Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 114 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.
The 25 most recent of 114, in the owner's own words
WHILE IN MOTION SEAT BELT WOULD COME UNDONE OR WOULDN'T UNLOCK FROM LOCK IN ORDER TO USE. BRAKES WOULD SLIP. MY BOYFRIEND WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED WHICH THEN CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO MALFUNCTION AND THE BRAKES STUCK SO HE WASN'T ABLE TO SLOW DOWN SUFFICIENTLY.
BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO BRAKE LINE CORROSION. FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION AT EXPRESSWAY SPEED, PANIC STOP, BRAKES FAILED AND NEARLY CAUSED COLLISION. BRAKES DO NOT WORK
STARTED VEHICLE ,AFTER SHORT WARM UP,APPLIED BRAKE AND FOOT IMMEDIATELY WENT TO FLOOR. BLOW OUT IN REAR LINE NEAR BACK OF FUEL TANK. REPAIRED LINE. IN PROCESS OF BLEEDING BRAKE LINE ANOTHER BLOW OUT OCCURRED TOP OF FRAME NEAR REAR OF LEFT TIRE. PURCHASED PREBEND STAINLESS STEEL KIT FROM "CLASSIC TUBE" AND INSTALLED.$400. [XXX] GOOD THING I WASN'T DRIVING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I BOUGHT THIS CAR AT CAR HOP IN ARLINGTON TX. I WAS SOLD IT WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS, NO HAZARDS, BAD TIRES, BAD BRAKES, ONE OF THE BACK DOORS WILL NOT OPEN, BAD BATTERY, BAD INSPECTION, NO COVER FOR FUEL FILTER, DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, KEEPS DYING, SPARE TIRE FLEW OFF ON HIGHWAY AND BRAKES WENT OUT WHILE MY KIDS AND I WERE DRIVING. I AM A DISABLED MOTHER OF TWO AND THEY KNEW THEY GAVE ME A BAD CAR. THE FIRST I HAD 5 KIDS WITH ME AND IT WAS A KIA MINI VAN DIDNT EVEN MAKE IT HOME, THEY HAD TO COME TOW IT. THEN THAY GAVE ME THIS TAHOE. PLEASE HELP ME I HAVE NO OTHER CAR AND IT SCARES ME AND THEY WILL NOT HELP ME. I AM PAYING EVERY MONTH ON THIS VEHICALE AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO CORPORATE. THEY SENT ME TO THEIR MEHCANIC AND HE EVEN WROTE A E-MAIL DESCRIBING THE CONDITION AND STILL DID NOT CARE CAR HOP. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!! GOD BLESS. *TR
WHEN PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO FLOOR. PULLED BACK INTO GARAGE TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE RUNNING DOWN DRIVERS SIDE FRAME RAIL WAS RUSTED THROUGH BACK BY WHERE IT EXITS THE FRAME TO GO TO THE T FITTING FOR REAR BRAKES. *TR
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY 97 CHEVY TAHOE HOME WITH MY 2 KIDS IN THE TRUCK WHEN THE REAR BRAKE LINE BLEW. LUCKILY SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME TO A QUICK STOP. WHEN SHE GOT HOME I INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THE REAR BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT AND LOOKED AT THE REST OF THEM THEY ARE ALL RUSTED SEVERELY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS ENGAGES WHEN THE GROUND IS DRY AND PULSATES VERY HARD WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. HE STATED THAT THIS SHOULD ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND OR WHEN IT IS WET. IN NOVEMBER OF 2000, THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL AND CHEVROLET REPAIRED THE BRAKES. THERE WERE NO FAILURES FOR 18,000 MILES. CURRENTLY, AT 40,500 MILES, THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,500. UPDATED 10/16/08. *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT HUB. UPDATED 10/17/08. *JB
FOR ABOUT A YEAR I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATES INTERMITTENTLY ON DRY PAVEMENT AT SLOW SPEEDS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ISSUE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY PROBLEMATIC, ACTIVATING NEARLY EVERY TIME I APPLY THE BRAKES (MANY TIMES EVEN IF I DON'T APPLY THE BRAKES!) AND I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR THAT I MAY NOT COMPLETELY STOP BEFORE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE ABS SYSTEM ON CHEVY TAHOES, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN 1997. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE NHTSA WEB SITE HAD POSTED A REMEDY: REMOVE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND CLEAN THE WHEEL SPEED SURFACE, GREASE THE MOUNTING SURFACE, REINSTALL THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND CHECK THE PEAK-TO-PEAK OUTPUT VOLTAGE TO ENSURE THE WHEEL SPEED SIGNAL IS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. I TOOK A COPY OF THE REMEDY TO MY MECHANIC, WHO PROMPTLY FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTIFIED ME THAT THE REMEDY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED AN NHTSA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND ASKED IF AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO INVESTIGATION AS OF YET. WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE BEEN READING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, MY QUESTION IS: WHY HASN'T THIS ISSUE OF ABS SYSTEM FAILURE IN 1997 TAHOES BEEN ADDRESSED? IF THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING IN VEHICLES (REGARDLESS OF THE YEAR MODEL) AND THE RECALL HAS BEEN LIMITED TO ONLY A FEW YEAR MODELS, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE ON THE 1997 TAHOE IS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN REGARDING SAFETY? I AM REQUESTING THE BOARD TO LOOK AGAIN AT THE ABS COMPLAINTS AND INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION SO THAT GM WILL TAKE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS SYSTEM. THANK YOU. *TR
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE LIGHT FAILURES. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. I ORDERED THE TAHOE THROUGH MY LOCAL DEALER IN 1997. IT ONLY HAS 84,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED IN ANY WAY. SPENT SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. THE DEALER CANNOT EXPLAIN IT. I RECEIVED A TICKET ON FEBRUARY 15, 2008 FOR NOT HAVING ANY BRAKE LIGHTS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH NEEDS RESOLUTION. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST TIME FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS IT COST ME OVER $500.00. THE BRAKE LIGHT SITUATION HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED AND EVER SINCE THEIR "REPAIR" THE ANTILOCK BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY AND WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
ABS ACTIVATION DURING SLOW MOTION, UNDER 10MPH. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM. BOTH TIMES ONE OF THE HUBS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIME I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO CLEAN THE SENSORS (AS SUGGESTED BY CHEVY SERVICE UPDATES) TO TRY AND SAVE MONEY. IT DIDN'T WORK ALONG WITH TRYING TO REPLACE THE SENSOR. NOW I HAVE TO HAVE A HUB REPLACED AGAIN. I'VE BEEN LUCKILY SO FAR BECAUSE I KNOW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT I'VE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS WITH HITTING CARS IN PARKING LOTS. *TR
SPEED SENSORS FAILING ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. *TR
ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONING. ABS COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. *NM
STARTED NOTICING APPROX. 1 YEAR AGO THAT THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE AT LOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 10 MPH) WHEN IT SHOULDN'T (IE: DRY CONDITIONS, CLEAR ROAD) WHICH MAKES COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP A SCARY AND QUESTIONABLE EVENT. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT 10 MPH THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ENGAGE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE YEAR. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.
DEAR NHTSA: I AM A SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND OWNER OF A 1997 CHEVY TAHOE 4WD VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE MID-2001. A FEW MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT PERIODICALLY, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN PULLING TO A STOP. I CAN HEAR AND FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM PULSING THE BRAKES RAPIDLY, BUT IT PROVIDES EXTREMELY POOR STOPPING ABILITY. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WITH CARS IN FRONT OF ME, NOT TO MENTION PEDESTRIANS IN CROSSWALKS. THIS IS NOT CORRECT. I AM A FORMER ENGINE DESIGNER AND HAVE WORKED FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I UNDERSTAND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND CAN TELL YOU THIS ISN'T GOOD...OR SAFE. I NOTICED IN THE PAPER THAT THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE REGARDING GM TRUCK ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS. ADDITIONAL INTERNET RESEARCH CONFIRMED THIS. I AM LOGGING THIS COMPLAINT SO THAT NHTSA IS AWARE OF MY PROBLEM IN THE HOPES THAT GM WILL FIX THE PROBLEM FOR ME. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR YET, AS I WAS RESEARCHING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. IS NHTSA AWARE OF THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION? I LIVE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN...LAND OF A LOT OF SALT AND METAL CORROSION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. SINCERELY, TIM HIGGINS. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ANTI LOCK (ABS) BRAKE SYSTEM. THE ABS WILL ACTIVATE WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE SPEEDS WHEN THE ABS ACTIVATE VARIED FROM 3-10 MPH. THIS HAPPENED UNDER ANY DRIVING CONDITIONS. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON TO INDICATE THERE WAS A BRAKE FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CALLED AND ASKED HIM TO BRING THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THERE WAS A RECALL BUT IT DDID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE. *AK
NO ACCIDENT YET. MY 1997 TAHOE IS EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS DESCRIBED IN THE MEDIA FOR 1999 AND NEWER GM TRUCKS REGARDING THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FOR THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. STOPPING FROM SPEEDS UNDER 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL CHATTERS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE UNIT MOANS, AND THE TRUCK IS SLOW TO COMPLETELY STOP. THIS STARTED SPORADICALLY LAST WINTER AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE, NOW ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME. I CALLED CHEVROLET'S CUSTOMER SERVICE TODAY (10/13/2005) AT 11:10, SPOKE TO BAGAYA BONNER WHO TOLD ME THE RECALL AFFECTED 2000-2002 TAHOES. MINE WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED, AND IF I HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED, IT WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE (GM WOULD NOT REIMBURSE SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE). I AM USING TODAY'S DATE AS THE INCIDENT DATE, BUT THE PROBLEM BEGAN LATE FALL 2004 AND IS ONGOING. *NM
DT: THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, WHEN GETTING BELOW 10 MPH THE BRAKES SURGE AND INCREASED IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATING. THIS HAPPENS ON DRY ROADS. THIS STARTED HAPPENING ON JULY 1, 2005. IT HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY, AND NOW IT HAPPEN EVERY TIME WHEN THE CONSUMER COMES TO A STOP. CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY CHARGED THE CONSUMER TO FIX THE BRAKES. THERE IS A RECALL, BUT ONLY FOR CANADA. *AK *JB
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. CONTACT COMPLAINED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE ABS BRAKES ACTIVATED. CONTACT DID NOT EVEN HAVE TO BE DRIVING HE COULD JUST PUT IT IN GEAR AND THE BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE. WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 15MPH ABS BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE. NO RECALL CAMPAIGN #. NO CRASHES. NO POLICE REPORTS. NO INJURIES. *AK
MY 1997 TAHOE EXHIBITS THE SAME ANTILOCK FAILURES THAT ARE LISTED FOR THE 1999 MODELS FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO. 05V379000 BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE SAME IS THE CASE FOR GM RECALL NO. 03023/NHTSA ID NO. 05V37900, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD. I HAVE THE SAME FAILURES CONTINUOUSLY IN MY '97 CHEVY TAHOE BUT THE RECALL WAS EXTENDED ONLY TO SUBURBANS. AS A FORMER GM ENGINEER I KNOW THAT THE SAME PARTS AND SUPPLIERS ARE USED ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL OF THE GMT 800 SERIES (TAHOES, SUBURBANS, YUKONS, ETC.). SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ONE MODEL CAN BE RECALLED WHEN ESSENCE ALL MODELS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *NM
MY 1997 CHEVY TAHOE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AS THE BATCH OF TRUCKS IN TODAY'S GM RECALL. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WENT ON WHEN THE CAR WAS AT VERY SLOW SPEED, LIKE PULLING UP TO A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN. I PAID $300 TO A MECHANIC TO CLEAN THE SAME SENSOR IN THE RECALL. WHY DID THE RECALL STOP AT THE 1999 MODEL YEAR? *JB
AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED, JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO STOP,THE BRAKE RELEASES AND THE VEHICLE ROLLS 2-3FEET. BEFORE IT STOPS. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPENSE TO MYSELF REPLACING BRAKE PARTS THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK I RECENTLY FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT DESCRIBES THIS PROBLEM. I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT GMC EXPENSE FOR A POOR DESIGN BUT THEY DO NOT AGREE. THE VEHICLE IS A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE
I OWN A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE WHICH I PURCHASED FROM A PRIVATE PARTY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WAS IN THE MID 20,000, AND IS NOW JUST UNDER 35,000. HAVING DRIVEN JUST 15,00 MILES DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS MAKES IT EVIDENT THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED. I HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED FREQUENT PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH OFTEN IS ACTIVATED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, RESULTING IN A EXPENSIVE BRAKE JOB WAY BEFORE THAT TYPE OF REPAIR WOULD NORMALLY BE ANTICIPATED. MY MECHANIC HAS SEEN THIS SAME PROBLEM IN SEVERAL OTHER GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES, AND IS CONVINCED THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. HE IS ALSO OF THE OPINION THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME, YET HAS FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL WHICH WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNER. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN ADDRESSED, AND ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO DO SO? THANK YOU.
ABS SYSTEM COMES ON AT LOW SPEEDS WITHOUT BRAKE PRESSED-VEHICLE THEN IS HARD TO STOP AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE REPLACED ALL PADS AND CALIPERS.MACHINE BLED SYSTEM AND REPLACED LEFT FRT SPEED SENSOR. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONT HUBS ARE EXPOSED AND MOST OF THE TIME TEAR APART AND CLEANING SOLVES. AM UPSET THE DEALER CHARGED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE FOR SOMETHING HE COULD HAVE TOLD ME ON THE PHONE!*AK
TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SHIFT REAL HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 3RD GEARS AFTER DRIVING ON HIGHWAY FOR 30 MINUTES. DROVE THIS WAY FOR 3 YEARS. HAD TRANS REBUILT JUNE 2003 AT 68K MILES AND WENT ON ROAD TRIP 900 MILES AND PROBLEMS STARTED WHILE ON MY VACATION TRIP. HAD TO HAVE THE VALVEBODY REPLACED AT THE COST OF $400 WHILE ON VACATION. I WAS TOLD THAT WAS WHY MY TRANSMISSION BURNED UP TIME. BRAKES STARTED WHEN THE DEALER REPLACED A LEAKING MASTER CYLINDER. I BROUGHT IT BACK FOR A SPONGY / LOW PEDAL AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND THERE WAS NOTHING GM WOULD DO ABOUT IT. STILL STUCK WITH SPONGY / LOW PEDAL
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.
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