04 chevy tahoe
My answer:
Not sure which Tahoe model you have or if it's a 2WD or 4WD model?? Also which engine it has??
Rarely does a USA made car/SUV Fuel Filter go bad or get excessively
dirty unless you are buying gas from a 3rd word country which doesn't
have very good regulations!
Your gas tank Fuel Pump also has a pre-filter built into the pump
itself just in case FOD particles should enter the tank somehow (ie:
sabotaged by someone for instance).
Changing the fuel filter would have been my last choice (option) as
your engine would be doing the same symptoms all the time even on a
flat road surface taking off from a stop.
Reason I say this is because you "definitely" had a CHECK ENGINE light
come on at one (some) point prior to this "hill" scenario (you just may
not have noticed it, or else put it in the back of your mind like most
people do money wise).
You also had a hard code entered into your PCM (Powertrain Control Module) or your SUV's cmptr.
Depending on if it was an intermittent O2 sensor problem or a totally
defective O2 sensor the CHECK ENGINE light may have come ON and then
gone OUT at different times. I wasn't driving the SUV so I wouldn't
know.
Usually - as a rule - any O2 sensor will go out gradually depending on
how well you keep your car/SUV tuned up, or what blend or grade of gas
you burn, or if you put a 12oz bottle of fuel injector cleaner in your
gas tank every 1000 miles religiously, AND that is why your owner's
manual suggests replacing them at a certain mileage interval worse
case. Eventually they will/could wear out and miss-perform as noted by
poor gas mileage, hesitations, rough idle, etc. Usually somewhere
around 60 to 75,000 miles on average or there abouts.
Your 2004 Tahoe shows that it takes 4 sensors total for either the 4.8L
or 5.3L V-8 engines depending on which model you have. It appears you
only have 2 Catalytic Converters that Y into 1 exhaust with 1 final muffler on your Tahoe there.
It's showing the sensors before & after each
Converter - 1 before and 1 after the Catalytic Converters. Some cars
and SUVS have 1 - 2 - 3 or even 4 Catalytic Converters & related O2 sensors - just depends on the engine and design.
Depending on which O2 sensor is supposedly bad on
your Tahoe (as from the EXACT 4 digit CHECK ENGINE trouble code) it
should only hopefully be 1 of 2 on just one side of the SUV. Unless you
are getting multiple codes - then both sides might have a bad sensor(s)
as well?? If you had dual exhausts usually you can smell which side is
the trouble maker, as it will no doubt be running a bit RICH and the
smell will be a dead giveaway! One a single exhaust system it's
impossible to do and that is why you have the CHECK ENGINE code fault
to narrow it down.
Replacement parts cost will vary from car to car and SUV alike. Yours
(as I checked around) will range somewhere between $40 to $80 on
average AND depending on which one is bad - with a high of $120 worse
case quoted at one parts store local to me. Just depends on where you
go to buy just the part(s).
Shop cost to replace just one O2 sensor could range from $100-150
usually. If any higher - I'd shop around as that is excessive. I
changed both of mine in less then an hour from underneath my XPLR, and
while laying on a carpeted mat on my driveway. If you know what you are
doing and the car/SUV is on a lift then it's even quicker!! A half hour
tops in the latter case.
Both of my Bosch O2 sensors cost me less then $50 (~ $25 each) from
Kragen Auto I believe it was. Pepboys & Autozone as well are (were)
all pretty much priced fairly close, maybe a tad higher, but will match
the lowest price if that is your auto parts store of choice.
Unfortunately some O2 sensors only come with like a 90-day parts
warranty against any mfr defects - and that's it. Same thing if you
have them replaced at any dealer or repair shop as well - unless maybe
your hubby or b/f changes them out for you and saves you some money.
Then you might get a lifetime warranty from the/a auto parts store like
that at Pepboys for instance. It just varies from state to state and so
forth. Sensors in general are all pretty much like that today, no
matter which ones they are.
So if I were you I'd call around for the lowest price & lifetime
warranty if doing the R&R work yourself, as the top branded O2
sensors - Bosch or Walker - are all equal in quality and performance! I
prefer the Bosch brand myself - German QUALITY made is why!
I changed both of mine out at the same time (my SUV only has 2) at
~110,000 miles on my 93 Ford XPLR because I was going on a 5,000+ mile
cross-country trip in 2002 and didn't want to take any chances with
anything going out.
I also did an outside of the vehicle performance check (test) on both
of them after taking them out and putting in the new ones, and they
both checked out just fine and well within factory specs, but I just
wanted to be on the safe side anyway. My XPLR got 22 mpg btw on the
road averaging 75mph there and back - SO - so much for that bogus
theory about 55mph being the best driving speed to get the best fuel
economy!! It's all HYPE just to get people to slow down and have less
accidents is all it is!!
One more bit of info for you there -
I highly recommend what you really need to do - like I did - is purchase a $40 OBDII Code
reader with the newest generation CAN protocol (Control area Network).
This Code Reader is very easy to use, very well made, and the User's
Manual is very easy to follow and understand, and you don't have to be
a rocket scientist to use it and fix your own SUV/car Sensor problems!!
I've been doing it for over 10 years now, and have saved tons (bundles)
of money on
otherwise gouged Sensor R&R repairs! Think about it? I save people
on average about $100 each time I read and troubleshoot their DTC
(Diagnostic Trouble Codes) codes, fix or replace their sensor related
problem(s), and then clear the PCM for them. Most shady shops will just
read the DTC code(s), and then clear the code(s) without fixing
anything at all. Unfortunately they are just out to make a quick buck
as it were!!
I bought my Code Reader from Harbor Freight Tools (HFT part # 94169) at
one of their local store outlets, but if you don't have a HFT store
locally to you there then you can go online and purchase it there as
well. IT REALLY WORKS GREAT!!! Then you
can read and catch the bugger DTC code(s) that keeps eluding everyone
(if
it indeed is an intermittent code). You also save a ton of money on
just the "code reading" part as well - as most places like to charge
whatever they can get away with - sometimes as high as $120 I was once
told. That is such a RIP-OFF in my books!!!
Anyway - this should answer all your ??'s about your O2 sensors. If you
have any more ??'s just ask me here in follow-up and I'll be more then
happy to answer them for you!
Please post me a reply as to the found problem there, and the resolve
to it by following my recommendations above. Also please rate my
troubleshooting fix as well.
Keep me posted and I'll follow up as well.
Best regards,
Frank
1 - Highly degreed in Electronics first of all.
2 - Worked for 2 SEARS AUTOMOTIVE STORES, one on the East Coast and the
other one still being the largest SEARS AUTO in CHICAGO at 6-corners. I
specialized in troubleshooting all auto electrical problems - including
battery testing and charging system testing and repair. Graduate of
DeVry in Chicago also!
3 - Troubleshooted, repaired, and replaced many engine related sensors, water pumps,
thermostats, fans, TS units, and radiators on all types of vehicles, and
makes and models. I hate those stupid internal water pumps on many of
the those ridiculous Honda's and similar autos, as that is the lamest & dumbest design I've ever
seen! Stay away from buying one of these headaches!! Timing belts
(non-metal type) are just as bad!
