IllustrationABS LIGHT CAME ON. WHILE BRAKING TO ENTER AN ON-RAMP, STEERING WHEEL JERKED AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL ALMOST BROKE OFF. *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 reports2004 CHEVY TAHOE, Z71. ALL BRAKE AND FUEL LINES ARE SEVERELY CORRODED. APPEAR TO BE SEEPING FLUID. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE BRAKES BECAME RESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADV…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE BRAKES BECAME RESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE HYDRO BOOST EXHIBITED A LEAK AND WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE RECALLS AND FOUND (RECALL 04004) CONTACT GM DIRECTLY WHICH STATED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL AND REFERED TO SAFCAR.GOV TO FILE THE INCIDENT GM STATED THAT RECALLS ARE BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THIS WEBSITE AND NOT DIRECTLY FROM T…
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SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE RECALLS AND FOUND (RECALL 04004) CONTACT GM DIRECTLY WHICH STATED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL AND REFERED TO SAFCAR.GOV TO FILE THE INCIDENT GM STATED THAT RECALLS ARE BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THIS WEBSITE AND NOT DIRECTLY FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
AS I APPLIED MY BRAKES TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME MY BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ME TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THERE HAD BEEN NO WARNING THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAD AN ISSUE BUT UPON INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES THAT COME OUT OF THE MASTER CYLINDER IT APPEARS THAT ONE OF THESE STAINLESS STEEL LINES HAS FAILED. *TR
BRAKE PEDAL COMPLETELY DEPRESSED AND ALL BRAKE FLUID SPILLED OUT ON DRIVEWAY. I LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND ALL BRAKE LINE WERE VISIBLE HIGHLY CORRODED. I'VE BEEN MAINTAINING VEHICLES FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A FAILURE LIKE THIS. THE BRAKE LINES HAD THE APPEARANCE OF CARS 30 YEARS OLD BUT WERE HEAVILY PITTED AND CORRODED. …
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BRAKE PEDAL COMPLETELY DEPRESSED AND ALL BRAKE FLUID SPILLED OUT ON DRIVEWAY. I LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND ALL BRAKE LINE WERE VISIBLE HIGHLY CORRODED. I'VE BEEN MAINTAINING VEHICLES FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A FAILURE LIKE THIS. THE BRAKE LINES HAD THE APPEARANCE OF CARS 30 YEARS OLD BUT WERE HEAVILY PITTED AND CORRODED. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR A GM EXCUSE OF ROAD SALT WEAR AND TEAR ! THIS IS INEXCUSABLE! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR BOARD AFTER BEING ENGAGED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR BOARD AFTER BEING ENGAGED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA11001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
MY BRAKE LINES BURST AND BEGAN LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AS I PUT MY CAR IN GEAR AND BEGAN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. I CRAWLED UNDER THE CAR AND THE LINES LOOKED CORRODED. I LIVE IN DELAWARE AND PURCHASED THE CAR IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND SHE HEARD A FLUTTERING NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE WHEEL SENSOR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND SHE HEARD A FLUTTERING NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE WHEEL SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WHEEL SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE ABS AND THE FLUTTERING CEASED. AFTERWARD WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES THE STEERING WOULD BECOME TIGHT BUT ONLY WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
APPLIED BRAKES AFTER ANOTHER DRIVER CUT ME OFF AND THE BRAKES FAILED. CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM APPEARED IN THE ODOMETER ALONG WITH THE ABS LIGHT. *JS
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.