1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Electrical Problems

Your vehicle's ignition key has shut off while driving on three separate occasions, causing the engine to stall in traffic at highway speeds—a serious safety hazard. Additionally, your wipers are working intermittently and sometimes get stuck mid-windshield or jump erratically across the glass. The ignition issue will likely require inspection of the ignition switch and electrical connections, while the wiper problem may involve the wiper motor or control module.

When you start your truck, it occasionally misfires or backfires, causing grey smoke to come from under the hood and seep into the cabin through the dashboard. This happens a few times a month, though the dealership wasn't able to reproduce the problem. The issue likely involves checking the ignition system, fuel delivery, or engine seals to prevent smoke from entering the cabin.

THE KEY SWITCH ON SOME FORD AND GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE CAN BE TURNED ONE NOTCH OR CLICK FORWARD, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE, 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. *NM *SB *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH CONSUMER SMELLED BURNING WIRING. PARKED THE VEHICLE, OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. AT THE SAME TIME HE LOOKED TO THE REAR AND SAW A HEAVY SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND SUDDENLY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP, EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND WROTE A REPORT INDICATING THERE WAS SHORT WIRE ON THE SPEAKER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE BOULEVARD AT 15 MPH, THE SMELL OF BURNING ELECTRICAL WIRES BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED. WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR I SAW FIRE DROPPING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SPEAKER ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF THE PASSENGERS AND DAMAGING OUR POSSESIONS IN THE CARGO SECTION. I NOTIFIED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE.*AK

THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CONECTS TO THE TURN SIGNAL MODUAL, THE WIRES BECOME BRITTLE AND ARE BREAKING. THE FIRST WIRE TO CAUSE ME A PROBLEM WAS THE WIRE FOR THE HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF UNTILL THE WIRE FINALY BROKE AND THEN THERE WERE NO LIGHTS AT ALL. THE NEXT WIRE THAT BROKE IS THE WIRE FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL BROKE. AND NOW THERE IS NO CRUISE CONTROL. THE HEADLIGHTS I WAS ABLE TO REROUTE THE WIRE AND RECONECT TO THE LIGHT SWITCH TO POWERUP THE RELAY WITH THE SWITCH. NOT THE RIGHT WAY TOO DO IT BUT IT WORKS. ALSO MY VEHICLE HAS TILT STEERING WHEEL.*AK

ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF '96 CHEVROLET TAHOE DURING THE NIGHT WHILE CAR WAS PARKED IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES AFTER BLIZZARD WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL. INTERIOR OF SUV WAS DESTROYED ALONG WITH CONTENTS.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT HE NOTICE THAT THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING CAUSING THE CABLE TO BE EATEN UP. NLM

THIS COMPLAINT IS TO BE FILED TO THE PREVIOUS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE99073. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY.

CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY AND ALTENATOR BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING ON THE RIGHT SIDE, JUST LIKE INVESTIGATION EA 00 013 BATTERY LEAKS ACID. *AK

THE BATTERY FAILED AFTER 2 YEARS (5 YEAR BATTERY). THE FAILURE CAUSED BATTERY ACID TO SPILL ALL OVER THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND CAUSE MAJOR ELECTRICAL DAMAGE. THIS IS THE SECOND BATTERY THEY INSTALLED, AND I BELIEVE GMC SHOULD RE-IMBURSE ME FOR THE DAMAGE IT CAUSED TO MY VEHICLE. *AK

THE BATTERY ACID IS LEAKING ON ELECTRICAL, STEERING AND BRAKE LINE AND FRAME OF VEHICLE.*AK

EA00013/BATTERY LEAKS ACID: BATTERY ACID LEAKAGES CAUSES DAMAGES TO AIR SYSTEM/ WIRING HARNESS/HEADLIGTHS, ETC. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE PROBLEM I HAD IS SIMILAR TO ONE YOU ARE INVESTIGATING AGAINST CHEVROLET. MY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BATTERY LEAKED ACID AND I HAD TO HAVE THE BATTERY ASSEMBLY, TERMINALS AND BATTERY REPLACED. I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY COMPLAINT TO THE 200+ YOU HAVE SO FAR. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU'D LIKE. THANK YOU. *AK

WIRING HARNESS HAS CORROSION IN IT UP NEAR THE FIREWALL. APPEARS THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DEFECTIVE (DAMAGED) DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS. CORROSION ON GROUND SIDE OF AIR BAG ARMING CIRCUIT MEANS THAT IN A COLLISION THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. CORROSION IN THE AIR BAG ARMING CIRCUIT COULD ALSO CAUSE IT TO DEPLOY WHEN IT SHOULD NOT, LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT. ISN'T THERE UNLIMITED WARRANTY ON SAFETY SYSTEMS AND POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEMS? *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED A HOLE IN BATTERY, WHICH LEAKING FLUID ONTO BRAKES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFOMTATON. *AK

STARTER RELAY FAILED. NLM

I HAVE A 96 CHEVY TAHOE. IT HAS 37,000 MILES AND IS, THEREFORE, JUST OUTSIDE THE 36,000 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER CHEVY TRUCK OWNERS AND THEY TELL ME THAT CHEVY TRUCKS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BATTERIES. THOUGH THE BATTERY IS RATED AT 72 MONTHS, IT ONLY LASTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 24 MONTHS. I HAVE ASKED TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS AT THE CHEVY DEALER (MACPHERSON CHEVROLET) AND THEY SAY THAT IT IS TRUE - BATTERIES ONLY LAST ABOUT 2 YEARS. THEY ALSO ADMIT THAT THEY REPLACE HUNDREDS OF BATTERIES, OFTEN REPEATEDLY ON THE SAME VEHICLES. THEY ALSO TELL ME THAT IN THEIR OPINION IT IS A GM DESIGN DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE. I HAVE NOW REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE (THIS IS THE THIRD BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE). THE FIRST TIME GM PAID FOR IT UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME IT WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I ALSO HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIR OF A BATTERY CABLE THAT LEAKING BATTERY FLUID HAD DAMAGED. THOUGH THE DEALER ADMITS THAT THE 72 MONTH WARRANTY IS PRINTED RIGHT ON THE BATTERY, THEY SAY THAT THE WARRANTY ENDS WITH ALL OTHER WARRANTEES AT 36,000 MILES. THAT IS GM POLICY AND THEY SHOWED ME A MEMO FROM GM SAYING SO. I HAD PLANNED TO KEEP THIS VEHICLE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. HOWEVER I DO NOT RELISH THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A VERY UNRELIABLE VEHICLE WHEN I TRAVEL FOR ANY DISTANCE, KNOWING THAT THE BATTERY MAY GO DEAD AT ANY TIME. BY THE WAY, WHEN THIS HAPPENS, DUE TO THE ALL ELECTRONIC NATURE OF THE ENGINE, NOTHING WORKS - THE ENGINE DIES, THE POWER BRAKES NO LONGER WORK, AND THE POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKS, EVEN AT FREEWAY SPEED. IN MY OPINION THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR. THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, TOM NICKELSEN

BATTERY HAS A CRACK, CAUSING ACID LEAKS THROUGH BATTERY PLATE ONTO FLOOR. DEALER/MFR. NOTIFIED. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AT THIS TIME. *AK

IGNITION FAILED.

IGNITION LOCK FAILED.

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

HORN FAILED.

INSOLATOR/SEAL FAILED.

BATTERY FAILED.

CONSUMER STATES THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSING A SHORT IN THE HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF AND ON, AND THE SWITCH PLATE GET VERY HOT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSING A SHORT IN THE HEADLIGHTS. THE HEADLIGHTS TURN ON AND OFF, AND THE SWITCH PLATE GETS VERY HOT. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSING A SHORT IN THE HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF AND ON, AND THE SWITCH PLATE GETS VERY HOT. *AK

COMPUTER SHUTS DOWN ENGINE WHEN VEHICLE REACHES 100MPH.

COMPUTER FAILURE CAUSES ENGINE TO STALL AT 100 MPH, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING/BRAKES. *DH