NHTSA Complaint #10240985 — 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE

IN 2006, I WOULD HAVE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE TRACTION ACTIVE DISPLAY WOULD LIGHT UP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LAG AND NOT ACCELERATE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BERNARD CHEVROLET IN LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS, AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT I SHOULD BRING IT BACK WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED REGULARLY. IN 2008 THE PROBLEM BEGAN TO GET BAD, AND THE TAHOE WOULD LAG WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP AND THE TRACTION ACTIVE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST ONCE A DAY ON MY FOUR MILE COMMUTE TO WORK. ON TWO OCCASIONS I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE LAGGING OF THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO LIBERTYVILLE CHEVROLET (THE DEALERSHIP THAT REPLACED BERNARD CHEVROLET AFTER THEY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS), AND THE VEHICLE WAS KEPT OVER NIGHT. THEY SCANNED IT AND FOUND NO PROBLEM CODES AND THEN THEY INSTALLED AN UPDATED PROGRAM AND IT TESTED OKAY. I PAID $115.00 AND THEN AS I EXITED THE PARKING LOT OF THE DEALERSHIP, THE TAHOE LAGGED AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRACTION ACTIVE LIGHT CAME ON. I LOOKED AT MY ODOMETER AND IT READ 38,746 (CAME IN FOR SERVICE AT 38,745), HOWEVER, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE RECEIPT I NOTED THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD PUT THE MILEAGE OUT AT 38,748. THE VEHICLE WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT TEST DRIVEN AFTER THE SERVICE, HOWEVER, THEY TRIED TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT IT WAS. KEVIN P #475 WAS THE TECHNICIAN AT LIBERTYVILLE CHEVROLET. THE $115 CHARGE WAS REIMBURSED, HOWEVER, CHEVROLET HAS MADE NO OFFERS TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION ON MY VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN THE TOPIC OF MANY PROBLEM AUTO CHAT DISCUSSIONS, AND APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO WHEEL SENSORS THAT PREMATURELY CORRODE ON THE TAHOES AND YUKONS. I HAVE MANAGED THE PROBLEM BY LETTING OF THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, AND THIS APPARENTLY DISENGAGED THE MALFUNCTIONING TRACTION ACTIVE MODE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULDN'T OCCUR ON A $43,000 VEHICLE WITH 38,000 MILES. *TR