IllustrationSUDDENDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING DRIVER HEARD A LOUD "BANG, AFTER DRIVING A FEW HUNDRED MORE FEET THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR OR INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *CJ
1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 246.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tahoe years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 88 of 410 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Steering. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 104 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports3 fire reports8 injury reports
Power Train complaints
58 reportsREAR DIFFERENTIAL/SPIDER GEARS CAME APART DURING NORMAL DRIVING, PARTS SHOT OUT OF TRANSMISSION CASE, MAJOR RUPTURE, HAS HAPPENNED ON NUMEROUS OTHER TAHOES, ASTRO VANS, S10S, ETC, THAT ALL HAVE THE SAME REAR END
FAILURE OF SUNSHELL AND 2-4 BAND ASSEMBLY. *AK
CONSUMER HAD SEEN VEHICLE LEAKING OIL. TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS AND TECHNICIAN FOUND OUT THAT OIL LEAKAGE WAS COMING FROM REAR AXLE, AND COULD NOT BE SEALED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, NO FOWARD OR REVERSE, WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING.*AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SLIP YOKE SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, GM CLAIMS COMMON CHARACTERISTIC BUT HAS NO MEANS OF REPAIR AT CURRENT TIME(3 YRS NOW) CLAIMS THAT IT IS SAFE. TODAY, THE REAR AXLE WENT OUT LUCKILY I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE FREEWAY, AND ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH.PLEADE ADVISE ON ANY OTHER CASES.
THE TURN SIGNALS QUIT WORKING AT THE DEALER AND THEY NEVER DID PIN-POINT IT. THE 4WD SYSTEM ENGAGED ON IT'S OWN AT 75 MPH AND THE TRANS, CUT OUT RESULTING IN NO POWER AND THEN IT RETURNED BUT THE 4WD SYSTEM WAS GONE. THE BARKES FAILED AND THEN STARTED WORKING OK. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS IN NEED OF ADJUSTMENT EVERY 2000 MILES. …
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THE TURN SIGNALS QUIT WORKING AT THE DEALER AND THEY NEVER DID PIN-POINT IT. THE 4WD SYSTEM ENGAGED ON IT'S OWN AT 75 MPH AND THE TRANS, CUT OUT RESULTING IN NO POWER AND THEN IT RETURNED BUT THE 4WD SYSTEM WAS GONE. THE BARKES FAILED AND THEN STARTED WORKING OK. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS IN NEED OF ADJUSTMENT EVERY 2000 MILES. THE ABS WOULD KICK IN FOR NO REASON.
THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD KICK IN FOR NO REASON AND DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE ROAD SURFACE WAS. THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL EXCESIVELY TO THE CROWN OF THE ROAD, IF YOU TOOK YOUR HANDS OFF THE STERRING WHEEL, YOU WOULD END UP IN A DITCH IN LESS THAN TWO SECONDS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD WORK WHEN IT WANTED TO, SAME AS THE HORN. THE BRAKES …
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THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD KICK IN FOR NO REASON AND DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE ROAD SURFACE WAS. THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL EXCESIVELY TO THE CROWN OF THE ROAD, IF YOU TOOK YOUR HANDS OFF THE STERRING WHEEL, YOU WOULD END UP IN A DITCH IN LESS THAN TWO SECONDS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD WORK WHEN IT WANTED TO, SAME AS THE HORN. THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE. IT WENT THROUGH ONE OF THE FRONT PADS EVERY TEN THOUSAND MILES; THE OTHER THREE PADSHAD OVER 50% LEFT. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT WAY TO EARLY FROM FIRST TO SECOND; CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ALOMOST QUIT ACCELERATING BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF POWER.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
4PE01023 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Jul 17, 2001 · Closed Dec 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE (1) COMPLAINT ALLEGING THAT THE 2ND ROW PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE ANCHOR DETACHED FROM SEAT FRAME DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH.DURING THE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN FROM HIS SEAT, PARTIALLY EJECTED THROUGH THE REAR QUARTER WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE.OCCUPANT SUSTAINED INJURY.GM HAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED SEAT BELT ANCHORING DESIGN IN MY 2000. ODI HAS COMPLETED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND HAS DETERMINED THAT FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.
EA00013 · Battery Leaks Acid
Opened May 2, 2000 · Closed Jun 28, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE99073 · Battery Leaks Acid
Opened Dec 3, 1999 · Closed May 2, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
ODI HAS RECEIVED 21 COMPLAINTS WHERE OWNERS ALLEGE THAT THE STANDARD GM FACTORY SUPPLIED AC DELCO BATTERY CASE FAILED, RESULTING IN THE LEAKAGE OF SULFURIC ACID.OF THE 21 COMPLAINT VEHICLES, SIX SUBURBAN, THREE TAHOES, AND ONE YUKON OWNER(S) COMPLAINED ABOUT A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FROM DETERIORATION OF THE RIGHT FRONTBRAKE LINE AS A RESULT OF SULFURIC ACID CONTAMINATION.THE REMAINING 11 COMPLAINTS PERTAIN PRIMARILY TO SULFURIC ACID LEAKAGE FROM THE BATTERY CASE.AT LEAST ONE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT BATTERY ALSO FAILED.SEVERAL OF THE COMPLAINANTS NOTE THAT THE LEAKING ACID HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH A WIRE HARNESS AT THE FRAME IN THE VICINITY OF THE STEEL BRAKE LINE.A FIELD INSPECTION BY ODI INDICATES THAT THE DESCRIBED HARNESS IS THE ABS CONNECTION TO THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR.PRIOR TO THE BATTERY CASE FAILURE, THERE IS USUALLY NO WARNING (SHORT OF AN UNDERHOOD INSPECTION), AND THE ENSURING DAMAGE (SULFURIC ACID CONTAMINATION) IS PROGRESSIVE.OF THE KNOWN BATTERY FAILURES, THERE MAY BE A TEMPERATURE CORRELATION, AS 60% OF THE OWNER COMPLAINTS CAME FROM FOUR STATES; CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA AND TEXAS.THERE IS ALSO A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND ENGINEERING CHANGE NOTICE TO ADD 1% SILVER TO THE BATTERY'S POSITIVE SIDE TERMINALL, WITH THE EARLIEST IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR THIS BEING FEB 2, 1998.THE EFFECT OF THIS DESIGN CHANGE IS AS YET UNKNOWN; FURTHER REVIEW IS WARRANTED.AN EA IS BEING OPENED TO GATHER FURTHER APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, CLARIFY ANY DEFECT TRENDS, AND TO ASSESS THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS AND RISKS CONCERNING THESE FAILURES.
EA99011 · Erratic Power Steering Assist While Driv
Opened May 12, 1999 · Closed Feb 27, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST FLUCTUATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FOR DETAILS AND A BASIS FOR THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS, PLEASE SEE THE CLOSING REPORT IN THE EA99-011 PUBLIC FILE.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.FUTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS SUBJECT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.THE ENGINEERING IS CLOSED.