2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Airbags Problems

Your airbag warning light stays on continuously, and your driver's seat belt won't lock properly. Your truck shuts off unexpectedly after 10-15 minutes on the freeway, making it unsafe to drive on highways. You're also experiencing multiple electrical issues including a loose ignition connector, dashboard display problems, and significant oil leaking from the oil pan area. These problems likely require comprehensive electrical system diagnosis, ignition switch replacement, and engine oil leak inspection.

Your airbags may not deploy properly in a crash due to a recall issue. This is a safety system problem that needs to be addressed by a dealer to ensure your airbags will work when needed.

Your airbag warning light and service airbag warning are both illuminating when you start your vehicle. This indicates a potential problem with your airbag system that needs attention, as you're concerned about the safety risk. The repair may involve diagnosing the airbag system sensors or control module, and possibly replacing faulty components under a recall if one applies to your vehicle.

Your airbag warning light stays on constantly, and your 4WD warning light also remains illuminated. You've had the transfer case replaced by a specialist to fix the 4WD issue, but both warning lights persist and you still feel a shift when switching between 2WD and 4WD modes. The problem may require diagnostic scanning to identify what's triggering the airbag light and further inspection of the 4WD system electronics.

THE "SERVICE AIRBAG" WARNING LIGHT AND "SERVICE AIRBAG" DISPLAY COMES ON WHEN I START THE VEHICLE--AND STAYS ON. EVERY SO OFTEN, WHEN I START THE CAR, THE WARNINGS DISAPPEAR, ONLY TO REAPPEAR AFTER THE NEXT START OF THE ENGINE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED 12 BROKEN RIBS AND 2 COLLAPSED LUNGS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOWING FACILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

ONE DAY THIS WINTER I WENT OUT IN THE GARAGE AND STARTED MY TAHOE. OUT OF THE BLUE MY SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. TODAY I TOOK MY CARE TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND THE ERROR CODES (B0051 & B0053) INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAGS HAD BEEN DEPLOYED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A COLLISION OR THAT THE AIR BAGS HAD BEEN DEPLOYED, AND THAT THE AIR BAGS ARE NOT WORKING. DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY GO DO TO COVER THE WORK NEEDED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND GET THE AIRBAGS WORKING AGAIN. THE ESTIMATE IS FOR $1,200. THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NOT ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM.I CONTACTED GM VIA CHAT, AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NOT RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS FOR THIS ISSUE, AND THEY COULD NOT DUE ANYTHING TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND ALWAYS KEPT THE VEHICLE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER USING THE ORIGINAL DEALER, AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS WITH THE VEHICLE. I CAN AFFORD TO GET THE REPAIR DONE, MY CONCERN IS HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN'T MIGHT BE IMPACTED BY THIS AND WILL DRIVE THE VEHICLES WITHOUT THE AIR BAGS. *TR

MY ACCELERATION PEDAL ENGAGED AND RAN THRU CENTER BLOCK FENCE. NO AIRBAG ON EITHER SIDE....THANKS A LOT..... DRIVER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A DEER AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE DRIVER WAS KILLED. THE CONTACT DID NOT CONFIRM IF THE DRIVER WAS SECURED BY THE SEAT VEHICLE SAFETY BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED FOR THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 182,000.

MY DAUGHTER HAD A WRECK IN HER VECHICLE AND THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *TR

MY 2003 TAHOE LT HAS A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG. THE LIGHT ON MY PANEL DISPLAYED THIS WHEN MY CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 80K MILES. I REPORTED THIS TO CARRIAGE MOTORS IN TEMECULA, CA. THEY REFUSED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT CHEVROLET FACTORY COST. I AGAIN TURNED IN MY TAHOE, TODAY, MAY 11, 2009, AND THE SHOP MANAGER FRANK SPIZER REFUSED TO HAVE THIS FIXED BUT INSTEAD OFFERED ME 20% OFF A REPAIR COST OF $699.00 I REFUSED THIS DISCOUNT AS I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT SINCE MY 2003 TAHOE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR THE AIR BAG TO FAIL LIKE THIS. I WANT FOR GM TO PAY FOR THIS AND TO ISSUE A RECALL TO ALL TAHOE OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS SAME MALADY. THE MANAGER OF THE AUTHORIZED CHEVROLET REPAIR SERVICE AT CARRIAGE MOTORS IS FRANK SPIZER, (951) 694-6060. *TR

ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND A MESSAGE APPEARED SAYING "SERVICE AIR BAG". WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND IT SAID THAT WHOLE AIR BAG SYSTEM HAD FAILED (SEVERAL SENSORS HAD FAILED). WE CALLED CHEVY TO SEE IF IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE FIXED WITH A WARRANTY, BUT THEY SAID THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. (WE KNEW THIS, BUT FIGURED THERE SHOULD BE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON AIRBAGS.) THEY TOLD US TO TAKE IT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. WE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD US IT WOULD COST $100 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST. HOWEVER, WE ALREADY DID THIS WITH OUR OTHER MECHANIC. CHEVY BASICALLY WOULDN'T HELP US UNLESS WE PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC WHICH IS RIDICULOUS SINCE WE ALREADY DID THAT. THE GUY AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT WE COULD DRIVE AROUND, NO PROBLEM, BUT THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULDN'T DEPLOY. WE WERE TOLD BY OUR MECHANIC THAT IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX THIS. WE THINK IT IS UNFAIR THAT WE HAVE TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED, WHEN THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY ACCIDENTS WITH THIS CAR. THE AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER DEPLOYED, AND ALL THE SUDDEN THE SYSTEM WON'T WORK IF WE NEED IT AND GET IN AN ACCIDENT. WE'RE ASKING FOR HELP TO GET CHEVY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY SHOULD. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL LAWSUIT IF THERE WERE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE HELP US TO GET CHEVY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN ERROR THAT HAPPENED DURING THE BUILDING OF THE CAR. *TR

2003 TAHOE AND ON MANY OCCASIONS THE SERVICE AIR BAG SENSOR HAS COME ON. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WHEN THIS LIGHT IS ON THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. THIS SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS. ALSO THE DEALER CAN'T GET A CODE ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT UNLESS THE LIGHT IS ON. IT DOESN'T STAY ON A LONG TIME BUT IS VERY FREQUENT IN COMING ON. LOOKS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON IT. *TR

I PURCHASED NEW AND STILL OWN A 2003 CHEVY TAHOE. FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON FROM TIME TO TIME. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK AT THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY TELL ME THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THIS LIGHT MEANS THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THE VEHICLE GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED THAT THIS SAFETY ISSUE CANNOT BE CORRECTED. *JB

AIR BAG ILIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR THE FIFTH TIME. DEALER HAD NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. *AK *TT

AIR BAG DEPLOYED AFTER IGNITION SWITCH WAS TURNED ON. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND WAS NOT MOVING.*AK