FaultScore

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe seat belt problems

15 of the 543 complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe are about the seat belts — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 23,492 miles.

F

15

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

6

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Seat Belts 7 46.7%
Retractor 3 20.0%
Anchorage 2 13.3%
Buckle Assembly 1 6.7%
Rear/Other 1 6.7%
Front 1 6.7%

Seat Belts across every Chevrolet Tahoe year

1995 13 10.8%
1999 12 10.0%
2001 29 24.2%
2002 15 12.5%
2003 10 8.3%
2007 14 11.7%
2015 14 11.7%
2021 13 10.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 200,999 miles Riceboro, GA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIB AND CONTUSION TO THE STERNUM THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,999.

NHTSA complaint #10695126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 18,000 miles Macon, GA

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS NOT RETRACTING ON THE THIRD ROW. THE CONTACT HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT TO REMOVE A PASSENGER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA complaint #10617146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 118,000 miles W Portsmouth, OH Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 CHEVY TAHOE, A GENTLEMAN RAN A STOP SIGN, I HIT HIM AT 39 MPH, HEAD ON IN MY TAHOE, T-BONED HIS TRUCK. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, NOR DID MY SEATBELT KEEP ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY HEAD KNOCKING ME OUT. GM SENT SOMEONE TO LOOK AT MY CAR WHICH HAS BEEN DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE YET TO HEAR BACK FROM GM ON THIS INCIDENT. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW THINKING IT WAS SAFE. THE ONE TIME I NEEDED MY SEATBELT TO WORK, IT FAILED. THE COMPUTER IN MY CAR SHOWED BOTH SEATBELTS WERE ON AND IN WORKING ORDER, IT SHOWED THE CRASH WAS AT 39 MPH YET THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THEY WERE IN PROPER WORKING ORDER. WHATEVER ANSWER GM GIVES ME WILL NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH UNLESS THEY ADMIT TO FAULTINESS IN THEIR EQUIPMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10353935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fremont, CA

SEAT BELTS

THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR WITH CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN CHEVROLET/TAHOE 2002 DOES NOT REMAIN LOCKED, THEREFORE THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT DOES NOT GET SECURED. IT STARTED ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO INTERMITTENTLY BUT NOW COMPLETELY DOES NOT LOCK AT ALL. THIS DEFECT IS ON THE SECOND ROW SEAT PASSENGER SIDE. THE OTHER ONE IT DOES LOCK.

NHTSA complaint #10227658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 2,000 miles Rosedale, NY Crash 3 injured

SEAT BELTS

12-09-02 FRONT/.SIDE IMPACT. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. 05-24-03 SIDE IMPACT PRECEEDING ROLLOVER. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER. ONSTAR WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF ACCIDENT FOR SAFETY. MAJOR INJURIES INCURRED.

NHTSA complaint #10097929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 34,000 miles Cape Coral, FL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKS UP AND TIGHTENS, RESTRICTING (ELIMINATING!)ANY PASSENGER MOVEMENT. IT IS LIKE A SNAKE AND JUST KEEPS TIGHTENING DOWN. IN ADDITION, PRESSURE BECOMES SO GREAT ON SEAT BELT RELEASE, MY WIFE AND CHILD ARE UNABLE TO RELEASE THE SEAT-BELT. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS, STANDING STILL, FORWARD OR REVERSE, ETC... DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR PROBLEM, RETRACTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND SAME CONDITION WAS PRESENT AFTER REPLACEMENT,THIRD RETRACTOR IS SCHEDULED FOR INSTALL. FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FAULT AND DEALER HAS DONE ALL TO REPAIR PROBLEM AT THEIR LEVEL. IN ADDITION, THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY ME ON SEVERAL WORK VEHICLES BOTH TAHOE AND PICK-UP ALL 2002 YEARS. ALL OTHER RETRACTORS IN MY VEHICLE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, WORK PROPERLY.*AK

NHTSA complaint #10048875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 25,267 miles Woodstock, GA

SEAT BELTS

THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED WHILE OCCUPIED. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10048575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fremont, CA

SEAT BELTS

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CONCERNING SEAT BELTS WHICH SPECIFIED THAT REPAIRS SHOULD TAKE ONLY 15 MINUTES; HOWEVER, HE HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR HOURS. CONSUMER WAS NOT PERMITTED TO WAIT FOR VEHICLE, AND A LOANER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10044574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 9,000 miles Waldo, OH 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT OCCASIONALLY LOCKS UP DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THIS FORCES THE PASSENGER TO UNDO SEAT BELT, FULLY RETRACT THE BELT TO ITS NORMAL "UNUSED" POSITION BEFORE PUTTING IT BACK ON. OTHER TIMES, THE SAME BELT WILL NOT LOCK. FRONT PASSENGER WILL LUNGE FORWARD DURING NORMAL TO HARD BRAKING. NO PATTERN TO FAILURE, BUT ONE OR THE OTHER OCCURS AT LEAST 50% OF THE TIME THE FRONT PASSENGER BELT IS USED. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10032531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 21,717 miles College Station, TX

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL LOCK AND NOT ALLOW THE PASSENGER TO MOVE. THE PROBLEM OCCURS AT REST OR IN MOTION. THE SEAT BELT RATCHET MECHANISM CONTINUES TO TIGHTEN CAUSING DISCOMFORT FOR THE PASSENGER WHO HAS TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT. THE DEALER INSPECTED AND ASSURED THAT IT "FUNCTIONS AS DESIGNED", IF THAT IS SO WHY DOES THE DRIVER SIDE NOT "FUNCTION AS DESIGNED" IF IT DID I THINK IT MIGHT CAUSE A FATALITY.

NHTSA complaint #10016946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Colorado Springs, CO 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELT LOCATED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE ON THE SECOND ROW BECAME JAMMED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE CONSUMER'S CHILD WAS BUCKLED IN AND THE BELT BECAME TIGHTLY WRAPPED AROUND CHILD'S NECK. CONSUMER DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER WHO HAD TO CUT THE BELT IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE CHILD. *TS *CB *NLM

NHTSA complaint #8021550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hempstead, NY 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LODGE A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE PLACEMENT OF BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELT. I HAVE BEEN BURNED, ON BOTH MY LEFT AND RIGHT- SIDE UPPER-BACK AREA, BY THE METAL INSERT OF THE SEATBELT. IT SEEMS THAT IF THE SUN'S POSITIONING HAPPENS TO SHIFT TO THE FRONT AREA OF THE VEHICLE, THE INSERT OF THE SEATBELT BECOMES DANGEROUSLY HOT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE'S OTHERWISE SUPERB STRUCTURE. I WOULD LIKE INFORMATION ON A POSSIBLE REMEDY TO THIS MATTER AND LOOK FORWARD TO AN EXPEDIENT RESPONSE.

NHTSA complaint #765549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Worth, TX

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

SEAT BELT LOCKED IN PLACE AND FAILS TO EXTENT OR RETRACT, RENDERING IT UNUSEABLE FOR PASSENGERS.

NHTSA complaint #764301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mcallen, TX

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN ON PASSENGER WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8012037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chicasha, OK

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEATBELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE LOCKS UP WHERE IT CANNOT BE USED. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT. BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF RETRACTOR AT ALL AND ALSO THE SEAT BELT LOCKED AGAINST THE SEAT.

NHTSA complaint #8005080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe problems

← Full 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe report