2013 Chevrolet Tahoe
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 232 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 15th highest complaint count among 26 Tahoe model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 4 involved a crash. 6 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.
Campaign 21V054000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.
Campaign 21V053000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical systemOct 1, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GMs number for this recall is 14515.
Campaign 14V614000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, column locking, anti-theft deviceJan 2, 2013
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." The vehicles may have been built with a fractured park lock cable or a malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly.
As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.
Campaign 13V001000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
16 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Jul 8, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact intended to purchase a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, the odometer reading displayed 88,000 miles; however, the Carfax history report provided by O'Reilly Auto Parts listed the mileage at 162,000.
Steering, Suspension, Electrical system, Mar 23, 2022
Vehicle randomly throws Stabilitrak, Traction control and ABS codes. Engine derates to limp mode. Transmission goes to full line pressure shifts. A cycle of the ignition system will reset the system a majority of the time. There is no "recall" but the general consensus in the mechanical world is two things cause this issue. Throttle body is bad and/or the steering position sensor fails causing the stabilitrak system to be disabled (which in a 2013 Tahoe, stabilitrak cannot be turned off) I have replaced the throttle body with an OEM part and the problem still occurs with our vehicle. It is a big enough of a parts failure/equipment failure that most of my mechanic buddies I've talked to knew exactly what I was talking about and said I replaced these two parts and the problem was solved. May not be enough for a recall but a TSB really should be issued because I've found a lot of information online that a lot of people are having this same issue. Between this website's complaint section and other Chevy/GM forums, I'm estimating 5000-10000 people have had similar issues with the stabilitrak being disabled somehow while driving. Manufacturers need to be held accountable for parts failures like this, as when recalls do finally happen, it is next to impossible to get the vehicle in and repaired in a timely matter (Takata air bag inflator issue is a great example, our local dealer cannot give me an estimated date they can get the vehicle in for repairs because its a mass parts recall and the replacement parts are unavailable) Incident has happened over a dozen times in the past 6 months but the additional details will not let me select multiple dates
Electrical system, Jan 15, 2022
Without warning on several occasions the the gps/radio screen, door locks, lights, gauges, etc start cycling and going crazy and power to the vehicle goes on and off. While the electrical storm is happening I can press the gas pedal which only causes the car to sputter and lurch forward. It has occurred suddenly while pulling into traffic or while traveling on the highway at normal speeds. I have contacted GM and was told there are no recalls open. After researching on my own there are several forums with countless complaints of the same nature. To state the obvious...this is dangerous and the fact that GM is aware and continues to ignore the problem is highly unethical and unsettling.
Electrical system, Jul 30, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall with several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that other electrical features such as the exterior lighting and the power locks would activate on and off independently during the failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that since there were no active warning lights displayed on the instrument panel, a diagnostic test could not be performed. The failure persisted and the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V614000 (Electrical System) which she linked to the failure. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 8, 2021
FIRST WAS THE INFOTAINMENT CENTER THAT WENT OUT AFTER THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNING AND THEY WANTED ME TO PAY HALF FOR A NEW ONE ($800). CONTACTED GM AND THEY PAID ME BACK. NEXT WAS THE BLACK COLORING ON ALL THE BUTTON RUBBING OFF. WAS TOLD TO BUY A STICKER KIT. THEN WAS THE TACK JUMPING ON IT'S OWN. THEN WAS THE ENTIRE DASH CRACKING FROM THE WINDSHIELD ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FRONT. WAS TOLD IT'S COSMETIC. I ASKED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE AIRBAG GOES OFF AND I HAVE PLASTIC PIECES FLY AT US. FINALLY WAS THE 6L80 TRANSMISSION THAT WENT OUT. TONS OF COMPLAINTS AND GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. I NOW HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET ANOTHER $3,500. THIS THING IS A LEMON AND I CAN GET ANY HELP AND GM WON'T ISSUE RECALLS. IT'S DISGUSTING TO SEE THESE BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES GETTING BAILED OUT AND THE CONSUMERS ARE THE ONES THAT SUFFER FOR THEM USING CHEAP PARTS.
Electrical system, Mar 18, 2020
3 OUT OF 4 DOOR ACTUATORS HAVE QUIT WORKING, ALL WITHIN A TWO WEEK PERIOD.
Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 10, 2019
WHILE DRIVING CAR STARTED SPUTTERING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TAHOE STOPPED RUNNING AND STALLED OUT. TOOK TO LOCAL SHOP TO CHECK THE CHECK ENGINE CODE - FUEL PUMP FLOW CONTROL MODULE
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Nov 23, 2018
TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY TRAK LIGHTS COME ON WHILE DRIVING, COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALOT CHEVROLET TRUCKS SUV AND CARS. I HAD 2005 TAHOE PREVIOUSLY AND THE SAME PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING.
Electrical system, Aug 3, 2018
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOOR LOCKS WENT UP AND DOWN MULTIPLE TIMES, THE RADIO SCREEN TURNED OFF, AND THEN THE WHOLE CAR JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I COULDN'T TURN IT BACK ON AND HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK. LUCKILY I WAS NOT ON THE FREEWAY AND THERE WERE NOT MANY CARS COMING WHERE MY CAR HAD STOPPED.
Electrical system, Oct 12, 2016
SPEEDOMETER AND GEAR SELECT DID NOT OPERATE TODAY. MY WIFE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANTED $125 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I TOLD HER TO JUST SOME HOME SINCE THEY GAVE US ATTITUDE AND NO ASSISTANCE. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE TAHOE. THE SOLUTION WAS TO REMOVE THE DIC FUSE UNDER THE HOOD, START THE VEHICLE, TURN VEHICLE OFF AND THEN REINSTALL THE FUSE. WELL THIS WORKED AND IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY CHEVROLET WHO WON'T ISSUE A RECALL FOR A FAULTY DASH CLUSTER.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (ESC), Aug 2, 2016
WHILE DRIVING AROUND 60 MPH THE CAR DOES A MASSIVE SHAKE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, STABILIZATION TURNS OFF, TRACTION CONTROLS TURNS OFF AND ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED FIRST TO 10MPH AND COULD NOT GET MORE THAN 30MPH. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY AN 18 WHEELER DUE TO MY SUDDEN STOP. THE SUV IS NOW IN ENGINE POWER REDUCED MODE.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, May 5, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND LOST POWER AS IF IT WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE RADIO POWERED ON AND OFF. THE DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED ON THEIR OWN. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 7, 2016
MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT A VEHICLE FROM CARDENAS SUPERSTORE IN PHARR, TX. WE'VE BEEN TO THEM 4 TIMES, IN WHICH THEY'VE SENT OUR TAHOE TO THE LOCAL GM/CHEVROLET DEALER IN OUR AREA. GENERALLY, WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM, STABILITRAK AND TRACTION CONTROL WILL DISABLE AND WE WILL SEE A SERIES OF WARNING LIGHTS. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WILL GO OFF, THE AIR CONDITIONER TEMPERATURE WILL RISE TO A WARM TEMP, THE LOCKS WILL START UNLOCKING AND LOCKING RANDOMLY, HARD TRANSMISSION JERKS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, AND LITTLE POWER WHEN TRYING TO INCREASE SPEED. THE FIRST TIME WE WENT, THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME WE WENT, THEY CLEAN OUT ALL THE FUEL MODULES, THE THIRD TIME THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AND FINALLY, ON THE FOURTH TRY, THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANY ISSUES SO THEY PUT DI-ELECTRIC GREASE ON SOME OF THE WIRING. TWO DAYS LATER IT STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN. A REASON THEY MAY HAVE TROUBLE FINDING ANY ISSUES IS THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE IS OFF FOR SOME TIME, IT WILL START UP AND RUN WITHOUT ANY ISSUE. I'VE MANAGED TO GET IT OVER TO THE LOCAL AUTOZONE WHILE ALL THE PANEL WAS GOING OFF, AND POWER LOSS, AND THEY MENTIONED A FEW POSSIBLE ISSUES. THE VEHICLES VOLTAGE REGULATOR MAY BE BAD, AS WELL AS LOSS OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE ECM AND MANY SENSORS(FUEL PUMP, TRANSMISSION, ETC...). WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE OR THIS COULD HAVE BECOME VERY COSTLY FOR US. BUT NONE THE LESS, SAFETY IS OF A CONCERN WHEN DRIVING THE TAHOE. ANY GUIDANCE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Electrical system, Feb 16, 2015
OVER A PERIOD OF 2 WEEKS, ABOUT 4 TIMES, WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC INCLUDING FREEWAY. A SUDDEN LOST OF ALL POWER, DASH GOES BLANK WHILE DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK, IN A BLINKING SEQUENCE. THIS HAPPENS IN A TIME PERIOD UP TO 10 SECONDS, THEN THE CAR CONTINUES DRIVING WITH NO PROBLEMS OR INDICATOR WARNING LIGHTS. TOOK TO DEALER THEY TEST DROVE AND PUT ON COMPUTER, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. LEFT IT THERE 2 WEEKS NO RESULTS. IN BLOGS THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO OTHERS, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT COMPUTER RESETS ITSELF AND WIPES MEMORY CLEAN, BECAUSE OF POWER LOSS. THEY TO TAKE TO MECHANIC NOTHING SHOWS UP. THIS IS SIMILAR SYMPTOMS REPORTED ON RECALL #14515, BUT MY CAR IS 1 YEAR OLDER. IT INVOLVES THE CHASSIS COMPUTER. MY QUESTION HERE IS IF THE COMPUTER IS DIFFERENT FROM MY MAKE AND MODEL. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM 2 OF THE 4 TIMES THIS HAPPENED I WAS PULLING ON TO FREEWAY OR CHANGING LANES LOSING POWER. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR WITH HER 2 TWINS IN BACK SEAT. I HAVE NOW EXHAUSTED ALL I CAN FOR A REMEDY WITH GM, THE DEALER WHO CAN NOT DETECT ANY PROBLEM. STARTED A CASE FILE WITH GM # [XXX]. NO REMEDY OR RESOLUTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Electrical system, Nov 18, 2014
VEHICLE DOES NOT HOLD CHARGE TO BATTERY. WILL NOT START. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 27, 2014
I WAS DRIVING UP A GRADE DURING A SNOW STORM AND WHEN I TRIED TO SELECT 4WD I HAD TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD TO FIND THE 4WD CONTROL KNOB,WHICH IS HIDDEN BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE I NEARLY WRECKED WHILE TRYING TO LOCATE THE 4WD CONTROL KNOB. I BLAME THIS ON FAULTY ENGINEERING BY GM! *TR