159 complaints reported

2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
159
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL HAVE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2009
Dec 2009

APPROX. EVERY OTHER TIME I DRIVE MY 2003 CHEVY TAHOE THE SPEEDOMETER MISREADS. IT IS USUALLY OFF BY AROUND 20-30 MPH UNDER THE ACTUAL SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. THE OIL PRESSURE IS ALSO AFFECTED BY DROPPING TO ALMOST ZERO. I HAVE HEARD THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2005 SILVERADO WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS HOWEVER I HAVE NOT FOUND A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. THANK YOU. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2009
Dec 2009

2003 TAHOE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYS INACCURATE VALUE. DO NOT KNOW AT WHAT SPEED VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY COMMON DENOMINATOR AS TO WHAT SPEED IT DISPLAYS AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IT IS ACCURATE OR NOT. THIS IS SCARY! INTERNET SEARCH REPORTS A ON GOING PROBLEM. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE THIS ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED? *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2009
Dec 2009

SPEEDOMETER ON 2003 CHEVY TAHOE DEFECTIVE - WHILE DRIVING THE OTHER DAY AT 55MPH SPEEDOMETER JUMPED TO OVER 100 MPH. THIS CAUGHT ME OFF-GUARD AND I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, ALMOST GETTING REAR-ENDED IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, IN MY OPINION!! NOW WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED SPEEDOMETER READING 50 MPH. READING ON THE WEB IT IS EVIDENT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS. DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE OVER $800 TO FIX THIS SAFETY PROBLEM! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2009
Dec 2009

SPEEDOMETER REGISTERS INACCURATE AND ERRATIC READINGS (70 MPH AT COMPLETE STOP; 120 MPH WITH MOVEMENT, SOMETIMES 0 MPH WITH DRIVING). THIS OCCURS SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, INTERMITTENTLY, BUT IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME DUE TO EXPENSE QUOTED BY DEALERSHIP. ALSO NOTED ARE INACCURATE OIL PRESSURE READINGS (PEGGED PRESSURE READINGS IN HIGH ZONE). IT IS NOT RELIABLY AFFECTED BY STOPPING/RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2008
Dec 2009

AROUND MID OCTOBER OF 2008 I FINANCED THE VEHICLE THROUGH A LOT CALLED AUTO CONCEPTS IN JACKSONVILLE NORTH CAROLINA AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED RAISING TO 30 MPH SITTING STILL AROUND LATE JANUARY OF 2009 AND IT WILL GO ALL OVER THE METER ACCEPT WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO. I WILL REFUSE TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS FOR SPEEDING TICKETS AS LONG AS I AM FOLLOWING WITH SURROUNDING VEHICLES UNTIL MY SPEEDOMETER GETS FIXED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2009
Dec 2009

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY TAHOE AND THE GAS GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS I HAVE TO CHANGE THE CLUSTER WHICH IS BAD, THIS WILL COST $500. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUSTER ON THESE VEHICLES, I EVEN RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM OFFERING A REPLACEMENT IF IT FAILED BEFORE 70K MILES, AT THE TIME I HAD 80K MILES AND HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THE CLUSTER, HOWEVER IT DID FAIL AT 98K MILES. IF THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM SHOULDN'T THEY FIX IT WITHOUT LIMITATIONS ON MILEAGE. I ALSO HAVE A STEERING COLUMN SHAFT THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, THIS WILL COST $250. I HAVE ALREADY CHANGED IT, THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THERE WERE MANY ISSUES WITH THIS PART. THE FIRST FIX WAS TO CHANGE THE SHAFT, WHICH THEY DID, THEN THE SECOND ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM WAS TO GREASE THE SHAFT AND THEN WHEN THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THEIR ISSUES THE CURRENT ANSWER IS TO CHANGE THE SHAFT AGAIN. KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS THEIR SERIES OF SOLUTIONS TO THIS ISSUE ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES, IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2009
Dec 2009

THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 03 CHEVY TAHOE RANDOMLY GOES UP TO 10 MPH AND STAYS THERE. THE ONLY WAY TO BRING IT BACK DOWN IS TO SHUT OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES. IT DROPS 5 MPH EACH TIME YOU RESTART IT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2009
Nov 2009

SPEEDOMETER WENT OUT REGISTERED GOING 100MPH WHEN ONLY GOING APPROX 40. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS CHARGED $515. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2009
Oct 2009

INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILING ON 2003 CHEVY TAHOE. PROBLEM BEGAN AROUND 119,000. SPEEDOMETER GIVES INACCURATE READINGS OR DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ARE BEGINNING TO MALFUNCTION AS WELL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2009
Oct 2009

SPEEDOMETER ON 03 TAHOE STUCK ON 90MPH. HAVE HEARD TONS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS AND STILL NO RECALL ISSUED. WHAT TO DO???????*TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2009
Sep 2009

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING TO HOUSTON THIS PAST WEEKEND, WHEN WE LOOKED DOWN AT THE SPEEDOMETER TO SEE THAT WE WERE TRAVELING AT A RATE OF 120 MPH. SINCE FLOW OF TRAFFIC WAS PASSING US QUITE EASILY, WE WERE ASSURED THAT WE WERE NOT, IN FACT, TRAVELING 120 MPH. WHEN WE PARKED THE CAR, WE WERE STILL TRAVELING AT 120 MPH. GM IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE WITH THEIR PRODUCT, BUT HAS NOT DONE A FULL SCALE RECALL. INSTEAD, THEY HAVE A 7 YEAR/70,000 MILE WARRANTY EXTENSION. THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT WE PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH MORE THAN 70K MILES ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP KNOWINGLY SOLD US A VEHICLE THAT HAD MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE SPEEDOMETER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2009
Sep 2009

2003 CHEVY TAHOE, UNDER 80K MILES, SPEEDOMETER "STICKS". CURRENTLY REGISTERING 120 MPH WHILE SITTING STILL. TAKES SEVERAL DAYS FOR SPEEDOMETER TO RETURN TO ZERO OR SHOW CORRECT SPEED. HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE DESCRIPTIONS OF SAME ISSUE ON MANY INTERNET FORUMS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2009
Sep 2009

SEPTEMBER 2008 MY SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING. ITS STUCK ON 100MPH. HAD THE GM DEALER DO A DIAGNOSTICS AND THEY TOLD ME THE CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT IF MY MILEAGE WAS UNDER 70,000 GM WOULD REPLACE IT FOR NO COST TO ME. MY 2003 TAHOE HAS OVER 70,000 AND LESS THAN A WEEK AGO THE OIL GAUGE QUIT WORKING. THE GM DEALER WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR ME UNLESS I PAY THE $500 FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR. I BELIEVE THIS IS TURNING INTO A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE GM DEALER SAID THAT EVENTUALLY THE OTHER GAUGES WILL GO IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2008
Aug 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 57 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE SPEED ODOMETER DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,671. BL UPDATED 10/5/09 *CN UPDATED 10/07/09

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2009
Jul 2009

THE SPEEDOMETER OF MY CHEVY TAHOE 2003 DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECT SPEED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2009
Jul 2009

MY SPEEDOMETER WILL BECOME JERKY AND SHOW VARIOUS RANDOM SPEEDS (COMMONLY 0 MPH AND 30 MPH) WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER READS A SPEED THAT IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO THE ACTUAL SPEED THAT THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. (ADDITIONALLY, MY FUEL GAUGE STICKS AT VARIOUS TIMES.) INITIALLY, THIS OCCURRED ONLY A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT HAS NOW BECOME MORE FREQUENT. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER TO DISCUSS THE REPAIR OF THIS DEFECT AND I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE NOW HAS OVER 70,000 MILES THAT I MUST PAY THE FULL COST OF REPAIR. AS I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE, I FEEL THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD REPAIR MY SAFETY DEFECT REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2008
Jul 2009

I PURCHASED A 03 CHEVY TAHOE THAT CURRENTLY ONLY HAS 45,000 MILES. RECENTLY, MY SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING. I NOTICE IT HAPPENED ONCE ON A TRIP OUT OF STATE, NOW IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING MY RADIO CHANGING STATIONS ON ITS OWN AT THE START UP OF MY VEHICLE. I ALSO HAVE THE LEFT THERMOSTAT ADJUSTER LIGHTING THAT WENT OUT ABOUT THE SAME TIME MY SPEEDOMETER STARTED ACTING UP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2009
Jul 2009

IHAVE A 2003 CHEVY TAHOEWITH LESS THAN 41,000 MILES ON IT. SPEEDOMETER DOESNT WORK ,STOCK TO 120 MPH. I HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT THEIR INSTRUMENT PANEL CALLED CHEVY/GMC AND ADMIT THAT CERTAIN VINS HAD DEFECTIVE CLUSTER(INCLUDING MINE)YET THEY WILL NOT RECALL OR REPLACE UNLESS THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT,BUT I CALLED CHEVY AND THEY DONT ADMIT ABOUT THIS BUT INSTEAD THEY SUGGEST TO BRING MY TRUCK TO A DEALER TO DIAGNOSE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH MY OWN EXPENSES.RIGHT NOW IVE BEEN LAID OFF FROM MY JOB,CANT EVEN PAY MY MORTGAGE,BILLS.HE.........LLPPPPPPP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2009
Jun 2009

MY SPEEDOMETER RANDOMLY QUITS WORKING. SOMETIMES IT SAYS MY CAR IS GOING 0 MPH WHEN IT IS CLEARLY IN MOTION. OTHER TIMES IT SAYS IT IS GOING 70 MPH WHEN IT IS IN PARK. THE TROUBLE IS I HAVE TO GUESS WHAT SPEED I REALLY AM GOING AND HOPE I AM CORRECT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE OCTOBER OF 2008. CURRENTLY I'VE NOT HAD IT FIXED BECAUSE MY MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHEN IT WAS IN THE SHOP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2008
Jun 2009

~6 MONTHS AGO, MY SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2003 CHEVY TAHOE WENT TO 120MPH AND STAYED THERE. I AM UNABLE TO TELL HOW FAST I'M GOING AND NOW MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE HAS MAXED OUT. I HAD 105K MILES ON IT AT THE START OF THE ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2008
Jun 2009

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE ON 2003 CHEVY TAHOE. SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. SPEED REGISTERS 60-80 MPH FASTER THAN ACTUAL SPEED. CHEVROLET IS AWARE OF PROBLEM AND HAS A "PROGRAM" TO REPLACE ON VEHICLES UP TO 80K MILES ONLY (INCREASED FROM PREVIOUS 70K MILES). THIS REPLACEMENT SHOULD APPLY TO ALL AFFECTED TAHOES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE, AS IT COULD PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD AND CERTAINLY PRESENTS A VEHICLE INSPECTION PROBLEM. THE SPEED READING PROBLEM OCCURS DAILY, WITH EACH DRIVE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2009
Apr 2009

2003 TAHOE SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKS PROPERLY. I WILL BE AT A COMPLETE STOP AND SPEEDOMETER READS 100MPH. THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT CHEVY IS AWARE OF BUT REFUSES TO FIX. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2008
Apr 2009

SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY - SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN WITH DEFECT. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, WAS ADVISED THAT THEY HAVE HAD TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HAVE HAD TO START TURNING PEOPLE AWAY. THEY WANT $500.00 TO FIX PROBLEM BUT ADMIT THAT THIS IS DEFECT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2008
Mar 2009

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, MY 2003 CHEVY TAHOE LT TRUCK, EXPERIENCED DIFFERENT SPEEDS ACCORDING TO THE SPEEDOMETER. AT ONE POINT IT SAID I WAS GOING 130 MPH WHEN I WAS PARKED. THEN THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. I ALSO STARTED TO NOTICE THE OTHER GAUGES, FLUCTUATE. I WAS TOLD BY GM TO GET IT FIXED BY A AUTHORIZED DEALER. I GOT THE REPAIR DONE FOR 491.00. I THEN CALLED GM BACK, AND THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE FIX, BECAUSE I WAS "OVER THE 70000" MILE LIMIT. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS FOR A WHILE I HAD NO SPEEDOMETER AT ALL OR ENGINE TEMP OR TACH. CHEVY REFUSED TO TALK TO ME AND SIMPLY TOLD ME IT WAS MY PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AT GM AND THEY ALL TOLD ME DIFFERENT STORIES AND REFUSED TO LISTEN AND CALL ME BACK. I AM NOW STUCK WITH THE BILL AND GM DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN ONE BIT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2009

Trend Over Time

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Quick Summary

The 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe has 159 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.