2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Problems

THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ENGINE MOUNTED VACUUM PUMP THAT HAS FAILED. WE HAVE HAD FAILURES ON SEVERAL OF OUR 2015 TAHOE POLICE VEHICLES. THIS VEHICLE HAS 58,000 MILES AND AROUND 2500 ENGINE HOURS. AFTER THIS FAILURE YOU LOOSE POWER ASSIST BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THE NEW PUMPS HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED.

PROBLEM STARTED AS BRAKES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ACTIVATE WHEN TRAVELING IN REVERSE AT LOW SPEED (I AM APPROX 200 LBS AND HAD TO STAND ON BRAKES WITH EFFORT TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP). PROBLEM ALSO APPEARED IN LOW SPEED STOP AND GO OPERATION AS WELL AS WHEN BACKING AT A MODERATE SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES PER HOUR. WE HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE OTHER VEHICLE IN OUR FLEET EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FAILED VACUUM PUMP ON THAT VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE ISSUE. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A GM TECHNICAL BULLETIN INVOLVING THIS ISSUE BUT NO OIL WAS FOUND IN VACUUM LINES. THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY SO THERE IS CHARGES EACH TIME WE BRING VEHICLE BACK. I WAS TOLD TO BRING VEHICLE BACK IF PROBLEM BECOMES WORSE. I FEEL A FAILURE OF BRAKES IS AN EXTEREME SAFETY CONCERN IN NORMAL OPERATION AND ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SPEED EMERGENCY OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. A SEARCH OF THE NHTSA SITE AS WELL AS INTERNET HAS REVELED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE. IT APPEARS THE COMMON REPLACEMENT IS THE BRAKE ASSIST AND VACUUM PUMP.

A NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA ARE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH 2011-2015 CHEVROLET TAHOE POLICE PURSUIT PACKAGES ON HIGH TEMPERATURE DAYS. THIS ISSUE MANIFESTS ITSELF IN TEMPERATURES ABOVE 100 DEGREES AND FREQUENTLY WHEN THE TAHOE IS ENGAGED IN A LEFT TURN MOVEMENT. THE TAHOE STUTTERS AND/OR STALLS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ACTIVATES, AND IF THE TAHOE WILL RESTART IT CONTINUOUSLY BACKFIRES, MISSES, AND WILL NOT RUN ABOVE 15MPH FOR A PERIOD. CHEVROLET HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE AND STATES THE SOLUTION IS A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL LINE WHICH IT DOES NOT HAVE IN STOCK. AT PRESENT, THE PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS AT LEAST 10 VEHICLES OUT OF SERVICE FOR THIS ISSUE. ANOTHER LOCAL AGENCY, THE ORO VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, HAS HALF OF ITS FLEET AFFECTED. OTHER AGENCIES EXPERIENCING THESE ISSUES INCLUDE THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE SCOTTSDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE MARANA POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. CHEVROLET HAS BEEN SLOW TO RESPOND TO THIS ISSUE WHICH DATES TO 2011. CHEVROLET'S STRATEGY APPEARS TO BE ONE OF PACIFYING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES UNTIL THE HOT SEASON IS OVER AND THEN THE PROBLEM IS IGNORED FOR ANOTHER YEAR. THIS ISSUE IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FACING THE RISK OF A STALLING VEHICLE WHILE TURNING LEFT IN THE FACE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE ON TWO OCCASIONS.