IllustrationSTEERING WHEEL IS DEFECTIVE. STEERING WHEEL WILL TURN ON ITS OWN. PROBLEM STARTED THREE YEARS AGO, AND IT HAS HAPPENED EVERY TWO MONTHS. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEARLERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *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 reportsTHE STEERING OCCASIONAL APPEARS TO BE VERY LIGHT, LIKE IT WAS FLOATING IN THE AIR. AND THE STEERING APPEARS TO OVER COMPENSATE DURING THE STEERING PULLS BY ITSELF. DEALER REPLACED THE IDLER ARM , AND DID FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT BUT THE PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY
STEERING ERRATIC AT ALL SPEEDS WHEN TURNING OR CHANGING LANES, FEELS LIKE LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. THIS WAS REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES TO JACK WILSON CHEVROLET IN ST AUGUSTINE FL, WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS NO PROBLEM.I
WHILE DRIVING ALONG A ROAD AT ABOUT 25 MPH MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEVER RETURNED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT A SENSOR BECAME LOOSE AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO FAIL. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CALL THE GM HOT LINE. GM WAS NOT VERY NICE OR HELPFUL. THEY ASKED HOW MUCH MILEAGE. THEY INDICATED THAT ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD…
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WHILE DRIVING ALONG A ROAD AT ABOUT 25 MPH MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEVER RETURNED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT A SENSOR BECAME LOOSE AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO FAIL. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CALL THE GM HOT LINE. GM WAS NOT VERY NICE OR HELPFUL. THEY ASKED HOW MUCH MILEAGE. THEY INDICATED THAT ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO WOULD BE UNDER THEIR GOOD WILL PROGRAM. THEY THEN ASKED ME HOW MUCH I WAS WILLING TO PAY. WHEN I INDICATED GM=80% AND ME 20% OF A $462 REPAIR BILL THEY ASKED ME TO HOLD ON AND THEN CAME BACK AND SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO PAY ANYTHING. I ASKED THEM WHY THEY EVEN BOTHERED TO ASK ME HOW MUCH I WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY--AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE TRUCK HAD A LOT OF MILEAGE AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE EXTENDED WARANTY PROGRAM. I FEEL THE DEALER WAS TRYING TO INFORM ME THAT THIS POWER STEERING PUMP SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE IN THE MILEAGE THAT I HAD. I BELIEVE THAT A BAD ACCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON A CURVEY ROAD. GM APPEARS TO BE DISINTERESTED IN MY WELFARE. I THOUGHT THAT BEONKA JONES WAS VERY RUDE IN HANDLING THE MATTER.
NO SUMMARY
WHEN DRIVING THE SPEED SENSITIVE STEERING HAS FULL BOOST AT ALL TIMES WHICH MAKES THE STEERING VERY SENSITIVE AND DANGEROUS, OVERSTEAR AND LANE CHANGES HAPPENS EVERYDAY. *AK
POWER STEERING OPERATS INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK *YC
WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE VEHICLE OVER TURNED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.DRIVER HAS HAD TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. *AK
EA99011-ERRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. WHILE DRIIVING VEHICLE GOES DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD, HITS A SLIGHT BUMP, CAUSING THE TENSION IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO RELEASE, WHICH RESULTS IN LOSS OF CONTROL. HOWEVER, THE SAME PROBLEM IS MORE INTENSIFIED WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES. WITHIN THE PAST MONTH, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT T…
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EA99011-ERRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. WHILE DRIIVING VEHICLE GOES DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD, HITS A SLIGHT BUMP, CAUSING THE TENSION IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO RELEASE, WHICH RESULTS IN LOSS OF CONTROL. HOWEVER, THE SAME PROBLEM IS MORE INTENSIFIED WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES. WITHIN THE PAST MONTH, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE STEERING SENSOR / STEERING BOX HAVE BEEN REPLACED. CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *YC
WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN,AND THEN STRAIGHTENING VEHICLE OUT, STEERING WILL PUSH TO THE RIGHT. *AK
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.