GMC TruckSierra2004Overview/gmc-truck/sierra/2004/base/

2004 GMC Truck Sierra

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 Sierra.

Body TRUCK

The 2004 GMC Sierra is a full-size truck that specifies 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil for engine service. Reliability data records 582 total owner complaints for this model year, with the electrical system standing out as the top concern area alongside 16 manufacturer recalls. Within the broader 1990–2008 generation, this complaint volume sits well below the 2000 peak of 732 yet remains significantly higher than the 1991 low of 12, positioning the 2004 model as a moderate-risk year relative to the nameplate's best and worst performers.

Model year2016201520042003

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque140 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeC20 2WD PICKUP, C2500 2WD PICKUP C25 10,000 GVWR, 2-DR. CAB LT245-75R16EOEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter22845992 alt 15908916
Fuel filter12646512
Spark plug12621258 alt 12681665
Battery88866305 alt 88866121
Front wiper blades15214346
Serpentine belt12576447 alt 12637204
Thermostat12632948 alt 12600171

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, SAE 75W · Synthetic in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 140 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.4
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilSAE 75W · Synthetic
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.75 qt
Differential Gear OilSAE 75W · Synthetic
Differential Gear OilSAE 75W · Synthetic
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.83 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts189 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts28 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsRight: 15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts28 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head BoltsBolts: 26 ft-lbs, nuts: 12 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)110.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket70.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle70.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket70.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts140 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.60 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Capacity8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Optional BCI Group Number78
Optional BCI Cranking Performance770 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum62.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)55-62
RPM45-59 @ Idle rpm
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum62.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)55-62

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH ROP JH7 / WITH RPO JH6
Torque Caliper to Bracket80 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle221 ft-lbs / 122 ft-lbs / 148 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket80 ft-lbs / 31 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle129 ft-lbs / 148 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake ApplicationWITH ROP JH7 / WITH RPO JH6
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174 ft. lbs., step 2: 9074 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
1all bolts22 ft. lbs
2long bolts75 degrees
3medium bolts65 degrees
455
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
1M11 bolts22 ft. lbs
2M11 bolts-90 degrees90 degrees
3M11 bolts 1-890 degrees
4M11 bolts 9 and 1050 degrees
522
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
1M11 bolts22 ft. lbs
2M11 bolts-90 degrees90 degrees
3M11 bolts 1-890 degrees
4M11 bolts 9 and 1050 degrees
522
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
1M11 bolts22 ft. lbs
2M11 bolts-90 degrees90 degrees
3M11 bolts 1-890 degrees
4M11 bolts 9 and 1050 degrees
522
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep M12 bolts:

137 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
259 ft. lbs.59 ft. lbs
360 degrees60 degrees
490 degrees; M8 bolts:90 degrees
118
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep M12 bolts:

137 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
259 ft. lbs.59 ft. lbs
390 degrees; M8 bolts:90 degrees
118
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
222 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
3120 degrees120 degrees
4bolts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 1760 degrees
5bolts 15, 1845 degrees
6turn 30
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1all bolts22 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1M11 bolts22 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1M11 bolts22 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs. Step 2: 22 ft. lbs. Step 3: 120 degrees Step 4: bolts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17: turn 60 degrees Step 5: bolts 15, 18: turn 45 degrees Step 6: bolts 4, 5, 12, 13: turn 3022 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
13.7 ft. lbs., step 2: 5.9 ft. lbs., step 3: 8.83.7 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
17.4
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miFuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 15,000 miFuel Filter Water Separator (drain)
Every 25,000 miClutch Hydraulic System (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2004 GMC Truck Sierra lead in one area — the electrical system, 140 of 582 reports (24%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 10 recall campaigns target the electrical system, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 24 of the reports describe a crash and 13 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the electrical system pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

16
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
927
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
582
Owner complaints
24 involved a crash · 13 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 582 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System140
Service Brakes116
Service Brakes, Hydraulic67
Steering28
Power Train20
Vehicle Speed Control16
Engine15
Engine & Engine Cooling15

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

06V289000Engine And Engine CoolingReported 03/08/2006

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AN 8.1L V8 (RPO L8-VIN G) ENGINE HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL PULSE DAMPER RETAINER CLIP MAY FRACTURE RESULTING IN INADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE DAMPER. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL PULSE DAMPER RETAINER CLIP FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 927 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5851F2025-04-04Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates an issues with the odometer being incorrect…
23-NA-0012025-03-28Electrical SystemThis service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G…
PIP5358D2025-02-19Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
03-06-01-023I2024-12-17EngineThis service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sierra. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2004 Sierra take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2004 Sierra have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.