92 complaints reported

2005 Chevrolet Tahoe Electrical System

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

Reports
92
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2020

REAR HATCH/WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN VIA REMOTE KEYFOB NOR DRIVER DOOR BUTTON. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT RESIDENCE. FOUND THAT I COULD NOT OPEN HATCH NOR WINDOW MANUALLY FROM IN OR OUTSIDE WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2020
Jan 2016 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE AIR CONDITION SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE, IT BECAME INOPERABLE AS SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE HEATER UNIT HAD MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V070000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2015
Aug 2015

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A CLICKING SOUND WOULD COME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE IGNITION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2011
Oct 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME INOPERABLE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2014
Mar 2014

THE SPEEDOMETER ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. IT WILL SEEM TO BE REPORTING THE CORRECT SPEED THEN CHANGES TO A SPEED WE COULD NOT BE GOING. USUALLY UNDER REPORTING THE CORRECT SPEED. WE WILL BE GOING BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH AND IT WILL READ 30. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WE HAVE TRIED TO COMPENSATE BY USING THE TACHOMETER BUT LATELY I DON'T FEEL I CAN TRUST IT EITHER. THE REPAIR IS BETWEEN $400 AND $500 AND I NOW READ OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHERS LIKE ME WHO HAVE NOT REPORTED THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS SITE TODAY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2011
Jan 2014

OUR SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT TELL US HOW FAST WE ARE GOING ALL THE TIME. MOST OF THE TIME IT IS FINE BUT OCCASIONALLY IT WILL REGISTER A DIFFERENT SPEED THAN WHAT WE ARE TRAVELING. SOMETIMES IT SAYS WE ARE GOING SLOWER THAN WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING AND SOMETIMES IT SAYS WE ARE GOING FASTER THAN WE ARE GOING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2013
Dec 2013

WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A SMELL OF SOMETHING ELECTRICAL BURNING. THE HEATER WAS ON SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE HEATER OFF. A WHILE LATER WHEN I TURNED THE HEAT BACK ON THE FRONT BLOWER DID NOT WORK EVEN THOUGH THE REAR BLOWER DID. BEING AND EASILY REPLACEABLE PART, MY HUSBAND TOOK THE PANEL OFF TO REMOVE THE BLOWER MOTOR. WHILE TRYING TO GET THE MOTOR OUT HE FOUND THAT THE WIRES WERE MELTED TOGETHER AND THE RESISTOR PLUG LOOKED BURNED. WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE JULY OF 2005 AND WERE NOT AWARE OF THE GM SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE MATTER UNTIL TODAY, DECEMBER 29, 2013. IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE INTERNET I WOULD NOT KNOW IT NOW. I AM CONCERNED NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE OWN TWO VEHICLES THAT MY HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT IF I HAD NOT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE UNIT THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HURT IF THIS IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF OR MADE MORE PUBLIC? *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2013
Oct 2013

TACHOMETER NEEDLE FELL TO 0 WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. PREVIOUS SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED WITH A MILEAGE LIMIT ON THE REPAIR. DEALERSHIP WOULD REPLACE PART, HOWEVER, I WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR LABOR HOURS. CURRENTLY, THIS PROBLEM STILL EXISTS BECAUSE REPAIR LABOR WOULD HAVE COST IN EXCESS OF $400. ALSO, SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHT IS NOW EXTREMELY DIM AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT LIGHT UP AT ALL. THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR OTHER 2005 TAHOES, HOWEVER, MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH GM TODAY AND THEY SAID THAT BOTH ITEMS WOULD BE THE SAME AREA AND THAT NEITHER COULD BE FIXED UNDER A TSB OR A RECALL. BOTH PROBLEMS ARE KNOWN TO NHTSA AND GM, BUT GM IS NOT WILLING TO FIX THESE KNOWN PROBLEMS DUE TO A MILEAGE ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2011
Jul 2013

SPEEDOMETER FROZE ON 57MPH. IT SEEMED TO FIX ITSELF AFTER A SERIES OF STARTUPS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2013
Jul 2013

MY FAN BLOWER STOPPED WORKING IN JUNE. TOOK MY TAHOE TO LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED A FAILED BLOWER RESISTOR. HE REPLACED THE RESISTOR ON 6/19. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, THE FAN STOPPED AGAIN. ON 7/3 HE FOUND THE RESISTOR CORRODED AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS. HIS PARTS PLACE REPLACED THE RESISTOR ON WARRANTY. ON 7/4 THE FAN BLOWER BLEW UP. 1/3 OF THE BLOWER COVER IS MISSING (CHARDS). I WAS IN REVERSE IN MY DRIVEWAY, WITH THE AC RUNNING ONLY A COUPLE OF MINUTES, AND HER A LOUD BANG AND A PUFF OF SMOKE CAME OUT THE GLOVE BOX. GM HAS SPECIAL COVERAGE BULLETINS 11046, 10240 AND 10240A ON SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH SIMILAR VEHICLES, BUT THEY SAY THEY DO NOT COVER THE TAHOE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2013
Apr 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2012
Nov 2012

SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING OR WILL DISPLAY FALSE SPEEDS FROM 0 WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TO 120 WHILE DRIVING ON SURFACE STREETS. WHILE RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER 2005 CHEVY TAHOE OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2012
Oct 2012

THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT DECREASE SPEED, AND BUT WOULD REGISTER AN INCREASE, AND CONSEQUENTLY WOULD NOT REFLECT ACTUAL SPEED. I COULD CORRECT PROBLEM BY REPEATEDLY STARTING VEHICLE, UNTIL EVENTUALLY IT JUST WOULD NO LONGER REGISTER A CHANGE IN SPEED AT ALL. NOW I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SPEED MY VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2011
Sep 2012

WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AT 65MPH THE SPEEDOMETER WENT TO 105MPH. IT NOW READS 25MPH WHEN STOPPED AND WILL READ 65MPH WHILE ONLY TRAVELING 35MPH. THIS HAS BEEN VERIFIED WITH A GPS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF GM VEHICLES AND MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ONLY FIX IS A NEW INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS, A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2012
Apr 2012

I HAVE A 2005 TAHOE WHICH I BOUGHT NEW. ABOUT 5-6 MONTHS AGO MY SPEEDOMETER WENT OUT. I DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS AT THE TIME AND LET IT GO EVEN THOUGH I FELT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. I RECEIVED NO LETTER FROM GM THAT THEY WERE HAVING THIS PROBLEM UNTIL TODAY. I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO MY LOCAL GOODYEAR PLACE AND THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT. MY SISTER, WHO HAD WORKED AT GM, HAD ME CALL THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP JACK BURFORD IN RICHMOND, KENTUCKY. THEY SAID THEY'D GIVE ME A NEW CLUSTER BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR ($130), I THEN CALLED GN AT 800-222-1020 AND TALKED WITH A WOMAN NAMED[XXX]. SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THAT ISSUE BUT A "SPECIAL POLICY". ALSO, IT WAS GOOD ONLY FOR CARS WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. MINE HAS 97,000. THEY'RE STILL GOING TO FIX IT THOUGH BUT IT MAKES ME UPSET THAT THEY DIDN'T NOTIFY ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. THE POLICY APPARENTLY WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2005, WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND EXPIRES IN JULY, 2012. I WONDER IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND, IF SO, SINCE THIS IS POTENTIALLY A SAFETY ISSUE, SHOULD THE CARS BE RECALLED? THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2012
Feb 2012

WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER STAYS AT 0. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS MALFUNCTIONING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2012
Jan 2012

ALL THE GAUGES ON MY DASHBOARD QUIT WORKING ALL AT ONCE EXCEPT MY FUEL GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER. THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS AND GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THIS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2011
Dec 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND RESET TO ZERO. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,890 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,100.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2011
Dec 2011

SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, AND OIL PRESSURE GAUGE ON MY 2005 CHEVY TAHOE STOPPED WORKING. ALL OF THEM BEGAN TO OPERATE SPORADICALLY BEFORE THEY STOPPED COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. NOT ONLY IS IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR THE SPEEDOMETER TO NOT WORK CORRECTLY, AS IT SHOULD, BUT IT ALSO LEAVES ME TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF A FINANCIAL LOSS OF SPEEDING TICKETS OR ANY ACCIDENTS THAT WERE CAUSED BY ITS FAILURE. FIRST, THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE STOPPED WORK, THEN THE TACHOMETER, AND THEN THE SPEEDOMETER. ALL OF THEM DID THE SAME THING WHEN THEY STOPPED WORKING, SO I BEGAN TO THINK THERE MAYBE A BIGGER PROBLEM. ONCE I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH ON-LINE, I FOUND THERE WAS A HUGE POPULATION OF 2003-2005 GM VEHICLE OWNERS AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT. THERE OBVIOUSLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL AND PROBABLY SOME LAWSUITS AS WELL. PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2010
Oct 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES WERE DEFECTIVE AND DID NOT PROVIDE AN ACCURATE READING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2011
Oct 2011

MY 2005 CHEVY TAHOE 71Z SPEEDOMETER HAS FAILED. IT REGISTERS VARIABLE SPEEDS WHICH I KNOW TO BE INCORRECT. INTERNET SEARCH CONFIRMS IT IS THE STEPPER MOTOR WHICH MUST BE REPLACED. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS BY OTHER OWNERS HAVE BEEN FILED. GM SHOULD RECALL THE 2005'S AS THEY DID THE 2003 AND 2004 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2011
Jun 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN WOULD NO LONGER SOUND WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ONLY TIME THE HORN WOULD SOUND WAS WHEN THE BUTTON ON THE KEY FOB WAS ENGAGED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2010
Feb 2011

SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2011
Feb 2011

2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE DASH GAUGES-SPEEDOMETER ERRATIC, GIVES FALSE READING AND EVENTUALLY GETS STUCK AT 120 MPH, RESET BY REMOVING "DIC"(DASH INSTRUMENT CLUSTER) FUSE AND STARTING VEHICLE THEN REPLACING FUSE (FOUND THIS IN A BLOG ABOUT THIS PROBLEM), FIXES FOR UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE MANDATORY RECALL BY MANUFACTURE, AS OF NOW ONLY A "VOLUNTARY" CLASS ACTION SUITE SETTLEMENT TO REPAIR AT 7 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES. MOST UNITS FAIL ON, AROUND OR AFTER THIS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. I DID NOT REALIZE I WAS GOING OVER 70 MPH IN A 55 MPH ZONE AS MY SPEEDOMETER WAS READING 45 MPH AT THIS SPECIFIC MALFUNCTION, I TURNED ON MY GPS TO VERIFY BECAUSE I FELT I WAS GOING MUCH FASTER THAN MY SPEEDOMETER WAS READING AND THE GPS READ OVER 70 MPH!. PLEASE DEMAND A RECALL FOR THESE ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEMS BY GM FOR 2003 THRU 2007 MODEL YEARS! THIS IS DUE TO FAULTY GAUGE MOTORS INSTALLED BY THE MAKER. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY SAID RECALLS ARE GOVERNED BY THE STATE THEREFORE IT WAS NOT RECALLED AND ONLY REPAIR AT THE SPECIFIED DATE MILEAGE RANGE IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN. THIS IS A COMPLETE SHAM, THE CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO INCUR EXPENSE BECAUSE OF A KNOWN FAULTY ITEM USED IN MANUFACTURING. WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THESE PEOPLE?....PLEASE HELP! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2010
Jan 2011

I OWN A 2005 CHEVY TAHOE. THE SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND STARTS SHOWING WRONG SPEEDS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SECURITY ISSUE AS YOU SUDDENLY LOST IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE TRAVELING. I WAS CHECKING ONLINE AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SUCH COMPLAINTS. I THINK DOT SHOULD SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2011

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe has 92 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.