Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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
THE TAHOE USED AS OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDICAL TRUCK WAS SPEWING FUEL FROM ABOVE THE GAS TANK. WE DROPPED THE TANK AND FOUND THE LINES ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK RUSTED SEVERELY TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. IT WAS FIRST NOTICED ON A MEDICAL RUN WITH THE ENGINE IDLING.
1. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 55-65 MPS, MY 2004 CHEVY TAHOE SHUT DOWN ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME SEVERAL TIME UNTIL I FOUND OUT THE MILEAGE, FUEL AND THE HOLE SYSTEM WASN'T TELL THE CORRECT READING. 2. ALSO THE AIR STOPS BLOWING ON THE PASSING SIDE WHEN THE AS IS ON. WHEN THE AC IS OFF IT STILL BLOWS HEAT ONLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. 3. WHEN YOUR DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND STOPS AT A RED LIGHT THEN GET BACK ON THE GAS TO PULL OFF IT ACTS LIKE IT DON'T WANT TO PULL UNTIL I GET OFF THE GAS THEN GET BACK ON IT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. SO I HAD THE STRAINER, FILTER AND GASKET CHANGE ON THE TRANSMISSION AND IT STILL DOES IT. 4. WHEN I GET READY TO PARK THE TRUCK DOES PUT-PUT SOUND LIKE IT WANTS TO SHUT OFF THEN IT PICKS BACK UP. *TR
SMELLED GAS COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR (ON EXTERIOR) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE METAL RING MOLDED INTO THE PLASTIC TANK WHERE THE SENDING UNIT MOUNTS TO THE TANK HAD RUSTED OUT AND GAS WAS ACCUMULATING IN THE "BOWL" THAT THE CONNECTION IS IN. RUSTING IS A RESULT OF WATER ACCUMULATING IN THE "BOWL" WHERE THE UNIT MOUNTS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DRAIN OUT. DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF TAHOE OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT CHEVROLET DETERMINED THIS WAS AN ISSUE AND CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE TANK IN FUTURE MODELS TO REMOVE THE METAL RING THAT THE SENDING UNIT MOUNTED TO. COST TO REPAIR AT CHEVROLET AND INDEPENDENT GARAGE $2,000 OR MORE. *TR
VEHICLE REGISTERED "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER, ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWED NUMEROUS INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR AND THE WIRES CRIMPING, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WIRING HARNESS BEING COVERED BY GM BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR ON A RECALL LIST. *TR
THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE. *TR
TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP AND THOSE RELATED FUEL LINES FAILED LEADING TO A SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAK, AND REALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THIS TRUCK IS TEN YEARS OLD, FUEL SYSTEM PARTS SHOULDN'T BE RUSTING OUT LIKE THIS. NO OTHER VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED, NO MATTER HOW OLD, HAS HAD AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. LIFE SAFETY AND FIRE RISK! *TR
APPROX. 6 MONTHS AGO I WAS DRIVING WHEN A VEHICLE ENTERED THE INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ME. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CRASH BUT MY VEHICLE JUST BARELY CAME TO A STOP. TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND FOUND ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ON 3/28/14 I BEGAN NOTICING STRONG GAS FUMES COMING FROM MY VEHICLE. I AGAIN TOOK IT IT IN AND FOUND THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, ALL THE FUEL HOSES, AND THE STRAPS AND BOLTS THAT HOLD THE FUEL TANK WERE RUSTED OUT. I READ THAT NHTSA WAS DOING A STUDY OF THIS ISSUE. I UNDERSTAND MY VEHICLE IS 10 YEARS OLD AND I LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST BUT I OBSERVED A LOT OF RUST UNDER MY VEHICLE. I AM A POLICE OFFICER AND A CRASH RECONSTRUCTIONIST AND THESE RUST ISSUES COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ISSUES WITH VEHICLES RESULTING IN CRASHES. I FEEL THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BECAUSE IT EFFECTS CRUCIAL SYSTEMS LIKE THE BRAKES AND FUEL SYSTEMS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON E-470 WESTBOUND NEAR QUEBEC WHEN THE CAR SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY. NO POWER. THE CAR THEN WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A COMPUTER CHECK. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, AFTER A WEEK, WHEN I WAS HAVING IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC FOR THE REPAIR, I DECIDED TO TRY TO START IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I DROVE IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE FUEL PUMP AND SAID IT WAS FINE. THEY COULD NOT FIND A REASON WHY THIS HAPPENED. SAME WITH ANOTHER MECHANIC. SINCE THEN (I HAD OWNED THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AT THAT POINT) THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR MORE TIMES, THE LATEST ON MAY 9TH. AGAIN IT'S BEEN TOWED AND AGAIN I AM TRYING TO FIND A PERMANENT SOLUTION. I AM NOW FINDING OUT THE PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AND CUTS OFF FUEL TO THE PUMP BECAUSE THE CAR THINKS IT IS BEING STOLEN. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED IT HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM IN MANY GMC MODELS OVER MANY YEARS. SOMETIMES THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM CAN BE RESET (THOUGH THAT HAS NEVER WORKED FOR ME). THE ONLY WAY TO PERMANENTLY FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO DISABLE THE PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. THESE SYSTEMS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THESE CARS. I WOULD RATHER MY CAR BE STOLEN THEN SHUT DOWN AT 65 MPH OR WHEN MY WIFE IS DRIVING HOME FROM DOWNTOWN DENVER AT 10:30 AT NIGHT THROUGH NOT SO GREAT PARTS OF TOWN. *TR
MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. IT WAS ALWAYS KEPT IN A GARAGE AND DRIVEN VERY LITTLE. AS OF TODAY IT ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. TO BEGIN WITH, ON OR NEAR MARCH 2007 AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND I SAW A FAIRLY HEAVY DRIPPING OF GAS FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. I DROVE IT TO A MECHANIC THAT I HAVE BEEN USING FOR MANY YEARS. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING WHERE THE GAS WAS COMING FROM BUT WITH A MIRROR , HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP OR WHAT HE CALLED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. HE SAID IT APPEARRED TO BE COMING FROM THE PUMP IN THR TOP OF THE TANK AND THAT IT WAS BADLY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED THE DEALER FROM WHO WE HAD BOUGHT THE TAHOE AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS TO THIS. THEY SAID NO. I SHOULD ALSO TELL YOU THAT THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE HAD REPLACED MANY OF THIS SAME TANKS. HE SAID IT WAS BUILT IN SUCH A WAY AS TO BE SHAPED LIKE A BOWL AND THAT THE WATER JUST LAID IN IT. IT COST ME 750.00 TO GET A NEW FUEL SENDING UNIT PUT IN. ABOUT 4 YEARS LATER, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE PUMP WAS RUSTED OUT AND AGAIN GAS LEAKED OUT . ENOUGH GAS LEAKED OUT TO ALMOST COVER MY ENTIRE GARAGE FLOOR. THIS REALLY KIND OF SCARED ME. EVEN JUST ANY KINK OF A SMALL SPARK AND NOT ONLY ME BUT MY HOLE HOUSE WITH FIVE OTHER PEOPLE NOT MIGHT OF GOT HURT, WITH THIS MUCH GAS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD.. AGAIN I CHECKED FOR RECALLS OF WHICH THERE WERE NONE AND ENDED HAVING AGAIN A NEW FUEL PUMP INSTALLED. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THAT HE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. *TR
SMELL OF FUEL FOR ABOUT A WEEK BROUGHT IT TO EVANS AUTOMOTIVE ST AUG. FL. 32080. THEY CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME FLAW IN DESIGN OF TANK WATER GETS UP ON TOP OF TANK AND SITS THERE. THIS ROTS OUT SENDING UNIT AND FUEL PUMP AS WELL AS LOCKING STUDS THAT HOLD DOWN THIS ONE PIECE UNIT.TANK IS PLASTIC BUT STUDS THAT LOCK IN PART ARE METAL THEY ROT MAKING TANK VERY VERY DANGEROUS. THEY SAID I WAS VERY LUCKY THE TRUCK DID NOT CATCH FIRE WITH MY FAMILY AND I IN IT. THEY SAID THE SMALLEST SPARK WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE TRUCK TO CATCH FIRE. TO REPAIR THIS IT IS GOING TO RUN ABOUT 1500.00, OR TRY TO FIND A USED TANK IN GOOD SHAPE. THEY ARE TELLING ME WEATHER NEW OR USED THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN OVER TIME. THE FLAW IS THAT THERE IS NO WAY FOR WATER TO GET OUT OF BOWL SHAPE WHERE FUEL PUMP IS. THAT MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN LOOKING FOR TANK IT SAYS TANK FROM 2003 TO 2009 FIT. THAT MEANS OTHER TRUCKS HAVE SAME PROBLEM SUCH AS CHEVY,GMC,PICKUPS,SIERRA,SILVERDOS,YUKON ECT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE OR SOME FAMILY GETS KILLED. THANK YOU! *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH SHE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE FOLLOWED BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE AND FUEL GAUGE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED. UPON RESTART THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWENTY TIMES WITHIN A TWO WEEK PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT PLANNED ON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 04V045000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 07E106000 (WHEELS: CAP/COVER/HUB, WHICH HE BELIEVED COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
I BOUGHT NEW A 2004 CHEVY TAHOE. IT IS KEPT GARAGED 99% OF ITS LIFE. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO I STARTED SMELLING GASOLINE ON WINDLESS DAYS WHENEVER I WOULD EXIT THE CAR AFTER ANY TRIP. AT THE TIME IN 2006 I THOUGHT IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE TO BE A GAS LINE THAT WAS RUSTED AND I THOUGHT THAT SOMEHOW A LINE MUST HAVE CRACKED. I WENT TO MY MECHANIC AND HAD HIM CHECK IT OUT. HE CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME THAT THE GASOLINE RIGHT WHERE THEY EXITED THE FUEL TANK WERE BADLY RUSTED AND THATS WHERE THE GAS WAS COMING FROM. HE BROUGHT ME INTO HIS SHOP AND WITH THE CAR UP IN THE AIR, HE WAS ABLE TO SHOW ME USING 2 MIRRORS BECAUSE IT WASN'T POSSIBLE TO SEE BY LOOKING UP AS TO HOW BADLY THE 3 LINES HAD RUSTED. AT THIS TIME THE CAR ONLY HAD ABOUT 12000 MILES ON IT. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT WHERE THE FUEL LINES CAME OUT OF THE TANK THAT IT WAS SHAPED LIKE A BOWL AND THAT EVEN IF I WAS JUST WASHING IT, THERE WOULD STILL BE A FAIRLY LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER THERE. THIS CAR WAS MY PRIDE AND JOY. I NEVER DROVE IT IN WET WEATHER AND I NEVER DROVE IT DURING THE WINTER. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HOW MUCH GAS WAS COMING OUT AND MY FIRST THOUGHTS WERE THAT ONE SPARK WITH ALL THOSE FUMES AND GAS AND I'D BE A DEAD MAN. I ALWAYS KEPT THE GAS TANK FULL, IT NEVER WENT BELOW 2/3 OF A TANK. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE HAD REPAIRED 7 OR 8 OF THESE ON OTHER CHEVROLET LARGE SUV'S INCLUDING A COUPLE OTHER TAHOES A COUPLE SUBURBANS AND 2 OR 3 DENALI'S. HE TOLD ME THAT HE COULDN'T REMEMBER WHICH BUT HE WAS AWARE THAT THESE OTHER CARS WERE COVERED BY A RECALL BUT THAT FOR SOME REASON THE TAHOE WASN'T EVEN THOUGH THEY ALL HAD THE SAME GAS TANK. I SHOULD NOT HAVE PUT OFF WRITING THIS LETTER. AT ANY RATE IT COST ME 750.00 TO GET IT REPAIRED AND I'M JUST WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS SEEMS VERY MUCH LIKE A DESIGN PROBLEM. I HAVE TO WONDER WHY THE TAHOE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL AS THE ARE ALL THE SAME. *TR
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 80000 MILES. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THEN START MOVING AGAIN THE SPEEDOMETER WILL STAY AT ZERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE SPEEDOMETER TO WORK AGAIN WAS TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, THEN LET IT SIT FOR A MOMENT AND RESTART. THIS PROBLEM MADE THE CONTACT RUN OUT OF GAS SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE GAS GAUGE DID NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THE OIL GAUGE WASINCORRECT AS WELL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
THE GAS GAUGE MODULE WAS FAULTY, CAUSING ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS AT HIGH SPEED AND LOSE POWER TO STEERING AND BRAKES. OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH IT READ THAT I HAD A QUARTER OF A TANK. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE DONE. HOWEVER IT COST 650.00 TO REPLACE THIS MODULE. *NM
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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