2012 Chevrolet Tahoe
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 180 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 26 Tahoe model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 8 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 10 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 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 N212328800.
Campaign 21V054000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.
Campaign 21V051000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, ignitionDec 30, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.
Campaign 14V827000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: air bags
63 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Jan 29, 2019
TAKATA RECALL---A CODE "SERVICE AIR BAG" NOTE APPEARED ON THE DASH AND IS NOW AT THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. THE COST IS OVER $1000. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT, THE CODE JUST CAME ON WHILE DRIVING.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Jan 23, 2019
WE OWN TWO CHEVY TAHOE'S, ONE IS A 2008 AND THE OTHER IS A 2012. BOTH OF THEM HAVE CRACKING DASHBOARDS. I AM HIGHLY CONCERNED AS THE EFFECT THIS COULD HAVE ON THE AIRBAGS. BOTH VEHICLES ARE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION EXCEPT FOR THE CRACKING DASHBOARDS.
Air bags, Jan 11, 2019
THE DASHBOARD AROUND THE AIRBAG IS CRACKED CAUSING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR MY SELF AND FAMILY.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Nov 16, 2018
VEHICLE HAS KNOWN DEFECT WITH DASHBOARD CRACKING. IF AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED SHARDS OF PLASTIC WOULD BE IN MY PASSENGERS FACE. ESPECIALLY IF IT CONTINUES TO GET WORSE.
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, Sep 13, 2018
DASH IS CRACKED OVER INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND 2 SPOTS OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE CRACKS GET BIGGER EVERYDAY AND MAKES THE DASH RATTLE. BOUGHT IN 2016 AND THE CRACKS JUST KEEP GETTING WORSE. ALONG WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE THAT CRACKED INSIDE.
Air bags, Jul 30, 2018
DASHBOARD CRACKED ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON DRIVERS SIDE AND AT AIRBAG ON PASSENGER SIDE.
Air bags, May 13, 2018
TAKATA RECALL
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Apr 30, 2018
CRACKED DASHBOARD-CRACKS ALL ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AROUND AIRBAG
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Apr 11, 2018
MULTIPLE CRACKS IN THE DASH AND AROUND AIR BAGS. MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE STATED THE DASH IS A PROBLEM IN THE AVALANCHE, SILVERADO AND TAHOE YET THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES AN ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT TO REPLACE THE DASH.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Mar 15, 2018
DASH HAS SPLIT INTO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG CONTAINER AND NOW INTO THE COWLING THAT COVERS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED SINCE 10-3-2015 WITH LESS THAN 80000 MILES ON CAR THAT IS GARAGED AND DASH PROTECTED FROM SUN WHEN OUT OF GARAGE. SPLITS OCCURRED OVERNIGHT IN BOTH CASES WHEN CAR WAS PARKED AND WEATHER WAS NOT EXTREME; GOT IN CAR IN A.M. AND DISCOVERED SPLIT #1 (IMAGE 1)AND SAME WITH SPLIT #2 (IMAGE 2) ON 11-16-16 THAT HAS NOW FORKED (IMAGE 3) IN THE PAST MONTH. I HAVE NEVER USED ARMOR ALL ON THE DASH. IT HAS NEVER SAT OUT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Mar 11, 2018
DASH CRACKED BY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG
Air bags, Jan 9, 2018
TAKATA RECALL I CALLED BAIERL CHEVROLET IN WEXFORD, PENNSYLVANIA ABOUT THE RECALL. ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA.GOV WEBSITE MY VEHICLE IS AFFECTED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RECALL AND THEREFORE WILL NOT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO LOOK AT MY TAHOE. WHO IS RIGHT? THE NHTSA.GOV WEBSITE? OR BAIERL CHEVROLET? THIS NEEDS TO BE CONFIRMED, AS I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING CHILDREN AROUND IN MY TAHOE.
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, Nov 12, 2017
THIS WEEK THE TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATED DRASTICALLY. MY TAHOE WAS IN THE GARAGE FOR 2 SOLID DAYS. I PULLED IT OUT THE NEXT TWO DAYS AND DROVE TO WORK LIKE ANY NORMAL DAY BUT THE TEMPERATURES WERE COLD IN THE MORNINGS AND WARMED UP THROUGH THE DAY. TODAY WE PULLED THE TAHOE OUT OF THE GARAGE, GOT IN TO GO TO CHURCH AND NOTICED THAT THE DASH HAD CRACKED IN THE UPPER CORNER OF THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT TOWARDS THE AIR VENT. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT SHOULD I BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG DEPLOY, THAT SHARDS OF PLASTIC WOULD BREAK AND BE IMPELLED THROUGH THE VEHICLE POSSIBLE HARMING MY FAMILY.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Oct 26, 2017
I CURRENTLY OWN A 2012 TAHOE THAT THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED OVER THE DRIVERS AREA AND CRACKED IN TWO PLACE ON THE PASSENGER AIRBAG CAUSING A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD THE AIRBAG DEPLOY IT COULD SERIOUSLY INJURE SOMEONE OR KILL THEM
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Oct 8, 2017
MY TAHOE HAS DASH CRACKS FROM POORLY CONSTRUCTED DASH RISKING DASH COLLAPSE AND CRACKS AT THE AIRBAG WITH RISK OF FLYING DEBRIS UPON RELEASE OF AIRBAG RESULTING IN INJURING OCCUPANTS. CHEVROLET NOT INTERESTED IN REPLACING. PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LIKE THIS AT 75000 MILES AND DISCOVERED THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE IN ALL THE CHEVROLET AND GM VEHICLES FROM YEARS 2007-2014.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Sep 14, 2017
DASH IS DEVELOPING CRACKS , MOST CONCERNING IS THE CRACK LEADING TO THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Aug 28, 2017
THERE ARE CRACKS ALONG THE DASHBOARD THAT SEEM AS IF THEY WOULD CAUSE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE LAUNCHING PIECES OF THE DASH IF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY.
Air bags, Jun 19, 2017
DASHBOARD IS CRACKED BY THE AIRBAG
Electrical system, Air bags, Other or unspecified, Jun 13, 2017, fire
I BOUGHT TRUCK CERTIFIED BY CARL'S BUICK GMC. JAN 30TH 2014 WITH 40 SOMETHING THOUSAND MILES, ALSO PAID 5K FOR EXTENDED WARRANTY. ALTERNATOR WENT BAD, SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUCKS, AND ALSO HAD THEM CHECK MY DASH BC CRACKS STARTED, AND DEEMED DEFECTIVE BY SERVICE MANAGER BC TRUCK KEPT LIKE NEW, I ONLY DRIVE ON TRIP TO FAMILY AND DR'S, I'M HANDICAPPED, I PD CASH. AND CHARGED ME THRU EXTENDED WARRANTY, IF THE AIR BAGS GO OFF PC OF DASH GOING EVERYWHERE. NO WAY EVERYONE HAS SAME EXACT CRACKS AND TROUBLE WITH MY MOTOR BURNING OIL WHICH IS CHANGED BEFORE REALLY DUE, CALIPERS LOCKED UP, AND BURNT UP ABS WIRING, AND I FORGOT I WENT THROUGH 3 ALTERNATOR BEFORE FIXED AN HAVING ISSUES AGAIN. I PAY THIS MUCH AS A GOOD GM CUSTOMER AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE TREATED. I'M NOT O.K. WITH THIS.
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, Jun 13, 2017
AFTER 5 YEARS OF GARAGE KEPT VEHICLE, PURCHASED A NEW CAR TO BE KEPT IN GARAGE, ONLY 2 DAYS OF HAVING THIS SUV OUTSIDE THE DASH CRACKS,VERY DISAPPOINTED ON GM CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE 6 YR 100000 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. I WORRY ABOUT WHERE THE CRACK IS RIGHT BY THE PASSENGER IN DASH AIRBAG
Air bags, Other or unspecified, May 17, 2017
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN THE FIRST CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD APPEARED BUT I NOTICED IT ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THEN ON 05/16/17, I CRANKED THE CAR, PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE AND STARTED DOWN THE PARKING GARAGE RAMP. THAT'S WHEN I HEARD A LOUD CRACKING NOISE. SO I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. AFTER I PULLED OUT AND STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT I LOOKED AND THE DRIVER SIDE DASH ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAD A LARGE V SHAPED CRACK IN IT. BECAUSE THE DASH IS BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES IT BOUNCES UP AND DOWN VIOLENTLY WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I GOT HOME I WAS TAKEN PICTURES AND NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES. AT LEAST 10 CRACKS. IT LOOKS AS IF THE DASHBOARD WAS HIT BY AN EARTHQUAKE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF GM CARS. IT DEFINITELY IS A DEFECTIVE PART BUT EVEN MORE I'M CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT THIS COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAGS MALFUNCTION IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE ENTIRE DASH WOULD EXPLODE.
Air bags, Structure, Feb 27, 2017
CRACKED DASH NEAR AIRBAG. CRACKS APPEARING ALONG DASHBOARD. IF AIRBAG DEPLOYS, SHARP PLASTIC SHARDS WILL BE PROPELLED AT HIGH SPEEDS.
Air bags, Jan 10, 2017
CRACK RIGHT WHERE THE AIR BAG IS ON THE DASH BOARD. THE CRACK OCCURRED WHILE IT WAS IN THE GARAGE SITTING STILL.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Nov 16, 2016
MY DASH IS CRACKED IN TWO PLACES ON MY 2012 TAHOE WITH A MANUFACTURE DATE OF 9/2011. THE DASH CRACKS ARE LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AT THE LOCATION OF THE AIRBAG AND ON THE DASH ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS IS THE LARGEST CRACK AT 6 INCHES IN THE SHAPE OF A "V". THIS CRACK HAS GROWN OVER TIME. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED THERE IS NO FIX OTHER THAN REPLACING THE DASH. DUE TO PROXIMITY TO THE AIRBAG I AM CONCERNED THAT IN AN ACCIDENT, THE DASH MIGHT BE DISLODGED AND BECOME A HAZARD. THE INITIAL CRACK HAPPENED AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. IT HAS GROWN WORSE. THE CAR NOW HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT.
Air bags, Oct 6, 2016
DASHBOARD BROKE INTO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG APERTURE WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY GARAGE AND HAD LESS THAN 75,000 MILES. I WENT TO CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER IN DALLAS, TX ON EAST I-35 CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL INJURY IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED SINCE THE DASH IS ALREADY BROKEN AND PROBABLY WILL FURTHER DISINTEGRATE IF A COLLISION CAUSES AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.