1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Transmission Problems
37 owner-reported transmission complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (37)
MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE FROM PARK INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARD INTO THE STREET. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES OCCURRED AS MY FATHER WAS ABLE TO REACH OVER AND HIT THE BRAKES. *NM
FATALITY AS A RESULT OF IGNITION SWITCH BEING TURNED WITHOUT A KEY AND WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED.*MR WHEN THE COMPLAINANTS THREE YEAR OLD GRANDSON TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION ONE NOTCH FORWARD THIS ALLOWED THE GEAR LEVER TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PRESSED. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A DRIVEWAY. IT UNCLEAR IF THE CHILD FELL OR JUMP OUT OF THE VEHICLE AS IT BECAME TO ROLL BUT EITHER WAY HE WAS STRUCK BY THE OPEN DOOR AS THE VEHICLE ROLLED. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE THEN ROLLED OVER THE CHILD WHICH RESULTED IN FATAL INJURIES TO HIS HEAD. *NM
MY 3 YEAR OLD NEPHEW WAS ABLE TO GET INTO HIS PARENTS 1996 CHEVY TAHOE AND WAS ABLE TO TURN THE KEY TO THE FIRST CLICK (BEFORE THE CLICK TO TURN ON THE RADIO AND POWER WINDOWS, ETC.). THEN WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKE, THE TODDLER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO MOVE. THE TODDLER EITHER WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE OR WAS SCARED AND JUMPED AND WAS RUN OVER BY THE VEHICLE AND KILLED. ALL MODELS AND MAKES OF VEHICLES CAN DO THIS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HONDA, TOYOTA AND 2001 OR NEWER DODGE VEHICLES. *JB
MY PROBLEM IS WITH THE TRANSMISSION,I HAVE HAD TWO TRANSMISSION INSTALLED IN MY CHEVY TAHOE.I HAVE A NUMBER OF FRIENDS THAT EITHER HAVE THE CHEVY TAHOE ,OR THE SUBURBAN . WE ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM(TRANSMISSION).I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT ONE OF THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALERS AND HE SPOKE OF MANY PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAD WITH THE 60O SERIES. THANKS AND PLEASE HELP ME AND MY FREINDS.
CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *TS
4TH TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 4 YEARS. ON THE LAST REBUILD, I HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE WIRE HARNESS PER THE TSB BUT APPARENTLY IT DID NOT HELP. THE DEALERSHIP AND CHEVROLET BOTH SAY IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM BUT I THINK THERE IS A DEFECT AND IT IS THEIR PROBLEM.*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED 4 TIMES AT APPROXIMATELY. 80000, 98000,119000, AND 153000 MILES. ALTHOUGH TRUCK HAS HIGH MILEAGE, IT IS MOSTLY HI-WAY. LIGHT TOWING USE - 5,000LB BOAT, 5,000 HORSE TRAILER. LITTLE 4X4 USE. ALL REPLACEMENTS DONE BY GM DEALER. DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY AFTER LAST TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT - HAD TO PUT BACK IN SHOP. THEY CHANGED AN ELECTRICAL HARNESS. *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-65 MPH.*JG *SLC
THIS MODEL HAS THE MANUAL TRANSFER CASE SHIFT LEVER. ALTHOUGH THE LEVER MOVES CORRECTLY IN THE VARIOUS POSITIONS, SUCH AS 2WD., 4WD. HIGH 4WD. LOW, NEUTRAL AND MAKES THE USUAL NOISES WHEN SHIFTING, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT ENGAGING NOR IS THE INDICATOR LIGHT , SHOWING THE FRONT AXLE IS ENGAGED, LIGHTING UP. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS IN " ALMOST ACCIDENTS" AND ALMOST BEING STRANDED. WE LIVE IN A RURAL SETTING WHERE THERE IS A 11 MILE DISTANCE BETWEEN SOME NEIGHBORS AND VERY SPARSE CELL PHONE ACCESS. THE POINT BEING THAT WHEN WE BUY A VEHICLE WITH 4 WHEEL DRIVE , WE EXPECT IT TO WORK AND OUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT! IN THIS CASE A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR WOULD PROVIDE BETTER TRACTION, HAVING THE WEIGHT OF THE ENGINE OVER THE DRIVE WHEELS, RATHER THAN HAVING THE LIGHT REAR END WHEELS TRYING TO PUSH THE HEAVY FRONT END OF A TRUCK AROUND. WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING A VEHICLE EXPECTING IT TO PERFORM AS A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE, SUCH AS IN STEERING AND ADDED GRIP AND MANEUVERABILITY, THE UNEXPECTED SURPRISE EQUALS THAT OF A BRAKE FAILURE! YOUR HELP AND RESEARCH IN THIS MATTER IS APPRECIATED. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT A IGNORANT, LYING. AND EXPENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AND HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER STATE FOR ANY REPAIRS. THANKS!*AK
THIS IS THE 2ND TIME WITHIN A 2 YEARS THAT TRANSMISSION WENT OUT 1 YEAR 7 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS IS THE 3RD TRANSMISSION WITH A 5 YEARS PERIOD. NEVER HAULED ANYTHING, NORMAL DRIVING ON REGULAR ROADS. NEVER BEEN ON A DIRT ROAD. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
SINCE JULY OF 2000 CONSUMER HAS HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED 6 TIMES.*AK
NO SUMMARY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE RETENTION RING ON A SHAFT IN THE TRANSFER CASE BROKE. NLM
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *AK
I GET NO HELP FROM THE DEALER. THEY CHARGED ME FOR A NEW WIPER MOTOR, SAYING THE RECALL WAS FOR LAST YEARS MODEL. MY TRANSMISSION WAS CHECKED BY A TRANS SHOP - THEY SAY IT WORKS FINE. THE DEALER WANTS $3000 TO FIX IT. AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND SLOWING BACK TO NORMAL STOP AND GO DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BANGS INTO SECOND GEAR. IF I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND BACK ON AGAIN, THE BANGING STOPS AND THE TRANSMISSION WORKS FINE. *AK
I GET NO HELP FROM THE DEALER. THEY CHARGED ME FOR A NEW WIPER MOTOR, SAYING THE RECALL WAS FOR LAST YEARS MODEL. MY TRANSMISSION WAS CHECKED BY A TRANS SHOP - THEY SAY IT WORKS FINE. THE DEALER WANTS $3000 TO FIX IT. AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND SLOWING BACK TO NORMAL STOP AND GO DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BANGS INTO SECOND GEAR. IF I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND BACK ON AGAIN, THE BANGING STOPS AND THE TRANSMISSION WORKS FINE. *AK
UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A NORMAL OR GRAUDAL STOP CONSUMER NOTICED A VERY HARD JERK IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUME CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM MAY BE LINKED TO THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS. PROBELM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED AS LEFT PARKING SPACE AT LOW SPEED BY MAKING A LOUD RATTLING SOUND. LOST POWER TO THE WHEELS. DEALER CONFIRMS COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND NEED TO REPLACE AT COST OF $2,000. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT HAD HEAVY USE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE UNTIL AT LEAST 100,000 MILES INSTEAD OF 44,000 MILES. WARRANTY IS 36,000 AND NO EXTENDED WARRANTY PURCHASED. I HAVE CHECKED RECALL AND SERVICE BULLETIN DATABASE AND FOUND NOTHING TO HELP ME NEGOTIATE WITH MANUFACTURER. IF YOU KNOW OF RELEVANT INFORMATION, PLEASE INFORM. THANKS. *AK
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM MALFUCNTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIP INTO GEARS WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY
THE UNIVERSAL JOINT FAILED 3 TIMES. NOISE WAS BEING HEARD PRIOR TO FAILURE. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH WHEN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT DROPPED OUT. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE. *YC.
RANDOM OCCURANCES OF LOUD CLUNKING SOUNDS (REAR??) AND LOUD GRINDING (FRONT??) FOR 4 TO 40 SECONDS. CLUNKING SOUNDS AS THOUGH IT IS IN THE DRIVE TRAIN SOMEWHERE
SOMETHING WITHIN THE DRIVE AXLE IS LOOSE AND READY TO FALL OFF.
AXLE SEAL FAILED.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
TORQUE CONVERTER AND TRANSMISSION BURNED.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
RIGHT FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AXLE COLLAR OUT OF ALIGNMENT CAUSING NOISE.
TRANSMISSION RING AND PINION GEAR FAILED CAUSING NOISE.
TRANSMISSION AXLE SEAL LEAKS.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
REAR MAIN SEAL LEAKING.
THE 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH THE OPTION CALLED SKIP SHIFT, DISTRACTS FROM THE DRIVER.
ELECTRONIC TRANSFER CASE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SWITCH LOCKED UP ALL 4 WHEELS WHEN DISENGAGING 4-WHEEL DRIVE.
BOLTS FELL OUT FROM DIFFERENTIAL WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE GIVE DETAILS. *AK