1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Engine Problems

While driving at 55 mph, your four-wheel drive light came on and started flashing, then smoke began pouring from under the hood and your engine stalled. When you opened the hood, the smoke got worse, though no fire was visible at that moment. This happened at 168,000 miles and required the vehicle to be towed. The repair will likely involve inspecting the engine bay for overheating, electrical shorts, or fluid leaks that caused the smoking.

Your windshield wipers have stopped working normally and were repaired in 2001, but the dealer noted they're only working temporarily and could fail again. You've also experienced multiple issues: the vehicle wouldn't start due to a fuel pump problem, the headlights won't turn on, the engine shakes and stalls, white smoke comes from the muffler, and the check engine light is on. These problems will likely require the fuel pump to be replaced, the headlight switch to be inspected, and the engine to be diagnosed for the shaking and smoke issues.

ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO I SUBMITTED DOCUMENTATION REGARDING THE EXTENSIVE REPAIRS I HAD TO DO ON MY 1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING ON THE MATTER. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE PAPERWORK WAS RECEIVED, IF THERE IS A NUMBER I SHOULD CALL TO FOLLOW UP OR IS THERE ANOTHER WAY I CAN CHECK ON THE STATUS OF COMPLAINT. THANKS FOR ANY ASSISTANCE. *AK

EXHAUST Y PIPE SHEARED OFF, COMMON IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. VERY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE PARTS INCLUDE Y PIPE TWO CATALLETIC CONVERTERS AND THREE O2 SENSORS.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 9 HOURS WITH THE ENGINE OFF BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM *JB

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I WAS GOING OVER A BRIDGE ON I-95 WHEN THE TRUCKS RPM'S MAXED OUT AND THE TRUCK DRIFTED TO A STOP. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEAD GASKETS ABOUT 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS HAPPINING NOW I AM OUT A CAR. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC HE SAID THAT FOR SOME REASON THE ENGINE BLEW. I TAKE CARE OF MY CARS AND CHECK ALL THE FLUIDS TWICE A WEEK. HOW CAN I GET THIS FIXED. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 83,698 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. THIS ENGINE SHOULD HAVE LASTED ANOTHER 50,000 TO 60,000 MILES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT USUAL SPEED OF 35 MPH,DOWN A STEEP HILL MY WIFE WAS TERRIFIED WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE FAILED, STEERING AND BRAKING BECAME DIFFICULT AND, IN HER MIND, NOTHING WAS WORKING. SHE MISSED A NUMBER OF CARS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND PULLED INTO A VACANT GAS STATION. THE ENGINE STARTED FOR ME AFTER SHE CALLED ME ON HER CELL PHONE AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME DRIVING AND I UNDERSTOOD THE STRESS THAT SHE ENDURED. THE CHEVY AGENCY(CHASE MOTORS IN MIDDLEBORO MASS WAS NICE AND CURTIOUS AND STATED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED AT NO COAST TO US. THE IDENTICAL THING HAPPENED AGAIN ? TIME BETWEEN AND AGAIN THE CHASE CHEVY REPLACED THE PART AND STATED THAT THIS HAD BEEN FIXED AND WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN AND MY WIFE STATES THAT SHE WILL NEVER DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN. IN TALKING TO A REPRESENTATIVE AT GMC HE STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THAT WAS DANGEROUS AT 40 MPH TO HAPPEN THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THAT A SAFETY ISSUE

INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS CAN LEAD TO ANY NUMBER OF VERY SERIOUS, AND EXPENSIVE, PROBLEMS. WHILE THE PART ITSELF ISN'T COSTLY, THE LABOR TO REPAIR IT IS VERY INTENSIVE, AND HAS BEEN QUOTED AROUND $800 USD (GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE HUNDRED DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE). THIS IS IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER COSTLY PROBLEM(S) THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK MAY HAVE PRODUCED. WE ARE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FROM GENERAL MOTORS. A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER SHOULD BE REASON ENOUGH FOR GM TO ASSEMBLE A RECALL. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE WORLD'S LARGEST VEHICLE MANUFACTURER WHO HAS BEEN THE WORLD'S AUTOMOTIVE SALES LEADER SINCE 1931 WILL STAND UP AND CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS SO PREVALENT AMONG THEIR VEHICLES. RECALLS SHOULD BE MANDATED IN ALL CASES OF INCOMPETENCE, NOT SOLELY WHEN IT AFFECTS PUBLIC SAFETY. WHILE SOME OF US HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM OCCUR WITHIN OUR WARRANTY, THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OF US THAT HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THESE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. BECAUSE GM HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT LIABILITY ON THIS ISSUE, WE FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE A REPETITIVE PROBLEM. ONCE THIS GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND CUSTOMERS POCKETS DRAINED, GM SERVICE CENTERS EVERYWHERE CAN EXPECT TO SEE CONSUMERS RETURNING, FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT HASN'T BEEN RECTIFIED DUE TO A DESIGNING FLAW ON GM'S PART. THIS ERROR SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED, NOT THE FIRST TIME IN FOR SERVICE, BUT BEFORE ENTERING MASS PRODUCTION IN MILLIONS OF VEHICLES. CAN ONE PRESUME THIS IS ONE WAY OF KEEPING GENERAL MOTORS PATRONS COMING BACK TIME AFTER TIME? *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT A DEFECT IN THE MULITFUNCTION SWITCH, CAUSES HER TO HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS. DEALER REPLACED PART 3 TIMES, PROBLEM STILL OCCURING. NLM SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER COMING APART. DISCONNECT NIPPLE FITTING LEAKING. WIPERS SLAPPING ON WINDSHIELD AND HAS NO SPEED AND/OR INTERMITTENT WIPER OPERATION. DEALER FOUND NEEDS WIPER MOTOR AND WIPER TRANSMISSION. *TT

VEHICLE USING EXCESS AMOUNTS OF OIL, DEALER STATED THAT THE CONSUMER NEEDED TO CARRY EXTRA OIL AT ALL TIMES. *SLC

ENGINE FAILURE-SHIMS UNDER BEARINGS

PART REPLACED: AIR CONDITIONER COMPERSSOR, ORFICE, TENSIONER, BELT, SWITCH, AXLE/DIFFERENTIAL, SEAL,SHOE KIT, GASKET

ENGINE STALLED TWICE IN 2 DAYS. PRIOR TO STALL, THE CLOCK WAS INOP AND THE RADIO WENT BLANK. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING THE RPMS WOULD DROP TO ZERO, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT INDICATIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED/ SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.*AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT DOWN . CONSUMER HAD THE TRANMISSION REPAIRED THREE TIMES. BUT IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

ENGINE FAILED.

WHEN CONSUMER LET OFF GAS PEDAL DURING DRIVING AT 40 MPH OR MORE,THE VEHICLE WILL SLOW DOWN. ALSO WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IT STARTED AT 1500 RMP. AFTER SVERAL SECONDS THE ENGINE WILL DIE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON EACH OCCASION THE PROBLEN REOCCURRED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

VALVE SEAL AND VALVE FAILED.

MUFFLER FAILED.

EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE FAILED.

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.

WATER PUMP BRACKET INSTALLED WRONG AT FACTORY, CAUSING SERPENTINE BELT TO WEAR THROUGH/BREAK, AS WELL AS ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND RADIATOR TO OVERFLOW. *DH