ChevroletTahoe 4WD2004Overview/chevrolet/tahoe-4wd/2004/base/

2004 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 Tahoe 4WD.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD takes 6 qt of 5W-30 engine oil and is EPA-rated at 17/20/18 mpg city/highway/combined.

Model year200419981996

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque140 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/20/18 mpgEPA · 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 12731172. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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 sizeP265-70R16OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731172
Engine air filter22845992 alt 15908916
Fuel filter25164003 discontinued
Spark plug12621258
Battery88866305 alt 88866306
Front wiper blades15214346
Serpentine belt12576447 alt 12637204
Thermostat12600171 alt 12570307

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length198.8 in
Overall width78.7 in
Overall height76.4 in
Wheelbase116.5 in
Curb weight4828 lb
Track (front / rear)65 / 65.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)52/48

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 20 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 6 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
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6 qt

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket110.0 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 Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Optional BCI Group Number78
Optional BCI Cranking Performance770 cca
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum62.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)55-62

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH RPO JC3, JC4, JH2 / WITH RPO JH6
Torque Caliper to Bracket80 ft-lbs / 31 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle129 ft-lbs / 122 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake ApplicationWITH RPO JC3, JC4, JH2 / WITH RPO JH6
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.005 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.142 in / 1.181 in / 1.496 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
122 lb ft
2M11 Bolts90 degrees
3M11 Bolts in Sequence-Excluding the Medium Length Bolts at the Front and Rear of Each Cylinder Head90 degrees
450

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 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 25,000 miEngine 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)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 Tahoe 4WD. 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 Tahoe 4WD take?

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

What gas mileage does the Tahoe 4WD get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 20 highway / 18 combined mpg.