IllustrationREAR BRAKE LINES (HARD LINES) RUPTURED ABOVE REAR AXLE. 1000 MILES LATER BOTH BRAKE HARD LINES FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO PROPORTIONING VALVE ALSO FAILED DUE TO INTERNAL CORROSION. *TR
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
370–25K
7425–50K
9450–75K
6875–100K
79100–150K
36150K+
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.
25 crash reports7 fire reports14 injury reports
Service Brakes complaints
60 reportsDRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH APPLIED BRAKES SUDDENLY... NEXT TIME APPLIED BRAKE ,BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WAS ABLE TO STOP BUT BARELY... AND ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME...BRAKES LINES RUSTED OUT ....THIS IS A KNOWN GM PROBLEM....PLEASE SOMEONE HELP.... SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED..... *TR
WHILE BRAKING HARD FOR STOPPED VEHICLES ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY MY 2004 TAHOE BRAKES FAILED. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT MY REAR CROSSOVER BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. *JS
CAME OUT OF THE MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED I HAD TO PUT MY FOOT TO THE FLOOR TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I LEFT A TRAIL OF BRAKE FLUID DOWN THE STREET. WAS TOLD BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED AND COMPLETELY DETERIORATED. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF…
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CAME OUT OF THE MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED I HAD TO PUT MY FOOT TO THE FLOOR TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I LEFT A TRAIL OF BRAKE FLUID DOWN THE STREET. WAS TOLD BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED AND COMPLETELY DETERIORATED. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND HAD TO STOP WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. I EXPECT TO PAY SOME $600 TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINE WHICH SHOULD CERTAINLY LAST FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL/REIMBURSEMENT FOR OWNERS. I HAVE TO HAVE THIS FIXED, AND CAN'T WAIT FOR A RECALL -- THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN ANYTHING APPROACHING A SAFE MANNER. *TR
IT SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS, THEN WHEN I BACKED IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, I LOST ALL OF MY BRAKES. I RAN INTO A TREE WITH THE REAR BUMPER. THERE WAS JUST A SMALL DENT IN THE REAR QUARTER PANEL. I HAD TO HAVE THREE BRAKE LINES REPLACED. *TR
RETURNING HOME FROM TRIP. AS I PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY BRAKES FAILED. TOOK IT TO SHOP AND WAS TOLD ALL BRAKE LINES WERE BADLY CORODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE BRAKE SERVICE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE BRAKE SERVICE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
RUSTED BRAKE LINES FAILED. LOST BRAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING AN UNRELATED REPAIR, IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS ENTIRELY RUSTED AND THAT THE BRAKE PAD WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
I WAS LAUNCHING MY BOAT ON A BOAT RAMP TO A LAKE.WHEN BACKING UP TO THE WATER I PRESSED MY BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE TRUCK IN THE FORWARD GEAR TO GET OUT OF THE WATER. THE BREAK LINE WAS LEAKING. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND ALL THE LINES WHERE RUSTED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE L…
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I WAS LAUNCHING MY BOAT ON A BOAT RAMP TO A LAKE.WHEN BACKING UP TO THE WATER I PRESSED MY BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE TRUCK IN THE FORWARD GEAR TO GET OUT OF THE WATER. THE BREAK LINE WAS LEAKING. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND ALL THE LINES WHERE RUSTED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED BECAUSE IT WAS RUSTED OUT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF WARNING TO OTHER TAHOE OWNERS AND A RECALL. *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.