RoadVitals

2004 Chevrolet Tahoe Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Nov 11, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 466 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 12 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Nov 11, 2008

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM DO A FULL CHECKUP AND KNOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY WARRANTY IS FINISHED BUT I THINK MY DRIVE TRAIN IS WARRANTED LONGER IT SAYS NOTHING IN MY PAPERWORK BUT I WANT TO CLARIFY AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAPPENS ALOT AND IT COULD BE A REPEAT OF THE LEMON LAW OF 1998. *TR

NHTSA ID
10248506
Incident
Nov 7, 2008
Mileage
77,550 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 21, 2008

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON ENTERING FREEWAY ON RAMP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE MERGING WITH OTHER TRAFFIC. OTHER VEHICLES SWERVED, SKIDDED, AND HONKED WHILE I COASTED MY VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND LIMPED OFF THE FREEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10231914
Incident
Jun 18, 2008
Mileage
37,800 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 21, 2008

I AM STARTING TO FEEL A CLUNK IN THE TRANSMISSION OF MY 2004 CHEVY TAHOE Z71, THE GEARS WINE A LITTLE BUT THERE IS THIS CONSTANT CLUNKING SOUND. I HAVE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I KNOW I AM NOT FAR FROM HAVING NO 1ST AND 4TH GEARS ETC.. I BOUGHT THE SUV USED AND I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER FOR A BUMPER TO BUMPER INSPECTION. I DO NOT DRIVE HARD. THE PEOPLE I TALK TO SAID IT IS A COMMON PART AND THERE IS ACTUALLY A BULLETIN OUT ON THIS. CHEVY WILL NOT HAVE IT BUT OTHER TRANSMISSION SHOPS DO. *TR

NHTSA ID
10221922
Incident
Mar 10, 2008
Mileage
9,300 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 18, 2007

2004 CHEVY TAHOE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THIRD TIME BACK TO DEALER FIRST TIME @ 21K MILES SECOND TIME @ 37K MILES BOTH TIMES THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED CAR IS BEENING TOWED BACK TODAY JUNE 18 2007 THREE DAYS AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK FROM SECOND TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID
10193561
Incident
Jun 18, 2007
Mileage
37,849 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 26, 2006

2004 TAHOE ENGINE REVVED WITHOUT TRANSMISSION ENGAGING***CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T ENGAGE WHEN IT WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE ON ITS OWN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. UPDATED *JB

NHTSA ID
10177500
Incident
Sep 18, 2004
BrakesTransmission
Filed Sep 13, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AND THE KEYS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION, THE CONTACT OPENED THE FRONT LEFT DOOR TO RETRIEVE AN OBJECT, WHEN IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED OVER THE EMBANKMENT WITH THE CONTACT AND CRASHED INTO A TREE BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE CONTACT WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO HITTING THE TREE. INJURIES WERE INCURRED TO THE RIGHT ELBOW. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR WAS SENT BY THE MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE. THE RESULTS OF THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTOR WERE NOT SHARED.

NHTSA ID
10168161
Incident
May 29, 2006
Transmission
Filed May 17, 2005
Crash reported1 death reported

GM VEHICLES TRUCKS AND FULL SIZE SUV'S WHEN KEY IS IN, ONE CLICK FORWARD , ABLE TO PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT THE BRAKE BEING APPLIED. WHEN KEY IS IN AND CAR IS RUNNING, YOU CANNOT GET IT INTO GEAR UNLESS YOU APPLY THE BREAK 3 OLD CHILD DIED APRIL 12TH, 2004 BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IN A 1997 CHEVY TAHOE. I'M MAKING THE COMPLAINT ON MY 2004 TAHOE

NHTSA ID
10121192
Incident
Apr 12, 2005
Transmission
Filed May 16, 2005

1)EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: DURING NORMAL CITY DRIVING, CAME TO A RED LIGHT AND FULL STOP. WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED BUT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. 2) THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE AND AS A PRESS THE GAS PEDAL, I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV UP BUT NOT CHANGE, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE. 3) THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED MOVING FORWARD ABOUT 3-4 SECONDS AFTER THE INITIAL TRIAL.

NHTSA ID
10120985
Incident
May 12, 2005
Mileage
16,530 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 7, 2005

WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PUSHED DOWN THE ACCELARATOR AND ENGINE REVVED, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE WILL JUMP INTO GEAR. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION QUIT NOISEY. DEALER SAY'S NOTHING WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION????*AK

NHTSA ID
10116558
Incident
Mar 25, 2005
Mileage
19,800 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 30, 2004

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. I HAVE FOUND THAT WHEN THE KEY IS IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO USE THE BRAKE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. MY 18-MONTH OLD SON DISCOVERED THIS WHILE WE WERE CLEANING OUT THE TRUCK AND IT STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. I CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL OR FIX AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NOT. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY HOW ALL TAHOES SINCE 2003 ARE PROGRAMMED TO WORK. THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT CONSISTANT WITH THE OTHER KEY POSITIONS AND I FEEL IS A SAFTEY HAZZARD. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE DISCOVERY OF THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE FOLLOW UP WITH GM TO GET THIS RESOLVED BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES OR DEATHS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE SOME FOLLOW UP WITH ME AS TO THE OUTCOME OF THIS COMPLAINT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100765
Incident
Nov 27, 2004
Mileage
6,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 25, 2004

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS DOWNDHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND DOWNSHIFTS INTO FIRST HARD AFTER ACCELERATION OF VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES DO TO SECOND GEAR NOT MOVING VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN SHIFTER LEVER IS MANUALLY PLACED IN FIRST GEAR TRANMISSION DOES NOT REMAIN IN FIRST, WILL AUTOMATICALLY UPSHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR CAUSING TOWING CONDITIONS TO BECOME HARDER.*AK

NHTSA ID
10096381
Incident
May 31, 2004
Transmission
Filed Feb 26, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE'S RPMS REVVED UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY HIGHER THAT 15 MPH. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THEN DRAINED THEN DRAINED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THEY DIDN'T INDICATE WHY THEY WERE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION OR WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID
10057632
Incident
Feb 4, 2004
Mileage
2,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .