2002 Chevrolet Tahoe Powertrain & Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TRANSFER CASE HAD A PIN HOLE IN IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CHAIN IN THE TRANSFER CAUSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 151,000.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2002 TAHOE.FIRST FAILURE AROUND 17,000 MILES. FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND FAILURE LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER. FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. THIRD FAILURE LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER. DEALER FIXED, BUT SAID THEY PAID FOR IT. FOURTH FAILURE LITTLE OVER 2 YEARS LATER. I HAVE READ ABOUT DEFECTIVE SUN GEAR IN TRANSMISSION AND THAT THEY WERE NEVER TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE. GM WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND WOULD ONLY REBUILD I HAVE HAD 4 FAILURE'S IN ABOUT 75,000 MILES. I DON'T THINK THIS IS NORMAL SERVICE. *TR

4 WHEEL DRIVE HAS BEEN FIXED 2 OR 3 TIMES DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOW MOTORS HAD TO BE FIXED DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS BROKEN AGAIN SUNROOF OPENED FINE AND NOW IT'S STUCK AND WILL NOT CLOSE SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALER, SEVERAL EXPENSIVE REPAIRS, I FEEL LIKE THIS VEHICLE IS A MONEY PIT! *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME & WHILE ACCELERATING I NOTICED MY TRUCK BEGIN TO REV & NO LONGER ACCELERATE,MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR & PUT IT BACK ON IT, I WAS IN AN 50 MPH AREA, & MY TRUCK JUST CONTINUED TO REV. I STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. I REPEATED TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR THEN I PICKED UP SPEED BUT ON TO ABOUT 35 MPH. MY TRUCK WOULDN'T SHIFT TO 3RD GEAR. I MADE IT HOME. THE NEXT DAY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. I ORDER A NEW TRANSMISSION OFF EBAY, HAD IT INSTALLED & GOT MY TRUCK BACK IN ABOUT 3WKS. IN JUNE 2012 THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED, MY TRUCK WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR & MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED WITH ANOTHER NEW TRANSMISSION & IN JULY 2013 THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME I DID NOT GO GET ANOTHER NEW TRANSMISSION. I STARTED ASKING AROUND & FOUND THAT OTHERS HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TAHOE TRANSMISSIONS. I THEN TRIED PUTTING LUCAS STOP SLIP & THAT DID NOTHING TO HELP THE PROBLEM. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN SITTING FOR MONTHS BECAUSE I HAVE PUT TOO MUCH MONEY INTO NEW FACTORY BUILT TRANSMISSIONS & THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE PROBLEM. *TR

1) NO EVENTS LEADING TO TRANS FAILURE 2) NO REVERSE, NO 3RD OR 4TH GEAR 3) REBUILD TRANSMISSION. *TR

I HAVE HAD MY CHEVY TAHOE FOR JUST OVER 2-1/2 YEARS. DURING THIS TIME, MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE. THE SAME PART ALSO BROKE PRIOR TO MY OWNING THE VEHICLE. THREE TIMES THE SAME PART HAS FAILED YET MY VEHICLE HAS LITTLE OVER 55,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 40,000 THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPAIRED. I HAVE SOUGHT ASSISTANCE FROM GM TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED BUT WAS FLAT DENIED ANY TYPE OF SUPPORT. I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR TRANSMISSION THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY GM, NOT THE UNSUSPECTING OWNER. *JB

THERE IS A LOT OF NOISE (CLUNKING) COMING FROM FRONT DRIVESHAFT WHEN MY VEHICLE IS ENGAGED IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING AND THERE IS SOME SMELL OF BURNING COMING ...NO PROBLEM OR NO NOISE WHEN DRIVING IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE. I'M AFRAID THAT SOMETHING WILL BREAK ONE DAY AND I WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER TRIED TO FIX IT TWICE BUT WAS UNABLE. THERE ARE NO RECALLS BUT IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL TO HEAR THIS "SCARY NOISE". *TR

I HAD A MAINTENANCE SERVICE PERFORMED ON MY 2002 CHEVY TAHOE AT THE CARL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN SAN JOSE, CA. A MINOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE WAS INCLUDED WITH THIS SERVICE. THEY REPLACED THE FILTER, PERFORMED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED 4.5 QUARTS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID THAT WAS REMOVED FOR FILTER REPLACEMENT. I PICKED-UP MY SUV AND DROVE IT HOME. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DELAY IN SHIFTING, BUT THIS WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE INTERMITTENTLY. THE NEXT DAY, I WAS LEAVING ON A FAMILY CAMPING TRIP AND MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT APPROXIMATELY 1/4 OF A MILE FROM HOME. WE WERE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND I HEARD A LOUD "CLUNK" WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A SPINNING OR HIGH RPM WINDING SOUND. SINCE WE WERE ABOUT TO START DOWN A STEEP HILL, I TRIED TO TURN AROUND. AS I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A Y-TURN, I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE. I HAD LOST MY REVERSE GEAR, SO I WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN. THIS LEFT MY CAR STRANDED IN THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FEARING FOR MY FAMILIES SAFETY,I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND PUSHED THE CAR FORWARD INTO A DRIVEWAY TO PREVENT BLOCKING THE LANE. I HAD MY TAHOE TOWED BACK TO THE CARL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. THE TRANSMISSION TECH STATED THAT THE SUN SHELL GEAR HAD WORN OUT AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS DAY'S SERVICE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 4L60E TRANSMISSIONS THAT ARE STANDARD EQUIPMENT IN THE TAHOES. THE TRANSMISSION TECH ALSO STATED THAT THE CHEVROLET DISTRIBUTED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN WITHIN THE COMPANY ADVISING THE MECHANICS THAT THE SUN SHELL GEAR WAS FAULTY DUE TO A LACK OF PROPER HEAT TREATING. CHEVY HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE YEAR 2000. I ASKED CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND THEY OFFERED TO PAY 10% OF THE BILL. MY FAMILY WAS PUT AT RISK DUE TO THIS KNOWN PART DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB

I PURCHASED A USED 2002 CHEVY TAHOE FROM GRAND AUTO, NORTHGLENN CO, AT THE END OF MAY 2005. I DROVE THE CAR FOR 4 MONTHS, PUTTING ON ~11,000 MILES. ON OCT 16, 2005 I WAS HEADED TO DINNER WITH TWO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CAR. I TURNED RIGHT ON TO 95TH ST HEADING SOUTH. THERE WERE CARS COMING BEHIND ME, BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR A PROPER ACCELERATION TO CRUISING SPEED WITHOUT IN-CONVINCING THE OTHER DRIVERS. AS I ACCELERATED THROUGH FIRST GEAR, ALL WAS FINE, THEN THE CAR TRIED TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. AS IT TRIED, THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND, THE MOTOR RPMS INCREASED TO RED-LINE, AND THERE WAS A SQUEALING SOUND. I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, AND TRIED TO GET OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. LUCKILY THERE WAS ENOUGH SHOULDER AND ENOUGH TIME TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. AS IT TURNED OUT, THE TRANSMISSION HAD LOST 2ND GEAR, 4TH GEAR, AND REVERSE, LEAVING THE VEHICLE CLOSE TO USELESS, AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHILE I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT TRAFFIC, NO ALL MAY BE SO LUCKY. IF YOU PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, OR TRY TO CROSS TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILS, LOSING 3 OF 5 GEARS, YOU COULD EASILY HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. AFTER GETTING HOME AND RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I FOUND THAT THIS IS COVERED IN A GM TSB, 00-07-30-022 NOV 00 A/T. I ALSO FOUND MANY STORIES OF THIS FAILURE MODE, INDICATING THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENCE, NOR IS THIS A ONE IN A MILLION FAILURE MODE. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE RE-CLASSIFIED FROM A TSB TO A RECALL, BECAUSE OF THE PROBABLE SAFETY ISSUES. *JB

POWER TRAIN - TRANSMISSION 2002 TAHOE 1) UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, WILL NOT ENGAGE IN REVERSE AND ENGINE REVS AS IF STILL IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. PLACE BACK IN PARK SEVERAL TIMES -- OR WAIT 30-60 SECONDS TO ENGAGE. 2) INTERMEDIATE SLIPPAGE IN LOW GEAR UPON ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS OR FROM STOP. ENGINE BRIEFLY REVS THEN ENGAGES. *JB

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO CHEVY DEALER, WHERE THEY REPAIRED. SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE SUN GEAR SHEILD / REACTION SHIELD. DROVE FINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 11 MONTHS, THEN SAME EXACT PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN.

HEAR A KLUNKING NOISE EVERYTIME THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, THEN A WHINING NOISE WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS, AND A NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE TRANSMISSION... THEN YOU REALIZE YOU HAVE NO REVERSE.

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL IS MAKING NOISE. MECHANIC STATES THAT IT MAY LOCK UP UNEXPECTEDLY AND CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER STATES THEY HAVE HAD 4 SIMILAR VEHICLES IN FOR THIS PROBLEM AND STATES IT IS DUE TO FACTORY ERROR.*AK

CHEVROLET TAHOE 2002, TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *BF THE CONSUMER PURCHASED A VEHICLE THAT ONCE HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM HAD BEEN FULLY CORRECTED. THE CONSUMER THEN FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NEVER FIXED AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES. NOT ONLY WAS THE VEHICLE SLIPPING, SLOW TO SHIFT AND EXHIBITING A NOISE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THERE WERE OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE SEAT WARMED LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED, THE SPEAKERS WERE CRACKING LOUDLY, THE A/C LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF, THE MOON ROOF RATTLED AND WAS LEAKING, THE CARGO POWER SWITCH DID LOCK THE DOORS WITHIN 5 SECONDS OF THE CARGO DOOR BEING CLOSED, THE HANDLE ON THE THIRD ROW SEAT FELL OFF, THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER WAS MISSING, AND THE RUBBER STRIPPING ON THE CARGO DOOR WAS LOOSE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH UP A HILL THE PLANETARY GEAR FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE PRODUCED A LOUD POP AND GRINDING NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER STATES THE GEAR WILL NO LONGER ENGAGE INTO REVERSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO OFFERED A GMC LOYALTY CERTIFICATE IN THE AMOUNT 0FF $1000.00 TOWARDS A NEW VEHICLE PURCHASE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HER TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED 6 TIMES AND REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. GM WAS UNCOOPERATIVE TO RESOLVING THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TC

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB

CONSUMER STATED TRANSMISSION FAILED THREE TIMES. . FIRST YEAR THAT CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE HE HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. THEN, EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED. CURRENTLY, TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. WHEN CONSUMER STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE MOVED A LITTLE AND STARTED TO SHAKE. FINALLY, IT STOPPED DOING ANYTHING. CONSUMER FELT HE PURCHASED A LEMON. *AK

2002 TAHOE WON'T BACK UP IN 4 WD AND HAS GRINDING NOISE WHEN IN 4 WD. DEALER ADVISED THAT BEARING IN FRONT DIFFERENTIAL BAD. REPLACEMENT OF DIFFERENTIAL ADVISED. DEALER CHARGED ONLY FOR LABOR, APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. COST TO REPAIR $447, MILEAGE 39500. *NM

TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED FROM ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASSIONS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE UPON DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND TAKE OFF.*AK