Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 32 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 32, in the owner's own words
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKS UP AND CAN'T BE ADJUSTED. IT CONTINUES TO GET TIGHTER AFTER FASTENING AND ALLOWS FOR NO MOVEMENT. IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ANY MOVEMENT. IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE IN 2001. I HAVE BROUGHT TO ATTENTION OF CHEVY DEALERSHIP. ANSWER ALWAYS BEING THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE.
MY PASSENGER SEAT COT ON FIRE. MY TRUCK WAS PARKED IN THE MALL PARKING LOT AS MY SELF HUSBAND AND TWO CHILDREN CAME OUT FROM SHOPPING TO MY THE CAR I OPENED MY PASSANGER DOOR I GOT IN AND ADJUSTED MY PASSANGER SEAT FOR COMFORT AND MY HUSBAND WAS GETTING THE GIFT AND KIDS IN THE TRUCK AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I SMELLED SMOKE.I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND I STARTED TO LOOK WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM AND LOOKED UNDER MY PASSENGER SEAT AND THERE WAS SPARKS COMING FROM UNDER THE SEAT THERE WAS A BLACK BOX UNDER THE SEAT THAT WAS SPARKING I CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT MY WHOLE PASSANGER SIDE BURNED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS THE MOTOR BOX UNDER THE SEAT THAT COT FIRE BAD ELECTRICAL WIRING HE SAID. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND WE HAD NOT STARTED IT THE ONLY THING I DID WAS ADJUST MY SEAT AND AS I WAS WAITING FOR MY HUSBAND TO GET IN AND KIDS THO GET BUCKLED I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING AND MY SET GOT HOT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED
2001 CHEVY TAHOE; REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DOES NOT RETRACT, THE SEAT BELT HAS TO BE MANUAL ADJUSTED WITH A SCREW DRIVER AND DOING SO CRACKED THE PANEL. WAS ONLY ONE SIDE BUT OVER THE YEARS NOW IT IS BOTH SIDE. ONE SIDE JUST WILL NOT RETRACT AT ALL ANYMORE. I HAVE READ COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST US BUT IT MUST BE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. DO NOT LIKE THAT THEY DO NOT RETRACTING IF WE GET IN AN ACCIDENT AND DOES NOT PROTECT OUR SON! THANKS *TR
MY SON AND I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT SATURDAY FEBRUARY 16. MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND I TRIED TO CORRECT IT WHEN MY BACK RIGHT TIRE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND I TRIED TO CORRECT AND WENT TO THE LEFT WHEN MY LEFT BACK TIRE DUG INTO THE EARTH AND CAUSED MY TRUCK TO FLIP OVER. WHEN THE TRUCK FLIPPED OVER MY SON WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND HE WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT BUT THE BELT CAME UNDONE. ALSO IN THE ROLLOVER NO SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN IF THEY DID IT MIGHT HAVE KEPT HIM IN THE VEHICLE. BEWARE IS ALL I CAN SAY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVY TAHOE. THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AND HAS CAUSED THE PASSENGERS TO SIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR SEAT TO USE THE LAP BELT. IN ORDER TO USE THE SEAT BELTS SHE HAS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM WITH A SCREW DRIVER. THE CONTACT FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE SOMEONE CAN BE INJURED DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,350 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. UPDATED 10/21/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR SHOULDER SEATS BELTS CONTINUE TO JAM AND DON'T RETRACT. WHEN THEY DO RETRACT, THEY ARE VERY SLOW. UPDATED 10/20/09 *JB
ABS MODULE, TRANSMISSION, PARKING BRAKE, THROTTLE BODY, WINDOWS, REAR A/C, STEERING SUSPENSION. SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WE HAVE HAD TO SPEND OVER $4000.00 ON REPAIRS THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO SAFETY. *JB
TL* - THE VEHICLE OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE SEAT BELT FAILED ON THE PASSENGER'S REAR SIDE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED TO SECURE THE PASSENGER DURING THE IMPACT. THE PASSENGER WAS FORCED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE CONTACT HAS A POLICE REPORT. THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED, AND THE CONTACT ALSO HAS THE OLD SEAT BELT.*AK UPDATED 02/21/07. *JB
I PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT FOR THE REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONING BUT THIS VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL DANGEROUS ISSUES..THE THROTTLE STICKS AND HAPPENED WITH MY 2 CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE DRIVING 55 MPH..NOT FUN! THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DETRIMENTAL. THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK AND HAS BEEN "FIXED" 2 TIMES..IT STILL DOES NOT WORK AND WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION...THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ENGAGE FOR SHORT STOPS AND THE VEHICLE SLIDES!! THIS IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO ME. GM MUST HAVE MANY LAWSUITS IN THE WORKS AND MANY TO COME. *NM
WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROTE 17M IN MONROE NY TWO OF THE PASSENGERS COMPLAINED THAT THEIR SEAT BELTS LOCKED UP ON THE AGAIN. THESE THE 2 FEMALES NOW IN THE 2ND ROW SEATS WHO WERE INJURED BY THE SEAT BELT FAILURE IN THE 3RD ROW SEATS JUST ONE WEEK PRIOR. BOTH GIRLS HAD THE FACTORY ADJUST ON SO THE SEAT BELT SAT PROPERLY ON THEIR SHOULDERS. THE SEAT BELT ONLY LOOSENED UP AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM THE BUCKLE. CHEVY REFUSES TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS/TAHOE. AT THIS POINT THIS HAVE MADE FAILURES OF ALL 6 SEAT BELTS WITH SHOULDER STRAPS. THIS TIME THE GIRLS WERE SITTING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TAHOE AS COMPARED TO THE 6/12/2005 INCIDENT AND WERE LUCKY NOT TO HAVE RECEIVED BRUISING ON THE OPPOSITE SHOULDERS AS LAST TIME
MY CHEVY TAHOE WAS BEING DRIVEN BACK FROM WATCHING THE NASCAR RACE IN THE POCONOS PA WHEN DRIVING ALONG INTERSTATE 84 TWO OF THE THIRD ROW PASSENGERS COMPLAINED THAT THEIR SHOULDERS HURT FROM THE SEAT BELTS NOT MOVING. THE SEAT BELTS LOCKED IN PLACE AND ONLY WOULD LOOSEN UP WHEN THE SEAT BELT WAS RELEASED FROM THE CLIP. BEFORE PASSENGER FEMALE GIRLS AGES 12 & 11 USED THE ADJUSTMENT STRAPS IN THE VEHICLE SO THE BELT WOULD SIT PROPERLY ON THEIR SHOULDERS. AFTER STOPPING TO EAT. THE 11 YEAR OLD WAS UNABLE TO STRAP IN AGAIN SINCE THE BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND THE 6 INCHES MORE TO GET IT TO LOCK INTO PLACE. BOTH GIRLS DID RECEIVE BRUISING TO THERE SHOULDER. GM SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEA BELTS IN THE TAHOE AND REFUSES TO FIX OR REPLACE THE TAHOE/SEAT BELTS.
SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION!! SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY 2001 TAHOE...(NEW) THE BACK RIGHT PASSENGER SEATBELT CONTINUES TO LOCK UP. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED AND "REPAIRED" SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT SOMEWHERE! I ALSO HAVE 2 FRIENDS WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM! SAME SEAT BELT. I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS. IS GM WAITING FOR AN ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN?
I BOUGHT A 2001 CHEVROLEX TAHOE USED IN MARCH OF 2004. SINCE THEN THE FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES FOR 3 REPLACEMENTS. STILL NOT FIXED. GM HAS MOVED MY ISSUE TO CUSTOIMER RELATIONS AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO CALL ME BACK ON NOVEMEBER 8 AND AS ON NOVEMEBER 29 I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN CALLED BACK. CONTACT PERSON AT GM IS CRAIG KING (813)635-4084. DRIVER BELT LOCKS UP AS YOU TRY TO PUT IT ON AND SOMETIMES CAN NOT GET BELT ON. PASSANGER BELT LOCKS UP ON PASSANGER AND WILL NOT UNLUCK EVEN WHEN PASSANGER LEANS BACK. PERSON GETS TRAPPED AGAINST SEAT AND REALESING BELT FROM BUCKLE ONLY WAY FOR PERSON TO MOVE.*AK
REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT AND THEREFORE IS NOT SAFE FOR USE. THIS HAS BEEN SERVICED YET STILL HANGS UP FREQUENTLY. HAVE TO REMOVE PANEL TO GET ACCESS TO APPLY TEMPORARY FIX.*AK
I BOUGHT A 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE IN MARCH OF 2004. SINCE THAT TIME THE FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES. CURRENTLY THE TAHOE IS IN HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET IN HAWTHORNE NJ, TRYING TO GET IT REPAIRED FOR THE THIRD TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED CHVROLET THEMSELVES ABOUT THIS. I AM WORRIED THAT IT WILL BE UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. IF THAT HAPPENS CHEVROLET SEEMS RESISTANT TO STAND BEHIND THE SAFETY DEFECT OF THERE MANUFACTORED TRUCK. MY TRUCK OBVIOUSLY CAN NOT BE RELEASED FROM THE DEALER UNTIL FIXED. OCTOBER 13 WAS THE 5TH DAY IN THE SHOP FOR THE TRUCK AND IT WAS RETURNED THERE THAT DAY AND IS STILL THERE.*AK
DRIVERS SEAT HEATING SENOR OVER HEATED. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS AT 28,000 MILES. NOW AT THE PRESENT MILEAGES OF 33,000 MILES THE PROBLEM HAS RESURFACED. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN ON THE OCCUPANT WHILE DRIVING. *JB THE SPARE TIRE CABLE PLASTIC CONNECTOR WOULD NOT RELEASE THE SPARE TIRE. *SC *JB
ON AUGUST 3, 2003, CHRISTOPHER MOFFEIT, AUDREY MOFFIET AND THEIR TWIN DAUGHTERS, MACKENZI MOFFIET AND MALLORY MOFFEIT, WERE INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING IN THEIR 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE. MACKENZIE AND HER SISTER, MALLORY, WERE SECURELY BUCKLED INTO THEIR CHILD SAFETY SEATS WHICH WERE FASTENED INTO THE BACKSEAT OF THE TAHOE WITH SEATBELTS. FORENSIC EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE SEATBELT SECURING MACKENZI'S CHILD SAFETY SEAT RELEASED DURING THE ROLLOVER COLLISION. MACKENZI'S CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS EJECTED FROM THE TAHOE. AS A RESULT OF THE INJURIES SHE SUSTAINED, MACKENZI PASSED AWAY SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. FORENSIC EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE SEATBELTS OF CHRISTOPHER AND AUDREY ALSO RELEASED DURING THE ROLLOVER COLLISION. BOTH WERE EJECTED AND DIED AUGUST 3, 2003 AS A RESULT OF THE INJURIES THEY SUSTAINED IN SAID ACCIDENT.*AK
SHOULDER RESTRAINT FAILS TO LOCK, IT CONTINUALLY RETRACTS WHILE DRIVER IS WEARING IT. WITH EVERY MOVEMENT SEAT BELT CONTINUES TO TIGHTEN RESTRICTING ANY MOVEMENT OF YOUR UPPER BODY. DRIVER RESTRAINT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE DRIVER IS FORCED TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER WEAR THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR NOT WEAR IT AND BE IN DANGER AS WELL AS BREAKING THE LAW! ALTHOUGH THE RETRACTING MECHANISM SQUEAKS ALL THE TIME, THE RETRACTION DIFFICULTIES ARE INTERMITTENT. THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD, BUT GENERAL MOTORS REFUSES TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS 49K MILES, DESPITE THE OBVIOUS HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OWNER AND OTHERS SHARING THE ROADWAY AT THE TIME. *JB
AUGUST 2001 I PURCHASED A NEW 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE FROM DANVERS CHEVROLET. THAT FALL THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FAULTY SEAT BELT AND THE SEAT. THE SEAT BELT IS STILL NOT OPERATING AS ORIGINALLY INTENDED AND GM WILL NOT ADMIT FAULT. THE REPAIRING DEALERHSIP - HILLCREST CHEVROLET IN SALEM, MA (HAVE BEEN GREAT WITH ME) ARE NOT ALLOWED BY GM ANYMORE TO REPLACE SEAT BELTS OR TO ATTEMPT TO FIX THE LOCKING MECHANISM THAT IMMEDIATELY CHOKES ANYONE SITTING IN THE SEAT - AS IF THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YOU CANNOT MORE ANYTHING BUT YOUR EYES! HILLCREST EMPLOYEES HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM. GM HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TRAILBLAZER BUT ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP ME ANYMORE - I MADE THEM AWARE OF THE SEAT BELT LAW IN MASSACHUSETTS; THEY DON'T CARE. I NEED HELP TO GET THE SEAT BELT FIXED SO IT CAN BE USED. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ANYONE IN MY CAR BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT; IF I GET STOPPED AND A TICKET BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT CAN'T BE WORN - I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. I AM IN TEARS OVER THIS AND AM DESPERATE FOR HELP. PLEASE HELP ME. CATHY COMORA-FAVALORO. *AK
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK - IT CHOKES THE PASSENGER. THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE; THE ENTIRE SEAT WAS REPLACED ONCE, BUT IT IS STILL A PROBLEM. WE HAVE A SEAT BELT LAW IN MY STATE, BUT THE SEAT BELT CANNOT BE WORN.*AK
I HAVE HAD MY TAHOE IN THE THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. WHERE TO BEGIN. WE HAVE HAD MIDDLE SEAT LATCHES CATCH AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, THE FRONT DASH AND RADIO BUBBLED UP AND PEELED...THAT WAS REPLACED. A COMPONENT IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED WHEN THE CAR WOULD JUST UP AND DIE EVERYTIME YOU TURNED LEFT. THAT WAS REPLACED. THE BACK WINDOW LATCH BROKE WHILE ON VACATION. IT TOO WAS REPLACED. ALL THE SEAT/SEATBELT RECALLS WERE REPAIRED. THEN ON 5/18/03 OUR POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THEY REPLACED IT ON 5/19/03 AT THE DEALER. WE TOOK IT BACK IN ON 5/30 WITH THE COMPLAINT OF IT STILL NOT "FEELING" RIGHT. IT WAS HARD TO TURN TO THE LEFT. THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM. THEN ON 7/13/03 WHILE DRIVING WITH A CAR FULL OF BOYS, THEN THE CAR DIED AND STARTED ON FIRE. THE 2 MEN, BOTH WHOM HAVE BACKGROUNDS AS MECHANICS THAT HELP ME SAID THAT IT THE UNIVERSAL JOINT ON THE POWER STEERING BOX WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE. ONCE IT RUBBED THRU THE INSULATION THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE. THEY HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO TOW THE CAR BECAUSE EVERYTIME THE WHEEL MOVED A LITTLE IT BEGAN SPARKING AGAIN. ALSO, THEY HAD TO END UP TOWING IT FROM THE FRONT BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULDN'T LOCK UP WHEN THE IGNITION WAS OFF, SO, THEY COULDN'T TOW IT FROM THE BACK.*AK
NHTSA#01-V-159-000: RETRACTORS FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD ROW OF SEATS THAT COULD BE CRACKED. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDE IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN#. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WHEN USED FOR AN LARGE SIZED ADULT RACHETS IF THE PASSENGER LEANS FORWARD. THE PASSENGER WOULD THEN HAVE TO TAKE THE SEAT BELT OFF AND REFASTEN THE BELT TO GET IT FIT PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP HAS PUT A SEAT BELT EXTENDER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TO ACCOMADATE THE EXTRA LENGTH NEEDED. THE OWNER STILL FEELS THIS IS NOT A PROPER FIX FOR THE SEAT BELT. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS TS
DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER ON HOW TO FIX RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE HEAD REST RESTRAINT PER CONSUMER. TS
WHILE CLIMBING INTO THE THIRD ROW SEAT, MY NINE YEAR OLD SON RECEIVED A SEVERE CUT ON HIS RIGHT MIDDLE FINGER REQUIRING SEVEN STITCHES AND SEVERAL STERI STRIPS IN THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. AS HE WAS HE WAS LOWERING THE SECOND ROW SEAT, HE PUT HIS FINGER INTO TO THE HEADREST CLOSURE. AS THE HEADREST AUTOMATICALLY FOLDED REARWARD, HIS FINGER WAS SLICED OPEN.*AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE SEAT BELTS. CONSUEMR FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED AND SIGNED THE RECALL NOTICE BECAUSE THE PARTS THAT WERE UNDER RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO CONSUMERS VEHICLE. CONSUMER SENT RECALL CARD IN BUT RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE SAYING THE RECALL WAS NOT DONE. A THIRD RECALL NOTICE WAS SENT SAYING THE SAME. CONSUMER WILL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE RECALL LOOKED AT AGAIN. CONSUMER OBJECTS TO WHAT CHEVROLETS RECORDS MAY SHOW. *JG
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