2004 Chevrolet Tahoe Transmission Problems

Your Tahoe's transfer case (New Process 246GM) may have a known defect where the internal pump rubs against the magnesium housing, creating small holes that allow fluid to leak out over time. Without adequate fluid, the transfer case can overheat and fail completely. A mechanic confirmed your transfer case has no fluid and is burned up, and a transmission shop confirmed this is a common problem with this model.

TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN THIS WAS NUMBER 5 NOT THATS CORRECT 5 (FIVE) TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS CAR AT 130K MILES.

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ENGAGING IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE ON ITS ON FOR OVER A YEAR EVEN WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH OR MORE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM SEEN IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND VERY COSTLY TO FIX. WAS TOLD TO WAIT UNTIL IT BECOMES MORE PROBLEMATIC TO REPAIR BECAUSE OF THE COST. NOW THE LIGHT DOES NOT SHOW ON THE PANEL TO SHOW IF IT IS IN 2 OR 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THERE WAS NO INDICATOR THAT DISPLAYED WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS ACTIVATING. OFTEN WHILE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE FORWARD. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD SPORADICALLY SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE GEAR CLUSTER WIRING HARNESS BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE GEAR INDICATOR CONTINUED TO FAIL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 59,897.

TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND I PAID FOR HALF, GM GOODWILL PAID FOR HALF. WHEN YOU PAY OVER $42,000 FOR A VEHICLE IT SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 50,000 MILES! *TR

2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE "REDUCED ENGINE POWER". OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND ONLY ALLOWS YOU TO GO ABOUT 25 MPH. VERY UNSAFE IF ON A HIGHWAY. GM DEALER REPLACED THE FAULTY WIRE HARNESS AND PLUG THAT PLUGS INTO THE THROTTLE BODY. ALSO REPLACED THROTTLE BODY ITSELF. *TR

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL LEAKS, FIXED 2 TIMES BEFORE DEALERSHIP REALIZED THERE WAS A BEARING NOT INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY. FACTORY REP WAS CALLED, HE DIRECTED DEALER TO INSTALL BEARING. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE THERE IS A UNCOMMON FRONT END VIBRATION STILL TO THIS DATE. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED INTO FOUR-WHEEL LOW GEAR WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. IMMEDIATELY, THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED INTO TWO-WHEEL DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE FOUR- WHEEL DRIVE SWITCH MODULE AND THE ENCODER MOTOR TRANSFER CASE ACTUATOR. BOTH COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES FOR WHICH THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE SERVICE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MALFUNCTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

2004 TAHOE, WHEN STARTING OUT ENGINE LOSES POWER AND READOUT DISPLAYS ( TRACTION ACTIVE ). FIRST TIME HAPPENED FALL 2007. DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM BUT DID A DOWNLOAD OF SOFTWARE, DID NOT HELP. OVER PAST MONTH DOES THIS ONE OR MORE TIMES DAILY. TOOK BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID NOT SURE WHAT TO DO, MAY HAVE TO DRIVE UNTIL IT WILL NO LONGER RUN BEFORE THEY KNOW WHAT TO FIX. THIS MAY TURN INTO A SAFETY ISSUE IF IT STOPS AND SOMEONE HITS ME FROM BEHIND. I SEEN ON YOUR COMPLAINT SECTION THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. AT 59,000, A PINION SEAL LEAK WAS DISCOVERED. I TOOK IT THE NEXT DAY TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. UPON EVALUATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LEAK HAD RESULTED IN EXCESSIVE METAL FRICTION IN THE GEARS, REQUIRING A COMPLETE OVERALL. THERE IS NO WARNING SYSTEM FOR LOW DIFFERENTIAL FLUID AND LEAKS ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE GROUND AS ANY FLUID NORMALLY BLOWS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE SEAL ON THE REAR AXLE PINION, WHICH PROVIDES POWER TO THE REAR WHEELS, COULD LEAK FLUID, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO SEIZE AND LOCK. NOTE THAT GM HAS RECALLED MANY SIMILAR MODELS, BUT NOT THE TAHOE AT THIS TIME. *TR

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM DO A FULL CHECKUP AND KNOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY WARRANTY IS FINISHED BUT I THINK MY DRIVE TRAIN IS WARRANTED LONGER IT SAYS NOTHING IN MY PAPERWORK BUT I WANT TO CLARIFY AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAPPENS ALOT AND IT COULD BE A REPEAT OF THE LEMON LAW OF 1998. *TR

IN 2006, I WOULD HAVE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE TRACTION ACTIVE DISPLAY WOULD LIGHT UP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LAG AND NOT ACCELERATE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BERNARD CHEVROLET IN LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS, AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT I SHOULD BRING IT BACK WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED REGULARLY. IN 2008 THE PROBLEM BEGAN TO GET BAD, AND THE TAHOE WOULD LAG WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP AND THE TRACTION ACTIVE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST ONCE A DAY ON MY FOUR MILE COMMUTE TO WORK. ON TWO OCCASIONS I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE LAGGING OF THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO LIBERTYVILLE CHEVROLET (THE DEALERSHIP THAT REPLACED BERNARD CHEVROLET AFTER THEY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS), AND THE VEHICLE WAS KEPT OVER NIGHT. THEY SCANNED IT AND FOUND NO PROBLEM CODES AND THEN THEY INSTALLED AN UPDATED PROGRAM AND IT TESTED OKAY. I PAID $115.00 AND THEN AS I EXITED THE PARKING LOT OF THE DEALERSHIP, THE TAHOE LAGGED AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRACTION ACTIVE LIGHT CAME ON. I LOOKED AT MY ODOMETER AND IT READ 38,746 (CAME IN FOR SERVICE AT 38,745), HOWEVER, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE RECEIPT I NOTED THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD PUT THE MILEAGE OUT AT 38,748. THE VEHICLE WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT TEST DRIVEN AFTER THE SERVICE, HOWEVER, THEY TRIED TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT IT WAS. KEVIN P #475 WAS THE TECHNICIAN AT LIBERTYVILLE CHEVROLET. THE $115 CHARGE WAS REIMBURSED, HOWEVER, CHEVROLET HAS MADE NO OFFERS TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION ON MY VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN THE TOPIC OF MANY PROBLEM AUTO CHAT DISCUSSIONS, AND APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO WHEEL SENSORS THAT PREMATURELY CORRODE ON THE TAHOES AND YUKONS. I HAVE MANAGED THE PROBLEM BY LETTING OF THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, AND THIS APPARENTLY DISENGAGED THE MALFUNCTIONING TRACTION ACTIVE MODE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULDN'T OCCUR ON A $43,000 VEHICLE WITH 38,000 MILES. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON ENTERING FREEWAY ON RAMP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE MERGING WITH OTHER TRAFFIC. OTHER VEHICLES SWERVED, SKIDDED, AND HONKED WHILE I COASTED MY VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND LIMPED OFF THE FREEWAY. *TR

I AM STARTING TO FEEL A CLUNK IN THE TRANSMISSION OF MY 2004 CHEVY TAHOE Z71, THE GEARS WINE A LITTLE BUT THERE IS THIS CONSTANT CLUNKING SOUND. I HAVE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I KNOW I AM NOT FAR FROM HAVING NO 1ST AND 4TH GEARS ETC.. I BOUGHT THE SUV USED AND I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER FOR A BUMPER TO BUMPER INSPECTION. I DO NOT DRIVE HARD. THE PEOPLE I TALK TO SAID IT IS A COMMON PART AND THERE IS ACTUALLY A BULLETIN OUT ON THIS. CHEVY WILL NOT HAVE IT BUT OTHER TRANSMISSION SHOPS DO. *TR

2004 CHEVY TAHOE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THIRD TIME BACK TO DEALER FIRST TIME @ 21K MILES SECOND TIME @ 37K MILES BOTH TIMES THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED CAR IS BEENING TOWED BACK TODAY JUNE 18 2007 THREE DAYS AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK FROM SECOND TRANSMISSION.

2004 TAHOE ENGINE REVVED WITHOUT TRANSMISSION ENGAGING***CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T ENGAGE WHEN IT WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE ON ITS OWN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. UPDATED *JB

GM VEHICLES TRUCKS AND FULL SIZE SUV'S WHEN KEY IS IN, ONE CLICK FORWARD , ABLE TO PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT THE BRAKE BEING APPLIED. WHEN KEY IS IN AND CAR IS RUNNING, YOU CANNOT GET IT INTO GEAR UNLESS YOU APPLY THE BREAK 3 OLD CHILD DIED APRIL 12TH, 2004 BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IN A 1997 CHEVY TAHOE. I'M MAKING THE COMPLAINT ON MY 2004 TAHOE

1)EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: DURING NORMAL CITY DRIVING, CAME TO A RED LIGHT AND FULL STOP. WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED BUT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. 2) THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE AND AS A PRESS THE GAS PEDAL, I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV UP BUT NOT CHANGE, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE. 3) THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED MOVING FORWARD ABOUT 3-4 SECONDS AFTER THE INITIAL TRIAL.

WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PUSHED DOWN THE ACCELARATOR AND ENGINE REVVED, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE WILL JUMP INTO GEAR. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION QUIT NOISEY. DEALER SAY'S NOTHING WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION????*AK

I BOUGHT MY TAHOE NEW IN SEPT. 2004. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASING TOOK BACK TO DEALER SHIP WITH VIBRATION IN BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER SHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT THAT IT WAS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM AND I SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING WITHIN 4-6 WEEKS. WELL IT IS NOW THE END OF JAN. AND I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD WHAT THE FIX WOULD BE AND THE VIBRATION IS GETTING WORSE AND NOW YOU CAN FEEL IT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SITTING STILL AND IN PARK WITH OUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. *NM

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. I HAVE FOUND THAT WHEN THE KEY IS IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO USE THE BRAKE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. MY 18-MONTH OLD SON DISCOVERED THIS WHILE WE WERE CLEANING OUT THE TRUCK AND IT STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. I CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL OR FIX AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NOT. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY HOW ALL TAHOES SINCE 2003 ARE PROGRAMMED TO WORK. THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT CONSISTANT WITH THE OTHER KEY POSITIONS AND I FEEL IS A SAFTEY HAZZARD. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE DISCOVERY OF THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE FOLLOW UP WITH GM TO GET THIS RESOLVED BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES OR DEATHS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE SOME FOLLOW UP WITH ME AS TO THE OUTCOME OF THIS COMPLAINT.*AK

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS DOWNDHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND DOWNSHIFTS INTO FIRST HARD AFTER ACCELERATION OF VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES DO TO SECOND GEAR NOT MOVING VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN SHIFTER LEVER IS MANUALLY PLACED IN FIRST GEAR TRANMISSION DOES NOT REMAIN IN FIRST, WILL AUTOMATICALLY UPSHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR CAUSING TOWING CONDITIONS TO BECOME HARDER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE'S RPMS REVVED UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY HIGHER THAT 15 MPH. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THEN DRAINED THEN DRAINED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THEY DIDN'T INDICATE WHY THEY WERE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION OR WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. *AK *NM