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.
1997 Chevrolet Tahoe electrical problems
21 complaints (5% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 125,000. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 21
- of this car's complaints
- 5%
- typical mileage
- 125,000
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Alternator/generator/regulator6
- 12v/24v/48v battery6
- Wiring: interior/under dash1
- Wiring: fuses and circuit breakers1
- Wiring1
- Starter assembly: solenoid1
- Ignition: switch1
- Ignition: module1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Chevrolet Tahoe electrical problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe electrical
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
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
What 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
Battery case cracked, fluid leaked out and corroded and thus requiring replacement of the battery cables and the battery. I feel that the original battery cable is too short causing stress on the battery case at the cable mount to the battery, resulting in a cracked case and subsequent damage. Repair costs at dealer $285.53. I see that investigation into this problem has already begun.
The windshield wipers intermittently fail on my 1997 chev tahoe. Also, have experienced temporary power loss of electrical components. Observable affected components are the windshield wipers, all dashboard lights, head lamps and interior lights, accompanied by buzzing sounds. Has occurred more than once. Has caused near accidents during rainy weather and in poorly lit roadways.
The vehicle seemed to be running perfectly,no leaks or smells or warning, 65mphin cruise control and engine caught fire. I was towing a very light trailer, empty. I had a fire extinguisher but it was not able to stop the fire. 1997 tahoe, 97,000 approx miles, bought used summer 03. Previously a federal vehicle in well maintained condition as far as I could tell.
Consumer states the turn signals are inoperative, the fuses keep blowing out, also hazard lights do not work, the dealer has already replaced fuse once already, but the turn signals still do not work.*ak. Consumer stated the turn switch assembly was replaced.
No summary listed for above vehicle.
Vehicle will not start intermittenly due to a short that dealer could not determine where it was. This defect caused battery to die, consumer had replaced batteries 3-4 times. Also, alternator and door locking mechanism were replaced. Defect is still occurring.
The vehicle would not start due to delco battery failure,which resulted from the battery leaking acid and in securely installed. The windshield washer failed due to the reservior and connection lines damaged by the leaking battery acid.
Questions about the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe electrical
Does the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe have electrical problems?
Owners have filed 21 complaints about the electrical of the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe, 5% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe electrical problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 125,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe electrical?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Chevrolet Tahoe have the most electrical problems?
The Chevrolet Tahoe model years with the most electrical complaints are 2004 (214 complaints), 2003 (193 complaints) and 2007 (142 complaints).
Other 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe problems
Brakes 113Steering 105Transmission 58Visibility 51Fuel system 32Suspension 30Engine 13Tires 8Seat belts 7Lights 6Seats 6Airbags 5Acceleration 4Body 2Wheels 2Driver assistance 1Locks 1
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