2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

I TOOK MY 2003 CHEVY TAHOE INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF PERFORMANCE AND GAS ISSUES AND WAS TOLD I HAD 2 BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS. THE REPAIR WAS ESTIMATED TO OVER $1000. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH GMC AND CHEVY ENGINES WITH MANY COMPLAINTS. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX THIS ISSUE INSTEAD OF MAKING THEIR CUSTOMERS PAY FOR A DEFECT THAT EXISTS WITH THEIR PRODUCT. I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS SAFETY INSPECTION WITHOUT THIS FIX. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTINUOUSLY HEARD A TICKING NOISE WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE OFF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 196,000. UPDATED 10/15/12 *CN UPDATED 10/23/2012 *JS

Mileage: 196,000

EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BREAKING LEAVING STUDS IN THE HEADS, HEATING UP ENGINE COMPARTMENTS, RELEASES CARBON MONOXIDE, AFFECTS O2 SENSOR AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WILL NOT PASS EMISSIONS IN SOME STATES. GM NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS 1999-2008 ISSUE. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IS EXPENSIVE TO FIX. GM MECHANICS DENYING ANY SUCH ISSUES. PLEASE CHECK- IN TO THIS. OUR WHOLE FLEET AND OUR PERSONAL TRUCKS AFFECTED BY THIS. *TR

AIR CONDITIONER, COMPRESSOR, CLUTCH AND BELT TENSIONOR ON CHEVROLET TAHOE. BELT TENSIONOR BREAKS LOCKING UP CAUSING COMPRESSOR CLUTCH TO SIEZE THEN CAUSING COMPRESSOR TO DISENTERGRATE INTERNALLY SHOOTING INTERNAL COMPONENTS THRU ACCUMALATOR AND INSIDE VEHICLE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM. SERPENTINE BELT TENSTSIONOR COULD CAUSE BELT TO BREAK WHICH DRIVES THE ENTIRE SYSTEM TO INCLUDE POWER STEERING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR CHEVROLET MODELS, HOWEVER IT MAY ONLY BEGIN HAVING THE PROBLEM AT 3-4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP THEREFORE APPEARING TO BE A NORMAL BREAKDOWN OF COMPONENTS. THE PROBLEM IS COMMON ENOUGH THE DEALERS AND EXPERIENCED MECHANICS MAINTAIN THE PARTS AS BASIC STOCKED ITEMS. *TR

Mileage: 37,000

THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON AND REDUCED THE CAR'S POWER TO ONLY BE ABLE TO GO 20 MPH. I DID REACH 30 MPH WITH A DOWN-SLOPE. I WAS VERY SCARED AND HAD MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE WITH MY CAR MAKE AND MODEL, IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. THE ENGINE'S POWER JUST PULLED BACK WITHOUT WARNING! I AM TAKING THE CAR TO BE SERVICED TOMORROW BUT CANNOT FATHOM TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED!

Mileage: 104,000

LTR ON BEHALF OF, WHO SUFFERED BURNS WHEN THEIR 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING; THEY DID NOT REC'D RESPONSE TO 3/23/10 LTR FWD TO NHTSA; REPLY ATTN KEITH NELSON/ROSEVILLE OFC; ES HAVE NO REC OF PREV CORRESPOND *TGW THE FAN MOTOR DID NOT SHUT OFF EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION. *JB

2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE CAUGHT ON FIRE *GR THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAN MOTOR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE CONSUMER STATED HER FATHER RECEIVED 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON HIS WHEN TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *JB

GM MODELS 2003-2007 LIGHT PICK-UPS AND SPORT UTILITY. CONSUMER STATES DEFECTIVE DASH CLUSTERS. *TGW THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. SHE STATED SHE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER READING 70 MPH ALSO, THE WATER PUMP FAILED. *JB

BOUGHT VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY OF 2009 USED AFTER DRIVING TRUCK FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS WE REALIZED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT MOVING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THEN AFTER THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD MOVE UP IN SPEED AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BUT THEN STAY AT THE 30MPH WHEN STOPPED ONCE THE CAR WOULD BEGIN MOVING AGAIN THE SPEED WOULD CONTINUE TO GO UP FROM THE 30MPH MARK RESULTING IN THE SPEEDOMETER READING 60MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY ONLY GOING 30MPH. THIS HAS CONTINUED EVERY DAY SINCE IT WAS NOTICED SO WHEN DRIVING THE CAR YOU NEVER KNOW HOW FAST THE CAR IS ACTUALLY TRAVELING. *TR

Mileage: 76,000

A SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE ON MY 2003 CHEVY TAHOE REVEALED BROKEN METAL PIECES. CORMIER CHEVROLET WHO IS MY SERVICE/PURCHASE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE DEBRIS CAME FROM 3 BROKEN ROCKER ARMS. CORMIER MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER, 3 MONTHS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM MANIFESTED ITSELF AGAIN. THIS TIME CORMIER REPLACED ALL 16 ROCKER ARMS, BUT I HAD TO PAY A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. *TR I FEEL THE NECESSARY REPAIRS WERE CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY AND/OR PARTS. ESPECIALLY WHEN MY VEHICLE IS DRIVEN 98% OF THE TIME ON LOCAL ROADS ONLY, AND HAS JUST 35,015 TOTAL MILES AND WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW.

Mileage: 35,015

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND DASH SAYS REDUCED ENGINE POWER. VEHICLE WILL ONLY DRIVE ABOUT 15 MILES PER HOUR. UPON RESEARCHING THIS THROUGH VARIOUS INTERNET WEBSITES, THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS AND IS HAPPENING TO A HUGE AMOUNT OF 2003 TAHOE OWNER'S AND IT'S ALWAYS A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM - YET GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. ON A SIDE NOTE, HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY DIM. *TR

Mileage: 38,416

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. NECHANIC REPLACED ENGINE MOUNTS/ TANSMISSION, AND INTERMITTENT STEERING SHAFT, BUT VIBRATION CONTINUED. THERE WAS NO FINAL SOLUTION. *AK

Mileage: 10,300

EVER SINCE PURCHASING MY CHEVROLET TAHOE LT BRAND-NEW IN AUGUST OF 2003, THE MUFFLER AND/OR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS MADE AN EXPLODING SOUND BOTH WHILE THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND AFTER IT IS SHUT OFF. AT STOPLIGHTS AND AFTER BEING PARKED, YOU BOTH HEAR AND FEEL EXPLOSIONS FROM UNDER THE TRUCK. GM CONTENDS THE SOUND IS STEAM BUILDING UP IN THE MUFFLER AND EXPLODING, BUT ADMITS IT IS NOT A "NORMAL" BACKFIRE, AND STATES THAT SOME TAHOES DO IT, AND SOME DO NOT. THEY HAVE RELEASED TWO SEPARATE FIXES FOR THE PROBLEM BUT NEITHER HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE, AND THE LAST ONE CAME OUT OVER A YEAR AGO. OFFICIAL GM POLICY PROHIBITS REPLACING ANY MUFFLERS/EXHAUST SYSTEMS ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING THIS PROBLEM - OWNERS ARE SIMPLY TOLD THE EXPLOSIONS ARE NORMAL. AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION, GM REPLACED MY MUFFLER, AND THE SECOND ONE DOES THE SAME THING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT IS AN ALARMING SOUND AND FEELING TO HAVE IN A NEW VEHICLE, AND LOGIC DICTATES THAT STEAM EXPLOSIONS INSIDE A METAL BOX CAN ONLY GO ON FOR SO LONG BEFORE SERIOUS DAMAGE IS DONE (I.E. THE MUFFLER ITSELF EXPLODES NEAR THE GAS TANK.) I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE NHTSA CAN DO, BUT ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE IS MOST WELCOME.*AK

Mileage: 2,500

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER. VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 10 MPH. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 18,971

ENGINE KNOCKS WHEN IT STARTED AFTER SITTING FOR A WHILE UNTILL OIL PUMP PICKS UP.I PERSONALLY KNOW OF FIVE OTHER 5.3 LITER V8S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM,BUT MY DEALERSHIP HAS NEVER HEARD OF THIS .I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE. A FRIEND TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A TSB REGUARDING A CHECK VALVE OF SOME KIND THAT WOULD STOP THIS. *AK

Mileage: 50

"REDUCED ENGINE POWER" MESSAGE DISPLAYED 3 TIMES WITHIN 4100 MILES OF BRAND NEW TAHOE. ON 4TH VISIT, DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE BODY WITH A NEW ONE AT 4366 MILES. *JB

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE RUMBLED AND MADE NOISE WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER/MECHANIC 5 TIMES, THEY REPLACED THE MUFFLER, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORSE. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING.*MR ALMOST REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A HIGH SPEED TWICE DURING THE LAST BREAK DOWN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER WAS VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THE DEALERSHIP HELP IN ASSISTING WITH VEHICLE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE *CB

WE HAVE A 2003 TAHOE WITH A 5.3L V8. THERE IS A HISSING NOISE AND A VIBRATING IN THE ENGINE AFTER RUNNING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THE DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIX IT AND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THEY THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE A/C BUT THEY REPLACED COMPRESSOR AND BELT AND IT STILL MAKES THE NOISE.*AK

Mileage: 500

THE VEHICLE VIBRATED, WHICH WAS DUE TO A LOOSE EXHAUST SYSTEM.*JB

Mileage: 723