2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Seats Problems

Your rear passenger seat has a broken cable that prevents the seat from folding down. This could be a problem in an emergency evacuation or if you need to access the cargo area quickly. The fix will likely involve replacing the seat cable mechanism.

The cables that operate your second-row 60/40 seat folding mechanism are breaking, which prevents the seats from folding down to access the third row. This creates a safety issue because third-row passengers cannot exit the vehicle. The fix will likely involve replacing the damaged seat folding cables.

THE CABLE SYSTEM TO LAY DOWN THE REAR 60/40 SPLIT BENCH REAR SEAT IS ALL MESSED UP. SEVERAL OF THE CABLES HAVE STRETCHED AND OR BROKEN OFF AT THEIR CONNECTING POINTS UNDER THE SEATS AND IN THE BACK OF THE SEATS UNDER THE UPHOLSTERY. TO ADD TO THE PROBLEM, THE TAP PULL TO PULL THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT ON THE 60 SIDE NO LONGER OPERATES PROPERLY IN ORDER TO FLIP THAT PART OF THE SEAT FORWARD. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE VIRTUALLY RENDERED THE THIRD ROW SEATS, AND OR THE EXPANDING OF THE CARGO AREA USELESS. NOT ONLY HAS THIS PROBLEM RENDERED THE MIDDLE AND BACK OF THE VEHICLE USELESS, IT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE! THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL ON ALL THESE MODELS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS TRAPPED IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN THE INSTANCE OF A SEVERE WRECK, OR GOD FORBID A FIRE. SOMEONE COULD GET TRAPPED AND BURN TO DEATH.

THE 2ND ROW SEATS WILL NOT OPEN, PREVENTING ACCESS TO THE 3RD ROW SEATS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN B/C IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY THE 3RD ROW PASSENGERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THE CABLE MECHANISM THAT OPENS THE 2ND ROW SEATS IS DEFECTIVE.

BACK SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER WILL NOT RELEASE TO LAY FLAT. WE HAVE HAD MECHANICS LOOK AT AND ONLY ONE WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO RELEASE. AS LONG AS THE SEAT IS PUT GENTLY BACK INTO UPRIGHT POSITION IT WILL WORK. HOWEVER, IF IT IS NOT, IT WON'T BUDGE. AT THIS POINT IT WILL NOT RELEASE. THE OTHER SEAT WORKS OKAY FOR NOW BUT WE ARE CONCERNED IT MAY DO THE SAME. WE BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IN AN EMERGENCY WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE THIRD SEAT. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM? WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? THANK YOU FOR WHATEVER HELP YOU MAY HAVE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WARMER WAS ACTIVATED AND AN UNEXPECTED HIGH AMOUNT OF HEAT PENETRATED THROUGH THE BACK OF THE SEAT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAT RASH TO HER BACK. THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL BURN MARK ON THE SEAT BACK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000.

IHAVE A 2003 CHEVY TAHOE AND THE DRIVERS HEATED SEAT COMES ON BY ITS SELF YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY SHUT IT OFF. *TT

2003 CHEVY TAHOE WITH SEAT HEATERS. HEATER DRIVER SIDE COMES ON BY ITSELF AND CAN NOT SHUT IT OFF. SEAT GETS EXTREMELY HOT AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT WE HAVE TO REPLACE SEAT MODULE CONTROL COST $500. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 TAHOE Z71 WITH LEATHER SEATS. MY WIFE NOTICED A SMELL AND THOUGHT IT WAS EXHAUST. I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND IT DID NOT SMELL THAT WAY ALL THE TIME. WE FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM BY MY WIFE GETTING BURNT. HER SEAT HEATER WAS GETTING WAY TOO HOT AND PRODUCED A BURNING SMELL. IT GOT SO HOT THAT IT LEFT A BURNT MARK ON THE LEATHER SEAT AND BURNT HER BACK AND THAT'S WHEN WE FIGURED OUT THAT IT WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE SMELL. BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU TURN ON THOSE FRONT SEAT HEATERS. WILL REPORT TO CHEVROLET. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ELECTRIC DRIVER SEAT MOVED FORWARD ON ITS OWN WHILE THE VEHICLE BEING PARKED ENTRAPPING THE DRIVERS LEGS UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND UPPER BODY AGAINST THE WHEEL. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT MODULE. UPDATE 12/1/2006 - *NM

DRIVER'S SEAT MEMORY DOES NOT WORK. WHEN YOU GET IN AND PUT YOUR KEY IN OR PRESS THE BUTTON IT MOVES THE SEAT TO EXTREME POSITIONS. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALER AT LEAST 5 TIMES, AND THEY FINALLY TOLD US THAT WE NEED TO JUST TURN THAT (PAID FOR) OPTION OFF THERE IS NO FIX FOR IT.*AK