2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED ALL FOUR ROTORS. CONSUMER PAID $1,200.00 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

I TOOK MY CHEVY TAHOE (2001) IN TO GET THE INSPECTION DONE ON 10/1/03 -- THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE INSPECTION HAS BEEN DUE SINCE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK USED 6 MONTHS AGO. THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO FAIL MY TRUCK DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PARKING BRAKE. I WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD SEEN A LOT OF THEM RECENTLY AND THAT HE WOULD LET ME TAKE THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALER TO GET IT FIXED. HE SAID THE OTHER 5-6 THAT HE HAD SEEN VERY RECENTLY HAD TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS A RECALLED PART AND THEY FIXED IT FOR FREE. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER, HE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT A RECALLED PART AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED -- IN FACT, WOULD COST ME $200-$300 TO FIX. HE SAID THAT SIX MONTHS AGO, WHEN HE INSPECTED THE CAR, IT WAS FINE. SO, IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, MY PARKING BRAKE HAD GONE BAD. I ONLY DRIVE MY TRUCK BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND HAVE NOT USED MY PARKING BRAKE, SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE WRONG!! PLEASE HELP -- IF IT IS KNOWN BY SO MANY THAT THESE ARE FAILING, WHY WILL CHEVROLET NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? IF I USED MY PARKING BRAKE EVERYDAY, THAT MIGHT BE ONE THING, BUT I HAVE NOT USED IT AT ALL.

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN A HILL AND COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE (APRIL 5, 2006): MS. ARNECKE SAID THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL AWAY; THE VEHICLE FAILED THE TEXAS STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE PARKING BRAKES.

BACK GLASS LIFT GATE HING CAME UNGLUED/UNATTACHED AND WHEN WE OPENED THE WINDOW, IT SPRUNG WAY OUT OF WACK AND WOULDN'T CLOSE PROPERLY. CHEVROLET DEALER THAT FIXED IT, SAID THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE HINGES FAIL.

2001 CHEV. TAHOE. THE GASOLINE EVAPORATIVE CANISTER VENT VALVE DRAWS IN DIRT AND CLOGS THE VALVE AND THE EVAPORATIVE CANISTER WHEN DRIVEN ON DIRT ROADS. THIS HAS BEEN ADDRESSED FOR 1999 TO 2002 PICKUPS WITH A NEW VALVE DESIGN THAT IMPROVES FILTERING AND ALLOWS EASIER CLEANING OF THE FILTER. (BULLETIN 02-06-04-037). *JB

I BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM IN 2001 TAHOE'S. I LEARNED OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN I WENT TO HAVE MY CAR INSPECTED IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. WHEN I DROVE UP, THE INSPECTOR SAID, " WE MIGHT AS WELL TRY YOUR EMERGENCY BRAKES FIRST SINCE THEY WILL PROBABLY FAIL." I ASKED HER WHY AND SHE SAID THAT ALMOST ALL TAHOE'S DO FAIL. MINE DID. THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED AT A DEALER. I WENT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND I TOLD THEM I HAD A TAHOE AND IT HAD FAILED THE INSPECTION, THE SERVICE MANAGER INTERUPTED AND SAID, "YOUR EMERGENCY BRAKES FAILED, DIDN'T THEY?" I ASKED HOW HE KNEW AND HE SAID. " THEY ALMOST ALL DO." HE SAID THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM FAIL WITHIN ONE OR TWO YEARS. HE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN YOU DO NOT USE YOUR EMERGENCY BRAKE THERE IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM ACTIVATE AND RUB AGAINST THE DRUM. EVENTUALLY THEY WEAR OUT. HE STATED HE WISHED CHEVROLET WOULD RECALL THE SYSTEM. I WROTE TO CHEVROLET. THEY CLAIM MY BRAKES WORE OUT WITH REGULAR USE. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, I HAVE NEVER USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON MY CAR. IN FACT I STILL HAVE THE SAME FACTORY INSTALLED REGULAR BRAKES ON MY CAR. I BELIEVE THIS EVENTUAL EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE IN CARS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUSE ACCIDENT BY FAILING AT THE WRONG TIME. SO DO THE MECHANICS I SPOKE WITH AND THE CITY INSPECTORS IN MEMPHIS. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET DOES NOT KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. WHILE I DO NOT BELIEVE CHEVROLET WILL BE HONEST ABOUT THIS SITUATION, I BELIEVE ANY DEALER MECHANIC WILL. THE ONE THAT WORKED ON MY CAR VOLUNTEERED THAT IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED I CALL YOU.*AK

AUGUST 2001 I PURCHASED A NEW 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE FROM DANVERS CHEVROLET. THAT FALL THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FAULTY SEAT BELT AND THE SEAT. THE SEAT BELT IS STILL NOT OPERATING AS ORIGINALLY INTENDED AND GM WILL NOT ADMIT FAULT. THE REPAIRING DEALERHSIP - HILLCREST CHEVROLET IN SALEM, MA (HAVE BEEN GREAT WITH ME) ARE NOT ALLOWED BY GM ANYMORE TO REPLACE SEAT BELTS OR TO ATTEMPT TO FIX THE LOCKING MECHANISM THAT IMMEDIATELY CHOKES ANYONE SITTING IN THE SEAT - AS IF THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YOU CANNOT MORE ANYTHING BUT YOUR EYES! HILLCREST EMPLOYEES HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM. GM HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TRAILBLAZER BUT ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP ME ANYMORE - I MADE THEM AWARE OF THE SEAT BELT LAW IN MASSACHUSETTS; THEY DON'T CARE. I NEED HELP TO GET THE SEAT BELT FIXED SO IT CAN BE USED. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ANYONE IN MY CAR BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT; IF I GET STOPPED AND A TICKET BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT CAN'T BE WORN - I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. I AM IN TEARS OVER THIS AND AM DESPERATE FOR HELP. PLEASE HELP ME. CATHY COMORA-FAVALORO. *AK

EMAIL(FOLLOW-UP) FM CAROL LESLIE(PA) DAUGHTER SUFFOCATED WHEN SHE PRESSED THE PRESET SEAT BUTTON IN THEIR 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE. HER DAUGHTER WAS PINNED BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE "B" POST. THE CORONER DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF DEATH TO BE "COMPRESSION ASPHYXIA". *PH *JB

THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED AFTER ONLY 2 YEARS OF USE. I WAS TOLD BY A LOCAL DEALER THAT THIS WAS A REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH 2001 TAHOES.. *AK

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK - IT CHOKES THE PASSENGER. THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE; THE ENTIRE SEAT WAS REPLACED ONCE, BUT IT IS STILL A PROBLEM. WE HAVE A SEAT BELT LAW IN MY STATE, BUT THE SEAT BELT CANNOT BE WORN.*AK