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.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Aug 6, 2017
I OWN A 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE LT. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLE. LAST WEEK, I NOTICED MULTIPLE CRACKS IN MY DASHBOARD IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG; THEY SEEMED TO HAVE APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT BEFOREHAND THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY FROM THE LAST TIME I HAD USED IT, TO THE NEXT TIME I ENTERED MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE DASHBOARD CRACKS. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO PRESTON CHEVROLET, A NEARBY GM DEALERSHIP, AND I WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER THAT THIS TYPE OF ISSUE IS NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE, ALTHOUGH HE HAD SEEN IT IN THE PAST.. HE FURTHER ADVISED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN OR PROVIDE ANY SORT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ME IN HAVING THE DEFECTIVE, DAMAGED DASHBOARD REPAIRED. AFTER RESEARCHING, I FOUND THAT IT IS QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM, AND WHAT'S MORE, THAT CHEVY TAHOE'S ARE THE 'COMMON DENOMINATOR.' I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN MISLEAD BY PRESTON CHEVROLET. I'VE SINCE CONTACTED GM AND I AM AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM A "SENIOR CASE ADVISOR." I AM PRIMARILY CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS. IN THE EVENT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION, I AM CERTAIN THAT SHARDS OF PLASTIC WOULD BE HURTLED INTO THE AIR, BECOMING DANGEROUS PROJECTILES THAT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR HARM, NOT TO MENTION THE POOR AESTHETIC APPEARANCE AND OVERALL DEVALUATION OF MY VEHICLE THAT THE FRACTURES HAVE CAUSED. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I FEEL I AM OWED REPAIR AND/OR RESTITUTION FROM GM AS A RESULT.
Other or unspecified, Jul 30, 2017
CRACKING DASHBOARD
Other or unspecified, Jul 27, 2017
DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED AND COLLAPSED ON TOP CENTER AT CORNER OF PASSENGER AIRBAG PANEL.
Other or unspecified, Jul 26, 2017
DASH CRACKED FROM CORNER OF AIRBAG TO TOP OF DASH. VEHICLE STAYS IN GARAGE OTHER THAN WHEN DRIVEN TO WORK. WAS STATIONARY WHEN CRACK WAS SEEN.
Other or unspecified, Jul 25, 2017
CRACKED DASHBOARD RIGHT ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ALSO BROKEN CLIPS ON DEFROST OVERLAY.
Other or unspecified, Jul 21, 2017
DASHBOARD CRACKING. EACH DAY IT IS IN DIFFERENT SPOTS. NOW THERE ARE CRACKS AROUND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHICH IS A MAJOR CONCERN AND COULD CAUSE HARM.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Jul 17, 2017
THE INSIDE DOOR PANEL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BROKE WHERE HANDLE IS. VERY VERY DISGUSTED AT ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS NEW
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Jul 17, 2017
MY DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF ON DRIVER SIDE TWICE AND MY OTHER THREE HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS WELL. VERY CHEAPLY MADE. VERY DISAPPOINTED I DID NOT GET WHAT I PAID FOR THAT'S FOR SURE. THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE AT 48,000!
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Jul 17, 2017
MY DASH BOARD CRACKED IN THE TWO PLACES MY AIR BAGS ARE LOCATED. IT JUST CRACKED FOR NO REASON ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES
Structure, Jul 2, 2017
DASH HAS SEVERELY CRACKED IN TWO PLACES.
Structure, Jun 28, 2017
AS WITH MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS THERE IS A CRACK IN THE DASH. I FEEL THIS IS UNSAFE IF THERE IS EVER AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURS AND THE AIR BAG WILL NEED TO DEPLOY. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR 30 DAYS AGO AND NOW HAVE A CRACK IN THE DASH. BY READINGUP ON THIS, THERE IS SO MANY COMPLAINTS. I HAVE HAD IN THE PAST A 2004 TAHOE WITH NO,COMPLAINTS.I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD GET OFF THERE POCKET BOOKS AND RECALL THIS. THIS TAHOE ONLY HAS 48,000 MILES. PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW. COME ON GM DO THE RIGHT THING. IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS AND I LOOSE AN EYE OR SUFFER FACIAL DAMAGE DUE TO FLYING DEBRIS FROM A CRACKED DASH THAT WILL BE ON YOU. I ALSO HAVE A CAMRY. THEY RECALLED THERE DASH JUST BECAUSE ITS STICKY. STEP UP MADE IN THE USA. PLEASE. AFTER PAYING $29000. FOR A CAR THIS SHOULD BE FIXED. THIS CAR WAS SITTING STILL WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
Structure, Jun 20, 2017
DASHBOARD IS CRACKING. ONLY 3 YEARS OLD, 70000 MILES WHEN NOTICED. NEVER HAD A VEHICLE DO THIS BEFORE. THE CRACK TODAY IS ON THE DASH AT THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG
Power train, Jun 14, 2017
TRANSMISSION DROPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN STARTING UP AND TRANSMISSION IS COLD. THIS IS ESPECIALLY FREQUENT WHEN GOING UP A GRADE NO MATTER HOW SLIGHT. SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM IS SO SEVERE THAT IT CHIRPS THE TIRES. BASICALLY THE VEHICLE STOPS UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS HESITATION IS DANGEROUS AND CAUSES AN ISSUE WITH DURABILITY. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATES THAT THIS ISSUE IS NORMAL OPERATION. HOWEVER, MY SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET SHOW THAT MY COMPLAINT IS NOT ISOLATED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM.
Air bags, Structure, Jun 12, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FRACTURED ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG HOUSING. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH NECESSITATING THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Jun 9, 2017
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CONTINUES TO DROP INTO REDUCED POWER MODE CAUSING A JARRING MOTION AS IT DROPS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SPEED,ALMOST CAUSING MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, TRACTION CONTROL TURNS OFF, STABILLITRACK TURNS OFF, AND ENGINE GOES INTO LIMP MODE AND STARTS SHAKING AND JARRING. THE SAME 2 CODES CONTINUE TO COME UP IN DIAGNOSIS. P2135 AND P2176. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THREE MECHANICS 1 OF THEM BEING CHEVY ITS SELF. WITH NO SOLUTION FOUND. I HAVE HAD THE ACCELERATION PEDAL REPLACED, THE WIRING REPLACED, THE IGNITION SWITCH AND RELAY REPLACED HAD THE THROTTLE BODY CONNECTOR REPLACED, THE THROTTLE BODY AND GASKET REPLACED 3 TIMES. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING RECOMMENDED BY ALL SHOPS INCLUDING CHEVY. PLEASE HELP AS THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THEN IT HAS BEEN ON THE ROAD AND I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS AS THE TRUCK IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENS.
Engine, Jun 8, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TOXIC FUMES ENTERED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS. THERE WAS AN ODOR OF ANTI-FREEZE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER (DALE EARNHARDT JR. BUICK GMC, 1850 CAPITAL CIR NE, TALLAHASSEE, FL 32308, (850) 270-1453) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT YET PROVIDED A REMEDY FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V868000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE ODOR TESTING AND THE CONTACT'S BREATHING AND HEALTH WERE BEING AFFECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ESCALATED THE CONCERN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,600. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Air bags, Structure, Jun 7, 2017
CRACKED DASH BY PASSENGER AIR BAG NOT LONG AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I WOKE UP GOT INTO MY TAHOE AND SAW A CRACK.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, May 29, 2017
DASHBOARD CRACKING NEXT TO AIRBAG.
Other or unspecified, May 26, 2017
WE PURCHASED A USED 2013 TAHOE ON 5/25/2017 AND THE DASH IS CRACKED. WE HEAR THAT THIS HAPPENS A LOT, SO WE WANTED YOU TO KNOW. IT MIGHT BECOME A DRIVING HAZARD, WHEN THE AIRBAG EVER DEPLOYED.
Engine, May 4, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V868000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Other or unspecified, Apr 24, 2017
DASHBOARD CRACKED OVER PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. THIS WAS NOT THERE YESTERDAY AND HAPPENED WHILE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. NOTICED THIS AT 7AM ARRIVING TO WORK.
Other or unspecified, Apr 10, 2017
THE REAR DEFROSTER TAB HAS POPPED OFF THE REAR WINDOW, THIS RENDERS THE REAR DEFROSTER UNUSABLE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO SOMEONE NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT THE REAR WINDOW. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS PREVALENT IN CHEVY TAHOES AND SUBURBANS AS WELL AS GMC YUKONS. A SIMPLE SEARCH REVEALS THOUSANDS OF PAGES ON THE INTERNET COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND GM NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
Structure, Mar 29, 2017
CRACKED DASHBOARD. THIS STARTED AS A SMALL PROBLEM A YEAR AGO WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1600 TO GET IT REPLACED. THE FOUR CRACKS CONTINUE TO GET BIGGER AND NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP NOR MANUFACTURER WILL RECOGNIZE IT FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN COSMETIC DAMAGE I NEED TO FIX EVEN THOUGH I DID NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS DAMAGE. I CAN HEAR THE CRACK CONTINUE TO GET BIGGER BOTH WHEN IT'S PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN ALL CONDITIONS.
Engine, Mar 23, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V868000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Structure, Mar 17, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED A FRACTURE IN THE DASHBOARD LEADING TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.