Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WOULD ACTUALLY JUMP & VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & INFORMED BY SERVICE MANAGER THAT STEERING SHAFT WAS THE CAUSE OF JUMPING. IT CAN BE REPAIRED.*AK
VEHICLE WILL NOT START INTERMITTENLY DUE TO A SHORT THAT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHERE IT WAS. THIS DEFECT CAUSED BATTERY TO DIE, CONSUMER HAD REPLACED BATTERIES 3-4 TIMES. ALSO, ALTERNATOR AND DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM WERE REPLACED. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK
EA99011, INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO WANDER WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK *SLC
MY TAHOE HAS WARPED THE FRONT ROTORS UNDER NORMAL USE(NO TOWING) UNDER WARRANTY 6 TIMES AND TWICE MORE OUT OF WARRANTY WITH ONLY 38K MILES TOTAL. CHEVEROLT DEALER CLAIMS THERE ARE NO TECHNICAL BULLITENS ON THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH I'VE LEARNED THE SUBURBAN HAS A SIMILAR ISSUE REQUIRING A PROPORTIONING VALVE REPLACEMENT. ON AVERAGE THIS TAHOE HAS WARPED THE FRONT ROTORS EVERY 4000 MILES. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE?*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
STEERING JERKS LEFT OR RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING -INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. SEEMS TO BE WORSE GOING AROUND CORNERS,BUT CAN HAPPEN GOING STRAIGHT. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER NOTICED THAT STEERING WHEEL WAS MOVING ALL OVER THE PLACE. *AK
ABS ENGAGES INTERMITTENTLY, DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE AT CONSUMER'S COST AND ALSO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, FRONT HUBS AND SENSOR WERE REPLACED. *SLC
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A BRAKE JOB, AND THE ATTENDANT REPLACED BRAKES. *AK
ERRATIC POWER STEERING OPERATION. BECOMES EXTREMELY LOOSE WHILE DRIVING.SHUTTING OFF THE TRUCK AND RESTARTING WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT PERIOD. FEELS LIKE THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH TO THE STEERING WHEEL COULD TURN THE VEHICLE OVER. ALSO HAS BEGUN AN ERRATIC "TWITCH".*AK
WHEN MAKING A TURN POWER STEERING BOOSTS THE TURN, CAUSING THE TURN TO BE FURTHER THAT EXPECTED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK THE CAUSE FOR POWER STEERING BOOSTING IS FOUND TO BE FAILURE IN ELECTRONIC VARIALBE ORIFICE SYSTEM (EVO). *YH
IN JULY THE FUEL FILTER WAS REPLACED IN SANTA FE, NM. IN AUGUST I WAS DRIVING ON I-25 TO CASTLE ROCK , COLORADO AND 1-1/2 MILE FROM THE EXIT TO CASTLE ROCK, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND STOPPED RUNNING. WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER BUT IT WAS VERY SCARY. THERE WAS BARELY ROOM FOR THE CAR BETWEEN THE VERY BUSY INTERSTATE AND THE DITCH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHOULDER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO CASTLE ROCK, THEY COULDN'T REPAIR IT UNTIL A PART WAS ORDERED AND RECEIVED FROM DENVER, SO I RENTED THE LAST CAR RENTAL IN CASTLE ROCK AND DROVE HOME. THEN WENT BACK TWO DAYS LATER TO PICK UP MY CAR. THIS WAS VERY COSTLY TO ME BECAUSE THE TOWING WAS COVERED BY MY INSURANCE, BUT THE OTHER COSTS WERE MY RESPONSIBILITY. IT COST $130.90 IN SANTA FE TO REPLACE THE FILTER ($91.50 LABOR) AT THE SANTA FE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. THE COST TO REPLACE THE PUMP MODULE AND STRAINER WAS $533.80 ($232.00 LABOR) AT THE SOUTH STREET AUTOMOTIVE AS NO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WAS AVAILABLE. THE RENTAL CAR COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $300.00. I CAN UNDERSTAND REPLACING A FUEL FILTER ON A THREE-YEAR CAR PERHAPS, BUT THE OTHER FAILURE (FOR WHICH THERE WAS NO WARNING) WAS NOT ONLY VERY COSTLY BUT A VERY SCARY SAFETY HAZARD.*AK
WHILE DRIVING SPARE TIRE FELL FROM VEHICLE. DEALER HAS REMOUNTED THE TIRE.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
POWER BRAKE BOOSTER IS LEAKING VACCUM CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE HARD, REPLACED THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH DOWN THE MOUNTAIN WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER HAD TO PLACE VEHICLE LOW GEAR TO REDUCE SPEED, THEN IT STOPPED. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, NO FOWARD OR REVERSE, WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING.*AK
BOTH TIMES THE STEERING SENSOR FAILED WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE FIRST TIME I WAS SWITCHING LANES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT OVER CORRECTED AND ALMOST SENT ME INTO THE DITCH AT 65 MPH. THE SECOND TIME MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH AND TURNED THE WHEEL A LITTLE AND IT SENT HER INTO THE NEXT LANE CUTTING OFF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME I HAD IT FIXED THE GUY SAID "OH YEAH WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THESE." THE NEXT TIME I HAD IT FIXED I FIGURED THEY WOULD JUST REPLACE IT SINCE THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEM, BUT THEY CHARGED MY $150 PARTS AND LABOR. I AM GOING TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER NEXT. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND I CANNOT BELIEVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS ISN'T BEING CORRECTED.
VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP HAD 2 REAR-END COLLISIONS WITHIN 3 MONTHS
BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR WHEN BRAKING HARD, VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP. COMPLAINED TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS BUT THEY SAY THAT THE BRAKES ARE OK
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE FUEL PUMP CONSUMER NOTICED THAT INSIDE GAS TANK THERE WERE BURNED WIRES. DEALER HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM TO BE COMMON, AND REPLACED THE TANK. *AK
STEERING WHEEL JERKS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. HAPPENED 4 TIMES DURING TRIP (9/21) AND AGAIN ON 9/27.*AK
ABS BRAKING SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. BUT, REGULAR BRAKES DO WORK. BUT WHEN TRAVELING IN SNOW OR ICE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TAKES LONGER TO STOP. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SLIP YOKE SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, GM CLAIMS COMMON CHARACTERISTIC BUT HAS NO MEANS OF REPAIR AT CURRENT TIME(3 YRS NOW) CLAIMS THAT IT IS SAFE. TODAY, THE REAR AXLE WENT OUT LUCKILY I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE FREEWAY, AND ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH.PLEADE ADVISE ON ANY OTHER CASES.
CONSUMER HAD TIRES INSPECTED AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE SEPARATING ON THE CORNER OF THE TREAD AND SIDEWALLS. ALSO FOUND BUBBLES, TIRES WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, P235/75R16, DOT W70IRF368. *AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD QUIT WORKING WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING DRIVER'S VISION TO BE OBSCURED. WOULD NEED TO STOP VEHICLE, GET OUT, AND JIGGLE WIPER MOTOR OR WIRES TO GET THEM GOING AGAIN. VISIBILITY WAS VERY POOR IN HEAVY RAIN. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK OUT WIPER MOTOR & WIRES.*AK
WHILE DRIVING COULD SWITCH LANES WITH OVERSENSITIVE POWER STEERING, CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT POWERING STEERING PUMP AND BRAKES BOOSTER FAILE D AT 43000 MILES. *AK
THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD KICK IN FOR NO REASON AND DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE ROAD SURFACE WAS. THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL EXCESIVELY TO THE CROWN OF THE ROAD, IF YOU TOOK YOUR HANDS OFF THE STERRING WHEEL, YOU WOULD END UP IN A DITCH IN LESS THAN TWO SECONDS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD WORK WHEN IT WANTED TO, SAME AS THE HORN. THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE. IT WENT THROUGH ONE OF THE FRONT PADS EVERY TEN THOUSAND MILES; THE OTHER THREE PADSHAD OVER 50% LEFT. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT WAY TO EARLY FROM FIRST TO SECOND; CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ALOMOST QUIT ACCELERATING BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF POWER.
THE TURN SIGNALS QUIT WORKING AT THE DEALER AND THEY NEVER DID PIN-POINT IT. THE 4WD SYSTEM ENGAGED ON IT'S OWN AT 75 MPH AND THE TRANS, CUT OUT RESULTING IN NO POWER AND THEN IT RETURNED BUT THE 4WD SYSTEM WAS GONE. THE BARKES FAILED AND THEN STARTED WORKING OK. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS IN NEED OF ADJUSTMENT EVERY 2000 MILES. THE ABS WOULD KICK IN FOR NO REASON.
THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO DELCO BATTERY FAILURE,WHICH RESULTED FROM THE BATTERY LEAKING ACID AND IN SECURELY INSTALLED. THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FAILED DUE TO THE RESERVIOR AND CONNECTION LINES DAMAGED BY THE LEAKING BATTERY ACID. *YH
TREAD IS SEPARATING FROM TIRES - I AM REPLACING THE TIRES NOW RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE RECALL TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE 16" TIRES( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255 70 16 )
POWER STEERING SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AT 34000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 60000 MILES. WHEN MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK AWAY FROM TURN.*AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, WE HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION IN THE REAR OF OUR VEHICLE. WHEN WE STOPPED TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM, WE FOUND THAT THE TIRE HAD FAILED. THERE APPEARS TO BE DEFORMED RUBBER ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE IS A FIRE-HAWK R4S LTP235/75R15. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHKFMA109 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
ABS BRAKE SYSTEMS DOES NOT WORK, WHEN APPLIED THE BRAKES AT 30-40MPG THE BRAKES WILL NOT STOP VEHICLE, EXPERIENCE ACCIDENTS OVER A 2 YEAR PERIOD. HIT TWO CARS DUE TO FAILURE.
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICE VEHICLE SHIFTING HARD WITH NOISE. DEALER HAS REPAIR THREE TIMES, BUT PROBLEM RETURNS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT IN QUICKLY IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES (ABS) & HEARD HISSING NOISES, LIKE RELEASING OF AIR, BEFORE VEHICLE STOPPED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED POWER ASSIST MODULE'S RUBBER DIAPHRAGM WAS BADLY DAMAGED. IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
THEY HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES AND REMOVED AN ADD ON FEATURE THAT THEY BLAMED FOR THE DRAIN ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I REQUESTED COPIES OF ALL RECORDS FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT WERE NEVER GIVEN THEM.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT ALL SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL & COLUMN GAVE IN & BECAME VERY LOOSE. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER HASN'T LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE, HE WAS ONLY ASSUMING WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. *AK *ML
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, STEERING WHEEL JERKS LEFT ON ITS OWN. WITHOUT A STRONG GRIP ON THE WHEEL COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS. REPLACEMENT NEEDED EVERY TWO -THREE MONTHS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT BRAKE ROTORS ALSO NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AND IT WOULD ONLY BE DONE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE BECAUSE PARTS WERE NOT UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
STEERING EOV SENSOR FAILURE CAUSED STEERING TWITCHES OR JERKS WHEN CHANGING LANES. YH
EA99011, DUE TO A DEFECTIVE STEERING SPEED SENSOR, STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING ERRATIC STEERING WHILE DRIVING IN HIGH SPEEDS. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM, AND WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY ONLY IF THE HE COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE STEERING DEVELOPS PLAY AND FEELS LOOSE AFTER THE VEHICLE WARMS UP. THE STEERING PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE AT 30 MPH, BUT THE STEERING IS ALSO FEELS LOOSE AT HIGHER SPEEDS . THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER, WILTON MOTORS 6 TIMES FOR THE STEERING PROBLEM. ANOTHER DEALER ALSO HAD IT 1 TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED. THE TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER BENT DURING NORMAL TRAILER TOWING. THE TRAILER BEING TOWED IS 5475 LBS. DRY. THE VEHICLE IS RATED TO TOW 6500LBS. THE HITCH RECEIVER HAS A RATING OF 1000 TONGUE WT. AND 10,000 LBS. TRAILER WT. FOR AN EQUALIZED HITCH. THIS RECEIVER IS BENT OR TWISTED UP, CAUSING THE BALL MOUNT AND BALL TO RISE APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH. THE RECEIVER WAS INSTALLED ON THE NEW VEHICLE AS PART OF THE TRAILER TOWING PACKAGE. THE TRAILER OR THE TAHOE MAY HAVE A DESIGN FLAW THAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. *AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN SUDDENLY VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SHORT. HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE BACK LAP/SHOULDER BELT BUCKLE LOCKING MECHANISM RELEASED. CHILD SEAT, WITH THE CHILD IN IT, WAS NOT SECURED & WENT FORWARD. CHILD HIT THE REAR OF THE SEAT IN FRONT. CHILD CHECKED AT EMERGENCY ROOM & RELEASED. *AK *ML
4-WHEEL DRIVE: ON DRY CONDITIONS AND AT SLOW SPEEDS, ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE FRONT HUBS WEARING OUT WHICH CAUSED THE ABS BRAKES TO MALFUNCTION. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION. AFTER TURNING WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES, THE WIPERS FINALLY CAME BACK ON. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
DUE TO A LEAK IN STEERING GEAR BOX STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND VEHICLE TURNED TO THE LEFT. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND RESULTED IN COLLISION. *AK
THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS FIRE. MECHANIC REPLIED HE WAS VERY SUPRISED WHEN THE VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO THE FULE TANK MODULE WIRES BEING BURNT TO THE INSIDE WALL OF THE GAS TANK. THE ONLY INDICATION OF THE PROBLEM AT TIME OF DRIVING WAS A TOTAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN ON THE ROAD. *AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe → · Every Tahoe year → · How the figures are calculated →