2001 Chevrolet TAHOE: complaints, problems and recalls

I AM WRITING TO YOU AT THE REQUEST OF GENERAL MOTORS SERVICE ADVISOR. I HAVE A 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE. AT 39,000 MILES ONE OF THE THIRD SEAT LATCHES IN THE BACK BROKE. THIS PREVENTED THE SEAT FROM LATCHING DOWN IN PLACE AND LET THE SEAT POP IN AND OUT OF THE FLOOR MOUNTED LOCKING BRACKETS. GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE SENT ME TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AGREED TO COVER THE ITEM AS A WARRANTY ISSUE AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA SO THAT THE ISSUE COULD BE LOOKED AT TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000211 at NHTSA ↗

BLOWOUT (OUTSIDE SIDEWALL). TIRES WERE USED ON A 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE WITH ONLY 17,000 MILES USE. SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AT TIME OF INCIDENT WAS APPROX 60MPH. THIS OCCURRED AT NIGHT WHEN TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 58 DEGREES. I HAVE INCLUDED THIS INFORMATION SO YOU CAN SEE THAT NEITHER EXCESSIVE SPEED OR TEMPERATURE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000487 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED 4 TIMES FOR MALFUNCTION OF THE BRAKES. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED BUT NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. CONSUMER FEELS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. *TT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001741 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH THE FRONT END AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY. AT THE SAME TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATES AND IS VERY FIRM. VEHICLE HAS TO BE BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE STOP TO RETURN IT TO HELP ELIMINATE THE SHAKING. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED BUT FEELS THIS CONDITION IS NOT A PROBLEM. *TT *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001891 at NHTSA ↗

THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSFER CASE FOR THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT WANT TO ENGAGE WHEN IT IS PRESSED.

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003599 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD BE ENGAGED, THE PEDAL WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN INCLINE, AND IN NEUTRAL GEAR, THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT WAS A NORMAL POSITION FOR THE BRAKE AND THEY WERE SELF ADJUSTING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003643 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO HOLD THE VEHICLE, DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003841 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING FROM 2ND GEAR TO THE 3RD GEAR. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED AND WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION .*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003842 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-10-25 (October 25, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE LOOSE OR MISSING REAR WHEELHOUSE PLUGS. UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE OPERATING CONDITIONS, EXHAUST GASES CAN FLOW FORWARD AND ACCUMULATE IN THE REAR WHEELHOUSE.

Consequence: THESE GASES COULD FLOW INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IF THE PLUG IS MISSING OR LOOSE AND COULD CAUSE POSSIBLE ILLNESS, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, OR DEATH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR LOOSE OR MISSING WHEELHOUSE PLUGS AND INSTALL NEW PLUGS IF NECESSARY.

Reported: 2001-05-17 (May 17, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP AND UTILITY TRUCKS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN INTERNAL COMPONENT IN THE OUTBOARD SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD ROW OF SEATS THAT COULD BE CRACKED. WITH REPEATED ACTUATION OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM, THE CRACK COULD SPREAD TO THE POINT SUCH THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NO LONGER LOCK.

Consequence: IN A CRASH, INCREASED OCCUPANT INJURY COULD RESULT FROM THE NO-LOCK CONDITION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS FOR SPECIFIC LOT NUMBERS AND REPLACE THE BELTS IF NECESSARY. GM IS ENCLOSING AN INSPECTION PROCEDURE FOR THE OWNERS TO USE OR THEY CAN HAVE THEIR DEALERS DO THE INSPECTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 2, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.

Reported: 2002-09-17 (September 17, 2002)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH REARWARD FOLDING HEAD RESTRAINTS ON THE SECOND ROW SEATS, TWO POTENTIAL PINCH POINTS EXIST ON EACH OF THE FOLDING HEAD RESTRAINTS WHEN THE RESTRAINTS ARE FOLDED REARWARD AS THE SEATBACK IS FOLDED DOWN.

Consequence: IF A PERSON WERE TO INSERT THEIR FINGER(S) INTO THE PINCH POINT WHEN THE HEAD RESTRAINT FOLDS, IT COULD TRAP AND PINCH THE FINGER(S) CAUSING INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE COVERS OVER THE PINCH POINTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 8, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006.

Reported: 2003-03-07 (March 7, 2003)

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT OVERHEAT WHEN THE WIRE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT.

Consequence: THIS OVERHEATING CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE RUNNING BOARD TO MELT OR CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS ON THESE RUNNING BOARDS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 7, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHERN COMFORT AT 1-800-745-6096.

Reported: 2005-08-29 (August 29, 2005)

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE UNWANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION. THIS CONDITION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORROSIVE AREAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUNCHED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ONLY.

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKE APPLICATIONS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO REMOVE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND THOROUGHLY CLEAN THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MOUNTING SURFACE ON THE BEARING, APPLY RUST INHIBITOR TO THE CLEANED SURFACE, GREASE THE MOUNTING SURFACE, REINSTALL THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR, AND CHECK THE PEAK-TO-PEAK OUTPUT VOLTAGE TO ENSURE THE WHEEL SPEED SIGNAL IS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.