2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Fuel System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I HAVE CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES WITH IN ONE YEAR. *TR
VEHICLE FUEL SYSTEM QUIT ON HWY AT 60 MPH...I WAS ABLE TO GET TO SHOULDER OF THE HWY DUE TO SKILLFUL DRIVING. AFTER COOLING DOWN THE VEHICLE STARTED WAS ABLE TO DRIVE 20 MILES WHEN IT QUIT AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE HWY. FINALLY I HAD TO GET THE TAHOE TOWED TO BE REPAIRED. *KB
THE GAS GAUGE READS 1/4 FULL WHEN OUT OF GAS. ONCE ON HIGHWAY AND ONCE AT HOME. NOW I FILL UP AT WHEN GAUGE READS 1/2 FULL. *KB
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY TAHOE. I'VE RUN OUT OF GAS ON THREE OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE GAUGE ON THE DASH WILL REPORT THE GAS TANK HAS 1/4 TANK LEFT, THE VEHICLE DIGITAL RANGE WILL REPORT THE SAME THING ,BUT THE CAR RUNS OUT OF GAS. I HAVE TO FILL UP THE VEHICLE WHEN THE GAS GAUGE READS 1/2 FULL OUT OF FEAR THAT THE GAUGE IS LOWER THAN IT ACTUALLY. TWICE I'VE RUN OUT OF GAS ON I-295 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND WAS FORCED TO NEGOTIATE A HARROWING MANEUVER TO LEAVE THE CENTER LANE OF THE THREE LANE HIGHWAY TO GET TO THE SHOULDER AS THE CAR WAS NOT UNDER POWER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD INTERMITTENTLY READ INACCURATE SPEEDS. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD READ THAT THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING OVER 50 MPH AND VICE VERSA. THE CONTACT HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFER FOR VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE WITH LESS THAN 70,000 ACCUMULATED MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BECAUSE HIS VEHICLE WAS OVER 70,000 MILES THEY WOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000. UPDATED 08/19/11
CAR HAS TROUBLES STARTING AT A HALF TANK. WON'T START WHEN UNDER HALF TANK, EVEN IF THERE IS GAS IN TANK. *TR
FUEL GAUGE IS DEFECTIVE FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR NOW. *NM
TWICE THE FUEL LINES HAVE COME OFF THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK SPEWING FUEL ON,UNDER AND AROUND THE CAR. IF UNNOTICED COULD CAUSE A SEVERE VEHICLE FIRE. *NM
MY FUEL PUMP FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON THE CAR. SYMPTOM WAS THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. A FUEL PUMP SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 50,000 ON A NEW CAR OR TRUCK. I THINK THE ORIGINAL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE OR THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW.
MY 3003 CHEVY TAHOE FUEL PUMP FAILED VEHICLE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER WITH 29000 PLUS MILES AND AFTER TALKING TO MECHANIC. TECH EXPLAINED TO ME THAT FUEL PUMP IS COOLED BY GASOLINE IN TANK AND SAID TO ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NEWER CHEVYS I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT WHAT HAPPENS TO US THAT OWN VEHICLE. OUT OF WARRANTY WE BROKE DOWN ON RT 93 PASSING LANE AND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED THANK GOD FOR NOT! I TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. THANK YOU. *JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF. CONSUMER HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THEN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.*AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED TWICE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE ACCELERATING. THE FIRST TIME HE WAS PASSING ON A TWO LANE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP UNDER WARRANTY. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER. THE VEHICLE HAD TO SIT FOR A WHILE THEN IT STARTED UP. THE VEHICLE ONLY WENT 20 MPH WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED A SECOND TIME.*AK
HESITATION IN STARTING, VEHICLE REGISTERED NO GAS WHEN IT HAD FULL TANK. STARTED IN AUG 2003 THROUGH JULY 2004. WAS PUT IN SHOP ON 5 OCCASIONS, AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. JULY 2004 MY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. MY FUEL LEVEL SENSOR, AND GAUGE WERE OUT. PARTS WERE FINALLY REPLACED BUT WAS TOLD THEY WOULD GO OUT AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
THE TAHOE WAS PURCHASED DEC. 30 2002. IN APRIL WE WERE DRIVING 65 ON THE INTERSTATE. THE TAHOE STALLED, WE PULLED OVER PUT IN PARK AND STARTED IT. WE DROVE ABOUT 13 MILES IT DID THE SAME THING. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOOK IT IN. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING. IN JUNE WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE DRIVING 60 TO 65 AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. WE HAD BEEN HOME ABOUT 30 MIN. AND MY HUSBAND WENT TO MOVE THE TAHOE AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE DEALERSHIP CAME TO PICK IT UP AND KEPT IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE RUBBER ON A FULE FILTER IN THE GAS TANK THAT WAS CLOSING UP WHEN IT HAD PRESSURE ON IT. ONCE THE TAHOE DIED THE PRESSURE RELEASED AND THE FUEL COULD FLOW THROUGH.*AK
I HAVE A 2003 TAHOE CHEVROLET I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK ON TWO OCCASIONS. FOR A CHECK BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRY TO CRANK VEHICLE, IT HESITATE TO CRANK IT TRY TURN OVER THE ENGINE. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP THEN THE NEXT DAY IT DID THE VERY SAME THING.. DO YOU A A COMPLAINT OF THIS ..THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. *AK
ENGINE STARTS AND DIES OUT. SENT TAHOE TO SERVICE 3 TIMES. FIRST PROBLEM OCCURRED ON 2-16-04. SECOND PROBLEM ON 3-16-04, AND RETURNED ON 3-18-04. PICKED UP VEHICLE AND ON THE NEXT MORNING, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN. WHEN PICKED UP ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT FOR REPAIR, SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT IS OKAY TO DRIVE CAR, THEY HAD DONE A TEMPORARY FIX ,AND WE NEEDED TO KEEP 1/2 TANK OF GAS UNTIL GENERAL MOTORS CREATED A NEW FUEL PUMP. VEHICLE STILL NOT FULLY REPAIRED. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY - FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 HOURS - IT LOST ALMOST 1/2 TANK OF GAS. SPOUSE (A MECHANIC FOR 25 YEARS) IDENTIFIED AN OBVIOUS FUEL LEAK ON THE VEHICLE, BUT DEALERSHIP INSPECTION STATED THEY FOUND NOTHING, THAT THERE WERE NO "CODES" IDENTIFIED, THUS NO FAILURE. *JB
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING GASOLINE WAS LEAKING FROM GAS TANK. *AK
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe has 19 Fuel System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.