Chevy Tahoe Door Lock Problem

alyabis

Greetings all, I have bought a new 2008 Chevy Tahoe LTZ a year back and now I am having problem with the door locks. When I try to lock/unlock doors using the alarm system remote key, some door do not open and sometimes do not lock when I try to lock doors. As a result, I have kept my car door open for a few days, because I assumed they are locked when locking it using the alarm system key.

Any help is greatly apprecaited..

Best regards,
Dr. Fah

kiawah

Is this an aftermarket alarm system? and if so, who installed it, and who is the manufacturer of the system, what is the model type and number of the alarm?

carolinapt

I am having the same issues!! Looking into this forum - it should be a recall item. From a post date jul 08 it could be left dash fuse block. I plan on taking to dealer and asking if that is the issue with mine, i hope that helps you.

gmcustsvc

Hello Carolinapt,
I am from GM Customer Service. Can you please keep me informed on how it goes with the dealership? I just want to make sure that you get your concern fixed. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

carolinapt

Mariah- GM customer support;
I took my car into dealership and they dx with all four door actuaters (not usre of spelling) are bad and need replaced. It is a lot of money to fix. i did call GM and have a service request number. My car is 08 hybrid tahoe.

kiawah

very unlikely that all four actuators failed at the same time.............

gmcustsvc

Thank you for getting back to me Carolinapt,
I am glad that you got in touch with an agent. Hopefully the dealership can get the vehicle fixed quickly for you. If you ever have any questions feel free to ask. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

carolinapt

Three doors don't work at all and the driver's door is going soon the tech at the dealership said. I asked if any recalls because how likely are 4 separate actuators bad!! I did call GM customer service and they said they will get back with me within 24 hours because, of course, the car is out of warranty

rapbanker

My 08 Tahoe has similar issues. After 15k miles the drivers door would no longer lock/unlock using the key fob or electric door switch. Dealership repaired by replacing actuator. After 30k miles, the driver side rear door did the same thing. Dealership replaced the actuator in it to correct the problem. My items were covered under warranty.

carolinapt

Well rapbanker, if it still under warranty you may want them to replaace the rest. the estimate is $1200 for 4 doors!!! so get it done under warranty!

carolinapt

I called customer serivce regarding my 4 doors malfunctioning and because I bought the car used and even though they know there has been documented problems with the door actuators they will not cover the problem. After 3 weeks of investigating iwth engineers and district managers, they called and said because I am the second owner and it is now out of warranty(36,000miles) my 2008 tahoe is not covered. I guess I will go back to toyota or honda!!!! GET IT FIXED BEFORE 36,000 miles!!! Otherwise it will cost over $1000 for the 4 doors. We have always bought GM cars for our business, but I am rethinking the future...

bbooze

I am having this very issue with my 08 Tahoe Hybrid. I just noticed this week that even though I arm the alarm with the key FOB that I can open both the driver side and passenger doors no problem! I have no idea how long this has been going on but in essence I've had an unsecured car for a long time. Obviously the alarm goes off when I do so but the fact that anyone could have simply open the door and swiped what they want is a bit unnerving. I sure as hell hope this is not a $1200 problem as someone else suggested. I have 55k miles.

carolinapt

The quote I received from the dealership was $250/door plus tax. My tahoe has 50,000- I called the customer care center- after waiting 4 weeks for them to respond- out of warranty- no coverage. You are right in that you really have no idea in how long the problem existed- same here. There is only one door with a key hole which makes it very difficult to unlock the doors with multiple people.

cheesedaddy

I have a 2008 Z71 Tahoe with the same issue on the Driver door side. I agree,this should be a warranty item.

carolinapt

I don't know how something becomes a recall issue. I suppose it has to be a safety or fire issue. They should just stand behind their product especially when they know the design is flawed. I own a small business and I stand behind our products and service.

eggfam

I too am having this problem on my Suburban and I am 6000 miles over my 36000 mile warranty... $277 for each door out of my pocket..The dealership service guy knew what kind of vehicle I owned based on my description of the problem...Obviously a big problem....After researching I am noticing that it is most 2008 Chevrolets..cars, trucks and SUVs...I think that Chevrolet should take care of this as it is obviously a problem..I filed a complaint with the NHTSA @
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ Maybe if we all did then we would see some action...It definitely is a safety concern for me when my children are in the car...

kiawah

Don't want to diminish your issue with door locks, but if you have a concern for when your children are in the car....you should engage the child safety locks, read the manual how to do that if not familiar.

dezb

I also own a 2008 Tahoe and had to have the dealer replace the passenger rear lock. Luckily it is under warranty. I am also experiencing other problems and have to take it back to the dealer tomorrow, which will be the 3rd time in one month! I was having AC issues and the service guy was going to replace the compressor, but said that GM told him to put some type of a chip in (starts w/ a D). 2 weeks later, on the same day, my Onstar went dead, door lock died, AC took 15 minutes to cool and one of my vents stopped working. The next day my vehicle went dead. My husband said that there must be some type of electrical problem because the battery had been negatively charging or discharging?? Anyway, the dealer told me that the battery issue was common and that it was only coincidence that this all happened on the same day. Will have to continue new post...

dezb

(Con't) took it back to dealer and picked it up today. Was assured everything was working including Onstar. I had my daughter drive it home as I drove home our truck. When we got home, Onstar was dead. I should have checked it at the dealer. I am pretty upset. I called the dealer back and he said that he was assured it was working. He asked me to bring it back in tomorrow. Hopefully, it will not be dead again in the morning. This leads me to believe that this is indeed part of a bigger problem. I am doing some research and that is how I came upon this site. Is anyone having these types of issues???

gmcustsvc

Hello Dezb,
I apologize that you are experiencing concerns with your vehicle. Can you please email me you’re VIN, current mileage, dealership and contact information so I can look into this further? You can get my email by clicking on gmcustsvc. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

dezb

Mariah,

I emailed the info to your personal email today.

Thank you.

gmcustsvc

Hello Dezb,
Thank you for emailing me. If you don't get my email please let me know. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

coyotehowitzer

same problem at around 70000km the drivers door lock went , I replaced the actuator myself as the dealer wanted close to $400 7000km later passenger rear door lock went as well and again replaced it myself .. there has to be more to this then GM is willing to admit. The dealership knew almost immediately what the issue was before I finished explaining and(what the fix was!!!!! and how much it would cost) obviously had dealt with this issue many times before. This can't be normal wear and tear, I have owned alot of vehicles in my time with power equipment and I have NEVER EVER replaced an actuator in the past. At over a $100 an hour this is another real money maker for the dealership !!!!!!

carolinapt

coyotehowitzer- was it difficult to replace the acuators? Can you tell me any tips. Thanks.
I totally agree with your statement- I believe GM knows of the defect in the locks and chooses to ignore it!!!! You would think with the bailout they would be more attuned to their customer base.

coyotehowitzer

the driver door lock was alittle involved however the rear passenger is straight forward , you have to be careful removing the inside door panel, to not break the clips (they are $8 a piece at the dealer here) 15 for $15 through Auveco most parts places carry their Generic Gm oem # for clip is 11519031 auveco # is 20616 anyway I digress the panel is removed by first removing a cover piece behind the door handle use a plastic utensil , doesn't scratch, there are two bolts there remove them, then take off the plastic door lock cap, pull up on the small tab and then it lifts right off .. now you can pulloff the interior panel start at the top on both sides and pry off carefully , again use a plastic set of tools you can buy a cheapset for a couple of bucks, as you pull the panel out also pull up because it is hooked over the window sill. the only thing still attached will be the door handle cable you can either take it off using needle nose pliers to crimp the clip a bit to remove it , or you can leave the panel dangling to the side. To get the old lock out undo the 2 screw on the side of the door and then from the inside youcan slide the whole mechanismout enough to see the connections initially and undo them and then slip the entire mechanism out reverse to install new actuator . the new gm actuator is $230 I found a wrecker who removed them from a 2007 denali for $50 and he offered to install it for another $50 a great deal in retrospect. Don't be intimidated the job sound s more involved then itis . Even for a Gm tech its an hour to hour and half job at over $100 an hour you can save yourself a good chunk of change .... if you have any further questions just ask.....good luck.

ellobolady

My driver side door quit locking and unlocking and the only way to lock and unlock it is to use the key. I took it to Sewell Pontiac GMC in Dallas and they said there is an open technical service bulletin on it but that I still have to pay a $100.00 deductible to repair it. I don't understand why I have to pay a deductible when it's a common problem.

kiawah

Are you outside the warranty?

gmcustsvc

Hello Ellobolady,
I apologize that you are experiencing a concern with your vehicle. Are you outside of your warranty and have an extended warranty? If you are on an extended warranty then you have to check what your deductable is. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

carolinapt

I have no idea. should be recalled!!!!

kiawah

Well rather than complain on a forum where nobody has knowledge of your actual purchase specifics and can solve your problem, do a little investigation yourself and you may find that the cost of this repair should actually be covered.

Find your purchase agreement so you know the date you bought the vehicle. Look at the odometer to find your mileage. Look in owners manual to find the warranty period (miles, date, items covered). If you are in the warranty period, take to dealer to repair. If outside the warranty period, review your purchase agreement to see if you purchased an optional extended warranty plan which covers items beyond the manufacturers warranty. If so, then find your extended warranty plan and read it to understand what you bought, what it covers, how long it covers it for, and what the deductible is. If repair is covered, proceed to make a claim against extended warranty.

If you made the decision to NOT buy an extended warranty on your vehicle, then get out your checkbook now for the lock repair. Use the money you saved by not buying that warranty.

Cars don't run forever, and every vehicle part is subject to breakage. I'd love to have vehicles that never had parts break and ran forever, but if any manufacturer ever built a vehicle like that, I'd never be able to afford it in the first place as the purchase price would be outrageous.

When you buy any manufacturers vehicle, there is a written warranty contract between you and the manufacture. Some people buy different manufacturers, because of perceived more favorable warranties. If you don't like the warranty of a vehicle, you can choose to buy something else, buy an extended warranty that provides additional coverage, or live with the contract. You choose with your wallet.

I've had my own share of repairs I wish I didn't have to make across all brands of vehicles (including GM products)...... for the last 40+ years of buying vehicles. I don't like it, but it's the contract I agreed to and signed when I bought the vehicle at the price I agreed to.

lsutiger71

Do you work for GM? It sure sounds like a response that GM would give. I also have an actuator that is faulty on my 08 Tahoe and just researching this problem since last night have found HUNDREDS of other people having the same exact problem with their GM products. This should definitely qualify for a recall, because of the safety issue if nothing else. From what I've found, GM has some of the worst customer service in the automotive industry. You say not to complain on a forum, but that's one of the best ways to bring attention to other owners and, in turn, to the party responsible (GM)...

kiawah

Nope, don't work for GM, or any other company in the automobile industry.

dezb

Logging your complaints on this forum is the right thing to do. This lets the owners of like vehicles know what problems are being encountered. I have actually been contacted by GM regarding my post and they have been following up w/ me to make sure that my problems have been addressed by the dealer. DO NOT LET ANYONE advise you not to seek help and be heard. As far as the door lock issue, yes, it should be a recall issue! I have had other issues also. I own a 2008 Tahoe which has been at the dealer 4 times in a thirty day period. They had to replace an actuator in my rear door, install a dyode chip (not sure about spelling on that), fix the rear AC vent and replace an Onstar chip. My dealer told me that ever since GM changed the electrical system in '07 there have been numerous problems. One more time back to the dealer and I am trading in my Tahoe.

dezb

I don't agree with your response. When you purchase a vehicle, a GM product for example, you purchase based on reputation and research. I own a 2008 Tahoe, which has had numerous issues from the start. Why did I choose this vehicle? I also own a 2000 GMC Sierra, which now has 165,000 miles on it and still runs like a tank. I purchased my Tahoe based on my good experience with my pick up. I did not purchase an extended warranty on my pick up and never needed it. I did purchase an extended warranty on my Tahoe, but only because of the great deal I got on it. When so many vehicles are having similar issues, it is not a matter of warranty, but the quality of the vehicle itself. My issues arised during my manufacturer's warranty, but it appears several people had issues just after their warranties expired. This should be a recall issue and all stems from the reconfiguration of GM's electrical system. It is not the fault of the buyer if they could not afford--or chose not to purchase an extended warranty. These issues are things that should not go wrong within the first 5 years of a vehicles life. How many new cars have you purchased?

kiawah

So then this repair is covered for you under warranty.

I typically always buy new. Thinking back over 40 years, I can think of only 4 vehicles that weren't new, and I do all the maintenance and repairs myself on our 'fleet' to keep the family mobile and pass the vehicles down.

If you want to take up a cause, jump on the fuel pump, instrument cluster stepper motors, or transmission problems. They are much more prevalent and expensive to repair than door locks.

For what it's worth in regards to door lock solenoid problems, I've had a failure on a Mercedes, and 2 on a Chrysler MiniVan. One failed window regulator motor on a Corvette, so I've been into a couple doors before.

davidlockedout

1st @ 37k, 2nd @ 41, and 3rd @ 49k.

What I find interesting, is that while I believe that GM is not legally responsible to replace them outside of warranty (yet), they aren't providing reasonable solutions to the problem.

coyotehowitzer

excellent point!!!!! why stop the money machine????? replacing your locks every few miles is no solution at all, especially after the warranty has lapsed.

dcrawford1798

Not sure why GMC fails to take action for a clear safety danger. My child managed to open the door from a faulty lock while in motion from a stop light. Good thing he was buckled in which was the only mechanism that potentially saved his life. Also, the potential for being ejected from a vehicle in a car accident from unlocked doors is significantly higher than a locked door. The death rate is also much higher.
My suggestion for every single person who has experienced this issue would be to file a complaint and request a recall through www.safercar.gov. Log it as a safety complaint to ensure a real response. I would also recommend writing your Congressman who has an obligation to address these issues and will inquire with GM directly.
Last thing, while everyone is focused on door lock actuators going out, this is only part of the known problem. The source of the problem is known by GM, which is a pattern failure in the wiring harness which causes failure of the actuator. GM does nothing because safercar.gov has not mandated a recall. So, why would GM replace these parts when they are making lots of money, and helping dealers make loads of money in parts/service fees?

nomoretahoes1

I have been buying new Chevy trucks & SUVs every 3 years since 1995. I previously owned a 2005 Tahoe and now have a 2008. Since buying the 2008 I have had the transmission seal go bad and two door lock actuators go bad. I am now needing to have my driver door lock actuator replaced again!! No more Chevy products for me. I'm trying another brand. :mad:

lsutiger71

Nomoretahoes, did you have any problems with your 05 Tahoe? I'm thinking about buying one soon....

nomoretahoes1

I did have a problem with the steering on the 2005 Tahoe which started when I first purchased it. I didn't notice anything but my husband did when he drove it. The dealership did fix the problem and I don't remember anything else wrong with it. I did like the 2005 better as far as storage space. It had room under the back seats for storage and I could also store a tool bag between the 2nd row seatbacks and the folded up 3rd row seats where that isn't possible in the 2008 model.

bbooze

For what it's worth I had this lock issue on my '08 Tahoe Hybrid. All four locks essentially failed at the same time. Took it into the dealer and ultimately they did not charge me to replace all four of them. Said they would have been $400 otherwise. Of course the story they told me was that the "fought tooth and nail" with GM to cover this cost but apparently this is an identified issue with GM that they are willing to take care of free of charge.

carolinapt

I am very glad for you. All of mine went out at the same time and I didn't get anything!

hmkinms

Hi, I have a 2008 yukon hybrid that we have been having major engine issues with for months now. My vehicle has 76000 miles on it and II have taken it to the dealership probably ten times in the past 6 months. It goes about 1000 miles and we start seeing white smoke coming from tail pipe and sure enough it is very low on oil. They keep saying it is leaking gaskets and the problem is fixed only to find that the problem just repeats itself again in a couple of weeks. I am truly at my wits end and am wondering if anyone else is having oil consumption and engine issues. I also have had the problem with the driver door automatic lock quit functioning but that is miniscule compared to engine troubles. I love this car and hate to get rid of it but I feel like I am going to have to before my 100,000 power train warranty runs out. I wanted to try a later model yukon hybrid to see if the kinks have been worked out but I am truly scared to after dealing with this issue.

kiawah

Lookup "Mariah" in some of these GM Suburban threads, she's a GM Customer Service rep who regularly monitors these forums for unusual/lingering problems. I'm sure she'll have you open a trouble ticket w/GM, and want to contact you. Check for her ID (gmcustsvc) on a couple responses to problems.

With that many repairs at the dealership, I'm sure they'll want to make sure they get the right regional tech's looking at it to figure out what the root cause of your problem may be. You're wasting time, and GM is wasting money with all these prior repairs, so I'm sure they'll want the heavy tech supports looking at it.

MIght have a cracked head or block, or something very unusual. Burning both engine oil (oil is low), and radiator coolant (white smoke).

stever

Lookup "Mariah" in some of these GM Suburban threads

Mariah seems to have moved on and now the CSR is "Christina". But it's the same "gmcustsvc" member name and same contact link at that Profile.

gmcustsvc

hmkinms,
Has the dealer performed a oil consumption test? Can you please e-mail me with a run down of your issues, VIN, current mileage, involved dealer, and complete contact information including a good number to reach you at? I would like to look into this further for you.
Christina
GM Customer Service

raeichel

Just had to have 3 of 4 lock actuators replaced last month on my 08 Tahoe. RF Pax side started acting up them DR rear PAX side went bad. Took it in (still under warranty 30K miles) They replaced both known bad ones and they said the DR side was bad also so replaced it. Did it under warranty, no cost. Problem is when they go bad you cannot open the doors from outside (except for DR which is keyed) and must raise the lock bar from the inside. Kind of a hassle to have the open the doors from inside all the time. Anyway they all seem to be working now. Lets hope they last. I think GM should also do a recall.

maggieriley

I know I am preaching to the choir, but what is wrong with GM and these electrical issues? We are out of warranty and the driver rear door lock does not function. While we were under warranty we had many other lock & window problems that we had to take to the dealer MANy times before they did anything. This was on top of other electrical issues - rear venting system and radio. We also are now taking the car back to have the moldings replaced for the 3rd time b/c the original paint failed and the dealer can't replace them correctly. We will be trying to replace the acutator ourselves b/c I certainly don't trust them to do the repair nor do I want to pay them.

This was our 2nd Suburban and we only buy American, but I can tell you that we will not buy another GM car as they obviously have issues that they are not resolving. What if it was a braking issue - would they treat it the same way they are treating this one? I am so fed up I am considering crossing the line and buying a foreign car.

To anyone who still is in warranty, get any little issue fixed and get rid of your Suburban while it still works!

gary063

For the most part, I love my 2008 Tahoe. I currently have 63,000 miles and it is in good working order ........except for the fact that 3 door lock actuators seem to have gone out in 2 WEEKS. Has anyone had a similar experience? PLEASE HELP

carolinapt

Lots of people have had issues all at various mileages it costs approximately $400/door to fix- unless you have a warranty.