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
232 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Sep 21, 2020
DASH SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, WHICH CAUSES DISTRACTING SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. I FIND MYSELF TAKING MY EYES OFF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO PUT MY HAND ON THE SOURCE OF HE SQUEAKING CRACK IN THE PLASTIC.
Other or unspecified, Sep 3, 2020
DASH CRACK WITHOIT WARNING ABOVE GAUGE CLUSTER ON DRIVER'S SIDE. VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT A MAJORITY OF THE TIME. VEHICLE SPENDS A FEW DAYS A WEEK OUTSIDE DURING THE DAY. FIRST SIGN OF A CRACK APPEARED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE DURING A WORK DAY. HIGH TEMP FOR THE DAY WAS APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES.
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, Aug 30, 2020
MY DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED IN TWO PLACES AS SHOWN ON THE ATTACHED PHOTOS. ONE CRACK IS NEAR THE HOUSING FOR THE AIRBAG, AND THE OTHER IS FORMING ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CRACKS RESULT IN THE DASHBOARD SHACKING ON ANY UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, SO EVENTUALLY THE SMALLER CRACK WILL PROGRESS ACROSS THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST CHEVY DUE TO A SAFETY HAZARD FROM THIS DEFECTIVE PART. REPLACEMENT OR REPAIRS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE $1200-$2000. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF NORMAL DRIVING.
Other or unspecified, Structure, Jul 15, 2020
DASHBOARD HAS BECOME CRACKED AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND THE DASHBOARD ALSO HAS NUMEROUS OTHER CRACKS. THE CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE TIME SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER 2015. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PICTURES RELATING TO THIS ISSUE CIRCULATING ONLINE. I ALSO PURCHASED THE BEST WARRANTY GM OFFERS, INCLUDING THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY, BUT THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE DASHBOARD AS I WAS TOLD.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 18, 2020
REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE WHILE OPENING GLASS HATCH. SOLDERED JOINT BROKE AWAY FROM GLASS. SEEMS AS IF THE ELECTRICAL WIRE IS TOO SHORT OR UNDER TOO MUCH TENSION. BACK GLASS WILL NO LONGER DEFROST LIMITING VISIBILITY. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN PROBLEM OCCURRED. *TR
Structure, Other or unspecified, May 30, 2020
CRACK IN DASHBOARD WITHOUT CAUSE. FLAWED WORKMANSHIP AND/OR MATERIALS. *TR
Structure, May 26, 2020
CRACKING OF THE DASHBOARD IN MULTIPLE AREAS. DRIVER SIDE, CENTER SPEAKER AND IN FROM OF PASSENGER AIRBAG. *TR
Structure, May 22, 2020
CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED AT THE CENTER AND PASSENGER SIDE AREAS OF THE DASHBOARD AND APPEAR TO BE GROWING AS THE DASH COOLS AND WARMS. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO NOTICING THE CRACKS. THE PASSENGER SIDE CRACK, LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE REPORTED, IS AT THE RIGHT REAR CORNER OF THE AIRBAG CONTAINMENT AREA ON THE DASH. THIS CRACK IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNING AS IT LOOKS TO BE UNDER PRESSURE AND BULGING. MY BIGGEST CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS THE AIRBAG GOING OFF PREMATURELY WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. *TR
Air bags, Structure, May 9, 2020
THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS INCLUDING 3 CRACKS AROUND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHICH I BELIEVE LEADS TO A SAFETY HAZARD SHOULD THE BAG DEPLOY. IF DEPLOYED, THE SHATTERED PLASTIC WOULD BE SENT AS PROJECTILES THROUGH THE CAR RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. ALSO, IF THE AIRBAG IS DEPLOYED, THE PLASTIC SHARDS COULD CUT THE AIRBAGS RENDERING THEM INEFFECTIVE. I'M ASKING FOR THIS TO BE REPORTED TO GENERAL MOTORS AS A SEVER SAFETY CONCERN AND ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE THERE IS SERIOUS INJURY. THANK YOU. *TR
Other or unspecified, May 7, 2020
I TOOK MY TAHOE IN FOR REPAIRS AT AL SIERRA CHEVROLET TO GET AN 02 OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED. UPON RECEIVING MY TAHOE BACK FROM REPAIRS I NOTICED THAT MY DASH BOARD HAD CRACKED NEAR THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. *TR
Other or unspecified, May 3, 2020
CRACKS IN DASH AT AIRBAG CORNER AND ON DRIVERS SIDE
Other or unspecified, Apr 22, 2020
MY DASH IS CRACKED IN 3 PLACES AS OF THE LAST 2 WEEKS. IN GOOGLING THE ISSUE, IT APPEARS THERE WAS A LAW SUIT AGAINST GM ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE PART IN THE VEHICLE. HTTPS://WWW.CARPARTS.COM/BLOG/THE-LATEST-ON-THE-GM-CRACKED-DASH-ISSUE/ I WOULD LIKE HELP WITH RECTIFYING THE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF THE DEFECTIVE PART.
Electrical system, Mar 18, 2020
3 OUT OF 4 DOOR ACTUATORS HAVE QUIT WORKING, ALL WITHIN A TWO WEEK PERIOD.
Structure, Jan 17, 2020
TWO CRACKS HAVE APPEARED ON MY DASH, ONE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND A SMALL ONE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CAR HAS 34,000 MILES, IS GARAGED AND ONLY DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS. WHEN PARKED IN A LOT, A WINDOW VISER IS ALWAYS USED. I NOTICED THE LARGER CRACK ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. IT GETS BIGGER EVERY DAY.
Structure, Jan 10, 2020
DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED ABOVE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR MOVING AT THE MOMENT THE CRACKS OCCURRED. NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN PLACED ON THE DASHBOARD THAT COULD CAUSE THE CRACKS.
Other or unspecified, Nov 26, 2019
I JUST NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD IN MY 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE LTZ IS CRACKING!!
Other or unspecified, Nov 22, 2019
DASHBOARD CRACKING.
Other or unspecified, Nov 21, 2019
THE DASH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF MY 2013 TAHOE HAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE HAS 74,000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE IS GARAGED WHEN NOT IN USE. I BECAME AWARE OF THIS ISSUE ON NOVEMBER 20, 2019. THERE ARE TWO CRACKS THAT ALMOST INTERSECT IN A "V" SHAPE.
Other or unspecified, Nov 17, 2019
MULTIPLE DASHBOARD CRACKS
Other or unspecified, Nov 1, 2019
PASSENGER DASHBOARD WHERE AIRBAG IS LOCATED HAS A CRACK. CALLED THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT'S NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY.
Structure, Oct 25, 2019
I'M SEEING LARGE STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND CRACKS IN THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD, BUT ON TOP OF THE MAIN SPEEDOMETER ETC DOME AND OVER BY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AREA. THE ONES OVER ON THE DRIVER SIDE ARE LARGE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY FLOP AROUND. IT DOES APPEAR TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY IN CASE OF ACCIDENT WHEN JAGGED PIECES WOULD BE ABOUT. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN THIS CONDITION (NOTICED AFTER PURCHASE WHEN ON ROUGHER ROADS WITHOUT RADIO AND THE VARIOUS PIECES STARTED MAKING QUITE A RACKET.)
Other or unspecified, Oct 21, 2019
DASHBOARD ON VEHICLE IS CRACKING OVER STEERING COLUMN AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Sep 16, 2019, crash
JULY 16TH, 2019 MY 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE LTZ WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OF TOTAL LOSS. TRAVEL SPEEDS WERE 30 MPH. IN ATTEMPTS TO STOP DUE TO VEHICLES TRAVELING IN FRONT OF MINE HAD COME TO ABRUPT STOPS MY BRAKES FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE STOPPING WHILE STRAIGHT LINE STEERING. THUS I WAS FORCED TO STEER LEFT TO AVOID COLLISION. MY BRAKES WERE QUICKLY APPLIED, MODERATE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL, BRAKES WERE SLOW TO RESPOND WITH MINIMAL BRAKING. THERE WAS COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, CLIPPING THEIR DRIVER SIDE REAR BUMPER TO MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CORNER FENDER PEALING IT BACK LIKE A CAN OPENER. THIS HAPPENED ON A STATE HWY. THE STABILITRAC INDICATOR AND SERVICE BRAKES HAD APPEARED ON AND OFF IN THE VEHICLES DIC INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE PAST MONTH. NO CODES PRESENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NEW BRAKES (ROTORS, PADS AND BRAKE FLUID), 43 DAYS PRIOR. IT HAD 138,627 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. 1) WE ARE LUCKY THERE WERE NO INJURIES RESULTING FROM THIS ACCIDENT. 2) FOR A VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED FOR $61K AND PAID OFF, 6 YEARS LATER LOSSES 2/3 OF ITS PURCHASED VALUE. 3) HAVE NOW HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE AND BACK TO BEING $20K IN THE HOLE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A DIRECT RESULT FROM THE CURRENT RECALL GM JUST ANNOUNCED THAT COVERS 2014-2018 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AND TAHOE MODELS. GM STATES AS THE VEHICLE AGES, THE PUMP IN THE POWER-ASSIST BRAKES CAN PUT OUT LESS VACUUM THAN NEEDED, INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCE AND RICK OF A CRASH. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V645
Other or unspecified, Sep 16, 2019
THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKING IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. THE CRACKS ARE GETTING LONGER. THIS IS HAPPENING OVER TIME. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO PROVOKE THIS.
Service brakes, Sep 12, 2019
1- EVERY TIME I APPLY MY BRAKES, THEY VIBRATE, SPEED DOESN'T MATTER, I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO MY HUSBAND ABOUT THIS FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR. 2- SOMETIMES WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES THEN RELEASE THEM A LITTLE AND REAPPLY THE 2ND TIME IT FEELS LIKE I AM PRESSING AGAINST A BRICK WALL AND CAN'T PUSH THE BRAKES. I NOTICE THIS WHEN I AM GOING SUPER SLOW, PARKING LOT, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, ETC.