own vehicles, this situation could cost them a couple of hundred dollars. my other electrical fault is the right side window motor. it quit working couple of years ago, and i was able to take it apart and clean the brushes. it worked for a couple of years until it stopped a couple of weeks ago. i replaced the motor because i could not find brushes to replace. i am convinced that the brushes failed because they were made brittle from slamming the doors too hard by the passengers. the doors are light and it is common for them to slammed. the brushes or the motor need to be more robust. *tr

The switch which controls the fan speed for the heat and a/c quit working. the fan only works when the it is set on high. *tr

The ignition will not start at first. it takes multiple times in order to get the engine to turn over. once the ignition does cause the engine to turn over, the vehicle will suddenly lose power while driving as the vehicle shuts itself off (as if the ignition has been turned off although it has not been). this has happened on multiple occasions in the course of normal driving activities, several times while crossing busy intersections which luckily has not resulted in any crashes to date, but may very well result in a potentially fatal one should it continue to occur. engine has been tested and all systems check out, except for the ignition switch which -will- have to be replaced. *tr

I put key into on position and airbag deployed and hit me in face. my face was red & swollen on right side where i was hit by bag. my truck not moving was parked my seatbelt was out side i was getting it on when bag deployed. gm is giving me a hard time! i keep getting 1800 customer service numbers they gave me a pac # but they have not followed up with me or dealer. i bought the truck it had 101,000 on it has 176,000 on it now. gm only agreed to take care of it after i told them i was in vehicle when the bag deployed. still waiting for my truck to be fixed. dealer told me the computer is fried so it needs bag and computer then maybe they can find out why it blew. cost is $1500-2000 to fix they said it may do it again. so i left waiting and wondering what next? luckily i had stopped for work supplies on my way home, and did not drive straight home! otherwise, i would have been in a wreck! after it happened, i wondered why cab filled with powder. i called dealer! they could not believe this, so i drove the truck to them. they cut bag off wheel and taped horn cover on. i returned it to them to fix. the used car dealer turned it over to a gm dealer by them and there it sits? waiting for gm to call and give gm dealership the go ahead to fix!, and for gm to call me and give me a reason for all of this! *tr

Heater fan does not work. it is wintertime and i have two children ages 4 1/2 years and 9 months. faulty wiring for the fan. *tr

Everyday now when i try to start the truck it turns over but will not start, wait 15 minutes then it will start. today when i tried it the first time it turned over but would not start so when i turned it off at the key it stopped then tried to start again on its own for about 8 to 10 secs. the starter turned the engine over without touching the ignition switch it then stopped for about 3 or 4 secs then tried to start on its own again without touching the key, it did this start sequence 3 times in a row. the gm passlock system is terribly defective as reported by all the reports online and i believe my problems are a result of this system. *tr

The vehicle was parked and started up due to the snow/ice to melt the windshield. the fan would only work on the high setting which is "4". i replaced the resistor as it was burnt. it worked ok for a week and then burnt out again. if i jiggle the wires it will sometimes work on 1, 2 or 3 setting but not for very long. i have replaced 3-4 resistors and i'm tired of replacing them. seems to me that this should be a recall as tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of chevrolet colorados have had this problem. just do an internet search and find the thousands of reports yet gm is not doing anything about it. also, one time while driving the fan quit and the entire dash lights went out including the speedometer, rpm gauge and fuel/battery gauges. *tr

Abs fault light went on. turned off engine, restart, light off. goes on and off randomly. *tr

2004 chevrolet colorado. consumer writes in regards to a defective ignition switch. *smd the consumer stated, he paid to have his ignition switch replaced, and is seeking reimbursement. he stated there were times, when the vehicle would not start, and it would take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. over several years, he took the vehicle to the dealer, explaining the problems, with trying to start the vehicle. each time he was told by the service manager, the problem could not be diagnose. eventually, he took the vehicle to a repair shop, and the problem was finally diagnosed and the ignition switch was replaced. he no longer experienced starting problems. however, in september 2013, he decided to trade the vehicle. *jb

Vehicle keeps stalling at idle or as you are slowing to stop at traffic lights, drive thru's... acts as if it isn't charging properly. have replaced battery, plugs, belt tensioner, drive belts. this is dangerous!!! i almost got hit again in morgantown! brake lights, head & tail lights keep going out as well!!! my husband recently diagnosed with cancer. i am having to drive him back & forth to wvu hospital in the colorado. it is dangerous having to drive this thing like this! talking to other colorado owners experiencing same/similar problems! truck does great on highway, except for lights going off & on. please help!!! truck now has about 119,000 miles. *tr

The vehicle fan control fails to function on settings 1, 2, or 3. setting 4 functions properly. the connector plug at the fan housing and wiring harness shows signs of charring. *tr

Chevrolet has a known ignition system defect since march 2009. my 2004 chevrolet colorado intermittently does not start and then starts on the second try. chevrolet's document: "#pip4575b: intermittent click no crank or brief crank no crank with dtcs - possible crank sensor - keywords bqmi - (mar 11, 2009)" explains the defect. i took my colorado in for service on 04-05-12 because it was not starting at all. they advised me the ignition cylinder was "not reading the key" properly. they replaced the ignition cylinder and reprogrammed a new key. this repair did not correct the intermittent no crank problem but did bring the problem back to the state where it would start on the second attempt following a no crank occurrence. i am convinced the initial ignition defect was the eventual cause of the complete failure of the ignition to start the vehicle. i believe this could be a safety issue on the vehicles affected by the intermittent no crank problem. if one of these vehicles stalled out, the possibility the vehicle could fail to start immediately, could cause an accident. even though chevrolet claimed the problem was under investigation, there has been no notification of any fix for the problem that i know of. i would also note that chevrolet is charging customers for diagnostic testing and ignition cylinder replacement even though they have know of this defect since 2009. however, replacing the ignition cylinder and reprogramming a new key is not correcting the original "no crank" ignition defect. *tr

Dashboard lights not always coming on at night only odometer lights up.

Intermittent non working power door locks wipers headlights and windows! there are hundreds of these incidents posted online. there looks to be thousands of dollars in repairs with no solution! *kb

Abs kick in when vehicle is cold in the morning, then disable along with an abs fault light on the instrument panel, then goes away in the afternoon. the abs kicks in and the brake pedal will not go down. *tr

The electric system is knocking out the brake light and cruise control on all 2004 and up chevrolet colorados. i was driving home from work just to be pulled over because the brake lights weren't working he told me the guy behind me almost nailed me because of it. i didn't know! but i did know of the colorados having a big problem with the electric system knocking out the brake lights and cruise control. so i got on line to see just how bad it was and found out it's no laughing matter all most every chevrolet colorado truck has this problem. just thank of coming to a stop from 65 miles an hour and not having brake lights, i and some people on the road with me got lucky today. i called two of my closest gm dealers to try to get it fixed today and asked did they know of a problem like this and they did but gm has no recall it's at the owners exspense to get it fixed, while i told them both what i found out online. the answer from them was no one has died yet. **** that's what it takes to get some things fixed now days for some one to die before the companies fix a defective vehicle. please can someone force gm to fix the problems with the colorado trucks please help out us owners of these trucks we can't keep spending money like this i also have spent hundreds on other problems through out the seven years i owned the truck. times are tight can't just go out and buy another vehicle. look online these trucks are prone for trouble and people don't know it until they have bought the truck. *kb

I have replaced the master switch that controls the locks and windows once already. got a new switch and it still doesn't work. i called gm and they said that there were no recalls on my truck for that issue. i can only lock and unlock the driver's side door with the interior panel or the remote- the rest of the doors do not lock/unlock. *kb

For being mechanically inclined this is definitely one problem i cant fix. i did the pads and rotors on my 2004 chevy colorado, all went well, nice and easy. later that week my abs light came on. i had my breaks checked and the mechanic said it wash showing wheel speed sensor. i bought the part and replaced it nice and easy again. the light turned off for about 2 min then came back on. the next time i went to drive my truck i turned it on, the sensor was off then the abs system started engaging on and off making a weird pump sound and making my brakes engage and disengage. this happens for about 20 sec then goes away and the abs light comes back on. i thought nothing worse could happen after having the computer replaced twice on the truck. this is worse. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet colorado. the contact stated that the resister for the wiring harness was defective and smoke would emit from the glove compartment. the dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 96,000 and the current mileage was 103,000. the vin was unavailable.

My air bag light stays on. i think it is a broken wire in the rear door.

Could cause fire!!! ac speed regulator of my 2004 crew-cab colorado overheated so much that the adapter burnt in the inside and cables overheated to the point that it couldn't be touched and started to smoke. this is located underneath the glovebox compartment. if this is left unattended could cause a fire inside the vehicle! *tr

Dashboard lights randomly go off or flicker. the a/c and heater/defroster blower stops working randomly or for an entire day at a time only to work the next day and then quit again. the a/c heating fan blower does not work on speeds 1,2, or 3, only on speed 4. i have had the wiring harness replaced numerous times only to have the problem continue again. the mechanics never can seem to find the problem until we get to the harness where there is always a burned wire. they replace it and just like this last replacement, within the week the problems returned. *tr

I noticed that when using the remove only the driver's door would lock and unlock. i go into the truck and used the panel and again only the driver's door would lock and unlock. i paid out of pocket to replace the switch inside the truck on the driver's door that controls the windows and the locking system. it worked for about 8 months and it has gone out again. *kb

Sometimes, especially in winter months when it is cold outside the door locks will stop working. for example, using the remote to lock the doors, they won't lock and the security alarm (horns) will go off if you open the closed door because the computer system thinks the door is locked sending security system into tamper mode. also when shifting to drive, the doors will not lock as they normally do when vehicle is shifted out of park. also some lights may not illuminate such as the left front side marker lamp/turn signal. eventually the electrical system will reset and the door locks will work normally. it isn't just during cold weather that this happens but it seems to happen more often during colder weather. gm dealer replaced a couple of switches when i brought my truck in while under warranty but haven't brought it in since the expiration of my warranty and it still does it on certain occasions. *tr

The hvac blower motor resistor assembly melted on the vehicle. the current passing through the unit is sufficient to melt the connector and degrade the wires to brittle. i believe this is a possible fire hazard. a number of co-owners have found the same defect. the connection in question terminal (c) goes to a ground distribution block that might not be sufficient.

The ignition key has twice needed to be replaced as the key itself seems to lose the ability to turn in the ignition. i assume that the key wears out over a period of time, but i have never had this issue with any other vehicle that i have owned. i have had to call a locksmith both times and have a new key made in order to start the vehicle. both times i was in a parking lot.

2004 chevy colorado zq8 hvac blower harness and resistor. part was replaced at approximately 15,000 miles under mfg warranty with identical parts. again out of warranty with no new revised parts at 45,000 and now again at 77,000 miles. harness and resistor failure had gotten so hot each time that it had melted the harness to the resistor. possible fire hazard, with severely burnt wires. looking it up on forums this is common on all gm model colorado and canyon trucks, gm knows of the problem, but refuses to offer a revised part or real solution. *tr

I replaced a second brake light switch. first one was replaced under recall. dealer said no open recalls for my vehicle. i had to pay out of pocket. since this is only a $10 part, it's not the price but the safety issue. i have filed a complaint with you on this same issue on 12/16/2005 - (please refer to odi number 10145757). again i don't know how long this switch was defective, but i have noticed other vehicles tailgating more frequently in the last couple of weeks. this could have been out a day, or months. i am very concerned with a future accident, or an accident involving other 2004 chevy colorado owners, since the part i just purchased from the dealer has the identical part # - 25796381 - as the one i replaced. without going into major detail, i again ask you to refer to the above odi # as this complaint has the identical basis. since i only have 44,900 miles on my truck, i would like to see a permanent fix for this part since it is a dangerous situation to drive without brake lights. thanks for your time. *tr

Cruise control still not working had it in to have it checked they replaced the recall than i took it and still did not work than took it back than they replaced another switch than they said the cruise was commanding on than i took it and tried it and nothing worked. *tr

I have a 2004 chevy colorado, and this past week the brake light switch went out and caused my brake lights and cruise control to not function. my mechanic informed me that there was recall 09v310000 to address this issue. when i called my local dealer, they said that the recall was already filled in 2007 by the previous owner, and they could not help me. when i called gm corporate office, they said that due to the high miles (125,000) on my truck and the recall already being filled that they could not help me. the woman on the phone said that if the miles were not so high they would help me out. also, she then went on to say that even with high miles they would have fixed it if the recall wasn't taken care of in 2007. she said that gm will not take care of a recall a second time even if it is the same problem recurring. it is ridiculous to think that there is a known problem with this switch, has been recalled, has been fixed, still not functioning correctly, and gm will not address the issue when it continues to fail. if it is such a problem that gm will do a recall for the part, why is it not a big enough problem to fix correctly or another time with the faulty part fails again? the consumer should not be stuck with fixing a part out of their own pocket for something that continues to fail and is under recall currently! *tr

Colorado 2004-- the driver's window stops working and battery goes dead. the body control module is replaced. then the fuse block has scorch marks. possible fire. this is a common problem with a chev. colorado. repairs are being done by a local repair garage. chevrolet has moved out of our area. there is some problem with the fuse block just waiting for a major fire or property damage to happen. *tr

Blower motor resistor connector overheats, whereas a terminal burns, creating a poor connection and no power. *tr

Had blower problems with a/c, would not work on 1 - 3, only on 4. now bower has stopped working completely. and, approx. 5 days after blower went out completely, electrical system will not cut off on it's own even after key is removed from ignition. i am resorting to disconnecting battery source every time. i am a chassis specialist with international trucks assembly plant in texas so i know the all too familiar signs of a defective chassis harness. the issue with the brake light recall is gm's attempt to repair an electrical jumper off the rear harness, solving nothing. *tr

With the revelation of the gm ignition recall problem, there are much more ignition problems that were not included in the recall. the problem is in the ignition cylinder and alignment with the passlock or passkey sensor. my problem started shortly after the vehicle went out of warranty and i was told by the dealer that it was a $1000.00 repair. i can not afford $1000. so i have lived with it. because of the misalignment it causes the ignition to think that the vehicle is stolen and disables the fuel injectors, it has left me stranded quite a few times along the road waiting for the computer to manually reset after 10 minutes, it has also cost me several towing bills until i did an internet search and found out how widespread this issue is. if the misalignment is causing this to happen what will it affect as the problem worsens. this issue is not covered by the current recall but deserves investigating . [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Throughout the course of ownership, i've had several complaints to the dealership concerning the faulty electrical wiring in my vehicle. since 2004, all repairs have been electrical problems. i have reason to believe that the faulty wiring in my vehicle was the cause of fire to my vehicle which resulted in a total loss. i was also made aware by local firemen at the scene that they've had the same type of fires with the same make and model vehicle just in my area alone. here is a summary of service history since taking ownership in 2004: brake switch replacement: 11/19/2004, 1/23/2006, 1/26/2007, and 5/26/2008 r&r blower resistor replacement: 8/28/2007 rear window regulator replacement: 5/1/2006 speaker replacement: 5/1/2006 complained about various electrical wiring issues on 1-24-05, 9-1-05, and 1-26-07. *tr

I have a 2004 chevy colorado. the problem i am having with my vehicle is the a/c switch will not work on setting 1 through 3. although 4 works all the time. i have had it fixed 3 times since i bought the truck by a chevy dealer yet the problem keeps happening, and once again it has stopped working. i have read many automobile forums and it seems many people are having the same problem yet chevy has yet to issue a recall. *tr

My 2004 chevy colorado ls 4x4 has an issue with the passlock system that shuts my truck off while driving down the road when this event happens i loose my power steering. this is a well known problem that has no fix. the chevy dealer says it's a common problem with no real definitive solution. *tr

Multiple failure of blower resistor 3 occurrences in 6 month period each time the resistor had to be replaced a new plug assy was installed after the 1st occurrence. *tr