Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
My right side wheel feels like it’s going to fall off and indicate the abs and emergency parking brake. I believe it’s a wheel hub bearing that’s coming loose or tie rods I’m not sure and One time the emergency parking brake engage on me and I had to pull over to the side and wasn’t able to drive it. When I turn on the engine or driving , idling I smell gasoline really bad
A STEEL FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE ENGINE BAY HAS STARTED WEEPING. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY ALL NEED REPLACEMENT DUE TO CORROSION FAILURE. THE ESTIMATED COST $2300.00 BECAUSE THE BODY MUST BE LIFTED FROM THE FRAME. THIS COMES JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE BRAKE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SAME REASON AND AT A COST OF $2200.00. OBVIOUSLY GM HAS INSTALLED LOW GRADE I.E. LOW COST STEEL TUBING ON THIS TRUCK. *TR
WAS DRIVING IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT WHEN PUMP FAILED. ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHICH ALSO SHUT DOWN POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. GAS GUAGE SHOWED EMPTY ALTHOUGH TANK WAS HALF FULL. HAD TO HAVE THE UNIT TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP WHERE PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $1203.84. THIS WAS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE GAS TANK PUMP. FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS I BELIEVE IN THE FALL OF 2005 SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AT A COST OF SLIGHTLY LESS THAN $1000.00. MILEAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETWEEN 35 & 40,000. DON"T HAVE THE TICKET FOR THIS BUT I BELIEVE I CAN GET IT. HAVE TALKED WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IF YOU HAVE PICKUP CAN BE CHANGED CHEAPER AS THEY REMOVE THE PICKUP BOX. IN BOTH INSTANCES I WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED SO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WAS NOT CATISTROPHIC. *TR
THE FUEL GAUGE WILL READ THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL UNTIL IT IS ABOUT 3/4 TO 1/2 A TANK THEN START BOUNCING UP AND DOWN THEN IT WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO EMPTY AND THE FUEL LIGHT COMES ON EVEN THOUGH IT HAS PLENTY OF FUEL. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR AND RAN OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH IT REGISTERS FUEL ABOVE THE RED MARK AND NO LOW FUEL LIGHT ON. I KNOW HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS SEVERAL TIMES AND FEAR IT MIGHT PUT MYSELF OR MY FAMILY IN A BAD SITUATION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WISH SOMEONE (GM) WOULD HELP THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMER BASE. AS IT APPEARS WITH MORE RESEARCH I DO THIS IS A SERIOUS ONGOING PROBLEM THAT SPANS DIFFERENT MODELS AND YEARS. *TR
MY 02 TAHOE FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO READ EMPTY JUST AFTER FILLING THE TANK UP. SINCE THEN THE GAUGE HAD READ EMPTY. *TR
DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE TRUCK STARTED TO LOOSE SPEED AND DIED HARD TO CONTROL AT 70MPH. HAD TO TRY AND GET TO THE SHOULDER OF ROAD IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, VERY DANGEROUS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES TONIGHT BEING THE 3RD TIME, THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL IT PUTS PEOPLES LIFE IN DANGER! *TR
I OWN A 2002 CHEVY TAHOE AND ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO(DECEMBER 2010) MY FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO START FAILING TO READ PROPER FUEL LEVELS. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED FOR A COUPLE MORE WEEKS UNTIL FINALLY THE FUEL GAUGE SIMPLY WOULDN'T MAKE A READING AT ALL. I STAYED OPTIMISTIC THAT THE SITUATION WOULD CORRECT ITSELF BUT NO SUCH CORRECTION AROSE. I TRIED USING FUEL INJECTION CLEANERS TO POSSIBLY RESOLVE THE ISSUE BUT AGAIN NOTHING HELPED. FOR THE PAST COUPLE DAYS I HAVE BEEN READING NUMEROUS FORUMS AND ARTICLES ON THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN CHEVY VEHICLES RANGING FROM 2000 TO AS RECENT AS 08 MODELS. I'M WRITING THIS IN HOPES THAT A RECALL CAN OCCUR THAT WILL HELP SOLVE THIS ISSUE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM I AM. CHEVY NEEDS TO BE LIABLE FOR THE FRAUDULENT MANUFACTURING OF VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. INSTEAD OF LETTING AMERICANS SHOVEL OUT 800 PLUS DOLLARS IN ISSUES THAT SHOULDN'T BE OCCURRING SO EARLY IN A VEHICLES LIFE. I HAVE YET TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE IN HOPES THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL FORCE CHEVY INTO RECALLING THE VEHICLES FOR PROPER REPAIRS. *KB
DUE TO THE ERROR IN THE FUEL GAUGE(INDICATING MORE FUEL THAN THE VEHICLE HAD) THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY ENTIRE FAMILTY ON BOARD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS I WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND WAS NOT GIVEN A LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT. THIS ERROR IN FUEL LEVEL COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY AND I REQUEST A OEM RECALL TO CORRECT GAUGE OR SENSOR ERRORS, OUR FUEL GAUGE IS STILL NOT DISPLAYING ACCURATE READINGS, WE DO NOT TRUST THE GAURE ANYLONGER. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN "WILD GAUGE SWINGS/LISTINGS" AT RANDOM INTERVALS
2002 CHEVY TAHOE PURCHASED USED 11/2006 WITH 50,000 MILES. GAS GAUGE NEVER WENT TO FULL. 4/2010 FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED $1000.00, NOW IT'S 7/2010 AND GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATES WHILE DRIVING WITH FULL TANK OF GAS TO EMPTY, CAR SLOWS DOWN AND THEN SUDDENLY PICKS BACK UP WITH GAS GAUGE SHOWING FULL AGAIN. VERY UNSAFE ON FREEWAYS!! WAS TOLD BY PEPBOYS WHEN THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP THAT SOMETHING WASN'T WORKING WITH THE COMPUTER, OH REALLY, BUT OF COURSE WE WERE TOLD THAT 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 THAT IT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY THE FUEL PUMP AND THEY DIDN'T WORK ON THE COMPUTER. COST OF REPAIR WAS PROBABLY THE DECIDING FACTOR. NOW I FEEL UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR ANYWHERE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER. WHAT'S UP CHEVY?, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE COMPUTER?? *TR
FUEL PUMP SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, STALLING CAR. ALSO, CAR WON'T START IF LESS THAN QUARTER TANK OF GAS. *TR
2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE 5.3L ENGINE-FUEL GAUGE LEVEL ERRATIC. DEALER FUEL LEVEL SENSOR IN TANK IS THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THIS IS A "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" REPLACEMENT ITEM AT 62,000 MILES COMBINED WITH HIGH SULFUR IN AK FUELS CAUSES IT. HOWEVER, 2001 VW PASSAT HAD SAME ISSUE WITH SULFUR AND SENSOR WHICH DID WARRANT A RECALL ACTION AT NO COST TO OWNER. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SULFUR IN FUEL INTERACTS WITH CERTAIN ADDITIVES FOUND IN WIDELY AVAILABLE GASOLINE CAUSING SULFUR TO BECOME DEPOSITED ON THE CONTACT POINTS OF FUEL SENDING UNITS MOUNTED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THIS COULD CAUSE THE FUEL GAUGE TO READ FULL WHILE THE FUEL TANK MAY NOT IN FACT BE FULL OR COULD BE EMPTY. CONSEQUENCE: RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATES THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT FUEL IN THE TANK LEAD TO SAFETY PROBLEMS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 01V157000. PLEASE LOOK INTO 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE 5.3L FUEL LEVEL SENSOR ISSUES. *TR
2002 TAHOE SHUTS DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SIT FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES STARTS BACK UP. ONLY HAPPENS IN 90+ DEGREE DAYS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT. I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS IN THE COMPLAINT DBASE. *TR
I BOUGHT MY USED 2002 CHEVY TAHOE WITH ONLY 29,000 MILES. I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE LESS THAN 8 MONTHS AND IT HAS DIED (WHILE I WAS DRIVING) 4 TIMES ALREADY. THE 5TH TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE ENGINE JUST WOULDN'T START. I HEAR THE FUEL PUMP IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC'S HOWEVER, AT 50,000 THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. IT'S THE FUEL PUMP. LUCKILY, EVERYTIME MY CAR STALLED OUT, I WASN'T IN BUSY TRAFFIC. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE HAD THIS HAPPENED IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS SOMETHING GMC DEFINITELY HAS TO LOOK AT. *JB
MY 2002 CHEVY TAHOE HAS EXPERIENCED THREE FUEL PUMP FAILURES WITH THE LAST FAILURE BEING TODAY. IT COST ME IN EXCESS OF $ 850.00 TO REPLACE MY FUEL PUMP AND TANK TODAY. ALL POWER TO THE VEHICLE IS LOST WHEN THE FUEL PUMP HAS GONE OUT. I BELIEVE CHEVY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM AS I BELIEVE IT COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO LOOSE POWER IF TRAVELING AT INTERSTATE SPEED. *NM
DT: THE ABS LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. COULD HEAR CLICKING IN THE BRAKES. CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY SAID TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY FIXED THE VEHICLE, BUT HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN ON MARCH 30, 2005. THEY REPLACED THE NUMBER TWO INJECTOR. *AK
I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE LISTED CAMPAIGN ID 05V155000 ON A 2002 TAHOE. I SPOKE WITH CHRIS LASH, SAFETY DEFECTS ENGINEER WITH YOU LAST YEAR IN NOVEMBER. TODAY, I SEE GM HAS RECALLED SEVERAL VEHICLES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT I AM NOT INCLUDED ON THIS LIST ALTHOUGH I HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. MY VIN IS [XXX]. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT. GM IS NON-RESPONSIVE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS JUST SERVICED AGAIN LAST WEEK FOR A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP.*AK....FIRST REPLACEMENT WA SON 11/07/2002 AT 21170 MILES. IT WAS COVERED 100% BY WARRANTY. SECOND REPLACEMENT TOOK PLACE ON 04/28/2004 AT 50,790 MILES. PARTS WERE UNDER WARRANTY, CONSUMER PICKED UP LABOR COSTS, AND THIRD REPLACEMENT WA SON 02/04/2005 AT 67, 275 MILES. WARRANTY COVERED 50%, AND CONSUMER ASSUMED 50% 0F LABOR COST. *AK
FUEL PUMP FAILURE ON 2002 TAHOE VEHICLE. *BF THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AT ANY SPEED WITH NO WARNING. *SC
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC REPAIRED THE FUEL PUMP. *AK
WE PURCHASED A 2002 CHEV TAHOE NEW IN MARCH 2002. THIS VEHICLE JUST ROLLED OVER THE 30,000 MILE MARK. WITHIN THE 30 MONTHS THAT WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES, THE FIRST ONE BEING REPLACED AT 12,000 MILES. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL GAUGE SENSOR AND THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 6 WEEKS AGO, WHILE ON VACATION, THE TAHOE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE 3 HOURS FROM HOME, SO WE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP AND RENT AN AUTOMOBILE TO CONTINUE ON OUR TRIP. THE NEXT DAY WE HAD TO GO BACK TO THIS DEALERSHIP TO PICK UP THE TAHOE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR WIRES HAD WORKED LOOSE. LAST WEEKEND, WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, IT DIED AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE YET ANOTHER FUEL PUMP. EVERY TIME THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT, THE TAHOE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN TRAFFIC. TO HAVE A VEHICLE DIE SUDDENLY AT 55 MPH IN TRAFFIC IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. WE CONTACTED GM BACK IN MAY AFTER PUTTING OUR VEHICLE IN THE SHOP FOR A NEW AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR. AFTER MANY LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS WITH A GM CUSTOMER REP, WE WERE GIVEN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. WHILE WE APPRECIATE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. APPARENTLY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE AND/OR THE FUEL PUMPS THEMSELVES THAT ARE CAUSING THIS REPEATED FAILURE. IT HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. NOW WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GET RID OF OUR VEHICLE. HOWEVER, BY TRADING IT IN, ALL WE'RE DOING IS PASSING THE PROBLEM ON TO THE NEXT UNLUCKY SOUL. WE CAN'T, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, SELL THE CAR TO SOMEONE WITHOUT TELLING THEM ALL THE PROBLEMS WE'VE EXPERIENCED. ONLY A FOOL WOULD BUY IT FROM US. SO, WHAT WE'RE LEFT WITH IS AN UNSELLABLE $635 PER MONTH POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION, BRAKES, AND GAS GAUGE GIVING OUT AN IMPROPER READING. *MR FEW DAYS AFTER VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, CONSUMER NOTICED A FUEL SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHICH THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE GAS CAP WASN'T TIGHT. ALSO, WHICLE PUTTING FUEL, GAS TANK BURST SPILLING FUEL TO THE CONSUMER. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED STALLING, SUSPENSION SQUEAKS, AND FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS. *LA
LEASED 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE FEB 2002. SERVICED FROM OCT 2003 THRU FEB 2004 AFTER A SEPT 2003 OIL CHANGE TIRE ROTATION SERVICE AND CONSERNS OF FUEL SMELL AND SUSPENSION SQUEAKS. SERVICES WERE PERFORMED CORRECTIONS WERE DONE NEW SENDING UNIT INSTALLED.OCTOBER 27,2003 THE GAS TANK ON THE TAHOE BURST WHEN FUELING AT A GAS STATION REQUIRING FIRE AND POLICE UNIT TO BE SENT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WAS IN SERVICE FOR 3 WEEKS FOR SAFETY REASONS. I DID NOT WANT THE VEHICLE BACK AND GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GAVE ME FALSE HOPES OF A RELEASE ON THE LEASE. I DID NOT RECIEVE ANY HELP WITH THESE SITUATIONS AND STILL HAVE THE UNSAFE VEHICLE. RECENTLY I THOUGHT MY TROUBLES WOULD BE OVER. I FOUND A VEHICLE THAT I WANT TO BUY AND CAN TRADE MY LEASE IN WITH GM'S PULL AHEAD PROGRAM. BECAUSE I DID NOT PAY 2 OF THE PAYMENTS ON THE TAHOE WHEN I COULD NOT USE THE VEHICLE AND LOST MY INCOME TO PAY AT THAT TIME, MY FEB 2002 TURN IN DATE HAS CHANGED TO MAY 2005. THIS MAKES ME UNELIGIBLE FOR THE PULL AHEAD EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCE. I DID NOT ASK FOR THESE PROBLEMS AND DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR SOMETHING IM NOT GETTING. I HAVE LOST ALOT BY NOT HAVING RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND ALL I SEEK IS A NEW GOOD RELIABLE SUV TO BUY AND WALK AWAY FROM THIS PROBLEMED TAHOE, WITH HELP FROM SOMEONE GM AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT HELPED IN ANY WAY. *AK
PROBLEM STARTED AT 21000 MILES. CAR EITHER WON'T START OR LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD FIVE FUEL PUMPS SINCE THEN. NOW HAVE 53K MILES. ALSO, CAR WON'T START ON INCLINE EVEN THOUGH IT HAS 1/4 TANK AS VERIFIED BY DEALER SERVICE. EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE "FIXED" OR REPLACED HAS BEEN AND I AM STILL HAVING STARTING PROBLEMS AND HAVE TO HAVE A NEW FUEL PUMP EVER 3 MONTHS. GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE UNWILLING TO PROVIDE RELIEF. SERVICED ONLY AT DEALERS, THEY CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
AFTER FUELING FUEL GAUGE REGISTERED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THEN VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TEN MINUTES LATER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO HAD TO UPDATE THE COMPUTER TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK
I AM A PARAMEDIC IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY MISSOURI, A SUBURB OF ST. LOUIS. IN THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2002 I RESPONDED TO THREE CRASHES INVOLVING FULL SIZE GM TRUCKS. ALL THE VEHICLES CAUGHT FIRE IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER A MODERATE TO HIGH SPEED IMPACT. THE VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN DRIVER SIDE OFF SET IMPACTS THAT LEAD TO INTRUSION INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLES WERE A 2002 4X4 AVALANCHE, 2001 EXT. CAB 4X4 SILVERADO, AND A 2002 4X4 TAHOE. THE FIRE STARTED NEAR THE BATTERY AND THE FUEL LINES THAT RUN ALONG THE FRAM ON THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO, ALL HAD THE 5.3L V-8. I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE AVALANCHE OR SILVERADO DUE TO TAKING CARE OF THE INJURED OCCUPANTS. I DID LOOK AT THE TAHOE ENGINE AND IT APPERED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE HAD BEEN SEVERED IN THE CRASH. ALL VICTIMS WERE NOT TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLES AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS QUICKLY.I AM VERY CONCERNED DUE TO HAVING THREE FIRES IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAM. I RUN PROBALLY 500 VEHICLE CRASHES A YEAR AND VERY FEW RESULT IN FIRES EVEN WHEN THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS OBVIOUS LEAKS. I AM VERY CONCERNED DUE TO HAVING THREE IN ABOUT A 2 MONTH TIME FRAME. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFO.
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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