1999 Chevrolet Tahoe Fuel System Problems

FUEL PUMP WIRING FAILED CAUSING FUEL PUMP TO BURN UP. OBVIOUS ISSUE AS GM NOW INCLUDES REPLACEMENT WIRING WITH REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMPS. SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, ANY WIRING FAILURE IN PROXIMITY TO THE FUEL TANK COULD CAUSE A FIRE, FAILURE OF THE WIRING RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP LEAVES THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STRANDED, WHETHER ON A HIGH SPEED FREEWAY, IN LOCAL TRAFFIC, IN A AN UNSAFE AREA OR SITTING IN YOUR DRIVEWAY. THERE IS NO SYMPTOM SO THAT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE CAN BE PERFORMED. *TR

BOUGHT FROM NEW 99 TAHOE. HAS HAD 2 RUNAWAY OVER SPEED EVENTS. THE 2ND WAS YESTERDAY. IT HAS BEEN HAVING ALSO, LOSS OF POWER AT TIME WHEN FIRST STARTING OFF. IT GOES AWAY QUICKLY, USUALLY IN FEW SECONDS. HEAR AT LEAST ONE EXHAUST POPPING NOISE DURING EVENT. NEVER LOOSES POWER DURING LONG HIGHWAY TRAVEL. BOTH TIMES THE RUNAWAY ACCELERATION WAS AFTER A HARD ACCELERATION. GOES INTO BAUCK ( LOSS OF POWER) & THEN INTO FULL ACCELERATION! LAST RUNAWAY REQUIRED 3 KEY OFF SHUTDOWNS TO RELIEVE. NEUTRAL CAUSED IT TO REV TO 5000 RPM. BRAKES SEEM TO CONTROL RUN AWAY A BIT AT 40MPH, BUT NOT DOWN HILL! WE NEVER USE CRUISE CONTROL & IT WAS IN OFF POSITION. HARD TO STEER OF COURSE WITH ENGINE OFF AT 40+ MPH! SUSPECT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. WAS IN DRIVE POSITION AT OCCURRENCE. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS ABOUT A MONTH PREVIOUS. IT WAS CONTROLLED BY FULL BRAKING STOP THEN. IT WAS THEN ONLY AT SLOW SPEED TO START. A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER ON THE STEEP HILL I CAME UP ON DURING RUN AWAY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED INTO TREES ON SIDE OF HILL. EX NASA ENGR WITH ONLY CARBURETOR KNOWLEDGE! *TR

WENT TO VISIT INLAWS IN CANADA FOR CHRISMAS, ARRIVED LATE AT NITE. GOT UP IN THE MORNING TRUCK WILL NOT START, LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM,{ PASSLOCK } HE GOT IT RUNNING AND SAID I NEED TO GO TO THE NEAREST DEALER TO GET IT REPROGRAMMED BE FORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. NEXT MORNING WAS GOING TO DEALER IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THREE DAYS LATTER IT FINALLY STARTED. DEALER CHARGED $330 TO REPROGRAM {PASSLOCK} TWO DAYS LATTER WHEN I WAS GOING HOME IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I HAVEN'T GOT IT RUNNING YET. WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK TO WORK IN TEXAS THREE DAYS LATTER. I GOT FIRED , AND I'M STILL STUCK IN CANADA AND BROKE NOW. THANK YOU CHEVROLET!! *TR

ON 2-11-03, THE CALIFORNIA EPA ANNOUNCED THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS BEEN REQUIRED TO EXTEND THE FUEL INJECTOR WARRANTY ON '96-'01 MODEL YEAR LIGHT TRUCKS, SUVS, TRUCKS & VANS TO 10 YEARS/200,000 MILES. "MALFUNCTIONING FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS (SCPI) CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN AIR POLLUTION". GM WILL FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO COST TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS. THE FUEL SYSTEMS WERE REPLACED WITH THE NEW MFI UNITS. GM SETTLED WITH THE CALIFORNIA EPA TO AVOID A THREAT OF A NATIONWIDE RECALL. I OWN A VEHICLE THAT FALLS INTO THIS CATEGORY BUT DO NOT LIVE IN CALIFORNIA. I CONTACTED LOCAL DEALERSHIPS AS WELL AS THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER CARE CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE AND WAS TOLD THAT ONLY VEHICLES IN CALIFORNIA WERE ELIGIBLE TO BE REPAIRED. ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY GM WITH THE DEFECTIVE SCPI FUEL SYSTEM SHOULD BE TREATED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THIS IS NOT ONLY AN ISSUE FOR VEHICLES DRIVEN IN CALIFORNIA. THE FUEL INJECTOR (OEM PART NUMBER 17091432). REPLACING PLUGS, WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAP & ROTOR, CLEANING INJECTOR & INDUCTION SYSTEMS DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE BASIC PROBLEM WHICH IS A DEFECTIVE SCPI FUEL SYSTEM. SEE URL (HTTP://WWW.ARB.CA.GOV/NEWSREL/NR021103.HTM) FOR SPECIFICS. *JB

THE GAS TANK RUSTS OUT AROUND WHERE THE FUEL PUMP IS ATTACHED TO THE GAS TANK DUE TO LACK OF DRAINAGE AND PRECIPITATING THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. JUST IN MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS WHO OWN CHEVROLETS ALL HAVE HAD THE SAME INCIDENT HAPPEN. POOR DESIGN BY MANUFACTURER. FUEL COULD ALSO LEAK FROM THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE REAR END CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS MAKING A NOISE SO SHE PULLED OVER, AND THE PERSON BEHIND CONSUMER WAS FLAGGING HER DOWN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. SHE SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. *AK

FUEL PUMP WENT OUT ON 1999 TAHOE. TOOK TO DEALER TO SERVICE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE WIRING HARNESS WITH A WARNING THAT THEY CAN BE FAULTY AND SHORT OUT THE FUEL PUMP, IN WHICH CASE THE NEW FUEL PUMP WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY UNLESS THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL COMING OUT ON THIS VERY PROBLEM BUT ONLY FOR 2000-2003 (OR 2004?) TAHOES. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM THAT HAPPEN TO THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF 1999 TAHOES WHY AREN'T THE 1999 TAHOES BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECALL THAT IS SOON TO BE RELEASED? I WAS TOLD THIS BY MY DEALER.

FUEL LEAKS FROM THE CENTRAL PORT INJECTIONS INTO THE ONBOARD COMPUTER. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BECOMES INOPERATIVE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE PCM WAS REPLACED. A MISFIRED IN THE 3 CYLINDERS AND 3 INJECTOR WERE REPLACED. *SC *JB

REGARDING YOUR DEFECT INVESTIGATION PEO4042 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE DELIVERY, FUEL PUMP, 2000 - 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN: COMPLAINT THAT FUEL PUMP WIRING OVERHEATS, RESULTING IN ENGINE STALL AND FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK: FYI, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL 1996 AND NEWER CHEVROLET / GMC GASOLINE ENGINE TRUCKS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE THE VORTEC ENGINE SERIES. THIS ENGINE REQUIRES HIGH FUEL PUMP PRESSURE (55 - 60 PSI), WHICH REQUIRES HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT FOR THE PUMP, PARTICULARLY UNDER CONDITIONS OF HIGH FUEL DEMAND, SUCH AS TOWING (THE CIRCUIT HAS A 20 AMP FUSE). POSSIBLE ROOT CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM MAY BE: (1) INADEQUATE WIRE GAUGE TO THE PUMP, CAUSING A VOLTAGE DROP AND CONSEQUENTLY HIGH CURRENT DRAW; (2) HIGH RESISTANCE AT THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR; (3) RESTRICTED FUEL FILTER; (4) RUNNING THE TANK LOW ON FUEL; (5) INCREASED FRICTIONAL DRAG IN THE PUMP WITH HIGH MILEAGE. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO RECOMMENDED "FIX" OTHER THAN TO CHANGE THE FUEL FILTER OFTEN, KEEP THE TANK OVER 1/2 FULL, AND REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP EVERY 30,000 MILES ($600 REPAIR AT A GM DEALER). I BECAME AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FUSE BLEW IN MY 1999 TAHOE AT 33,000 MILES, STRANDING US IN A REMOTE PART OF MONTANA. THE CAUSE WAS SHORTED WIRES AT THE FUEL PUMP, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE PUMP. A SEARCH OF THE CHEVY TRUCK OWNER'S WEBSITE (GOOGLE) WILL SHOW MANY OWNER COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTED FIXES FOR THE PROBLEM. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP WITHOUT WARNING. MILEAGE WAS ONLY 33,100 AT THE TIME. I HAVE SEARCHED A CHEVROLET TRUCK OWNERS WEBSITE (GOOGLE ALT.TRUCKS.CHEVY - ADVANCED SEARCH: FUEL PUMP) AND FOUND MANY REPORTS OF FUEL PUMP AND/OR FUEL PUMP FUSE FAILURE IN 1996-2001 CHEVY TRUCKS. THE TYPICAL FAILURE SEEMS TO BE MELTING OF WIRES INSIDE THE PUMP, CAUSING INTERNAL SHORTING, WHICH WAS THE FAILURE IN MY VEHICLE. FAILURES WERE REPORTED TYPICALLY AT 30,000-75,000 MILES. FAILURE CAN BE INTERMITTANT AND DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE. AN ADDITIONAL CAUSE OF FUEL PUMP FUSE BLOWING IS SHORTING OF THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH, WHICH IS IN THE FUEL PUMP CIRCUIT. REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER MY GM EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE COST APPROXIMATELY $700.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL TANK LEAKS AT THE TOP OF THE TANK. MR

WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE SHUTDOWN. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO 30, AND CONSUMER WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK. CHEVROLET STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE TYPE OF GAS BEING USED, CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM HAS FAILED 6 TIMES, THE FUEL INJECTION CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER.*JB

ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS REPLACED, THESE INCLUDED:ALTERNATOR REPLACED TWICED, BATTERY REPLACED, INJECTORS PLUGGING TREATED THREE TIMES, TAIL SHAFT LEAKING - REPLACED, INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED, STEREO REPLACED, TALL LAMP CIRCUIT BOARD REPLACED (BOTH, INTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED TWICE - UNSURE IN CURRENT MILEAGE READINGS ARE CORRECT, HEAD LAMPS CONTINUE TO FLICKER WHIL EDRIVING REPLACED THREE TIMES, WATER PUMP REPLACED, BALL JOINTS REPLACED, AND STERRING COMPONENTS REPLACED. CONTINUAL PROBLEMS AND NO ANSWERS.

INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS COOLANT AT FRONT AND REAR. TALKED TO TECHNICANS AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THEY DO THESE ALL THE TIME. THEY HAD TWO IN THE SHOP THE MORNING THAT I WAS TALKING TO THEM. I ASKED IF THE REPLACEMENTS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD LAST LONG ENOUGH FOR THE VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE TWO GM VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ONE IN WARRANTY AND ONE OUT OF WARRANTY. UGH.*AK

THE BATTERY POSITIVE LEAKED ONTO THE BRAKE LINE WHICH IN TURN ATE THROUGH THE BRAKE LINE AND A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING HAPPENED. I WAS TRAVELING AT 40MPH WHEN WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THEY WENT SLOWLY TO THE FLOOR AS I WAS STOPPING AND THEN DROPPED TO FLOOR AND I WENT THRU THE MIDDLE OF A INTERSECTION (I THANK GOD THAT TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT). I SEE THAT IN THIS DATA BASE THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HURT OF KILLED BEFORE GMC DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I HAVE PURCHASED 8 NEW GM VEHICLES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS AND IF THIS IS THE WAY THEY ARE GOING TO TREAT CUSTOMERS, I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE VEHICLE WILL BE FOR SALE AS SOON AS IT IS FIXED AND ANOTHER BRAND WILL BE CONSIDERED. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED OUT DUE TO A FIRE STARTED BY THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH BURNT THROUGH THE GAS TANK.*AK WIRE GOING TO FUEL PUMP SHORTED OUT ON FRAME CAUSING FIRE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *YH

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE & OWNER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL PUMP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT TOP OF FUEL PUMP'S ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WAS CAUSING THE LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE PROBLEM IS REPAIRABLE. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED NOTICED FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING FUEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE TOP OF FUEL PUMP, THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR, WAS CAUSING IT TO LEAK. PROBLEM WAS REPAIRABLE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THERE IS A FUEL LEAKAGE, AND WHEN STOPPING AND TAKING OFF, CONSUMER IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH POWER WHEN DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES, AND THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM. BUT THE PROMBLEM RETURNED. *AK