While in motion seat belt would come undone or wouldn't unlock from lock in order to use. Brakes would slip. My boyfriend was killed in an accident because the seat belt malfunctioned which then caused the airbags to malfunction and the brakes stuck so he wasn't able to slow down sufficiently.
The worst 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes113
- Steering105
- Transmission58
- Visibility51
- Fuel system32
- Suspension30
- Electrical21
- Engine13
- Tires8
- Seat belts7
- Lights6
- Seats6
- Airbags5
- Acceleration4
- Body2
- Wheels2
- Driver assistance1
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
Wipers 46ABS 29Jerking 26Fuel pump 22Brake failure 19Power steering loss 17Pulling 15Transmission failure 11Fire or smoke 6Loss of power 6Stalling 5
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Seat belt anchorage separation
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.
PE01023
Battery leaks acid
There is no summary currently available
EA00013
Battery leaks acid
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.
PE99073
Erratic power steering assist while driv
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 the federal safety agency that no safety-related defect exists.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.the engineering is closed.
EA99011
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe 32
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy...
- Fuel system, gasoline
- This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Equipment
- This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Vehicle Recalls
- This informational bulletin provides the technician with information on what E85 fuel may due to a non E85...
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
1997 Chevrolet Tahoe fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7L 8‑cyl | RWD | 14 | 17 | 15 |
| 6.5L 8‑cyl Diesel | 4WD | 14 | 17 | 15 |
| 5.7L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 12 | 16 | 14 |
What 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
When turning onto an on-ramp (usually right) the vehicle will momentarily lose power steering and the steering wheel will jerk right. This jerking motion also happens intermittently while driving at highway speeds with no turning involved. Even though there is more jerking motion on a turn both are extremely dangerous situations. This has been happening for several years.
1997 chevrolet tahoe. Consumer writes in regard remanufactured engines installed with safety defects. *as
Brake failure due to brake line corrosion. Failure occurred while vehicle in motion at expressway speed, panic stop, brakes failed and nearly caused collision. Brakes do not work
Lower right ball joint on vehicle failed causing truck to lose control side swipe a parked car and travel another 70 feet knocking over a stop sign. Drivers side seat belt did not hold me in seat causing me to go forward hitting head on steering wheel. I cracked a molar tooth and both knees were injured hitting the trim piece under instrument cluster.
I bought this vehicle at tax time in 2014. I absolutely love my truck. It's a lifted, automatic 4wd with front and back towing pkg, and perfect for the mountain roads and snow where I live. Less than a month after I bought it I had to travel 300 miles to tucson and the transmission went out, didn't have the money to get it fixed so I transferred my job and started over in tucson. After much deliberation with the dealer, they finally had the transmission rebuilt. They gave me a 300 mi warranty (all I needed to get back to tucson) and less than a week after I got home, the fuel pump went out. So I let the truck sit for 2 months before I got it fixed. I came across enough money to get me and my children out of dv situation and proceeded to drive them to michigan. Made it to ok and it was completely burned out again. I always have routine maintenance done, I do understand how to use an automatic 4wd, I don't push my vehicle too hard. I made it to michigan but here it is winter and I have a truck in ok that I love and am still paying for and can't use, and do not understand why the transmission keeps going out and in the mean time I have 2 kids and one on the way and can't afford to fix my truck or get a new one. I was told there was a recall on my transmission, but cannot find one. Please let me know if there is anything I need to know or can do.
I am the original owner of a 1997 chevy tahoe. The other day while listening to the expanding recall of gm vehicles I tried to remove my key from the ignition switch. To my surprise once the vehicle is started I can remove my key, shift into any gear and drive without a key in the ignition. Maybe this is due to the age of the vehicle, but it has only 148000 miles on it. Thought you would be interested to know. Could video this issue if you are further interested.
Started vehicle ,after short warm up,applied brake and foot immediately went to floor. Blow out in rear line near back of fuel tank. Repaired line. In process of bleeding brake line another blow out occurred top of frame near rear of left tire. Purchased prebend stainless steel kit from "classic tube" and installed.$400. [xxx] good thing I wasn't driving. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I bought this car at car hop in arlington tx. I was sold it with no brake lights, no hazards, bad tires, bad brakes, one of the back doors will not open, bad battery, bad inspection, no cover for fuel filter, driver side door will not open, keeps dying, spare tire flew off on highway and brakes went out while my kids and I were driving. I am a disabled mother of two and they knew they gave me a bad car. The first I had 5 kids with me and it was a kia mini van didnt even make it home, they had to come tow it. Then thay gave me this tahoe. Please help me I have no other car and it scares me and they will not help me. I am paying every month on this vehicale and went all the way to corporate. They sent me to their mehcanic and he even wrote a e-mail describing the condition and still did not care car hop. Please help me!!!!!! God bless.
The power window on the driver's side of the vehicle will stop working all of a sudden. It is not all of the time, but sometimes, when I have the window down, and I push the power switch to close or open the window it will not work. This could lead to a very serious problem, if for some reason I am unable to open the door and then the window will not go down. We live in michigan and you recently recalled vehicles because of a problem with the master power window switch causing fires in the driver's side door, which ended up melting and/or burning the door. There must be corrosion of the wiring in my vehicle that is causing the problem with my window. I know that your recall was not for the same year as my vehicle, but it sounds like the exact same problem and I don't want to end up having my car door catch on fire, especially if me or my family are in it, or if it is parked in our garage it could burn our entire house down. When we purchased this vehicle from the dealership it was brand new, and there have been no other owners.
Compare the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
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Other model years
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Questions about the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
Is the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?
Owners have filed 410 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe, 1.4 times a typical Tahoe model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe?
Brakes, with 113 complaints, typically around 78,260 miles. Next is steering (105).
How many recalls does the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Chevrolet Tahoe have bad brakes?
The Chevrolet Tahoe model years with the most brakes complaints are 2001 (272 complaints), 1999 (249 complaints) and 2015 (196 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe get?
Official estimates for the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe range from 14 to 15 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.7L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14 city and 17 highway.
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