2016 Chevrolet Tahoe
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Service brakes is the leading concern among 257 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 26 Tahoe model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 17 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, transfer case (4-wheel drive)Do not drive until repairedMay 7, 2026
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.
Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 26V289000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, frontApr 8, 2021
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.
A broken pretensioner cable reduces the effectiveness of the driver's seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 21V245000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, wheel speed sensor/tone ringOct 24, 2019
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.
Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 19V761000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, power assist, vacuumSep 6, 2019
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.
As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 19V645000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, frontMay 3, 2018
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.
If the pretensioner cable becomes fatigued or breaks, the driver may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 18V291000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalJul 10, 2017
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.
A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
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.
Campaign 17V437000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalSep 8, 2016
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.
A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
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.
Campaign 16V651000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, control armDo not drive until repairedApr 28, 2016
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.
Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 16V256000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
257 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 7, 2023
Steering assist warning message came up on dash and then transmission failed … had transmission fixed and steering assist warning is still there … checked into it and it’s the stabil track system that supposedly there is a recall for but my vin number doesn’t show it as a recall but other vehicle’s matching mine does
Power train, Jun 2, 2023
I bought this vehicle brand new crossed over into the 133,000 range and the transmission just goes out and upon reading up on this it’s happening a lot with the 2016 Chevy Tahoe the ball was dropped on a recall regarding this vehicle it’s funny how it’s happening a lot to people
Power train, May 31, 2023
While traveling a major highway (70 mph) over the holiday weekend, I experienced a loss of engine power. The RPM's went up to 5 while I decreased speed. I had gone from 75 MPH down to 35 while trying to maintain speed up a hill. I pulled over to the break down lane to let traffic pass and when it was safe, I tried to engage the vehicle to speed. It would slip gears and continue to lose momentum. The check engine light came on so I pulled it into a rest area and called for a tow. When the tow truck arrived and I needed to turn the car on to put it in neutral, the check engine light had turned off. After having it towed and a mechanic diagnose the issue, it was found that the transmission was blown. The transmission fluid is black and contains metal slivers. I had just had my transmission fluid checked during a tune-up. The fluid was changed at 70,000 miles. I have 113,000 miles on it now. The only warning I got just prior was a vibration similar to needing a front end alignment. There were no other warnings. Like I said, the fluid was checked a month prior to this incident.
Service brakes, May 17, 2023
Brakes barely stop at low speed
Suspension, Apr 30, 2023
At 34, 716 right front strut needed to be replaced. At 40,719 both rear air shocks needed to be replaced. Suspension was loose and made steering difficult on surfaces that were not flat and smooth.
Engine, Apr 30, 2023
After lifters on engine failed on original engine at approximately 47K miles, engine was rebuilt. Received Tahoe back with 47,791 miles on odometer. Brand new Chevrolet lifters failed prior to odometer reaching 48,903, bending rods and requiring that the engine that was just rebuilt to be replaced or rebuilt again. While driving engine loss oil pressure with red light warning coming on telling to immediately turn off engine. Engine may have ceased while car was in motion, putting driver and passenger(s), if any, in immediate and imminent danger. it was almost 7 months to rebuild engine last time due to GMAC parts being unavailable. Brand new parts failed at roughly 1K miles, there may be a quality control and/or design issue with lifters.
Power train, Engine, Apr 30, 2023
Lifters in engine failed, bent rods, 3 of 8 cylinders scratched; engine need to be rebuilt. Engine failed at 47K miles. AC Condenser cracked at 47K miles. Engine failure is safety issue. Known issue at Chevrolet where already extended warranty from original manufacturer's warranty. Engine could have ceased while driving putting driver and passenger(s), if any, in immediate and imminent danger.
Seat belts, Apr 17, 2023
Driver side seat belt female part broke inside. Can not insert & clip in male part.
Electrical system, Lane departure, Apr 14, 2023
GM has a known problem with the sensors for the side detection system that are placed outside in the rear of the vehicle. Tires splash water and salt directly on the sensors causing them to short out. This short not only causes the side detection to misreport whether a vehicle is in your blind spot, it also manifests itself with lift gate malfunctions and various other messages displayed on the DIC like Service Park Assist System or Service Trailer Brake. My Tahoe has had all these issues. To date GM has not recalled my Tahoe or any other GM vehicle with this problem. The dealership quoted me $1,700 for the fix and are having trouble sourcing the new sensors since apparently I am not the only one affected. Howabout your agency looking into this and suggesting to GM to man up on this and cover the repair through a recall and a reimbursement for those who paid out of pocket.
Service brakes, Mar 22, 2023
I bought this 2016 Tahoe in January of 2023. I was very excited to purchase my first Tahoe and sunk my savings into paying for it. A couple weeks after I purchased it, I got a service trailer break message that came up on my screen. I have had several different mechanics look at it, but still, it hasn't been fixed. This message pops up probably 60 times while I am driving, and continuously. It flashes across my screen, and when I dismiss it, it will go away for a second and then pop up again. This dinging message continues while I'm driving it. I feel that it is a safety hazard as I am very distracted by it when I am driving the car. I don't have any other choice, as I spent all my money I had for a car on purchasing this car, and don't have another car to drive, so I have to drive this one. I would really like for GM to issue a recall for this, and tell technicians how to fix this. The technicians I have seen tried replacing the battery and a corroded wire. We've replaced the switch, but still this message returns. I am very frustrated by this, as I traded my old car in for this one, because I was having car trouble. I wanted to trade to avoid car problems, but just got a car with more problems. I am going insane with this message and not having a fix for it.
Air bags, Feb 24, 2023, crash
Accident occurred on 05/22/2022. The airbag did not deploy. Me and my 3 passengers were injured. The vehicle was not inspected. Allstate insurance auctioned the vehicle before it could get inspected. No warning lights prior to accident.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Feb 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while the brake pedal was depressed, added pressure was needed on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that after shifting to park, the brake pedal returned to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Steering, Suspension, Vehicle speed control, Jan 30, 2023
Hello, I purchased my truck last year in December and I told them the problems I was having with the truck when I got. They act like they fixed it but it’s still doing the same thing. I’ve put struts on it and control arms 3 times and it still is giving me problems. My suspension and driver assist warnings always pop up. When I get up to 85 mph, they truck shakes really bad and the speed won’t go over 85 mph. When I got brakes, the trucks pulls to the left and right which I know that could mean a line up but even after I line it up, it still does the same thing. I feel like it’s a defect with the suspension and driver assist systems with those model trucks. I love my truck and really don’t want to get rid of it. I’ve taken my truck to my dealership several times and I don’t want my warranty to run out before I can get my truck fixed. Can you help at all???
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2023
My 2016 Tahoe just shut off on me and my daughter inside of the tunnel with heavy traffic. When I placed the gear in drive the vehicle roll back instead of moving forward. I was afraid because the traffic was steady moving. The emergency wrecker pushed my Tahoe to safety out of the tunnel. I had it towed to my mechanic he said it’s the transmission . The engine light came on afterwards. The dealer refused the acknowledgment of the vehicle. I purchased as is. I purchase the vehicle 11-09-2022 it shut off 12-20-2022
Electrical system, Service brakes, Jan 12, 2023
Hello to whom it may concern, I purchased a certified pre-owned 2016 Chevy Tahoe in November of 2019 from a Woodland Ca dealership. Over the last six years, I have put only 31k miles on the truck. In 2022 I have put in a new transmission at 120K and now not even a year later I’m getting a warning message popping up on the dashboard service Trailer brake system. I have NOT towed anything in the last two years since my move. However, on January 4th of this year 2023 when the warning started, I thought it was just that I accidentally hit the trailer switch. I hit the switch again and the warning went away. However, the warning is increasing in the number of times it’s coming on. I took it to a mechanic and discovered they said that a wire needed to be replaced. When I went to YouTube, I noticed that there were several videos on the same issue. This unexcitable that a company as big as GMC wouldn’t take care of the part that results in the warning. My vehicle is not safe to drive in that condition. Thank you Kelvin Kimball 1924 Kane Ave Sacramento, Ca. 95835 (707) 332-6818
Structure, Dec 17, 2022, crash
Near collision with pedestrian in crosswalks on left turns and near collision with pedestrians crossing multi lane roads who entering from a landscaped center island. I have repeatedly experienced this situation even though I am acutely aware of the view obstruction created by the large A-pillar, air bag and drivers side mirror. It has become evident from the incidents in my neighborhood that trucks and SUV's are involved in the fatalities at crosswalks and multi lane roadways. An recent fatality occurred on December 10 2022 in Poway at the intersection of Midland and Edgmoore Rd. 35yr old women killed in crosswalk by driver making left turn. The January 24th 2022 fatality happened on Community Rd. in Poway 92064. It would appear your forms are incident focused and not geared to identify safety hazards that have not been considered. Please contact me to discus this safety issue if you have seen an unexplained increase in pedestrian traffic fatalities that involve trucks and suv's. Thank You,
Service brakes, Nov 20, 2022
Brakes failed to work at low speed. Traveling in stop and go traffic on I-40 and the brake pedal became hard as a rock and was pulsing. Had to pull over and coast to a stop. Performed a test on the median of the highway and again the brakes failed to work. We were towed to the repair shop. Awaiting the repair diagnosis and cost.
Engine, Nov 19, 2022
My 6 yr old chevy Tahoe felt like it was hesitating when driving. I called my local garage and dropped it off. They informed me after inspection that the lifters have failed and now cylinders are in deactivation made. The fix is a new Engine. 10-14k dollars. They informed me this is a known issue in this model. I called chevy customer service. I Took Tahoe to a chevy dealer. They confirmed the diagnosis. I have no recall, no engine light on and am told driving it will cause more serious damage and eventually will not run. Chevy is unresponsive to my pleas for financial assistance and I am left without a driveable car.
Service brakes, Nov 6, 2022
Frequent vacuum brake failure. The brake pedal goes all the way to the floor.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at various low speeds and needing to apply the brake pedal, the brake pedal was difficult to depress. The contact then stated that the failure was reoccurring and that excessive force was required to depress the brake pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was then made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V645000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the local dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 9, 2022
The fuel supply hose/line from the fuel tank to the vehicle connection rubbed through, due to a loose fit where it attaches to the tank, causing a fuel leak. There were no indicator/warning lights, though a hard start/extended cranking time occurred on occasion. Raw fuel could be smelled with a very slight drip, which could only be seen on clean concrete. Vehicle had only 54,000 miles on it and driven very lightly, but does drive on dirt/gravel roads.
Power train, Jul 25, 2022
The transmission malfunctioned and left me unable to move forward (uphill) in a high traffic area. I had to turn on the hazard lights, allow the vehicle to roll backwards (in traffic) to a parking lot. Very dangerous. The vehicle would not engage the transmission and was just revving without gear engagement. I had to get the vehicle towed and I am now looking at an expensive repair bill. GM is aware that they have transmission issues on 2015-16 Tahoe models but they choose not to do anything about it. Very frustrating.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 18, 2022
This complaint is with respect to the GM Infotainment System. While driving on the 405 freeway in Orange County, CA, the sound level of the infotainment system went to maximum. This being extremely painful, I tried to turn down the volume of the sound system. All controls were frozen and inoperative. I had to pull off the freeway and find a parking spot so I could turn off the engine for a short time to allow the electronics to reset. I had my wife and granddaughter with me. I have had this infotainment system freeze at other times such as using the navigation system, or the sound system. This could be a very dangerous condition while driving. I can imagine a driver being greatly distracted while attempting to deal with a problem such as this, or even a lesser problem. What is needed is a way to reset the electronics while driving. This could be a special button or pushing a pair of existing buttons. I consider this a very dangerous problem. I queried the dealership for a reset procedure but they had nothing to offer.
Service brakes, Jul 8, 2022
The break pedal pivot nut loosened to the point where it fell off and the break pedal became inoperative.
Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 21, 2022
On 18 Apr 2022, my 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ was found to have a gas leak around the fuel tank area when the car was taken to the Chevrolet Service Center for an oil change. On that day, there was both a strong fuel smell and presence of a pool of raw gas. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. Additionally, I was not notified by GM/Chevrolet that this could be an issue. After inspection and diagnosis, the service technician found a "rubbed spot" on the the feed pipe and replaced it. He noted that he "made sure the new pipe is secured on tank as designed to prevent future occurrence". This vehicle is used as primary transport for my family. The fact that it leaked gas while I was driving put my family's safety at risk. I also believe that other owners and their families could be at risk. After researching the problem, I have found several posts from other owners and a service bulletin that describes the issue and the service procedures to fix it. I believe there should be a recall for this well-known major safety issue. I have emailed GM/Chevrolet's customer service department and provide them with details of my complaints and supporting documentation also attached in this compliant form. The items are: 1. My service invoice 799356 dated 20 Apr 2022. 2. Picture of the pin hole on the defective fuel feed pipe removed from my vehicle. 3. Service Bulletin 17-NA-304, dated February 2020 which provides guidance to professional technicians on the issue(s) and service procedures to fix it. The first edition of this bulletin was released in September 2017 which is after I purchased my 2016 Tahoe. 4. Several forum posts from other Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban owners who have experienced the same major safety issue.