2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE Complaints

OUR 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE FAILED THE ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO THE PARKING BRAKE NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL. WAS ADVISED BY THE INSPECTOR THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE TAHOE AND OTHER GM SUVS DUE TO A POOR DESIGN OF THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE ATTACHMENT. SINCE THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT FUNCTION AT ALL, IT INDICATED THAT BOTH PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. AS EXPLAINED BY THE INSPECTOR: THE ATTACHMENT POINT FAILS EASILY ALLOWING THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE TO DROP DOWN AND COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR, WHICH THEN RENDERS THE PARKING BRAKE USELESS. IF NOT CAUGHT RELATIVELY SOON, THE PAD WILL BE WORN OFF FROM CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR AND THE UNDERLYING METAL OF THE SHOE CAN DAMAGE THE ROTOR. BOTH PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE DETACHED AND THE MINIMUM COST WAS $120 IF THE SHOES ONLY NEEDED RE-ATTACHMENT, HOWEVER SINCE BOTH PADS WERE WORN FROM RUBBING THE ROTORS THE COST TO REPAIR WAS QUOTED AS $250. A SECOND ESTIMATE WAS $300. ACTUAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $234.43. THE SECOND REPAIR SHOP THAT QUOTED $300, ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM SUVS. THE INSPECTOR TOLD US THAT GM IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT, BUT HAS CHOSEN TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE END RESULT OF A POORLY DESIGNED PARKING BRAKE SHOE IS A USELESS PARKING BRAKE THAT THE CONSUMER IS NOT AWARE OF UNTIL INSPECTED OR AN ACCIDENT OCCURS AND THEN AN EXTREMELY COSTLY REPAIR. AFTER A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT ACCIDENTS HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED. THE FOLLOWING NEWS LINK LEAD US TO REPORT THIS TO THE NHTSA: HTTP://WWW.AZCENTRAL.COM/12NEWS/CONSUMER/ARTICLES/CHEVYTAHOE09152004-CR.HTML. *JB

I HAVE A BUMPING NOISE IN MY STEERING COLUMN. I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE WITH AROUND 70,000 MILES. THE NOISE WAS EVIDENT WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 12,000 MILES. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM THEY ARE NOT ANY RECALLS LISTED. I HAVE 3 FRIENDS WITH THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SIMILAR VEHICLE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED WHILE CHANGING A TIRE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OFF THE JACK, SHOULD HAVE STOPPED, BUT ROLLED A FEW FEET BEFORE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED LUBRICATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.

I HAD A MAINTENANCE SERVICE PERFORMED ON MY 2002 CHEVY TAHOE AT THE CARL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN SAN JOSE, CA. A MINOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE WAS INCLUDED WITH THIS SERVICE. THEY REPLACED THE FILTER, PERFORMED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED 4.5 QUARTS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID THAT WAS REMOVED FOR FILTER REPLACEMENT. I PICKED-UP MY SUV AND DROVE IT HOME. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DELAY IN SHIFTING, BUT THIS WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE INTERMITTENTLY. THE NEXT DAY, I WAS LEAVING ON A FAMILY CAMPING TRIP AND MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT APPROXIMATELY 1/4 OF A MILE FROM HOME. WE WERE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND I HEARD A LOUD "CLUNK" WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A SPINNING OR HIGH RPM WINDING SOUND. SINCE WE WERE ABOUT TO START DOWN A STEEP HILL, I TRIED TO TURN AROUND. AS I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A Y-TURN, I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE. I HAD LOST MY REVERSE GEAR, SO I WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN. THIS LEFT MY CAR STRANDED IN THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FEARING FOR MY FAMILIES SAFETY,I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND PUSHED THE CAR FORWARD INTO A DRIVEWAY TO PREVENT BLOCKING THE LANE. I HAD MY TAHOE TOWED BACK TO THE CARL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. THE TRANSMISSION TECH STATED THAT THE SUN SHELL GEAR HAD WORN OUT AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS DAY'S SERVICE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 4L60E TRANSMISSIONS THAT ARE STANDARD EQUIPMENT IN THE TAHOES. THE TRANSMISSION TECH ALSO STATED THAT THE CHEVROLET DISTRIBUTED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN WITHIN THE COMPANY ADVISING THE MECHANICS THAT THE SUN SHELL GEAR WAS FAULTY DUE TO A LACK OF PROPER HEAT TREATING. CHEVY HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE YEAR 2000. I ASKED CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND THEY OFFERED TO PAY 10% OF THE BILL. MY FAMILY WAS PUT AT RISK DUE TO THIS KNOWN PART DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB

PROBLEM WITH BRAKING SYSTEM OF MY 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE LS 1500. WITHIN A YEAR OF PURCHASING THE TAHOE THE BRAKING SYSTEM BEGAN TO ACT STRANGELY. FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO PRESCHOOL IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA. THERE IS HILL I DRIVE DOWN WITH A STOP SIGN AT THE BOTTOM. THERE IS A BUMP IN THE ROAD APPROX. 30 FEET FROM THE STOP SIGN - ALMOST EVERY TIME I HIT THIS BUMP, WITH THE BRAKE ALREADY ENGAGED - THE BRAKE SYSTEM "DISENGAGES" WHEN I HIT THE BUMP AND I HAVE TO FRANTICALLY PUSH THE BRAKE AGAIN TO TRY TO STOP THE VEHICLE. A FEW TIMES I HAVE ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET BEFORE THE BRAKE ENGAGES. IT IS ONLY PURE LUCK THAT NO ONE HAS BEEN HIT OR KILLED. I KNOW NOW TO AVOID THIS STREET , BUT IT HAPPENS APPROX. 5 TO 10 TIMES A MONTH AT DIFFERENT TIMES, WEATHER CONDITIONS, ROAD SURFACES, ETC. I AM UTTERLY PARANOID ABOUT THIS AND DRIVE VERY CAUTIOUSLY - IT IS ONLY FOR THAT REASON THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IN MAY OF 2005 I FINALLY INSISTED ON REPLACING THE BRAKES AT MY OWN EXPENSE, YET THIS HASN'T SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PROBLEM IS HORRIBLE. THIS STARTED AS SOON AS THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED IN MAY 2005- IT STARTED STICKING ONCE IN A WHILE AND WORKED ITS WAY UP TO A FEW TIMES A DAY. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS REPLACED IN APRIL OF 2006 YET THIS SOLVED NOTHING, THE PROBLEM IS JUST AS BAD IF NOT WORSE NOW. THE CHEVROLET DEALER I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, PUTNAM CHEVROLET IN BURLINGAME, CA., ACTS AS IF I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE LIKE A MANIAC AND IT IS ALL MY FAULT. FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT, IN A TERRIBLE CASE OF FRUSTRATION, I TURNED TO THE INTERNET TO INVESTIGATE AND WAS STUNNED BY WHAT I DISCOVERED-A PROBLEM WITH ABS BRAKES FOR THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED IN ONLY 20 STATES, AND A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THAT HAS RESULTED IN BULLETINS TO THE DEALER BUT NO RECALL. FIVE OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH EITHER A TAHOE OR YUKON - HUGE PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *NM

CONSUMER REQUESTS INFORMATION ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THESE VEHICLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO CATCH ON FIRE IN A CRASH. *KB A FRIEND OF THE CONSUMER HAS A 2002 TAHOE WHICH CAUGHT ON FIRE MINUTES AFTER A SLIGHT FRONT END COLLISION CAUSED THE GAS LINE TO RUPTURE. THE CONSUEMR ALSO OWNS A 2002 TAHOE. *NM

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE LT 4X4. I RECENTLY NOTICED A POPPING SOUND EACH TIME I LIFTED THE CARGO DOOR. WE SOON REALIZED THAT THE GLASS WAS LOOSE AND WHEN WE WENT TO LIFT UP THE GLASS WHICH LIFTS SEPARATELY FROM THE DOOR, WE REALIZED THE HINGE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE GLASS. THE OTHER SIDE IS ALSO STARTING TO CRACK. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED IN MY WARRANTY THAT I HAD PURCHASED AT THE TIME I PURCHASED THE TAHOE. IT WILL COST ME 802.50 TO REPLACE THE BACK WINDOW BECAUSE IT IS ALL ONE PIECE. THIS DOES NOT EVEN COVER THE LABOR. I WAS ALSO TOLD NOT TO DRIVE ON THE FREEWAYS UNTIL I HAVE IT FIXED BECAUSE THE WINDOW COULD RIP OFF FROM FORCE OF WIND. TO ME, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND COULD ULTIMATELY KILL SOMEONE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND NOTICED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO AS WELL. THEREFORE, I AM WONDERING IF IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND IF THESE MODELS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN 2005 THE FRONT END WAS REPLACED DUE TO A LOCK UP WHILE MAKING A TURN. THE DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS DUE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. ON 06/01/06, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT ABS SENSOR. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY AT A VERY LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER ON 06/16/2006 WHERE THE DEALER DETERMINED THIS ABS SENSOR FAILURE WAS RECALLED AND THE REMEDY REPAIR WAS ALREADY PROCESS ON THE VEHICLE. THE HUB WAS REFERENCED AS THE CAUSE OF THE ABS FAILURE BUT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE. THE MANUFACTURER ALERTED THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIR UNDER THE RECALL OR WARRANTY UNTIL A MANUFACTURER INVESTIGATOR INSPECTS THE VEHICLE IN A MONTH. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 07/25/06. *JB

A.B.S. LIGHT COMES ON INTERMIT., WHEN TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER, THEY JUST GO UNDER THE DASH AND "RESET" THE A.B.S. "SENSOR" AFTER SIX MONTHS, THE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THEY WANT ME TO SPEND $700 . DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? *NM