repaired · 2015 Q3
Electrical system
Risk. Once electrically conductive, the material is capable of melting and burning, increasing the risk of a fire.
2005 Chevrolet TahoeProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 293 owner complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-070 the manufacturer reports only 45% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 10, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe has problems
293 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
126Electrical system7 crash/fire/injury
24Power train1 crash/fire/injury
19Air bags
19Steering
18Structure
17Service brakes
16Fuel system, gasoline
13Engine
13Fuel/propulsion system
10219 other systems14 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 126 | 7 |
| Power train | 24 | 1 |
| Air bags | 19 | 8 |
| Steering | 19 | 1 |
| Structure | 18 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 17 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 16 | 0 |
| Engine | 13 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 13 | 1 |
| 19 other systems | 102 | 14 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. IF THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, THE FRONT AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MAY BE DISABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE ENABLED, OR ENABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE…
no report yet
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk. A LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ROUTING THAT IS NOT LOW AND SNUG ON THE HIPS CAN ALLOW THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON AN OCCUPANT'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW…
no report yet
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF BRAKES WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Manual transmission: shift pattern indicator
Risk. THE VEHICLE MAY MOVE IN AN UNINTENDED DIRECTION RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
66kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 104 electrical system complaints. 74% were reported before 100,000 miles.
7under 30k miles77under 100k miles27100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Electrical system
12 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $438 – $551
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other Tahoe year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Tahoe median. How we score
'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Chevrolet Tahoe safety ratings
2005 Chevrolet Tahoe 4-DR. w/ESC in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (22.8% risk)
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Tahoe owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while attempting to check the Carfax report, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 42,000 and upon checking the…
REAR HATCH/WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN VIA REMOTE KEYFOB NOR DRIVER DOOR BUTTON. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT RESIDENCE. FOUND THAT I COULD NOT OPEN HATCH NOR WINDOW MANUALLY FROM IN OR OUTSIDE WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARD.
SHIFT LEVER POSITION INDICATOR IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER DOES NOT ILLUMINATE AND DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW WHICH GEAR VEHICLE IS IN.
Own a 2005 Tahoe?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.