Illustration1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE STEERING PROBLEM IN CURVES. VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN MAKING A TURN IN A CURVE OR A LANE CHANGE YOU EXPERIENCE A TEMPORARY LOSS OF STEERING FOLLOWED BY A RELEASE CAUSING A OVERSTEER CONDITION A VERY HAZZARDOUS SITUATION. *AK
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
Steering complaints
105 reportsSTEERING WHEEL JERKS TO LEFT OR RIGHT ON COLD DAYS WHEN DRIVING AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEEDS. AFTER READING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FOR SAME EXACT PROBLEM IT APPEARS THE GVT IS WAITING FOR A FATALITY BEFORE TAKING ACTION. NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA 99011 WAS CLOSED 02/27/2001 WITH NO ACTION TAKEN.
STEERING IS ERRATIC AT MEDIUM SPEEDS. YOU WILL BE GOING AROUND THE CORNER AND THEN THE WHEEL WILL GIVE AND THE TRUCK PULLS VERY QUICKLY, AS IF YOU OVERSTEERED, BUT THEN IT WILL STOP. *LA
ERRATIC STEERING. *AK
THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A FAILURE IN THE STEERING POSITION SENSOR MOUNTED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT MAKES YOU SEVERELY OVERSTEER. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. AS A CERTIFIED AUTO TECHNICIAN,, I FEEL THAT THIS …
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THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A FAILURE IN THE STEERING POSITION SENSOR MOUNTED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT MAKES YOU SEVERELY OVERSTEER. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. AS A CERTIFIED AUTO TECHNICIAN,, I FEEL THAT THIS IS A EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD CAUSE A RECALL FOR REPAIR. I ALSO FEEL THAT GM SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS THIS DEFINATELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED AS THEY ARE NOT CORRECTING THIS SAFETY ISSUE!*AK
1997 CHEVY TAHOE - AFTER MAKING A U-TURN, POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING CURVED ROADS, AN ABRUPT JERKING WOULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING. *JB
VEHICLE STEERING LOSES CONTROL. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS IN WARRANTY AND NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT. I SEE THAT OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOLD THE DEALER THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES AND EVEN FATALITIES. NOTE: I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THI…
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VEHICLE STEERING LOSES CONTROL. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS IN WARRANTY AND NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT. I SEE THAT OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOLD THE DEALER THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES AND EVEN FATALITIES. NOTE: I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A TSB (76-30-01) FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC VARIABLE ORIFICE (EVO) SYSTEM AS A RESULT OF LOW VOLTAGE CONDITION OF THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR, WHICH RESULTED IN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *JB
WHEN TURNING WHEEL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO OVERSTEER. FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME DISCONNECTED OR THE POWER STEERING HAS SURGED.
THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT EA99011 CONCERNING THE STEERING ON THE 1997 TAHOE, 350 5.7 ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO. THE JURKING IN THE STEERING IS NOT A CONSTANT PROBLEM. I T DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEED AND THIS UNCOMMANDED IMPUT WAS ENOUGH TO INDUCE THE …
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THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT EA99011 CONCERNING THE STEERING ON THE 1997 TAHOE, 350 5.7 ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO. THE JURKING IN THE STEERING IS NOT A CONSTANT PROBLEM. I T DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEED AND THIS UNCOMMANDED IMPUT WAS ENOUGH TO INDUCE THE VEHICLE TO LURCH TO THE NEXT LANE.THIS SEVER ACTION ONLY HAPPENED ONCE, HOWEVER AS THE VEHICLE AGES, THE SEVERITY SEEMS TO GET WORSE WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN. YJE VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 1997. I ALSO HAVE CONFIRMED THIS SAME THING WITH A FRIEND WHO OWNED A 1997 SABURBAN, HE SOLD THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THIS CONDITION.
LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS ON SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE VARIABLE ASSIST STEERIING WOULD MAKE A RAPID AND UNEXPECTED OVER ADJUSTMENT WHEN MAKING SMALL STEERING CORRECTIONS. I LOST CONTROL AND STARTED A "FISH TAIL" WHEN TRAVELING IN NEW YORK. I LIVE IN VIRGINIA AND FOUND…
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LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS ON SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE VARIABLE ASSIST STEERIING WOULD MAKE A RAPID AND UNEXPECTED OVER ADJUSTMENT WHEN MAKING SMALL STEERING CORRECTIONS. I LOST CONTROL AND STARTED A "FISH TAIL" WHEN TRAVELING IN NEW YORK. I LIVE IN VIRGINIA AND FOUND THIS TO BE A MINOR PROBLEM IN THIS CLIMATE, HOWEVER, IT IS UNSAFE ON SLIPPERY ROADS.
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.