RoadVitals

1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Dec 1, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 283 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EngineFuel systemExterior lighting+1 more
Filed Dec 1, 2008

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
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 11, 2006

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
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 6, 2006

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
EngineExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Apr 17, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT A DEFECT IN THE MULITFUNCTION SWITCH, CAUSES HER TO HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS. DEALER REPLACED PART 3 TIMES, PROBLEM STILL OCCURING. NLM SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER COMING APART. DISCONNECT NIPPLE FITTING LEAKING. WIPERS SLAPPING ON WINDSHIELD AND HAS NO SPEED AND/OR INTERMITTENT WIPER OPERATION. DEALER FOUND NEEDS WIPER MOTOR AND WIPER TRANSMISSION. *TT

NHTSA ID
8007891
Incident
Apr 10, 2001
Heating & air conditioningElectricalFuel system+3 more
Filed Jun 22, 2001

COMPUTER CHIP FAILED, AND VEHICLE WILLNOT START AT ALL. DEALERSHIP REPLACED COMPUTER CHIP, AND NOTED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS, AIRCONDITIONER, AND COMPUTER BRAIN WERE ALL REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
891062
Incident
Jun 14, 2001
ElectricalExterior lightingSteering
Filed Apr 10, 2000

THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS & SIGNALS WOULD NOT WORK IF STEERING WHEEL & COLUMN WAS TILTED. SOMETIMES HEADLIGHTS/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS & SIGNALS WOULD GO HAY WIRE. VEHICLE IS AT THE SHOP. *AK

NHTSA ID
859968
Incident
Apr 9, 2000
Exterior lightingPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 22, 1998

SOMETHING WITHIN THE DRIVE AXLE IS LOOSE AND READY TO FALL OFF.

NHTSA ID
541022
BrakesExterior lightingPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 30, 1998

THE LOCATION OF THE BRAKE LINE HAS CAUSED A HOLE TO RUB IN THE GAS TANK. ) WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF AND EVENTUALLY THEY COME BACK ON AFTER THE SWITCH COOLS OFF. (3)WHILE DRIVING THE TAHOE A LOUD CLUNKING COMES FROM THE MIDDLE OR THE REAR OF VEHICLE, WHICH SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE REAR AXLE OR DRIVESHAFT IS LOOSE AND GOING TO FALL OFF. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID
826064
Incident
Sep 9, 1996
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 1, 1997

TURN SIGNAL MODULE FAILS INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID
604903
Exterior lightingPowertrain (other)Suspension+1 more
Filed Oct 24, 1997

VEHICLE MAKES NOISE WHILE TURNING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BODY MOUNTS.

NHTSA ID
525518
Incident
Aug 22, 1997
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 18, 1997

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
605042
Incident
Dec 15, 1996
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 9, 1997

HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT THREE TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.

NHTSA ID
518237
Incident
Oct 1, 1996
BrakesHeating & air conditioningElectrical+3 more
Filed May 29, 1997

BRAKE PADS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
517530
Incident
Sep 30, 1996
Interior & seatsExterior lighting
Filed Feb 21, 1997

HEAD LAMP FAILED.

NHTSA ID
602600
Incident
Nov 1, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .