NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
VEHICLE GOES INTO REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON. VHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR HE SAME PROBLEM.
AT FREEWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT IS NOT SOLIDLY FASTENED TO THE FRAME. *MR *SC *JB
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. EVER SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE, THE CONTACT HAS HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF HIS VEHICLE. THE NOISE INTENSIFIES WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS AND IN RAINY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER MORE THAN ONCE. THE MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR THE NOISE OR FEEL ANYTHING WHEN TURNING. THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS BEFORE CLAIMING TO HAVE REPAIRED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
MEMORY SEATS WILL NEVER RECALL POSITION AND RANDOMLY CHOOSE MULTIPLE POSITIONS. MIRRORS, PEDALS, RADIO PRESETS ALSO RANDOMLY SELECT WHEN REMOTE KEY FOB IS USED OR WHEN KEY IS PUT INTO IGNITION. ALL SEATING POSITIONS, PEDALS, MIRRORS MUST BE RESET EACH TIME DRIVER ENTERS VEHICLE. TSB REPORTEDLY ON FILE FOR ONE YEAR+ WITH NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS, BUT GM SAYS NO FIX.*AK
EMERGENCY BRAKE GOES TO THE FLOOR, DOES NOT WORK LUCKILY DISCOVERED UPON SAFETY INSPECTION MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT CHEVROLET TRUCKS AND SUV'S ARE ALL HAVING THIS PROBLEM, ISN"T THIS A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE I CAN NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE.*AK
LOUD POPPING/PINGING NOISES COMING FROM EXHAUST SYSTEM WHEN CAR IS IN IDLE POSITION OR WHEN CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. DEALERSHIP REPLACED MUFFLER BUT PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER. GM STATES IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS CURRENTLY NOT A FIX FOR IT. SAYS IT IS DEFINITELY THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.*AK
LOSS OF MOST STEERING AND SERVICE BRAKES SIMULTANEOUSLY. STEERING FLUID LOSS DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED STEERING FLUID HOSE CLAMP. AN ASSEMLY CLIP WAS LEFT ON THE HOSE CLAMP AT THE FACTORY WHICH PREVENTED HOSE CLAMP FROM TIGHTENING. THE SIMULTANEOUS LOSS OF MOST STEERING AND BRAKING WOULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOS ACCIDENT IF EVENT HAD OCCURED ON MOUNTAINOUS ROAD OR IF VEHICLE WAS OPERATED BY PERSON WITH LESS STRENGTH. NO WARNING LIGHT OR INDICATION ON DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER APPEARED. SHOULD NOT THESE TWO CRITICAL SYSTEMS FUNCTION INDEPENDANTLY? *AK
WHENEVER I TRY TO ACCELERATE THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I TRY TO MERGE ON TO THE FREEWAY. CHEVY STATED THAT THE CAR IS PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD. I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER IDENTICAL CARS, THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. BUT THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE SAFETY ISSUE.UI. *AK
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THERE WAS NO INDICATOR THAT DISPLAYED WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS ACTIVATING. OFTEN WHILE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE FORWARD. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD SPORADICALLY SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE GEAR CLUSTER WIRING HARNESS BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE GEAR INDICATOR CONTINUED TO FAIL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 59,897.
VEHICLE (2004 CHEVROLET Z71 4X4) PULLS CONSISTENTLY TO THE RIGHT UPON FIRM BRAKE APPLICATION (SUCH AS FROM A 65 MPH COASTING CONDITION). AT THE SAME TIME, THE VEHICLE'S REAR END SWINGS OUT TO THE LEFT MAKING FOR A VERY UNSTABLE SITUATION. WHEN YOU LET OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE DARTS TO THE LEFT DUE, I ASSUME, TO THE LEFT-INPUT ON THE STEERING WHEEL THAT YOU'VE HAD TO SUSTAIN TO KEEP THE TRUCK IN ITS LANE. I DROVE SEVERAL LOANERS FROM THE SELLING DEALER THAT, TO MY SURPRISE, ALL DID THE EXACT SAME THING. SEVERAL DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT INDIVIDUALS CONFIRMED THAT THEIR Z71 WERE ALSO AFFLICTED. THE BRAKE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT HE FOUND MY VEHICLE "DANGEROUS" AND THAT HE WOULD NOT PUT HIS FAMILY IN IT. DEALERSHIP SERVICE PERSONNEL STATED THAT THEY HAD CONTACTED CHEVROLET TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND WERE TOLD THAT CHEVROLET WAS AWARE OF THE CONDITION, AS THEY HAD ATTEMPTED TO CURE IT IN A VEHICLE THEY HAD AT THE DETROIT-AREA MANUFACTURING FACILITY, BUT WERE UNABLE. THEREFORE, SINCE ALL OF THESE VEHICLES PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING, IT MUST BE "NORMAL." NO FIX TO BE HAD. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE CONCLUSION THAT IT IS NORMAL, AND HAVE DRIVEN IN EXCESS OF SEVERAL THOUSAND VEHICLES AS MY BASIS FOR DISAGREEMENT. I AM AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS CONDITION HAS NOT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF NHTSA, AND IS NOT THE SOURCE OF MASSIVE COMPLAINT BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ANYONE ELSE WHO EXPERIENCES THIS CONDITION, PLEASE CHIME IN AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.
WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN OR SNOW WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER KEPT THE DEFROSTER ON, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL RECURRED. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVES A SHOCK OF STATIC ELECTRICITY WHEN EXITING 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE.*MR NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE CONSUMER WITH A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THE CONSUMER PURCHASE RUBBER FLOOR MATS AND STATIC GUARD SPARY. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE TAILGATE WINDOW FELL INWARD AND CRASHED ON THE FLOOR.*AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING ASSEMBLY PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK