1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE EQUIP WITH DEXTEERO DHT2 TIRES, SIZED: P265/75R/16, DOT 01BTHBAC00420, AND LINE: NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. NO POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER WALMART LOCATED AT 10404 6TH ST RANCH CUCAMONGA CA. NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE SAME FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 FOR THE TIRE. *LN* *BF *TR

NHTSA ID

11365713

Incident

Aug 29, 2020

Mileage

240,000 mi

I HAVE A 1996 CHEVY TAHOE WHICH I HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE NEW. I RECENTLY HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND HAD THE SHOP CHECK THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG BECAUSE THE CHECK AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS COMING ON DURING THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED TO ME THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE SENSOR WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE EVEN AFTER A STATES WIDE SEARCH WAS PERFORMED. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS ONLY TO FIND OUT THE PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED AND NO REPLACEMENT PART IS AVAILABLE. THE PART NUMBER FROM GM IS #16162465 AND THERE IS NO AFTER MARKET PARTS. IS GENERAL MOTORS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR A REPLACEMENT PART FOR THIS REQUIRED SAFETY ITEM OR WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I DO TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM? *TR

NHTSA ID

11323878

Incident

Mar 30, 2020

Mileage

144,906 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND PUSHING ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, BOTH VEHICLES CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID

10862771

Incident

Aug 13, 2013

Mileage

170,000 mi

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 1996 TAHOE WHEN IT JUST STOPPED! WE FOUND THAT THE KEY HAD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A THRUWAY WHEN EVERYONE WAS DRIVING 60 MPH. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION INDEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE YEAR I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. WE ARE ALSO HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE WIPERS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD OR JUMPING ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD POP, POP, POP.ETC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10614814

Incident

Mar 20, 2013

Mileage

80 mi

VEHICLE STOP SHUT DOWN COMPLETE WITH JERKING BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN STOP PULLING AND LOST ALL POWER NOW SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT IS ON AND WANT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AS IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10552736

Incident

May 17, 2013

Mileage

125,000 mi

PAINT STARTED CHIPPING/PEELING OFF FROM DRIVERS FRONT FINDER AND HOOD IN APPROX. 2009 TO TODAYS DATE (08/21/2013). PS WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS AND OUR TAHOE HAS BEEN KEPT UP IN TOP CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10536532

Incident

Aug 5, 2009

Mileage

110,000 mi

UNWANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEED STARTED INTERMITTENT NOW CONSISTENT IN UNWANTED ACTIVATION RESULTING IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. THERE IS A CURRENT CAMPAIGN FOR 1999-2002 THAT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE 1996 VEHICLES. CAMPAIGN NO. 05V379000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10429051

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

DRIVER POWER SEAT WILL NOT OPERATE . I HAVE READ SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB ABOUT THE FAILURE OF SEAT WORKING PROPERLY AND HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL? I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE NEW AND THE ONLY DRIVER. I ONLY WEIGHT 90LBS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10406037

Incident

Apr 16, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS RESIDENCE AND THE CONTACT COULD SEE BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINES. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000.

NHTSA ID

10370953

Incident

Dec 16, 2010

Mileage

53,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT FRAME RAILS FOR THE AIR BAG SENSOR WERE SEPARATING AND ROTTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS FOR REPAIR WERE NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10365450

Incident

Nov 11, 2010

Mileage

140,000 mi

MY '96 CHEVROLET TAHOE 2-DOOR SUFFERED COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS WHEN A BRAKE LINE BURST WHILE IN-SERVICE. THE TAHOE, USED PRIMARILY IN ILLINOIS IN THE WINTER, SUFFERED THE FAILURE IN MAY OF 2008 WITH ABOUT 102,000 MILES ACCUMULATED AND WITH NO WITH NO PRIOR INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE COMPLETE FAILURE. THE BRAKE LINE SIMPLYBURST/ FAILED COMPLETELY WHEN THE LINE (MOUNTED TO THE FIREWALL BELOW THE RADIATOR) COMPLETELY FAILED, LEAVING BLOWN OUT GAP ABOUT AN INCHLONG IN THE LINE. THE TRUCK WAS SLOWING TO A STOP SIGN WHEN THEN LINE FAILED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, SO THERE WAS NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED IMMEDIATELY TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR ESTIMATION AND REPAIRS (NOT A CHEVY GARAGE). THESE REPAIRS REQUIRED COMPLETE VEHICLE BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT (EXCEPT TO THE FRONT ANT-LOCK UNIT) AND COMPLETE SYSTEM COMPONENT REPLACEMENT (EXCEPT FOR THE MASTER CYLINDER). I THOUGHT THE FAILURE WAS RANDOM UNTIL I RECENTLY SAW AN ARTICLE ON THE TOPIC IN PRINT BY JERRY HIRSCH, STAFF WRITERFOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, BUSINESS SECTION WHERE OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES ON SIMILAR MODELS WERE NOTED. THE REPAIRS COST CLOSE TO $2,000 AND, IF THERE ARE OTHER CAMPAIGNS ON THIS MODEL, I WOULD LIKE TO RESEARCH THEM TO DETERMINE IF POOR DESIGN BY GENERAL MOTORS/CHEVROLET DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE REPAIRS AND HOW TO GO ABOUT ADDING MY VEHICLE TO THAT CAMPAIGN. I HAVE KEPT THE VEHICLE REGISTERED IN MY NAME AND CURRENTLY OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET, SO MY CONTACT INFORMATION WOULD HAVE BEEN ON-FILE WITH GM SUCH THAT PROPER NOTIFICATIONS COULD HAVE BEEN MADE. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE WAS PART OF GMS FAULTY DESIGN HISTORY OR THAT ANY CAMPAIGN WAS UNDERWAY PERTAINING TO BRAKE LINE FAILURES UNTIL I SAW THE ARTICLE PRINTED BY MRJERRY HIRSCH AS NOTE D ABOVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10325453

Incident

May 30, 2008

Mileage

105,721 mi

1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE LEFT WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKS AND THE RIGHT WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT. THIS BEGAN WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND RESULTED IN VERY LIMITED VISIBILITY. HE WENT TO AUTO ZONE TO REPLACE THE WIPERS AND WHEN THEY REPLACED THE RIGHT WIPER, IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I AM TAKING IT IN FOR REPAIR TODAY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS PROBABLY THE WIPER TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10318375

Incident

Mar 6, 2010

Mileage

182,000 mi

I HAD A 1996 TAHOE THAT OCCASIONALLY SPED UP WHILE ON CRUISE CONTROL. I SOL THIS VEHICLE ABOUT FOUR Y EARS AGO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10315617

Incident

Jul 22, 2004

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND BEGAN FLASHING. THERE WAS SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD, THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO MULTIPY; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO FIRE PRESENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT PROVIDE MORE DETAILS AFTER RECEIVING A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 168,000.

NHTSA ID

10252202

Incident

Dec 13, 2008

Mileage

168,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT'S MOTHER OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT OPERATING NORMALLY. THEY WERE REPAIRED IN 2001. RECALL 03V159000 COMPONENT: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN IS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE DEALER ALSO WROTE ON THE INVOICE THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING TEMPORARILY AND CAN FAIL AT ANYTIME. THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF GM WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147956 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148114. UPDATED 01/08/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEMS STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT WAS DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL PUMP. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT COMING ON. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH BE LOOKED AT. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND STALL AND WHITE SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE MUFFLER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 01/09/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10250352

Incident

Aug 5, 2008

Mileage

147,954 mi

I PURCHASED 5 TOYO PROXIES 285/60/18 AND HAVE HAD A BLOW OUT ON THE SIDE WALL OF TWO WITHIN THE LAST YEAR WITH PREMATURE CRACKING ON ALL OF THE TIRES. THE FIRST TIRE THAT BLEW OUT I THOUGHT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT. BUT AFTER PURCHASING THE 5TH TIRE AND THEN HAVING A BLOW OUT ON 4/2/2008, WITHIN 6 MOS OF THEM, WHERE THE SIDEWALL WAS AFFECTED, I DECIDED TO LOOK ONLINE AND FOUND WHERE THE PROXIES WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH OTHER CONSUMERS WITH BLOWING OUT THE SIDEWALLS. CO WANTED A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE BUSINESS THAT DEALS WITH THEIR PRODUCT AND HAVE THEM INSPECTED. THEY WERE INSPECTED AND SHOWED THE TIRE DEPTH, PREMATURE CRACKING, ETC. AFTER HAVING THEM INSPECTED, BUSINESS CONDEMNED THE TIRES TIRE MANF THEN DECIDED THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE THE TIRES BACK BEFORE THEY WOULD ISSUE ANY WARRANTY OR PRORATING ON THEM. DID SAY THAT THEY WOULD ISSUE A PRORATE OF 78% ON EACH TIRE, BUT I HAD TO SEND THE TIRES TO THEM VIA UPS WHICH THEY WOULD PICK UP THE COST OF HAVING THE TIRES SHIPPED UP TO THEM. AS I EXPLAINED I HAD NO PROBLEM SENDING THE TIRES AS IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, I COULD NOT SALE THESE TIRES TO ANYONE ELSE AS BEING IN THIS FIELD FOR 13 YEARS AND KNOWING THE SAFETY ISSUES REGARDING TIRES HAVING THESE ISSUES, I DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY WERE SAFE FOR ANYONE TO HAVE ON THEIR VEHICLES. UPS PICKED UP THE TIRES AND AFTER A FEW PHONE CALLS I FINALLY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TIRE CO STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO WARRANTY OR PRORATE THE TIRE AS THEY DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THEM. I TRAVEL THE INTERSTATE QUITE A BIT AND AFTER HAVING TWO OF THE SIDEWALLS BLOW OUT AS THEY DID I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I DIDN'T CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT AND I WOULD CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD FOR INTERSTATE TRAVELERS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED. THIS IS SOMETHING AS A CONSUMER, THAT I FEEL SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO MORE CLOSELY AS IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229985

Incident

Apr 2, 2008

OCCASIONALLY WHEN STARTING THE TRUCK THERE IS A MISFIRE/BACKFIRE FROM THE ENGINE WHERE GREY SMOKE PERMEATES THROUGH THE DASHBOARD INTO THE CABIN OF THE TRUCK. SMOKE ALSO COMES FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE MISFIRE/BACKFIRE. THIS HAPPENS A FEW TIMES A MONTH. *JB

NHTSA ID

10182101

Incident

Jan 30, 2007

Mileage

122,087 mi

1996 TAHOE HEADLIGHT FAILURE. WHEN FLIPPING THE SWITCH TO TURN O HEADLIGHTS THEY DO NOT TURN ON. SPENT ALMOST $200 IN DIAGNOSTIC TIME. THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS THE WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN IS FATIGUED AND FRAYED MOST LIKELY DUE TO REPEATED ADJUSTMENTS WITH THE TILT STEERING WHEEL. VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. USING MIDDLE POSITION WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS UNTIL I CAN GET IT REPAIRED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE LIGHT CUT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME IN THE DARK. GOOD THING THE DRL WORK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10175869

Incident

Oct 21, 2006

Mileage

990,364 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT HAD REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH BUT THAT HAD NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER.

NHTSA ID

10175345

Incident

Nov 20, 2006

Mileage

115,000 mi

LET ME START BY SAYING THAT I AM A ASE CERTIFIED MASTER TRUCK TECHNICIAN WITH 16 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. AFTER LEARNING OF THE SAFETY RECALL ON THE 285/75/16 DICK CEPEK RADIAL FCII, I INSPECTED ALL 5 OF MY TIRES. FOUR OF THE TIRES HAD MATCHING DOT CODES AND LOOKED FINE. THE FIFTH TIRE WAS BOUGHT AT A LATER DATE FROM THE ORIGINAL FOUR. THIS FIFTH TIRE IS SHOWING THE SIDEWALL SEPARATION THAT IS NOTED IN THE RECALL. WHEN I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY AND READ THEM THE DOT CODES OFF OF THE TIRES I WAS TOLD THAT NONE OF THEM MATCHED THE MANUFACTURING CODES OF THE RECALL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE CONTACT ME IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161343

Incident

May 20, 2006

DRIVER DOOR LATCH FAILURE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159261

Incident

Mar 5, 2006

Mileage

123,000 mi

MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE FROM PARK INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARD INTO THE STREET. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES OCCURRED AS MY FATHER WAS ABLE TO REACH OVER AND HIT THE BRAKES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10137369

Incident

Sep 21, 2005

Mileage

120,000 mi

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE COMING ON FREQUENTLY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10137288

Incident

Sep 1, 2005

Mileage

119,000 mi

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE IS A FAULTY FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR IN 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE TRUCK. THIS WAS NOTED ON 7-12-05. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE GM CALL CENTER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS AN UPCOMING RECALL ON THIS PART AND THAT THE FUEL LINES MELT CAUSING THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR TO GO BAD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10131379

Incident

Jul 19, 2005

Mileage

177,000 mi

A LEAK IN THE VACCUUM BOOSTER CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION.

NHTSA ID

10126669

Incident

Jun 9, 2001

Mileage

102,744 mi