Reliable Auto DB

2016 Chevrolet Tahoe reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe has 257 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 21 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Tahoe years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Transfer case, Front, and Wheel speed sensor.

2012 Chevrolet Tahoe
Photo by Ethan Llamas, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

257

Per year

21

Recalls

8

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (85 of 257), then Powertrain (47) and Electrical system (31). Those filings include 17 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 8 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Tahoe has 662 complaints, 51 per year, and the 2017 has 173 complaints, 10 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (8)

Recall powertrain, transfer case 2026-05-07 · NHTSA campaign 26V289000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.
Remedy Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.
Recall seat belts, front 2021-04-08 · NHTSA campaign 21V245000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2014-2015 GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have received an incorrect replacement tensioner cable assembly as part of a previous recall remedy or a subsequent repair. The flexible steel cable connecting the driver's seat belt to the outboard side of the seat may be repeatedly bent over the seat side shield as the driver enters and exits the vehicle causing the cable to fatigue and separate.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat belt lap pretensioner, free of charge. The recall began on May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212330040.
Recall hydraulic brakes, antilock and traction control, wheel speed sensor 2019-10-24 · NHTSA campaign 19V761000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
Recall hydraulic brakes, power assist, vacuum 2019-09-06 · NHTSA campaign 19V645000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Recall seat belts, front 2018-05-03 · NHTSA campaign 18V291000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe Police Pursuit and Special-Service vehicles. The flexible steel cable connecting the driver's seat belt to the outboard side of the seat may be repeatedly bent over the seat side shield as the driver enters and exits the vehicle causing the cable to fatigue and separate.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pretensioner cable and seat side-shield, free of charge. The recall began June 19, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18156.
Recall air bags, frontal 2017-07-10 · NHTSA campaign 17V437000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
Recall air bags, frontal 2016-09-08 · NHTSA campaign 16V651000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
Recall suspension, front, control arm 2016-04-28 · NHTSA campaign 16V256000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Until the repairs have been made, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 42190.

Complaints by component (257 total)

Service brakes
85
Powertrain
47
Electrical system
31
Steering
20
Engine
19
Suspension
19
Fuel and propulsion system
14
Air bags
11
Structure
11
Forward collision avoidance
7
Hydraulic brakes
7
Electronic stability control (ESC)
6
Exterior lighting
6
Seat belts
4
Lane departure
3
Speed control
3
Wheels
3
Back-over prevention
2
Tires
2
Visibility
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Air brakes
1
Chest clip, buckle, and harness
1
Equipment
1
Seats
1
Show 17 more Show less
Crash-flagged

17

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

8

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

172016122017342018472019202020242021132022332023242024232025102026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I am reporting a paint defect on my 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The paint on the hood and roof is peeling, flaking, and delaminating without any external damage or misuse. The failure appears to be progressive and worsening…"
    Structure · filed 2026-08-28
  • "On 7/28 while driving my vehicle, the ABS and traction control light came on unexpectedly (the symbol with the car and squiggly line in front of it). Nothing is wrong with the vehicle for these lights to come on as I…"
    Air bags, Speed control, Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-30
  • "I have been having issues with the brakes on my 2016 Chevy Tahoe for as long as I can remember. When going very slow, such as in a parking lot or pulling into a parking space, my car feels like I am driving on ice when…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-07-25
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH in sand, the vehicle stalled, and the steering wheel seized. The contact turned off the vehicle, jiggled the steering…"
    Steering, Engine · filed 2026-07-15
  • "THERE IS DELAMINATION HAPPENING ON THE HOOD AND ROOF OF MY CAR AND IS PUTTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAR AT RISK WITH BARE METAL BEING EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS THUS CAUSING RUST AND BREAK DOWN OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE…"
    Structure · filed 2026-06-30

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV 4WD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2016 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV RWD 4 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Tahoe C1500 two-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 16 23 19 MPG $3400
Tahoe C1500 two-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 16 23 18 MPG $3600
Tahoe K1500 four-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $3600
Tahoe K1500 four-wheel drive 5.3L, 8-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $3600

Specs and fitment

5th generation, 2015–2020
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 (5.3L and 6.2L V8; dexos1) , 8 qt capacity
Tire size 265/65R18 to 285/45R22 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 19V-645 covers certain 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe vehicles among other GM full-size SUVs and trucks: vacuum from the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, reducing power brake assist. Dealers reprogram the electronic brake control module. Recall 19V-761 covers certain 2015-2020 Tahoe and Suburban vehicles for ABS pump software that may disable electronic stability control or cause loss of engine power; dealers update the ABS module software.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Next year 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe See every Chevrolet Tahoe model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe has 257 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 21 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Tahoe years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Transfer case, Front, and Wheel speed sensor.

What are common problems with a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (85 of 257), then Powertrain (47) and Electrical system (31). Those filings include 17 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 8 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Tahoe has 662 complaints, 51 per year, and the 2017 has 173 complaints, 10 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe been recalled?

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe has 8 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Owners have filed 257 complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe is 18.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe?

6th generation (2021-present).

What engine oil does a Chevrolet Tahoe use?

5W-30 (dexos1)

What does NHTSA recall 13V-001 cover on the Chevrolet Tahoe?

Recall 13V-001 covers certain 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles among other GM full-size trucks and SUVs that may not meet FMVSS park-lock requirements for the steering column ignition interlock, allowing the vehicle to shift from Park with the key removed or without brake…