1997 Chevrolet Tahoe Transmission Problems

HAVE A 1997 TAHOE TWO DOOR 4X4 WITH 126,000 MILES... TRANSMISSION HOUSING CRACKED YESTERDAY. UPON INVESTIGATION I SEE THAT CHEVROLET HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER TEN YEARS AND HAVE YET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH CHEVY. AND THEIR QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP. I HOPE SOMETHING WILL BE DONE ABOUT THIS FOR THE AMERICAN CONSUMER. SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A TOYOTA LIKE MY FRIENDS SAID HA HA. SERIOUSLY, QUALITY SHOULD COME BEFORE PROFIT!!!!. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199599

Incident

Aug 13, 2007

Mileage

126,000 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. EXTREMELY COMMON TO MY 97 CHEVY TAHOE. REQUIRED COMPLETE REBUILD AND LOTS OF MONEY. I CALLED PROBABLY A DOZEN TRANSMISSION REPAIR FACILITIES AND ALMOST ALL SAID I WAS LUCKY I MADE IT TO SO MANY MILES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED AS IT IS VERY COMMON IN THIS TRANSMISSION. ALL SAY IT COMES FROM A STRUCTURALLY FLAWED IN DESIGN PIECE IN THE TRANS THAT BREAKS AND OF COURSE COMPLETELY CONTAMINATES THE TRANS WITH METAL AND DESTROYS THE MAJORITY OF THE REMAINING PARTS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10180922

Incident

Jan 11, 2003

Mileage

125,000 mi

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS: LIGHT TRAFFIC, NON-TOWING, NON-FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE

NHTSA ID

10121435

Incident

Jun 20, 2004

Mileage

97,254 mi

NOTICED A HUMMING VIBRATION UNDER ACCELERATION. HAD TRANSMISSION SERVICED BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. THEN WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (70) WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND RPMS JUMPED WAY UP. VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION CASES WAS CRACKED. THE CRACK OCCURED DUE TO THE U-JOINT BREAKING. THE U-JOINT COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FOR UNDER $100 BUT NOW TO FIX THE TRUCK WILL COST $1700. BAD DESIGN IN MY OPINION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100848

Incident

Oct 8, 2004

Mileage

228,000 mi

MY 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE TRANSMISSION JUST FAILED. HAVE NO 2ND, 4TH OR REVERSE GEARS, ALWAYS WORKED PERFECT UNTIL NOW. AFTER A WEB SEARCH FOUND OUT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING VERY MUCH. SUN GEAR SHELL BREAKING ON 4L60E TRANSMISSIONS. THERE IS A BIG DEFECT AND GM HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEMS TO ALL THE GM OWNERS. SEEMS THEY CUT BACK A LITTLE MUCH ON QUALITY CONTROL THIS TIME AND DON'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT IT FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN. YOU PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT IT BEFORE. PLEASE HELP US GET THIS PROBLEM RECALLED. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY REPAIRS DONE YET. KEEP HEARING $2000 TO $2500 T0 FIX THIS $40 PART. DEALERS WANT TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION WITH NEW ONE JUST OF THIS PORBLEM. DOES IT SEEM RIGHT TO YOU?*AK

NHTSA ID

10093199

Incident

Sep 12, 2004

Mileage

95,000 mi

AT ABOUT 95,000 MILES THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMIITTENLY AFTER THE TRUCK HAS BEEN DRIVEN 20 TO 30 MILES, AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE AUTO TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO SECOND SO HARD, IT FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THE TRUCK. ONCE THE TRUCK IS PUT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF, IT IS GOOD AGAIN UNTIL IT HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR 20 TO 30 MILES. UPON DOING SOME ONLINE RESEACH, CALLING A DEALER AND LOCAL MECHANIC, I HAVE FOUNT THAT IT CAN BE ONE OF THREE THINGS: 1) A STICKING SHIFT VALVE 2) ACCUMULATOR PISTON OR 3) A SERVO. NO ONE CAN TELL WHAT IT IS WITHOUT TEARING THE TRANSMISSION APART. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THIS IS ALL TOO COMMOM A PROBLEM FOR THIS TRANSMISSION. SHOULD BE A RECALL, WIILLL KEEP ME FROM EVER BUYING ANOTHER GM PRODUCT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074911

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

Mileage

95,000 mi

THE FAILURES INITIATED BACK IN JUNE (27TH) 2001. AN HOUR ON THE NYS THRUWAY FROM BUFFALO GOING TOWARDS PENN STATELINE. THE TRANSMISSION BLEW, THROWING FLUIDS EVERYWHERE. TOWED TO CONTINENTAL TRANSMISSION. PAID FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. WITHIN THE END OF THE 1 YEAR WARRANTY, THE TRANSISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND BUMPING AFTER 2ND GEAR BEFORE GOING INTO 3RD. THIS WOULD OCCUR AFTER THE TRUCK WAS WARMED UP AND FOLLOWING THRUWAY DRIVING. ONCE YOU EXITED THE THRUWAY, CAME TO A STOP; IT STARTED IMMEDIATELYAND CONSISTENTLY. SEEING AS I DROVE THE THRUWAY EVERYDAY, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED EVERYDAY. TOOK TAHOE BACK TO CONTINENTAL TRANSMISSION. THEY INITALLY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG AND ASKED THAT WE ADVISE IN THE FUTURE IF IT GOT WORSE. WE TOOK IT BACK AND FORTH, LOSING USE OF THE VEHICAL FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. FINALLY, IN JAN 2004, THE TRANNY JUST STOPPED ALTOGETHER AND WE HAD TO TOW TO CONTINENTAL. THE TRUCK SUPPOSEDLY HAD ANOTHER TRANNY REPLACEMEMT, AS WELL AS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPUTER. ONCE AGAIN, WE WERE WITHOUT THE TRUCK FOR 4+ WEEKS. WE PICKED IT UP AND THE THE NEXT DAY, FLUID ALL OVER THE GARAGE FLOOR (OF A NEWLY BUILT HOME!). TOOK IT BACK, ANOTHER WEEK WENT BY. PICKED IT UP, WITHIN ANOTHER MONTH, TRANNY WAS NOT KICKING INTO 3RD...AGAIN. TOOK THE TAHOE BACK TO CONTINENTAL, SUPPOSEDLY ALL NEW PARTS WERE PUT INTO THE TAHOE. YESTERDAY, SAME PROBLEM, TRANNY NOT KICKING INTO 3RD, WHEN IT TRIES, THE RPM SKYROCKET TO 6000 AND YOU DON'T ACCELERATE. BROUGHT IT BACK TO CONTINENTAL THIS MORNING. THEY CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THEY CAN'T GET US A NEW TRANNY, MAYBE A REMANUFACTURED TRANNY, BUT THEY WILL LET ME KNOW AFTER THEY CONTACT THE DEALER. AM I THE ONLY OWNER OF A 1997 CHEVY TAHOE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THESE EXTENSIVE DEFECTS WITH A GM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION? THIS IS A TRAVESTY! PLEASE FOLLOWUP WITH CONTINENTAL TRANSMISSION, THEIR NUMBER IS 716-828-1121, ASK FOR PAT, THE OWNER. HE IS JUST AS FRUSTRATED OVER THIS AS I AM!

NHTSA ID

10068056

Incident

Apr 28, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

PROUD OWNERS OF 1997 TAHOE. IN THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE: REPLACED REAR AXLE SEALS TWICE, REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER, REPLACED THE 4X4 MOTOR, REPAIRED THE RADIATOR,REPLACED 4X4 ACTUATOR, REPLACED FUEL INJECTOR (THIRD TIME), REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE GASKET, HAD THE TRANSFER CASE REBUILT, REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR TWICE, REPLACED THE MANIFOLD GASKET AND A FUEL NOZZLE. CAR HAS HAD RECURRING PROBLEM OF COOLANT DISAPPEARING FROM RESERVE TANK WHILE NO LEAKS COULD BE FOUND. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND LEVEL GETS LOW THE VEHICLE WILL SHIFT VERY HARD FROM FIRST TO SECOND ALMOST JUMPING WHEN YOU HIT TEN MPH. WHEN YOU STOP AND ADD COOLANT THIS STOPS. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE LEAK HAS FINALLY BEEN LOCATED IN A VERY SMALL HOSE BUT NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT QUICKLY AND MUST BE REPLACED. GREAT VEHICLE!*AK

NHTSA ID

10060262

Incident

Mar 3, 2004

THE BRAKES ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AT EVERY STOP WHEN THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR AND WHEN PARKING. SPEED SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AT DEALERSHIP AND STILL A PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041441

Incident

Jun 5, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. THE OIL AND RPM NEEDLES STARTED FLUCTUATING BACK AND FRONT . ALSO, WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE. WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE IT FAILED TO GO BACKWARDS, HESITATED, THEN JERKED INTO FIRST GEAR. PRIOR THIS INCIDENT,TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037725

Mileage

32,000 mi

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015683

Incident

Apr 11, 2003

AFTER DRIVING 30 MILES AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I STOPPED TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I BEGAN TO TURN LEFT, I HEARD A LOUD CLANK IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 5 MORE MILES AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. AFTER ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO REST FOR APPROX. 8 HOURS, I BACKED THE VEHICLE OUT AND BEGAN DRIVING HOME. THE DRIVE WAS APPROX. 30 MILES AT 75-80 MPH. IAFTER STOPPING TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD WHINNING NOIES AS THOUGH IT WAS SLIPPING, THE ENGINE REVED TO ABOUT 3000RPM BEFOR ETHE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT. THIS HAPPEN EVER TIME I EXCELLERATED FROM A STOP OR FROM SLOW COASTING (3 MORE TIMES IN 6 MILES). WHEN I ARRIVED HOME, I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL, IT WAS FINE AND THERE WAS NO DISCOLORATION OF THE OIL OR ANY ABNORMAL SMELL. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO BACK THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, I WOULD DRIVE FORWARD, BUT THE SLIPPING CONTINUED WHEN IT WAS ROAD TESTED BY THE REPAIR SHOP. I LOADED THE VEHICLE ON A TRAILER AND TRAILERED IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE FOLLOWING WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED. THE SUNSHELL FAILED CAUSING DEBRIS TO BE CIRCULATED THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION. THE REVERSE GEAR DID NOT FUNCTION ANYMORE, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS CONTAMINATED WITH DEBRIS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS IT COULD NOT BE CLEANED LOCALLY. SPRAGE AND NUMEROUS GEARS AND BANDS WERE DAMAGED AS A RESULT. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WITH LABOR AND TAX....$2453.17. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR CONDITION THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 65,600 MILES ON IT. PRETTY SAD PERFORMANCE FOR A TRANMISSION DESIGNED FOR THIS TYPE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10003209

Incident

Jan 18, 2003

Mileage

65,600 mi

VEHICLE WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE, IT JERKS AND CHANGES OVER SLOWLY AND GRINDS. TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED FOR THE FOURTH TIME . DEALER HAS BEEN PUTTING IN NEW TRANSMISSIONS. TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO FAIL EVERY 15,000 MILES. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8014403

Incident

Jul 19, 2002

ENGINE STARVING, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON. HAD FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED IN AUGUST 2001. THIS TIME #6 FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE. CAR IS NOT OLD, NOT ABUSED AND MANY ITEMS FAILING IE: PARTS OF TRANSMISSION. IN THE PAST YEAR HAVE HAD MANY MAJOR REPAIRES.*AK

NHTSA ID

764491

Incident

Jul 17, 2002

ON OR ABOUT 7/6/02, MY WIFE WAS LOADING OUR THREE CHILDREN INTO THE TAHOE (WHICH WAS PARKED AND RUNNING WITH THE AC ON DUE TO THE HEAT). AFTER PUTTING THE THREE YEAR OLD AND THE FOUR YEAR OLD IN THE CAR, BUT BEFORE SECURING THEM IN THE CAR SEATS, THE 3 YEAR OLD WENT TO THE DRIVERS SEAT. HE THEN SHIFTED THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE (HE IS 2 FEET TALL AND CAN NOT REACH THEM). THE CAR MOVED FORWARD STRIKING A RETAINING WALL, CAUSING MINOR COSMETIC DAMAGE. FORTUNATLY, NO ONE IN OR OUT OF THE CAR WAS INJURED, ALTHOUGH THIS COULD HAVE EASILY NOT BEEN THE CASE. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, AND WOULD LIKE IT LOOKED INTO. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS EVENT (SHIFTING WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE) EVERY TIME I HAVE ATTEMPTED IT SINCE THE CRASH INCIDENT. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOM, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT TATE CHEVY IN ANNAPOLIS, MD, WHO ADVISED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THIS HAPPENING ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR WITH CHEVY VEHICLES. HE ADVISED ME TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED DURING OUR NEXT ROUTINE SERVICE, OR TO BRING IT IN TO SPECIFICALLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM LOOKED AT. I PLAN TO DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT CERTAINLY WOULD PREFER CHEVYROLET TO COMP THE COST OF THIS SAFETY REPAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.*AK

NHTSA ID

764150

Incident

Jul 12, 2002

AFTER DRIVING FOR 20 TO 25 MILES THEN COMING TO A STOP. WHEN YOU TAKE OFF AGAIN CAR SLAMS INTO GEAR FROM 1ST TO 2ND. WE CURRENTLY HAVE $1,100. IN SERVICE BILLS AND STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. IN DOING RESEARCH FOUND MANY OTHER GMC OWNERS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. WE FEEL THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND HOPEFULLY RECALLED AS A FACTORY DEFECT.*AK

NHTSA ID

762055

Incident

Jun 13, 2001

THE DRIVES SEAT BOLTS I BELIEVE ARE BROKEN/GEARS GET STUCK IN PARK CONSTANTLY/RIGHT SIDE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO MASSIVE LEAK OF COOLANT/SOUND SYSTEM MAKES WHINNIN GNOISE ON REAR SPEAKERS AND CD IS INOPERATIVE/DEFECTIVE*AK

NHTSA ID

761670

WHILE PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK REAR END FELL APART. GEARS BROKE AND AXLE RELEASED. VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

8004769

Incident

Feb 13, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. RPMS WENT HIGHER THAN NORMAL. ALL GEARS, EXCEPT 1ST AND 2ND, FAILED TO WORK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8002372

Incident

Jan 2, 2002

TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS COMMON ON CHEVROLET TAHOES 1996-1998. *AK

NHTSA ID

756546

Incident

Jun 10, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH RPM WENT UP TO 3000 AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN,PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD YOU COULD SMELL SOMETHING THAT WAS BURNT I MADE IT TO A GARAGE HAD IT CHECKED OUT I WAS TOLD THAT THE CONVERTER WAS BURNT IT GOT HOT AND BLEW TRANS FLUID OUT THE OVERFLOW AND THAT AT THE LEAST THE CONVERTER WOULD NEED REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

756011

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

750676

Incident

Aug 17, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLES. *AK

NHTSA ID

750312

Incident

Jun 4, 2001

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC HAD TO COAST TO NEAREST SERVICE STATION AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY SINCE INCIDENT FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES AND COUNTING.*AK

NHTSA ID

745812

Incident

Jul 21, 2000

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB

NHTSA ID

785002