2021 Chevrolet Tahoe reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe holds 453 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 40 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 16 recalls on file, including Tank, Internal engine parts, and Control module, software.

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

Complaints

453

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (168 of 453), then Fuel and propulsion system (93) and Powertrain (88). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Tahoe has 55 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2022 has 187 complaints, 22 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

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 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (16)

Recall diesel fuel system, storage, tank 2025-09-18 · NHTSA campaign 25V619000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, 2021, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2022 and 2024 GMC Yukon vehicles equipped with a 6-cylinder diesel engine. The original fuel tank may have been replaced with an incorrect fuel tank, which can allow fuel to leak in a rollover crash.

Remedy Dealers will inspect for the correct fuel tank and replace it, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 5, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252512770. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 18, 2025.

Recall engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2025-04-24 · NHTSA campaign 25V274000

Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, control module, software 2024-10-24 · NHTSA campaign 24V797000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.

Remedy Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.

Recall exterior lighting, lighting control module, software 2022-11-03 · NHTSA campaign 22V827000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Remedy Dealers will provide an over-the-air (OTA) update for the Body Control Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222382220.

Recall seat belts, critical fasteners 2022-08-11 · NHTSA campaign 22V617000

Summary General Motors, LLC (M) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seat belt buckle assembly may have been improperly formed.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the rivet head formation on both the left and right side third-row seat belt buckle assemblies and replace seat belt buckle assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed September 28, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 1, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222372380.

Recall Driveshaft 2022-01-27 · NHTSA campaign 22V036000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, and Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles. The rear wheel driveshaft assemblies may have internal components that were not heat-treated properly, possibly resulting in driveshaft failure.

Remedy Dealers will replace the left and/or right rear driveshaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 14, 2022. 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 N212351030.

Recall gasoline fuel system, delivery, fuel pump, control module 2021-09-23 · NHTSA campaign 21V739000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump power control module may cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently, which can interrupt fuel flow to the engine, and cause an unexpected engine stall.

Remedy Dealers will replace the fuel pump power control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 14, 2021. 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 N212332040.

Recall hydraulic brakes, power assist, electric, control module, software 2021-07-29 · NHTSA campaign 21V579000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon vehicles. Dealer service technicians may have calibrated the brake system incorrectly, affecting Electronic Stability Control (ESC) , traction control, Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), and braking while towing a trailer.

Remedy Dealers will recalibrate the brake system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1202; GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212340970.

Recall steering, steering control module 2021-06-17 · NHTSA campaign 21V455000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. A software issue may cause a loss of power steering assist at startup or while driving.

Remedy The power steering module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2021. 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 N212333900.

Recall air bags, SRS malfunction warning light 2021-06-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V421000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag malfunction indicator light to inconsistently illuminate.

Remedy The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. 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 N212338110.

Recall seat belts, rear or other 2021-03-25 · NHTSA campaign 21V210000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles. The second-row center seat belt latch may be trapped beneath the trim bezel and therefore inaccessible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208. "Occupant Crash Protection."

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the trim bezel, correctly position the seat belt latch plate, and reinstall the trim bezel, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212329320.

Recall Seat belts 2021-03-18 · NHTSA campaign 21V190000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Suburban, and Tahoe vehicles with third-row seating. The third-row outboard seat belts may have been entrapped or misrouted behind the outboard seat-folding mechanism, which could result in damaged seat belts.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third-row outboard seat belts, replacing any damaged seat belts, and rerouting them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 21, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313000.

Recall gasoline fuel system, storage, tank 2021-02-11 · NHTSA campaign 21V064000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon vehicles. The fuel tank assemblies may be missing adhesive between two layers of the fuel tank shell which may result in a fuel leak.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 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 N212327720.

Recall Seat belts 2020-12-23 · NHTSA campaign 20V811000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.

Recall Seat belts 2020-12-17 · NHTSA campaign 20V792000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.

Recall Seats 2020-11-25 · NHTSA campaign 20V735000

Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles. During general assembly, a repair involved removal of one or both front seats. The attachment bolts for the front seats may not have been properly reinstalled after the repair was completed.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202312720.

Complaints by component (453 total)

Engine

168

Fuel and propulsion system

Powertrain

Electrical system

Air bags

Fuel system, gasoline

Forward collision avoidance

Engine and engine cooling

Service brakes

Exterior lighting

Steering

Seat belts

Speed control

Suspension

Seats

Lane departure

Structure

Wheels

Hydraulic brakes

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Visibility

Back-over prevention

Tires

Visibility and wipers

Show 16 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds uphill, the vehicle made a loud clunking sound while downshifting. While driving 70 MPH on one occasion, and while driving…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-09-23
"The vehicle suffered complete internal engine failure due to a snapped timing chain on startup. The vehicle turned over via the starter motor but failed to start. A professional diagnosis confirmed the broken timing…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-23
"On [XXX], while driving near Mammoth Mountain, California (Highway [XXX]), the vehicle suffered a sudden, severe engine malfunction. The engine began misfiring violently, accompanied by a loud, mechanical clacking…"
Engine, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-22
"On September 19, 2026, while traveling approximately 30 mph, the vehicle experienced a sudden, hard shift. The check-engine light then illuminated. I pulled over as soon as it was safe to do so. After stopping, the…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-09-20
"2021 Chevrolet Tahoe – Unexpected Shutdown/Restart While Stopped On two separate occasions, my 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe has unexpectedly appeared to shut down while I was stopped with my foot on the brake. The vehicle is…"
Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2026-09-15

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV 2WD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	3 stars
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV 4WD	4 stars	4 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 two-wheel drive	6.2L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	15	20	17 MPG	$4700
Tahoe two-wheel drive	5.3L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	16	20	18 MPG	$3600
Tahoe two-wheel drive	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	21	28	24 MPG	$3950
Tahoe two-wheel drive	6.2L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	14	20	16 MPG	$5000
Tahoe two-wheel drive	5.3L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	15	20	17 MPG	$3800
Tahoe four-wheel drive	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Four-wheel drive	20	26	22 MPG	$4300
Tahoe four-wheel drive	6.2L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Four-wheel drive	13	19	16 MPG	$5000
Tahoe four-wheel drive	5.3L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Four-wheel drive	15	20	17 MPG	$3800
Tahoe four-wheel drive	6.2L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Four-wheel drive	14	19	16 MPG	$5000
Tahoe four-wheel drive	5.3L, 8-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Four-wheel drive	16	20	18 MPG	$3600

Specs and fitment

6th generation, 2021–present

Body styles SUV

Oil 0W-20 (5.3L, 6.2L, and 3.0L Duramax where equipped) , 8 qt capacity

Tire size 265/65R18 to 285/45R22 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 22V-617 covers certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban vehicles with third-row seats among other GM full-size SUVs: a rivet retaining the third-row seat belt buckle may be improperly formed so the belt may not restrain an occupant; dealers inspect and replace buckle assemblies as needed. Recall 25V-274 covers certain 2021-2024 Tahoe vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 among other GM trucks and SUVs: connecting-rod or crankshaft components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure; dealers inspect and repair or replace the engine, and for engines that pass inspection they install higher-viscosity oil, a new fill cap and filter, and update oil-life settings. The published unit counts are shared across the listed GM nameplates.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe Next year 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe See every Chevrolet Tahoe model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?

What are common problems with a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Is the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Tahoe has 55 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2022 has 187 complaints, 22 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe been recalled?

The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe has 16 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 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Owners have filed 453 complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe is 18.1 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…