Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. 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. 30 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 30, in the owner's own words
LOWER RIGHT BALL JOINT ON VEHICLE FAILED CAUSING TRUCK TO LOSE CONTROL SIDE SWIPE A PARKED CAR AND TRAVEL ANOTHER 70 FEET KNOCKING OVER A STOP SIGN. DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME IN SEAT CAUSING ME TO GO FORWARD HITTING HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. I CRACKED A MOLAR TOOTH AND BOTH KNEES WERE INJURED HITTING THE TRIM PIECE UNDER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TR
WHEN DRIVING AROUND CURVES STEERING WHEEL JERKED, FORCING THE VEHICLE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *AK
THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED VEHICLE TO VEER OUT OF ITS INTENDED LANE. CONSUMER STATED ISSUE ONLY OCCURRED IN COLD WEATHER. TS *JB
CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT REAR SPRING BROKE AND THE LEAF IS COMPLETELY BROKEN, THERE IS A RATTLING SOUND UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OCCURED WHILE DRIVING, THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT REAR SPRINGS WERE PRONE TO CRACKING DUE TO THE BRITTLE ALLOY USED IN THEIR CONSTRUCTION, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE SPRING HAD FAILED, BOTH REAR SPRINGS NEEDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT SPRINGS WERE MADE OF DIFFERENT ALLOY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATES CHEVROLET REFEUSES TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILTY FOR THE DEFECT.*JB
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OR MORE STEERING WHEEL/VEHICLE WOULD JERK TO THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN RIGHT BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED AND THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO STOP IN ADVANCE. *SLC
VEHICLE WAS GOING 50MPH AROUND A WIDE RIGHT HAND CURVE WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED WOBBLING/ SPINNING/ WENT OVER EMBANKMENT, AND ROLLED BACKWARD INTO A BARN. CONSUMER SUFFERED NO INJURIES. ALSO, CONSUMER DID EVERYTHING TO CONTROL VEHICLE BEFORE LOSING ABSOLUTE CONTROL. WHEN CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF ANY INCIDENT DURING THAT TIME. DEALER ASSUMED CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND RAN UP ON GRASS. CONSUMER HAS HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT INCIDENTS THAT RELATES TO THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER PLEASE ADD THE VIN# AND MILEAGE TO FORM. *AK
VEHICLE WANDERS OFF TOP THE LEFT AND RIGHT. WHEELS TURN LEFT ALL THE TIME. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10-45 MPH, STEERING JERKS TO WHATEVER WAY WE ARE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO JERK OUT OF YOUR HANDS AT TIMES.
STEERING WHEEL JERKS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. HAPPENED 4 TIMES DURING TRIP (9/21) AND AGAIN ON 9/27.*AK
WHILE MAKING A TURN VEHICLE TURNED TOO FAR AND TOO QUICKLY. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL FELT AS IF VEHICLE WAS ON ICE. THERE WAS NO CONTROL. WHEN VEHICLE HIT BUMPS VEHICLE COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. WAS TEST DRIVEN. THE PROBLEM WAS FELT, BUT DEALER COULD NOT LOCATE STEERING PROBLEM FOR REPAIRS. STEERING WAS WEIRD, BUT NOTHING WAS WRONG. NEW TIRES PUT ON & VEHICLE REALIGNED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
AT 13000 MILES POOR BRAKING AND NOISE IN FRONT END. DEALER CHECKS BRAKES FINDS THAT SPECS ARE MET.29000 MI. BRAKES ARE SHOT AND REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. GM SAYS DEALER MUST HAVE MISDIAGNOSED TAKE IT UP WITH THEM EVEN THOUGH HISTORICAL DATA SHOWS PROBLEM REPORTED AT 13000 MILES.IT ISN'T RIGHT THAT SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IS THE WAKE CALL THAT ONE OF THE USA'S LARGEST CORPORATIONS NEEDS TO STEP-UP TO ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PRODUCT THEY ENGINEERED,DESIGNED, AND MARKETED. I WOULD EXPECT THAT FROM CHINA. *AK
STEERING WHEEL JERKS WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS CAUSES THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL AND GO INTO OTHER LANES. *AK
WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT DRASTICLY, CAUSING DRIVER TO NEARLY LOSE CONTROL. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAN HAPPEN ANY SPEED 25-65 MPH VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AT ANY GIVEN TIME. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WA S UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AROUND 50 TO 60 MPH VEHICLE WANDERS AND DRIFTS TO LEFT OR RIGHT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY; EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *AK *ML
WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT, THEN PULLED TO THE RIGHT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
EA99011-ERRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. WHILE DRIIVING VEHICLE GOES DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD, HITS A SLIGHT BUMP, CAUSING THE TENSION IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO RELEASE, WHICH RESULTS IN LOSS OF CONTROL. HOWEVER, THE SAME PROBLEM IS MORE INTENSIFIED WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES. WITHIN THE PAST MONTH, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE STEERING SENSOR / STEERING BOX HAVE BEEN REPLACED. CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *YC
EA99011-STEERING WHEEL FRONT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO FEEL "LOOSE." VEHICLE COULD NOT STEER CORRECTLY, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. *YC
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE VEERS TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WON'T GO STRAIGHT. IT VEERS TO THE LEFT, AND THEN TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP NINE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
STEERING GETS LOOSE WHEN WARM, MAYBE SOMTHING WRONG WITH VARIABLE ASSIT SYSTEM, CAN CAUSE DANGEROUS LANE CHANGES. *AK
TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN APRIL 1999 FOR STEERING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WOULD JUST DRIFT OFF COURSE. TYPICALLY HAPPENED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS, BUT DID ROTATE TIRES. READ ARTICLE IN PAPER WHICH NOTED INVESTIGATION INTO PROBLEM WITH SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS THAT I EXPERIENCED. WANTED TO FILE REPORT TO LEND FURTHER EMPHASIS TO YOUR INVESTIGATION. *AK
VEHICLE SHAKES WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
RIGHT REAR BRAKES LOCK UP DUE TO REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK. YH
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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