Chevrolet Tahoe problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 1,289 owner complaints and 28 safety recalls for the Chevrolet Tahoe. That averages 32.4 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 0.80 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Full-size SUVs segment it ranks #1 of 2 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 33.5.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is worsening. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 181% above the 2018 and 2019 models (39 early complaints per model year versus 15).
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (78.8 complaints per year) and the 2020 model year the lowest (8.4). Model years 2021 and 2023 run at least 50% above this model's average of 32.4 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2018, 2019 and 2020 run at least 40% below this model's average of 32.4 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (43.1% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (13.6%) and Electrical (10.6%). Engine complaints are 1.9 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 42 complaints (3.3%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 37 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 442 complaints versus 433 in the previous 12 months — up 2%. The 2021 model year generated the most recent reports (136). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 38 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 28 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2021 (8), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 5 fixable over the air. 5 NHTSA investigations have covered this model, 2 still open; the latest is “Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy” (engineering analysis, opened 2026-08-20, still open).
It has fewer complaints per year than every other tracked model among Full-size SUVs, including Ford Expedition.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 105 | 11.9 | 0.29 | 20 | 3 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 | 107 | 13.7 | 0.34 | 22 | 2 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2020 Fewest complaints | 57 | 8.4 | 0.21 | 18 | 3 | Engine | View › |
| 2021 ▲50%+ | 456 | 78.8 | 1.95 | 136 | 16 | Engine | View › |
| 2022 | 192 | 40.1 | 0.99 | 58 | 4 | Engine | View › |
| 2023 ▲50%+ | 228 | 60.2 | 1.49 | 91 | 5 | Engine | View › |
| 2024 | 68 | 24.4 | 0.6 | 28 | 3 | Engine | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 49 | 27.4 | 0.68 | 42 | 1 | Engine | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 27 | 27.0 | 0.67 | 27 | 3 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 442 · Previous 12 months: 433 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Engine ›
556 · 43.1% · 1.93 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Transmission / powertrain ›
175 · 13.6% · 1.16 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Electrical ›
137 · 10.6% · 0.68 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Fuel system ›
95 · 7.4% · 1.7 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Unspecified or other ›
77 · 6.0% · 0.66 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Brakes ›
67 · 5.2% · 0.86 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Airbags & seat belts ›
52 · 4.0% · 1.06 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Body & structure
37 · 2.9% · 0.32 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
28 · 2.2% · 0.34 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
22 · 1.7% · 1.1 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
18 · 1.4% · 0.76 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
16 · 1.2% · 0.5 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
9 · 0.7% · 0.12 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 38 months
What owners report
On September 5, 2026, at approximately 7:18 p.m. Pacific Time, a 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe High Country equipped with the 6.2L L87 V8 engine and approximately 18,000 miles experienced a sudden catastrophic failure while the engine was running.
Driving in bumper to bumper traffic in my 2025 Tahoe and the automatic braking system slammed on the brakes at 10 mph causing me to get rear ended.The light turned green and traffic started moving forward and I'm hitting the gas pedal when my truck just slams…
There was no accident, but while I was on a busy highway, my vehicle started failing me. I wasn’t able to go past 50mph. After taking it to the dealership they said it’s a torque converter and transmission failure.
My car on the dash board said do not accelerate and was shaking and the gear would not go into reverse. When I tried the car would not move.
This is the 2nd time this has happened while traveling on a 5 hour road trip in the rain at night. The front windshield wipers just stop working. The first time it happened was a year ago, 2025. We had to replace the wiper motor.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Full-size SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Tahoe | 1,289 | 32.4 | 0.8 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 28 | Engine |
| 2 | Ford Expedition | 1,856 | 34.6 | 0.86 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 46 | Transmission / powertrain |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 28
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 5
Safety recalls: 2018 (3) · 2019 (2) · 2020 (3) · 2021 (16) · 2022 (4) · 2023 (5) · 2024 (3) · 2025 (1) · 2026 (3)
Investigations
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy Open
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued R…
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM). Of the 1,157 reports received, 173 are outside of the scope of recall 25V-274. These engines are installed in Model Years (MY) 2019–2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2021-2024MY Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon/Y…
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy Closed
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued R…
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure Closed
On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine. These complainants alleged engine bearing failures resulting in knocking and growling noises from the engine’s bottom end and in so…
- Air Bag Malfunction Closed
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through 2021 CT4 and CT5 passenger cars, Sierra and Silverado trucks (1500/2500/3500 models…