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2002 Chevrolet Tahoe Fuel System Problems

17 owner-reported fuel system complaints from NHTSA data

17
Complaints
1
Recalls
1
Crashes
1
Fires
Jan 2003Nov 2004
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Fuel System Recalls (1)

RECALLCampaign #06E043000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).

Owner Complaints (17)

mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Apr 2014

WAS DRIVING IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT WHEN PUMP FAILED. ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHICH ALSO SHUT DOWN POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. GAS GUAGE SHOWED EMPTY ALTHOUGH TANK WAS HALF FULL. HAD TO HAVE THE UNIT TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP WHERE PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $1203.84. THIS WAS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE GAS TANK PUMP. FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS I BELIEVE IN THE FALL OF 2005 SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AT A COST OF SLIGHTLY LESS THAN $1000.00. MILEAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETWEEN 35 & 40,000. DON"T HAVE THE TICKET FOR THIS BUT I BELIEVE I CAN GET IT. HAVE TALKED WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IF YOU HAVE PICKUP CAN BE CHANGED CHEAPER AS THEY REMOVE THE PICKUP BOX. IN BOTH INSTANCES I WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED SO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WAS NOT CATISTROPHIC. *TR

NHTSA #: 10577623
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Jul 2013

THE FUEL GAUGE WILL READ THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL UNTIL IT IS ABOUT 3/4 TO 1/2 A TANK THEN START BOUNCING UP AND DOWN THEN IT WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO EMPTY AND THE FUEL LIGHT COMES ON EVEN THOUGH IT HAS PLENTY OF FUEL. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR AND RAN OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH IT REGISTERS FUEL ABOVE THE RED MARK AND NO LOW FUEL LIGHT ON. I KNOW HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS SEVERAL TIMES AND FEAR IT MIGHT PUT MYSELF OR MY FAMILY IN A BAD SITUATION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WISH SOMEONE (GM) WOULD HELP THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMER BASE. AS IT APPEARS WITH MORE RESEARCH I DO THIS IS A SERIOUS ONGOING PROBLEM THAT SPANS DIFFERENT MODELS AND YEARS. *TR

NHTSA #: 10524084
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Mar 2013

MY 02 TAHOE FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO READ EMPTY JUST AFTER FILLING THE TANK UP. SINCE THEN THE GAUGE HAD READ EMPTY. *TR

NHTSA #: 10501006
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Oct 2011

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE TRUCK STARTED TO LOOSE SPEED AND DIED HARD TO CONTROL AT 70MPH. HAD TO TRY AND GET TO THE SHOULDER OF ROAD IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, VERY DANGEROUS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES TONIGHT BEING THE 3RD TIME, THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL IT PUTS PEOPLES LIFE IN DANGER! *TR

NHTSA #: 10429202
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
Filed: Aug 2011

I OWN A 2002 CHEVY TAHOE AND ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO(DECEMBER 2010) MY FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO START FAILING TO READ PROPER FUEL LEVELS. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED FOR A COUPLE MORE WEEKS UNTIL FINALLY THE FUEL GAUGE SIMPLY WOULDN'T MAKE A READING AT ALL. I STAYED OPTIMISTIC THAT THE SITUATION WOULD CORRECT ITSELF BUT NO SUCH CORRECTION AROSE. I TRIED USING FUEL INJECTION CLEANERS TO POSSIBLY RESOLVE THE ISSUE BUT AGAIN NOTHING HELPED. FOR THE PAST COUPLE DAYS I HAVE BEEN READING NUMEROUS FORUMS AND ARTICLES ON THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN CHEVY VEHICLES RANGING FROM 2000 TO AS RECENT AS 08 MODELS. I'M WRITING THIS IN HOPES THAT A RECALL CAN OCCUR THAT WILL HELP SOLVE THIS ISSUE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM I AM. CHEVY NEEDS TO BE LIABLE FOR THE FRAUDULENT MANUFACTURING OF VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. INSTEAD OF LETTING AMERICANS SHOVEL OUT 800 PLUS DOLLARS IN ISSUES THAT SHOULDN'T BE OCCURRING SO EARLY IN A VEHICLES LIFE. I HAVE YET TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE IN HOPES THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL FORCE CHEVY INTO RECALLING THE VEHICLES FOR PROPER REPAIRS. *KB

NHTSA #: 10419765
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: May 2011

DUE TO THE ERROR IN THE FUEL GAUGE(INDICATING MORE FUEL THAN THE VEHICLE HAD) THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY ENTIRE FAMILTY ON BOARD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS I WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND WAS NOT GIVEN A LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT. THIS ERROR IN FUEL LEVEL COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY AND I REQUEST A OEM RECALL TO CORRECT GAUGE OR SENSOR ERRORS, OUR FUEL GAUGE IS STILL NOT DISPLAYING ACCURATE READINGS, WE DO NOT TRUST THE GAURE ANYLONGER. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN "WILD GAUGE SWINGS/LISTINGS" AT RANDOM INTERVALS

NHTSA #: 10399061
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,EQUIPMENT,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Filed: Jul 2010

2002 CHEVY TAHOE PURCHASED USED 11/2006 WITH 50,000 MILES. GAS GAUGE NEVER WENT TO FULL. 4/2010 FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED $1000.00, NOW IT'S 7/2010 AND GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATES WHILE DRIVING WITH FULL TANK OF GAS TO EMPTY, CAR SLOWS DOWN AND THEN SUDDENLY PICKS BACK UP WITH GAS GAUGE SHOWING FULL AGAIN. VERY UNSAFE ON FREEWAYS!! WAS TOLD BY PEPBOYS WHEN THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP THAT SOMETHING WASN'T WORKING WITH THE COMPUTER, OH REALLY, BUT OF COURSE WE WERE TOLD THAT 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 THAT IT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY THE FUEL PUMP AND THEY DIDN'T WORK ON THE COMPUTER. COST OF REPAIR WAS PROBABLY THE DECIDING FACTOR. NOW I FEEL UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR ANYWHERE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER. WHAT'S UP CHEVY?, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE COMPUTER?? *TR

NHTSA #: 10343740
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Mar 2009

FUEL PUMP SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, STALLING CAR. ALSO, CAR WON'T START IF LESS THAN QUARTER TANK OF GAS. *TR

NHTSA #: 10262039
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Oct 2008

2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE 5.3L ENGINE-FUEL GAUGE LEVEL ERRATIC. DEALER FUEL LEVEL SENSOR IN TANK IS THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THIS IS A "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" REPLACEMENT ITEM AT 62,000 MILES COMBINED WITH HIGH SULFUR IN AK FUELS CAUSES IT. HOWEVER, 2001 VW PASSAT HAD SAME ISSUE WITH SULFUR AND SENSOR WHICH DID WARRANT A RECALL ACTION AT NO COST TO OWNER. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SULFUR IN FUEL INTERACTS WITH CERTAIN ADDITIVES FOUND IN WIDELY AVAILABLE GASOLINE CAUSING SULFUR TO BECOME DEPOSITED ON THE CONTACT POINTS OF FUEL SENDING UNITS MOUNTED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THIS COULD CAUSE THE FUEL GAUGE TO READ FULL WHILE THE FUEL TANK MAY NOT IN FACT BE FULL OR COULD BE EMPTY. CONSEQUENCE: RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATES THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT FUEL IN THE TANK LEAD TO SAFETY PROBLEMS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 01V157000. PLEASE LOOK INTO 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE 5.3L FUEL LEVEL SENSOR ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA #: 10245560
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Feb 2006

I BOUGHT MY USED 2002 CHEVY TAHOE WITH ONLY 29,000 MILES. I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE LESS THAN 8 MONTHS AND IT HAS DIED (WHILE I WAS DRIVING) 4 TIMES ALREADY. THE 5TH TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE ENGINE JUST WOULDN'T START. I HEAR THE FUEL PUMP IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC'S HOWEVER, AT 50,000 THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. IT'S THE FUEL PUMP. LUCKILY, EVERYTIME MY CAR STALLED OUT, I WASN'T IN BUSY TRAFFIC. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE HAD THIS HAPPENED IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS SOMETHING GMC DEFINITELY HAS TO LOOK AT. *JB

NHTSA #: 10149839
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Sep 2005

MY 2002 CHEVY TAHOE HAS EXPERIENCED THREE FUEL PUMP FAILURES WITH THE LAST FAILURE BEING TODAY. IT COST ME IN EXCESS OF $ 850.00 TO REPLACE MY FUEL PUMP AND TANK TODAY. ALL POWER TO THE VEHICLE IS LOST WHEN THE FUEL PUMP HAS GONE OUT. I BELIEVE CHEVY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM AS I BELIEVE IT COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO LOOSE POWER IF TRAVELING AT INTERSTATE SPEED. *NM

NHTSA #: 10136804
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Jul 2005

I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE LISTED CAMPAIGN ID 05V155000 ON A 2002 TAHOE. I SPOKE WITH CHRIS LASH, SAFETY DEFECTS ENGINEER WITH YOU LAST YEAR IN NOVEMBER. TODAY, I SEE GM HAS RECALLED SEVERAL VEHICLES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT I AM NOT INCLUDED ON THIS LIST ALTHOUGH I HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. MY VIN IS [XXX]. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT. GM IS NON-RESPONSIVE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #: 10130611
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Feb 2005

THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS JUST SERVICED AGAIN LAST WEEK FOR A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP.*AK....FIRST REPLACEMENT WA SON 11/07/2002 AT 21170 MILES. IT WAS COVERED 100% BY WARRANTY. SECOND REPLACEMENT TOOK PLACE ON 04/28/2004 AT 50,790 MILES. PARTS WERE UNDER WARRANTY, CONSUMER PICKED UP LABOR COSTS, AND THIRD REPLACEMENT WA SON 02/04/2005 AT 67, 275 MILES. WARRANTY COVERED 50%, AND CONSUMER ASSUMED 50% 0F LABOR COST. *AK

NHTSA #: 10111476
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Nov 2004

FUEL PUMP FAILURE ON 2002 TAHOE VEHICLE. *BF THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AT ANY SPEED WITH NO WARNING. *SC

NHTSA #: 10101208
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: May 2004

LEASED 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE FEB 2002. SERVICED FROM OCT 2003 THRU FEB 2004 AFTER A SEPT 2003 OIL CHANGE TIRE ROTATION SERVICE AND CONSERNS OF FUEL SMELL AND SUSPENSION SQUEAKS. SERVICES WERE PERFORMED CORRECTIONS WERE DONE NEW SENDING UNIT INSTALLED.OCTOBER 27,2003 THE GAS TANK ON THE TAHOE BURST WHEN FUELING AT A GAS STATION REQUIRING FIRE AND POLICE UNIT TO BE SENT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WAS IN SERVICE FOR 3 WEEKS FOR SAFETY REASONS. I DID NOT WANT THE VEHICLE BACK AND GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GAVE ME FALSE HOPES OF A RELEASE ON THE LEASE. I DID NOT RECIEVE ANY HELP WITH THESE SITUATIONS AND STILL HAVE THE UNSAFE VEHICLE. RECENTLY I THOUGHT MY TROUBLES WOULD BE OVER. I FOUND A VEHICLE THAT I WANT TO BUY AND CAN TRADE MY LEASE IN WITH GM'S PULL AHEAD PROGRAM. BECAUSE I DID NOT PAY 2 OF THE PAYMENTS ON THE TAHOE WHEN I COULD NOT USE THE VEHICLE AND LOST MY INCOME TO PAY AT THAT TIME, MY FEB 2002 TURN IN DATE HAS CHANGED TO MAY 2005. THIS MAKES ME UNELIGIBLE FOR THE PULL AHEAD EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCE. I DID NOT ASK FOR THESE PROBLEMS AND DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR SOMETHING IM NOT GETTING. I HAVE LOST ALOT BY NOT HAVING RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND ALL I SEEK IS A NEW GOOD RELIABLE SUV TO BUY AND WALK AWAY FROM THIS PROBLEMED TAHOE, WITH HELP FROM SOMEONE GM AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT HELPED IN ANY WAY. *AK

NHTSA #: 10072885
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Mar 2004

PROBLEM STARTED AT 21000 MILES. CAR EITHER WON'T START OR LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD FIVE FUEL PUMPS SINCE THEN. NOW HAVE 53K MILES. ALSO, CAR WON'T START ON INCLINE EVEN THOUGH IT HAS 1/4 TANK AS VERIFIED BY DEALER SERVICE. EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE "FIXED" OR REPLACED HAS BEEN AND I AM STILL HAVING STARTING PROBLEMS AND HAVE TO HAVE A NEW FUEL PUMP EVER 3 MONTHS. GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE UNWILLING TO PROVIDE RELIEF. SERVICED ONLY AT DEALERS, THEY CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA #: 10060690
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE
Crash / FireFiled: Jan 2003

I AM A PARAMEDIC IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY MISSOURI, A SUBURB OF ST. LOUIS. IN THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2002 I RESPONDED TO THREE CRASHES INVOLVING FULL SIZE GM TRUCKS. ALL THE VEHICLES CAUGHT FIRE IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER A MODERATE TO HIGH SPEED IMPACT. THE VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN DRIVER SIDE OFF SET IMPACTS THAT LEAD TO INTRUSION INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLES WERE A 2002 4X4 AVALANCHE, 2001 EXT. CAB 4X4 SILVERADO, AND A 2002 4X4 TAHOE. THE FIRE STARTED NEAR THE BATTERY AND THE FUEL LINES THAT RUN ALONG THE FRAM ON THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO, ALL HAD THE 5.3L V-8. I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE AVALANCHE OR SILVERADO DUE TO TAKING CARE OF THE INJURED OCCUPANTS. I DID LOOK AT THE TAHOE ENGINE AND IT APPERED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE HAD BEEN SEVERED IN THE CRASH. ALL VICTIMS WERE NOT TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLES AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS QUICKLY.I AM VERY CONCERNED DUE TO HAVING THREE FIRES IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAM. I RUN PROBALLY 500 VEHICLE CRASHES A YEAR AND VERY FEW RESULT IN FIRES EVEN WHEN THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS OBVIOUS LEAKS. I AM VERY CONCERNED DUE TO HAVING THREE IN ABOUT A 2 MONTH TIME FRAME. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFO.

NHTSA #: 10000769

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