2018 Chevrolet Tahoe
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 104 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 22nd highest complaint count among 26 Tahoe model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 6 involved a crash. 5 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, power assist, vacuumOct 1, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, 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 November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.
Campaign 20V603000 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
Representative owner complaints: service brakes
19 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the brake pedal had to be depressed very hard to start the vehicle. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake vacuum pump was not operating correctly and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to a Special Coverage Adjustment: N182202780 (Brake Assist Decreased Due to Vacuum Loss); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 72,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jul 14, 2025
The Body Control Module does not work. A new BCM was installed in my car in April 2025. Since then I am having multiple issues, but the safety related issue is with the trailer braking system. It is available for inspection upon request. The dealership is unwilling to try another BCM without it costing me $600 for labor. If I am unable to use my brakes, then I put myself and others on the road at risk. The problem started with a Tire Monitor System. I was told I needed a BCM to fix the problem so the car would not throw codes. Now, I am being told the problems with the brakes are not comiing from the BCM. THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY car until I took it to this dealership for a new key faub and a tire pressure monitor error. The Body Control Module in a 2018 Chevy Tahoe Premier does play a role in controlling the sunroof. More specifically, the sunroof system is supplied power through a fuse located in the driver-side fuse box which is connected to the BCM. The sunroof switches communicate with the BCM via a serial data circuit, and the BCM then commands the sunroof to open or close. Therefore, the BCM acts a central hub in the electrical system of the vehicle and communicates with the sunroof control module to operate it. I learned this from two other dealerships. One dealership in West Virginia and another dealership in Texas told me this information about the BCM controlling the sunroof and many other electrical parts of the 2018 Chevy Tahoe Premier. To make it simple, the BCM was replaced. The vehicle is now having serious issues. I consider an unintended activation of the braking on the wheel which causes the vehicle to pull to one side puts me at risk of a crash. Is this yet another failed sensor or part due to the negligence of the service department at Smith Buick when replacing the BCM and programming a key faub?
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed with the brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vacuum pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,104.
Power train, Service brakes, Aug 5, 2024
Brakes failed pedal went to the floor when getting off the interstate. Kept pressing pedal and came back but vehicle pulls to the left hard when Brake pedal is also very hard to press. Very unsafe afraid to drive the vehicle. Dealer has recalls for same model vehicle show under my vin . Vehicle is available for inspection at anytime.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jan 29, 2024
My vehicle started announcing service trailer brake system when i purchased my vehicle about 5k miles in i took it to the dealer they couldn't find anything wrong now that message started to get worse not only is it a safety concern due to the annoying beeping. Sound on the dashboard indicating something is wrong. It makes me take my eyes off the road it Constantly distracts me every time it goes off. Also, feel every time that message appears. My truck slows down. As well, a safety concern when pulling a trailer. The brake system could fail on the trailer due to trailer brake assist malfunctioning.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 30, 2023
Caliper became stuck which produced smoke coming from tire. Had the caliper replaced. Then months later my forward collision system activated because a car in front of me stopped abruptly. After the car automatically braked to slow my car down, the brake never released and became stuck and the ABS light came on. Replace the abs sensor and two days later the brake engaged on its own while doing 60 mph on the highway. Now whenever the hill assist, collision warning, or anything else is activated, the brake engages and gets stuck. In addition, at times on the highway my brake will engage on its own.
Service brakes, Aug 13, 2023
As we are doing a three hour drive our vehicle keeps distracting me from driving. Trailer brake system message pops up in the dash board constantly. Like the whole system electric turns off while driving. Few times it turnoff completely while me still driving my vehicle.
Power train, Service brakes, May 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while parked on a slight incline and shifting into reverse, the vehicle started driving down the driveway with the brake pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle drove approximately 15-feet in reverse. The contact stated once on a flat service, the vehicle suddenly stopped. During the failure, the message "driving assist" was displayed. The failure had occurred on another occasion. The cause of failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 23, 2022, crash
While driving home, the the FAC, forward automatic crash, indicator light came on, I applied the brakes and watched to my dismay as my vehicle slowed down but would not stop. I applied steady hard pressure until impact with another vehicle in front of me. The FAB, forward automatic braking system never kicked in. I will contact the dealer concerning the above issue.
Service brakes, Sep 12, 2022
Brake assistance on this vehicle sucks
Service brakes, Jul 21, 2022
When applying the brakes the SUV will pull hard to the left or at times to the right. I get a screen message that reads " trailer brake system failure". The SUV has never trailed anything. Also dont know if these are tied together but I'm also experiencing a dragging battery during this time. When the trailer brake says failure goes away the battery issue goes away. I've done some research and have found a GM service call "N192261050" which seems to indicate the same issue/concern.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 7, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while either reversing or stopping, the brake failed to operate as needed The contact stated that the brakes were skipping. The service brake assist and brake assist warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign number 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.
Service brakes, Aug 26, 2021
As I drove the 2018 Chevy Tahoo the brakes got really hard to press and would no longer stop. I was finally able to get it to stop and moved off the road. The vehicle was towed to the AutoNation Chevrolet Mesa Dealership (6330 Superstition Springs Blvd. Mesa, AZ 85206). I was told that the vacuum pump seized causing the brake belt to break. I was told by another mechanic that there is a recall on the hydraulic vacuum pump breaking system....... 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. 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.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 2, 2021
My vehicle recently has had 2 issues that I have taken in to the Service Shop for 3 times and the problem has not been fixed. My most concerning issue is my brakes. My brakes are doing the exact problem indicated in this article: https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/gm-recalls-suvs-and-pickups-for-braking-issue/ When the brakes malfunction, I feel a vibrating brake pedal, feels like my vehicle is not going to stop on time, I hear a ticking noise from the engine and my Brake Assist Service light comes on. The issue continues until I can pull over and restart the vehicle. It is a very uneasy feeling having to drive a vehicle that you do not feel safe in. I called 800 Chevrolet's Customer Service number provided in the article and they are unaware of the recall mentioned in this article. I do not know where to go from here. I just want my vehicle fixed and to feel safe. My 2nd issue is regarding my Adaptive Cruise Control. I've had it in the shop 3 times for this also and they did replace a part but that did not fix this issue. I will be driving down the highway or interstate and out of the blue my alarm starts dinging, the seat vibrates, the cruise control gets kicked off and I get an alert on my dash stating that the Adaptive Cruise Control was disabled. Each time it has happened to me there is nothing around but it immediately starts reducing my speed. If someone were behind me it could cause a crash because of the unexpected speed limit reduction. When you go in to look at recalls on 2018 Chevrolet Tahoes it shoes that there is 3 of them that have been issued, yet my VIN is not included in any of them? What can I do from here? I've called Chevrolet's 800 # and they created a "High Urgency Case" but I have not heard back. Attached are my copies of service records and vehicle summary showing there has never been recalls on my VIN #.
Steering, Service brakes, Jul 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving 40 mph and making a left turn, the vehicle started hesitating. The steering wheel ceased. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing all four tires to be replaced. The contact replaced all four original tires however, the failure persisted. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing an alignment. The contact stated that the wheels were aligned however, the vehicle but continued to experience the failure. The contact stated she had the vehicle serviced four times but continued to experience the failure. The contact also stated that the low brake fluid warning flashed off and on, even after adding brake fluid to the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Engine, Jul 17, 2020
WHEN ACCELERATING IT SOUNDS LIKE MY VEHICLE IS STUCK IN BRAKE DEGRADING OR IS MAKING THAT DISTINGUISHING NOISE. MY VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE SECOND TIME TO FIX THE SAME ISSUE OF PARK ASSIST, SIDE DETECTION AND FRONT CAMERA SERVICE. WHEN EXPRESSING MY CONCERN FOR THIS PROBLEM OF THE SOUND THE DEALERSHIP SAID LET'S FIX THE SERVICE ISSUES FIRST AS EVERYTHING IS ELECTRONIC. I HOPE MY VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE.
Service brakes, Mar 6, 2020, crash
OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD TO PUSH AFTER THE TRUCK SITS OVER NIGHT. THE VACUUM BLEEDS OUT INDICATING A VACUUM LEAK IN THE SYSTEM. GM AND THE DEALER SAID THIS MODEL AND YEAR NOT COVERED UNDER CURRENT RECALL.
Service brakes, Feb 7, 2020
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST MESSAGE ON DASH BOARD. THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL HAS A RECALL BUT MY VIN# IS NOT SHOWING AN ISSUE THOUGH MY VEHICLE IA HAVING BRAKING PROBLEMS. DEALER SAYS NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. WHY NOT MY VEHICLE? IT IS DEFINITELY THE ISSUE UNDER THE 2018 TAHOE RECALL.
Service brakes, Jan 10, 2019
SITTING IN TRAFFIC ON I 95 AND HAD TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE AND BEGAN ROLLING BACK IN TRAFFIC AND HAD USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR TWICE. CANNOT BELIEVE THAT GM IS ALLOWED TO SALE A VEHICLE THAT THEY NOW HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND IS ALLOWED TO PUT MY FAMILIES LIFE AND OTHERS AT RISK OF DEATH.