THE TAHOE USED AS OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDICAL TRUCK WAS SPEWING FUEL FROM ABOVE THE GAS TANK. WE DROPPED THE TANK AND FOUND THE LINES ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK RUSTED SEVERELY TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. IT WAS FIRST NOTICED ON A MEDICAL RUN WITH THE ENGINE IDLING.
2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 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
388 reports with mileage · 79 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Fuel/propulsion System complaints
9 reports1. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 55-65 MPS, MY 2004 CHEVY TAHOE SHUT DOWN ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME SEVERAL TIME UNTIL I FOUND OUT THE MILEAGE, FUEL AND THE HOLE SYSTEM WASN'T TELL THE CORRECT READING. 2. ALSO THE AIR STOPS BLOWING ON THE PASSING SIDE WHEN THE AS IS ON. WHEN THE AC IS OFF IT …
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1. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 55-65 MPS, MY 2004 CHEVY TAHOE SHUT DOWN ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME SEVERAL TIME UNTIL I FOUND OUT THE MILEAGE, FUEL AND THE HOLE SYSTEM WASN'T TELL THE CORRECT READING. 2. ALSO THE AIR STOPS BLOWING ON THE PASSING SIDE WHEN THE AS IS ON. WHEN THE AC IS OFF IT STILL BLOWS HEAT ONLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. 3. WHEN YOUR DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND STOPS AT A RED LIGHT THEN GET BACK ON THE GAS TO PULL OFF IT ACTS LIKE IT DON'T WANT TO PULL UNTIL I GET OFF THE GAS THEN GET BACK ON IT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. SO I HAD THE STRAINER, FILTER AND GASKET CHANGE ON THE TRANSMISSION AND IT STILL DOES IT. 4. WHEN I GET READY TO PARK THE TRUCK DOES PUT-PUT SOUND LIKE IT WANTS TO SHUT OFF THEN IT PICKS BACK UP. *TR
SMELLED GAS COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR (ON EXTERIOR) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE METAL RING MOLDED INTO THE PLASTIC TANK WHERE THE SENDING UNIT MOUNTS TO THE TANK HAD RUSTED OUT AND GAS WAS ACCUMULATING IN THE "BOWL" THAT THE CONNECTION IS IN. RUSTING IS A RESULT OF WATER ACCUMULATING IN THE "BOWL" WHERE THE U…
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SMELLED GAS COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR (ON EXTERIOR) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE METAL RING MOLDED INTO THE PLASTIC TANK WHERE THE SENDING UNIT MOUNTS TO THE TANK HAD RUSTED OUT AND GAS WAS ACCUMULATING IN THE "BOWL" THAT THE CONNECTION IS IN. RUSTING IS A RESULT OF WATER ACCUMULATING IN THE "BOWL" WHERE THE UNIT MOUNTS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DRAIN OUT. DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF TAHOE OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT CHEVROLET DETERMINED THIS WAS AN ISSUE AND CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE TANK IN FUTURE MODELS TO REMOVE THE METAL RING THAT THE SENDING UNIT MOUNTED TO. COST TO REPAIR AT CHEVROLET AND INDEPENDENT GARAGE $2,000 OR MORE. *TR
VEHICLE REGISTERED "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER, ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWED NUMEROUS INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR AND THE WIRES CRIMPING, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WIRING HARNESS BEING COVERED BY GM BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR ON A RECALL LIST. *TR
THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE. *TR
TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP AND THOSE RELATED FUEL LINES FAILED LEADING TO A SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAK, AND REALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THIS TRUCK IS TEN YEARS OLD, FUEL SYSTEM PARTS SHOULDN'T BE RUSTING OUT LIKE THIS. NO OTHER VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED, NO MATTER HOW OLD, HAS HAD AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. LIFE SAFETY AND FIRE RISK! *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON E-470 WESTBOUND NEAR QUEBEC WHEN THE CAR SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY. NO POWER. THE CAR THEN WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A COMPUTER CHECK. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, AFTER A WEEK, WHEN I WAS HAVING IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC FOR THE REPAIR, I DECIDED TO TRY TO START IT AND IT STARTED R…
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I WAS DRIVING ON E-470 WESTBOUND NEAR QUEBEC WHEN THE CAR SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY. NO POWER. THE CAR THEN WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A COMPUTER CHECK. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, AFTER A WEEK, WHEN I WAS HAVING IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC FOR THE REPAIR, I DECIDED TO TRY TO START IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I DROVE IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE FUEL PUMP AND SAID IT WAS FINE. THEY COULD NOT FIND A REASON WHY THIS HAPPENED. SAME WITH ANOTHER MECHANIC. SINCE THEN (I HAD OWNED THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AT THAT POINT) THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR MORE TIMES, THE LATEST ON MAY 9TH. AGAIN IT'S BEEN TOWED AND AGAIN I AM TRYING TO FIND A PERMANENT SOLUTION. I AM NOW FINDING OUT THE PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AND CUTS OFF FUEL TO THE PUMP BECAUSE THE CAR THINKS IT IS BEING STOLEN. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED IT HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM IN MANY GMC MODELS OVER MANY YEARS. SOMETIMES THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM CAN BE RESET (THOUGH THAT HAS NEVER WORKED FOR ME). THE ONLY WAY TO PERMANENTLY FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO DISABLE THE PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. THESE SYSTEMS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THESE CARS. I WOULD RATHER MY CAR BE STOLEN THEN SHUT DOWN AT 65 MPH OR WHEN MY WIFE IS DRIVING HOME FROM DOWNTOWN DENVER AT 10:30 AT NIGHT THROUGH NOT SO GREAT PARTS OF TOWN. *TR
MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. IT WAS ALWAYS KEPT IN A GARAGE AND DRIVEN VERY LITTLE. AS OF TODAY IT ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. TO BEGIN WITH, ON OR NEAR MARCH 2007 AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND I SAW A FAIRLY HEAVY DRIPPING OF GAS FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS …
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MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. IT WAS ALWAYS KEPT IN A GARAGE AND DRIVEN VERY LITTLE. AS OF TODAY IT ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. TO BEGIN WITH, ON OR NEAR MARCH 2007 AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND I SAW A FAIRLY HEAVY DRIPPING OF GAS FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. I DROVE IT TO A MECHANIC THAT I HAVE BEEN USING FOR MANY YEARS. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING WHERE THE GAS WAS COMING FROM BUT WITH A MIRROR , HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP OR WHAT HE CALLED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. HE SAID IT APPEARRED TO BE COMING FROM THE PUMP IN THR TOP OF THE TANK AND THAT IT WAS BADLY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED THE DEALER FROM WHO WE HAD BOUGHT THE TAHOE AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS TO THIS. THEY SAID NO. I SHOULD ALSO TELL YOU THAT THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE HAD REPLACED MANY OF THIS SAME TANKS. HE SAID IT WAS BUILT IN SUCH A WAY AS TO BE SHAPED LIKE A BOWL AND THAT THE WATER JUST LAID IN IT. IT COST ME 750.00 TO GET A NEW FUEL SENDING UNIT PUT IN. ABOUT 4 YEARS LATER, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE PUMP WAS RUSTED OUT AND AGAIN GAS LEAKED OUT . ENOUGH GAS LEAKED OUT TO ALMOST COVER MY ENTIRE GARAGE FLOOR. THIS REALLY KIND OF SCARED ME. EVEN JUST ANY KINK OF A SMALL SPARK AND NOT ONLY ME BUT MY HOLE HOUSE WITH FIVE OTHER PEOPLE NOT MIGHT OF GOT HURT, WITH THIS MUCH GAS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD.. AGAIN I CHECKED FOR RECALLS OF WHICH THERE WERE NONE AND ENDED HAVING AGAIN A NEW FUEL PUMP INSTALLED. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THAT HE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. *TR
Official recalls
205V163000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Apr 22, 2005
ON CERTAIN CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE 2ND ROW CENTER OCCUPANT SEAT BELT ROUTING MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO POSITION THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT LOW AROUND THE HIPS OF OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY SMALLER OCCUPANTS, SEATED IN THIS POSITION. APPROPRIATE USE OF A CHILD SEAT OR BOOSTER SEAT, AS RECOMMENDED FOR SMALL CHILDREN, DOES IMPROVE THE FIT CONDITION FOR THIS USER GROUP. IN ADDITION TO INSTRUCTIONS ON PROPER INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD RESTRAINT (WITH CHILD SEATS OR BOOSTERS), SPECIAL VERBIAGE FOR RESTRAINING OLDER CHILD IS INCLUDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ALSO, THE SUGGESTED SEAT BELT FIT/ROUTING FOR ADULTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF SEATING POSITION, IS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TEXT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ROUTING THAT IS NOT LOW AND SNUG ON THE HIPS CAN ALLOW THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON AN OCCUPANT'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW AROUND THEIR HIPBONES, AND THEREFORE, CAN EXPOSE THEM TO MORE RISK OF ABDOMINAL AND INTERNAL ORGAN INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CUT OPEN THE GUIDE LOOP, REMOVE A PORTION OF THE LOOP, AND THEN THE REMAINING TWO SIDES SHOULD BE FOLDED OVER AND SECURED WITH A RETAINER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 21, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493.
04V045000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Feb 4, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND PASSENGER VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, ?PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.? SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION BRAKE HYDRO-BOOST HOUSING RELIEF VALVE BORE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENTLY, THE VALVE O-RING SEAL MAY FRACTURE. STEERING EFFORTS MAY BE SLIGHTLY INCREASED WHILE BRAKING OR PARKING. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, A FRACTURED SEAL MAY REQUIRE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE SAME VEHICLE DECELERATION RATE AS PRIOR TO THE SEAT FRACTURE.
Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE THE HYDRO-BOOST RELIEF VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; GMC AT 1-866-996-9463; OR HUMMER AT 1-866-486-6376.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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