Exterior lighting: brake lights
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, VIBRATION AND HEAT MAY CAUSE THE TAIL LAMP/STOP LAMP BULB TO LOOSEN IN ITS SOCKET. IF THIS OCCURS, THE BULB MAY FLICKER AND EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 718 owner complaints for the 2004 GMC Envoy XL. Most complaints involve electrical system (329) and fuel system, gasoline (63). The EPA rates it 15–16 mpg combined.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, VIBRATION AND HEAT MAY CAUSE THE TAIL LAMP/STOP LAMP BULB TO LOOSEN IN ITS SOCKET. IF THIS OCCURS, THE BULB MAY FLICKER AND EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
“The contact owns a 2004 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the contact noticed that the front passenger's door was on fire. The contact stated that he arrived home just in time and noticed the fire. The contact stated that, because it was raining, the contact's wife had powered the window up; however, the contact noticed that the window was down when the fire occurred. In addition, the contact stated that the fire was blazing, and after the fire was extinguished, the smoke was still visible. The contact extinguished the fire. The contact disconnected the battery. In addition, the contact stated that it could have been a huge fire because the fuel tank had just been refilled prior to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,295.”
“VEHICLE HAS HAD STRONG ODOR OR RAW FUEL COMING FROM DRIVING SIDE WHEEL WELL. HAD MECHANIC CHECK THIS OUT AND I WAS TOLD THIS HAS A FUEL LEAK NEAR THE FUEL FILTER / FILLER NECK AND POSSIBLE GAS TANK ISSUE WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST PIPE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FROM GM OWNERS BUT RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ADVISED. INFORMED GM OF ISSUE ON 10/26 BUT THEY WILL NOT FIX. THIS WILL COST UPWARDS OF $1100-$1600 TO FIX. *TR”
“Headlight's,taillight's,turn signals stop working whenever they want.It's pretty scary to lose your headlight's when your driving at night.There's nothing i can do about it,except to sit wherever it happend and wait for them to come back on.My wife was following me one day and told me my brakelight's and turn signal stopped working and started to work again,she said this happened a couple time's at the same red light.There a couple of thing's (electrical)inside the vehicle that don't work anymore but i really dont care about them.To get the odometer to work i have to knock pretty hard on the plastic cover that cover's the instrument cluster,sometimes it stay's on,most of the time it wont stay on.The DIC (driver control center) doesn't work anymore.I cant even get to it.The speakers on the left side of the vehicle dont work anymore.I thought i would tell you about the inside also because it could be part of the problem.All of this happened when i was driving home from my daughter's two night's ago.I bought this vehicle about three or four's year's ago,and i had no problem's with it untill the other night.The person i bought it from is a good friend of mine.He…”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy XL 2WD Auto 4-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 18 | 16 | $3,900 | 555 |
| Envoy XL 2WD Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 4.2 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 13 | 18 | 15 | $4,150 | 592 |
| Envoy XL 4WD Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 4.2 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 18 | 15 | $4,150 | 592 |
| Envoy XL 4WD Auto 4-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 15 | $4,150 | 592 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
1 safety recall as of Nov 7, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 718 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (329), fuel system, gasoline (63), exterior lighting (60). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2004 GMC Envoy XL at 15–16 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).