2005 Chevrolet Tahoe Problems, Recalls & Reliability
381 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, alongside 7 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 26/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 65,500 miles.
Typical
Where 2005 sits among all Tahoe years
What owners report
“Shift lever position indicator in the instrument panel cluster does not illuminate and driver does not know which gear vehicle is in.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tahoe
“The fuel line rusted through where it exits the gas tank causing fuel to leak all over the top of the gas tank.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tahoe
“The gear shifting doesn’t seem to grab properly all the time. It will lurch into gear sometimes and sometime won’t engage in the gear indicated. The indicator lights dimmed and now don’t illuminate so you don’t know what gear you are in. It seems like this is a specific recall to my vehicle but…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tahoe
“Steering wheel locks on his own, brake engages for no reason electrical system off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tahoe
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 305 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 55,000 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (7)
Monroe Truck Equipment (Monroe) is recalling certain model year 2006, 2008 and 2009 Chevrolet C7500 vehicles, 2005-2006 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles, and 2009 Ford F-350, and F-450 vehicles, equipped with Sure Power-brand battery equalizers or DC-DC converters…
Fix: Monroe will notify owners, and Sure Power will replace the equalizers or converters, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2014. Owners may contact Monroe at 1-608-328-8127.
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY…
Fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH CLOTH SEATS THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC AIR BAG PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM AND LATER REUPHOLSTERED WITH AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVER KITS ARE INVOLVED. TESTING HAS INDICATED THAT THE AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT…
Fix: BECAUSE A REPLACEMENT LEATHER SEAT COVER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM IS NOT AVAILABLE, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) WILL REPURCHASE THESE VEHICLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS STATED…
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
ON CERTAIN CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE 2ND ROW CENTER OCCUPANT SEAT BELT ROUTING MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO POSITION THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT LOW AROUND THE HIPS OF OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY SMALLER OCCUPANTS, SEATED IN THIS…
Fix: DEALERS WILL CUT OPEN THE GUIDE LOOP, REMOVE A PORTION OF THE LOOP, AND THEN THE REMAINING TWO SIDES SHOULD BE FOLDED OVER AND SECURED WITH A RETAINER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 21,…
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHROD RETAINER MAY BE MISSING. IF THE RETAINER IS MISSING, THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUSHROD COULD DISENGAGE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHROD RETAINER AND INSTALL ONE IF IT IS MISSING FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER BEGAN CONTACTING OWNERS BY TELEPHONE ON MARCH 10, 2005.…
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT." UNDER…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, AND GMC AT…
Technical service bulletins
774 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?
The 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe drew 381 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 26/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe are electrical (134 complaints), fuel system (29), and transmission & drivetrain (25).
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe problems around 85,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 55,000 and 120,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe have recalls?
7 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.