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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 →

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.

25 crash reports7 fire reports14 injury reports

What owners actually said

467 reports
140,000 miles · May 9, 2011
Fuel System, GasolineService Brakes, HydraulicWheels

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH SHE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE FOLLOWED BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE AND FUEL GAUGE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED. UPON RESTART THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE RECURR…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH SHE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE FOLLOWED BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE AND FUEL GAUGE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED. UPON RESTART THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWENTY TIMES WITHIN A TWO WEEK PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT PLANNED ON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 04V045000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 07E106000 (WHEELS: CAP/COVER/HUB, WHICH HE BELIEVED COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ODI #10399595

115,000 miles · Apr 27, 2011
Vehicle Speed Control

2004 CHEVY TAHOE SPEEDOMETER IS DEFECTIVE AND READS INACCURATELY BY AT LEAST 15 TO 20 MPH. DOES NOT RETURN TO ZERO WHEN STOP, EVEN AFTER VEHICLE POWER IS TURNED OFF. BEGINS WORKING AGAIN AND WILL SOON THEREAFTER MALFUNCTION AS JUST DESCRIBED. THIS IS INACCURATELY CALCULATING MILEAGE, AND, WHEN I SPOKE WITH SERVICE PERSONNEL A…

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2004 CHEVY TAHOE SPEEDOMETER IS DEFECTIVE AND READS INACCURATELY BY AT LEAST 15 TO 20 MPH. DOES NOT RETURN TO ZERO WHEN STOP, EVEN AFTER VEHICLE POWER IS TURNED OFF. BEGINS WORKING AGAIN AND WILL SOON THEREAFTER MALFUNCTION AS JUST DESCRIBED. THIS IS INACCURATELY CALCULATING MILEAGE, AND, WHEN I SPOKE WITH SERVICE PERSONNEL AT HUFFINES CHEVROLET, Q CHEVROLET AND CLASSIC CHEVROLET (ALL IN THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH AREA), ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT GM WILL NOT FIX AFTER 80K MILES. ALTHOUGH I'M INUNDATED WITH JUNK EMAIL FROM GM, THEY NEVER, EVER PROVIDED ME WITH ANY INDICATION THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) SHOULD NEVER, NEVER ALLOW THIS TO OCCUR. PLEASE INSIST THAT GM PROVIDE FULL REPLACEMENT, INCLUDING ALL PARTS AND LABOR, FOR SUCH A SERIOUS AND KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI #10398933

39,000 miles · Mar 29, 2011
Exterior Lighting

RUNNING LIGHTS AND HEAD LIGHT FILLS WITH WATER AND BURN OUT BULBS AND RUSTED THE BULB ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ODI #10393655

62,000 miles · Feb 20, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

COOLANT LOSS WITHOUT SIGNS OF LEAK. LOSS OF OIL WITH NO SIGNS OF LEAK. LIFTERS CHATTERING ON COLD START. PUFF OF WHITE SMOKE ON START-UP. LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEADS MADE BY CASTECH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10383415

Mileage unknown · Feb 20, 2011
SeatsInjury

THE SEAT HEATER ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT GETS TOO HOT, MY BROTHER WAS BADLY BURNED ON A ROAD TRIP VERY QUICKLY, INSTANT HUGE BLISTER, HE COULDN'T ADJUST THE HEAT BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH MY TAHOE AND THERE WAS NO WHERE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10383377

12,000 miles · Dec 29, 2010
Electrical System

2004 TAHOE TRAILER TOW INOPERATIVE. NO HITCH PACK ON THE VEHICLE, SO I WAS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED, BUT NOW I HAVE MANY OTHER INDICATION PROBLEMS WITH MY CLUSTER AND SPEED CONTROL, PERHAPS THEY ARE RELATED. GM WILL NOT WARRANTY THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL AND CLUSTER. COMPLAINT PREVIOUSLY FILED AND GM CUSTOMER SERVICE…

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2004 TAHOE TRAILER TOW INOPERATIVE. NO HITCH PACK ON THE VEHICLE, SO I WAS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED, BUT NOW I HAVE MANY OTHER INDICATION PROBLEMS WITH MY CLUSTER AND SPEED CONTROL, PERHAPS THEY ARE RELATED. GM WILL NOT WARRANTY THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL AND CLUSTER. COMPLAINT PREVIOUSLY FILED AND GM CUSTOMER SERVICE PREVIOUSLY CONTACTED. ISSUE NOT RESOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10373232

12,000 miles · Dec 29, 2010
Exterior Lighting

2004 TAHOE LIGHTS (HEADLAMP, RUNNING AND TURN SIGNALS) EXPLODE OR BURN OUT REPEATEDLY DUE TO THE LENS FILLING WITH WATER. ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW. MY FAULT I HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, I HAVE JUST BEEN REPLACING THE BULBS AND DRAINING THE WATER. MAYBE GM CAN LOOK AT IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE NEXT GEN…

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2004 TAHOE LIGHTS (HEADLAMP, RUNNING AND TURN SIGNALS) EXPLODE OR BURN OUT REPEATEDLY DUE TO THE LENS FILLING WITH WATER. ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW. MY FAULT I HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, I HAVE JUST BEEN REPLACING THE BULBS AND DRAINING THE WATER. MAYBE GM CAN LOOK AT IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF TAHOE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10373226

12,000 miles · Dec 29, 2010
Electrical System

2004 TAHOE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WILL STOP AND START BLOWING HOT AIR AT MAXIMUM VOLUME. VEHICLE MUST BE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AND RESTARTED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE TEMPORARILY. ISSUE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. GM COULD NEVER DUPLICATE, NO REPAIR EVER MADE TO VEHICLE. ON GOING ISSUE WITH HEATING AND COOLING …

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2004 TAHOE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WILL STOP AND START BLOWING HOT AIR AT MAXIMUM VOLUME. VEHICLE MUST BE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AND RESTARTED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE TEMPORARILY. ISSUE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. GM COULD NEVER DUPLICATE, NO REPAIR EVER MADE TO VEHICLE. ON GOING ISSUE WITH HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10373225

78,000 miles · Dec 29, 2010
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

2004 CHEVY TAHOE SPEEDOMETER STICKS AT VARIOUS SPEED LEVELS AND INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT RETURN TO ZERO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION. SPEEDOMETER CAN STICK AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS INDICATED ON THE CLUSTER, THIS HAD INTERMITTENTLY EFFECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL OPERATION. THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE BY GM, NO RECALL WAS PROVIDED. MY …

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2004 CHEVY TAHOE SPEEDOMETER STICKS AT VARIOUS SPEED LEVELS AND INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT RETURN TO ZERO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION. SPEEDOMETER CAN STICK AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS INDICATED ON THE CLUSTER, THIS HAD INTERMITTENTLY EFFECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL OPERATION. THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE BY GM, NO RECALL WAS PROVIDED. MY VEHICLE IS OVER 80,000 (82,500) MILES. ISSUE STARTED WITH MY VEHICLE AT ABOUT 78K, BUT WAS NOT BROUGHT IN BY ME TO GM BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AN ANNOUNCED RECALL. GM DECIDED TO REPLACE THE CLUSTERS FOR CUSTOMERS WHO HAD THE DEFECT OCCUR BETWEEN 70 AND 80K, WITH A CHARGE FOR THE LABOR, NOT THE PART. GIVEN THE FACT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE (SPEED INDICATION AND INTERMITTENT CRUISE CONTROL, GM SHOULD PROVIDE FULL REPLACEMENT, PARTS AND LABOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10373219

133,000 miles · Dec 18, 2010
Tires

SIGMA STAMPEDE RADIALS FOR MY 04 TAHOE WERE PURCHASED IN FEB. 2009 WHEN MY TRUCK HAD 86,000 MILES. THE TIRES WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A 65,000 MILE WARRANTY. AT 133,00 MILES, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE CAME APART ON THE INTERIOR SIDE WALL ALL THE WAY AROUND WITH 1 SEPARATION ON EXTERIOR SIDE WALL. NO INJURY OR DAMAGE OCCURRED BECAUSE …

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SIGMA STAMPEDE RADIALS FOR MY 04 TAHOE WERE PURCHASED IN FEB. 2009 WHEN MY TRUCK HAD 86,000 MILES. THE TIRES WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A 65,000 MILE WARRANTY. AT 133,00 MILES, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE CAME APART ON THE INTERIOR SIDE WALL ALL THE WAY AROUND WITH 1 SEPARATION ON EXTERIOR SIDE WALL. NO INJURY OR DAMAGE OCCURRED BECAUSE I ALWAYS DRIVE SLOWLY AND WAS ON CITY STREET AT TIME. INSPECTION OF OTHER 3 TIRES SHOWS MANY SLITS/CRACKS ON EXTERIOR SIDEWALLS OF 2 OF 3 TIRES. SELLER HAS DONE SOME COMPENSATION. HOWEVER, I THINK THE TIRE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THE SITUATION OF THE TIRE COMING APART COULD BE VERY SERIOUS AT HIGH SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10371174

Official recalls

2

05V163000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.