2013 Chevrolet Tahoe Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 70,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (46).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated notice that there were cracks on the dashboard by the passenger’s side air bag. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that no failure was found. The contact stated that over the years the crack started to expand. The manufacturer was not contacted. The…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 80,000 miles

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.…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 45,500 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 56,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

Dealer has advised that replacement of airbag will result in damage to interior parts and trim and that replacement parts are not available and that the dealer will not be responsible for replacement and repair of damage. I have refused the warranty replacement until a dealer can be located that will not damage car interiorOwner complaint, filed 2025

This vehicle has been on a recall for air bag safety concern for a couple of years. I have called numerous times gm customer service and complained that my local dealers refuses to replace this item. Every time I have called the dealership, I have been given the runaround regarding this safety issue. I keep getting notices of the recall…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 90,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 108,000. At the time of the registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 212,257.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 212,257 miles

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.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 162,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 100,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, an abnormal ticking sound was coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact discovered that the oil pressure was low. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 134,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut-off without warning. Over time, the contact became unable to restart the vehicle after multiple attempts. On the most recent failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where they informed her that the engine…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 118,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 94,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Have replaced all brakes, rotors, calipers, brake booster, master cylinder, and checked for leaks. Still have no pressure when applying brakes.Owner complaint, filed 2022

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…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 138,627 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 38,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 36,000 miles

Vehicle placed in park with engine running, approximately 5 to 10 minutes passed vehicle began to roll forward hitting side of building causing damage to front driver side bumper.Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 40,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

While driving the speedometer is showing 0 on both the digital display and analog needle display. Also it is showing that the vehicle is in park. Only by pulling over and starting the car up again (~5 minutes), the problem goes away.Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 7,133 miles

One day I was driving normal and my engine light and two other lights came on. It dropped my speed under 30mph and I couldn't pass the gas. It said reduced engine power, service stabilitrak and service traction. I immediately took it to auto zone then placed it in the shop at the dealership. They had my truck for almost 2 months and…Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Experienced a clunking or banging noise when going over bumps. It turns out that the right front mounting bracket for the sway bar broke off the frame of the vehicle.Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 44,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 chevrolet tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the power steering failed without warning. The vehicle was increasingly difficult to control. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was unable to be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The [VIN] was made aware of the…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 46,159 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2013 chevy tahoe ltz front tires are cupping on the outter edges and appear worn out. I took it to two different shops and had the vehicle aligned, balanced, and tires rotated. They were unable to diagnose the problem but highly recommended that the struts be replaced even if they are not leaking. I provided the dealership where I…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 70,000 miles

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…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

When traveling at highway speeds the car totally shut down. Couldn't get off of highway, creating a very dangerous situation. Had car towed to dealer only to find out that the entire fuel sending unit, fuel level sensor, and harness had failed at 37000 miles and needed to be replaced.Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 37,000 miles

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 moduleOwner complaint, filed 2019, at 103,400 miles

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 150,000 miles

Rear defrost wire constantly separates from the glass. We have been to various dealerships more than a dozen times and the same problem persists. Many of these repairs have included a brand new back window and wiring and the problem continues to occur. Our truck has been in and out of the dealer for days at a time only to break again…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 40,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Spare tire wheel diameter is smaller than the diameter of the four wheels on the vehicle. The four main wheels have 18" wheels. The spare tire wheel is a 17" diameter. If the spare tire is used on the rear drive wheels, the smaller spare wheel would turn at a faster rpm than the regular tire. Is this permitted? Seems dangerous to me.Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 56,400 miles

High speed tire failure l/r less than 9000 miles emergency response vehicle spare put in to service. Old tire still on oem rim in our possession.Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 8,600 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

'service side blind zone alert warning displays on control center. I'm having this issue now it's causing other things to go back as if I have an electrical problem all kind of warning lights are going on and then offOwner complaint, filed 2021, at 5 miles