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: electrical system
13 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Air bags, Other or unspecified, May 12, 2021
DASH CRACKING. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND GM NEEDS TO FIX IT. EVERY ONE I HAVE SEEN DOES THIS. THEY CRACK NEAR THE AIRBAG ORIGINALLY, WHICH MINE IS. IT IS BEGINNING TO CRACK IN OTHER PLACES. THE SHARP EDGES HAVE CUT MY FINGER BEFORE WHILE JUST WIPING THE DASH. THE SHARP EDGES COULD ALSO CUT INTO ELECTRICAL WIRES DOWN THE ROAD. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND STORED INDOORS AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE SHARP CRACKED EDGES LIKE THIS FROM NORMAL USE.
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Oct 2, 2020
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN ON OCCASION. INTERIOR LIGHTS, RADIO, DASH PANEL, TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. ALSO DOOR LOCKS, LOCK AND UNLOCK. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. LAST YEAR I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED AFTER I WAS NEARLY HIT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THIS HAS RECENTLY THIS WEEK OCCURRED AGAIN 2 TIMES.
Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakes, Aug 16, 2020
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 TAHOE MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND I WENT TO HIT MY BRAKES TO STOP I HAD NO BRAKES SO AS I WAS COMING TO A CURVE I COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL , LUCKILY I WASN'T DRIVING AT A FAST SPEED . I WAS GOING 30 SO I HAD TO WAIT FOR VEHICLE TO STOP AND PUT IN PARK AND RESTARTED VEHICLE , IT DID START BACK UP BUT NOW MY SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 15, 2020
THE REAR AUDIO CONTROLLER HAS A HUM. WHEN IT IS OFF THE HUM STOPS. IT WILL ALSO STARE HUMMING/BUZZING WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ON. IT DOES IT RANDOMLY WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR NOT. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Nov 30, 2019
PERIODICLY, WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE RADIO WILL TURN OFF, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL BLINK, THE DOOR LOCKS WILL REPEATEDLY LOCK/UNLOCK, TRANSMISSION WILL FEEL LIKE IT IS IN NEUTRAL OR THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY TURN OFF.
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Oct 29, 2018
THE STABLITRACK OFF LIGHT CAME ON. THE DOOR LOCKS RAPIDLY LOCKED AND UNLOCKED. THE ENGINE WAS SURGING WITH LOSS OF POWER. THE RADIO WAS GOING OFF AND ON.
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.
Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 14, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. THE MECHANIC ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FUEL PUMP, ASSOCIATED WITH THE WIRING, SEAL, WIRING HARNESS, AND FUEL SYSTEM, WAS NOT GETTING POWER. THE SPARE TIRE WAS LET DOWN TO FURTHER INSPECT THE AREA AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE PINS WERE DISCONNECTED, AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CORROSION TO THE SEALS AND WIRING NEAR THE FUEL SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAL AND SEVEN OF THE WIRES, ASSOCIATED WITH THE WIRING HARNESS, WERE PREMATURELY CORRODED. IT WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V145000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Sep 13, 2016
DASH CRACKED FROM CORNER OF PASSENGER SIDE DEFROST VENT TO AIRBAG, AND AGAIN FROM THE DEFROST VENT TO OVER DOME OVER DRIVER CLUSTER AND ANY THING WET CAN GET INTO COMPONENTS OF THE SPEEDOMETER AND REST OF STUFF IN THERE. TRUCKS NEVER BEEN KEPT IN SUN, AND HAD ONE DEALERSHIP ALREADY CONFIRMED THAT ITS A DEFECT IN PRODUCT NOT CAUSED BY ELEMENTS OR LACK OF CARE, OR ANYTHING DONE TO IT. ITS PARKED MOST TIMES AND IT'S GETTING WORSE, IM HANDICAPPED AND VEHICLE ONLY USED WHEN IM DRIVING OR IN IT. I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS BC IT'S NOT LIKE THIS WAS A CHEAP VEHICLE AND IM ON FIXED INCOME, AND PAID CASH AND EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER COSMETIC. ITS ALMOST SPLITTING AT TOP NOW ON DRIVER SIDE TO GO AROUND THE FRONT OF DASH. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY AND ALTERNATER ONLY AT 50K MILES AND WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON, NOTICED DIMMING OF LIGHTS WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL AND WHILE DRIVING THE VOLTAGE GAUGE KEPT GOING TO 0 AND BACK TO 14 BACK AND FORTH, GOT TO DEALER AND AGAIN TRIED SENDING ME HOME BUT FINALLY TESTED ORIGINAL ALTENATER AND IT WASN'T WORKING SO REPLACED AND COST ME $100 BUT STILL NO WARNING OR ENGINE LIGHT AND THEN DEALER HAD TO TOW MY VEHICLE AGAIN BC SYSTEM NO UPDATED FOUND PROBLEM BY ANOTHER DEALER, UNDER COATING COMING OFF AND RUST ON TOP BY RACK ON ROOF ON EACH SIDE. THIS WAS A $68K VEHICLE AND BECAUSE OF DEFECTS AND NOT A RECALL WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR HALF COST, DEALERS WANT OVER $500 FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A DESIGN OR PRODUCT OF POOR QUALITY, THIS IS HOW CHEVY/ GM BUYERS ARE TREATED WHEN BUYING ONE OF THE TOP LUXURY VEHICLES. WHAT COMPANY DOES THIS, I PAID CASH FOR THIS DREAM VEHICLE AND THE PRODUCT IS ALL OVER INTERNET AND LAWSUITS BC OF PRODUCT DEFECT, CHEAP PRODUCTS USED BUT SOLD AS TOP OF LINE. WOW.
Electrical system, May 1, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CUTTING OUT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. FULL RESET OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS. BRAKES UNRESPONSIVE, STEERING, ENGINE, DASH AND ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO US THROUGH RON CATER IN ALVIN, TX WITH AN OPEN RECALL AND NOT REPAIRED BEFORE BEING DRIVEN OFF THE LOT. WILL BE TAKING IT IN ASAP.
Electrical system, Oct 15, 2015
THE HVAC ACTUATORS OF ALL SIDES ARE VERY REGULARLY DAMAGED AND MUST BE RECALLED, EVEN NEWER VERSION LIKE 2012 ARE FACING SUCH ISSUES.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jun 16, 2014
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. VEHICLES ENGINE AND INSTRUMENT PANEL CYCLED ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. NOTING THAT ONCE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE FINALLY SHUTDOWN. FURTHERMORE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE TRUCK ON ONLY RESULTED IN FLICKERING ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. TWO WEEKS FOLLOWING THIS EVENT FORTUNATELY ENOUGH AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WE NOTICED THAT ELECTRIC FOLDING MIRRORS WEREN'T RESPONDING TO THE PUSH BUTTON ACTUATING THE FOLDING MIRRORS FEATURE. THIS EVENT WE WERE ABLE TO GET ON OUR CAMERA PHONE. SAME FLICKERING OF ELECTRONICS AND AGAIN THE ENGINE DIDN'T RESPOND, TURN OVER. IN BOTH OCCASION IT WAS ONLY AFTER SITTING APPROXIMATELY 30MIN. THAT VEHICLE FINALLY RESPONDED AND TURNED ON. *TR
Electrical system, Feb 9, 2012
2012 CHEVROLET TAHOE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH OIL GAUGE AND STATES INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL IS DEFECTIVE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, HE NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE SHOWED ZERO PRESSURE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED HIM ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE COST WOULD BE $ 395.00 TO REPLACE IT. *JB