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
104 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Jul 29, 2023
A/C condenser replacement. GM previously admitted problems with 2014-2017 AC condenser in certain model years of trucks and suv. The recalls should be extended to later years. I recently replaced AC condenser on 2018 employer owned Tahoe with typical crack and weld areas. Today, having same part replaced on my personally owned 2018 Chevy Tahoe. GM obviously has a defective part thousands nationwide are complaining about. The is obviously a defect GM should recall and replace at their expense.
Other or unspecified, Jun 19, 2023
The Trailer Brake System Service light and ding constantly go off while doing standard driving without any type of towing involved. I have never used a trailer on the vehicle; however, the ding and service light are a distraction and cannot be turned off.
Steering, Jun 10, 2023
Power steering went out with kids in the car when vehicle only had 76000 miles. There was a special coverage for 2018 models that my vin was not a part of. Had it been this wouldn't have happened to my family. I was without a vehicle for over 2 weeks since dealership had to reach out to GM to find the part. Apparently, this is big issue for other models and years which explains the part shortage. A few months prior there was a service power steering on my dash, and I couldn't turn my steering wheel. Took it to dealership and they brushed it off as computer issue. Again, I feel if my vehicle was part of the special coverage, I wouldn't have experienced this issue or had to pay over $2000 to repair it.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 26, 2023
I was sold a vehicle from a dealer in Arizona that online says they only sell to government or law enforcement
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.
Electrical system, Feb 9, 2023
Purchased brand new Chevy 2018 Tahoe in April 2019. Overall good car never had any issues until 02/08/23 as I was driving a got a service alert "Trailer Brake System", It was so random since we have not hauled anything for that to even become a problem. The next day 2/09/23 the car was not drivable it wouldn't turn on it kept giving me the same alert "Trailer Brake System". I called the dealership and they said it's a defect and have to take the Tahoe in for service since only they can find the defected harness and now I have to pay out of pocket for something that I did nothing wrong, something that is manufacture defect and completely unsafe to drive.
Electrical system, Jan 29, 2023
Trailer brake system warning, I can’t drive, because it buzz me off! Never used trailer.
Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2023
Just driving down the freeway and my sunroof just shattered. We were not driving under anything for something to be thrown or fall on the sunroof and nothing was thrown up from the road.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated and abruptly slowed down and lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the SMR lifter and the engine failed. The contact called the local dealer who informed her that the parts were back ordered but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 104,163.
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.
Power train, Engine, Oct 15, 2022
A lifter collapsed, which in turn damaged the lobes of a piston, which then damaged the camshaft...generating a repair bill of $7,100 per the dealer. The vehicle only has 69,200 miles on it. When the lifter failed, the car shuddered at stops, lost some power and made a noticeable clanking noise. When pulling out from stops, or into traffic, the car hesitated somewhat before accelerating. This creates a very dangerous situation. Also, if more lifters or the camshaft seized up at higher speeds, a driver could experience a potentially fatal situation from an uncontrollable vehicle or a fire. Research shows that Chevy/GM knew about the lifter problem on 5.3 ltr engines with their AFM system for years and sold them anyway. They apparently have never solved the problem, and it still exists today. Several class action lawsuits have been lodged against them for the lifter failure problem. Aside from the serious potential safety issues, an expensive vehicle like my Tahoe should not be expected to incur a $7,100 repair bill when it's only 4 years old and has less then 70,000 miles on it. That's ridiculous. My wife and I are both retired. We will be tapping our retirement account to pay for this shoddy Chevy product and will worry that it just might occur again, after the fix. From a safety standpoint, a stall, loss of power, or engine seizure at speed will tax our quick response reflexes. The known lifter problem is a legitimate safety situation and needs to be addressed before someone is seriously injured or killed...if they haven't already. Thank you for listening.
Power train, Sep 24, 2022
On July 29, 2022 my Tahoe broke down on me while driving home from work. It started to lose speed while on a busy highway during rush hour. I started losing speed and I kept giving it gas and it wouldn’t go. I kept trying to get speed to try and get off the highway to avoid getting into an accident or put someone else in danger. Somehow I managed to get off into a shopping center. I had come up to a stop sign and couldn’t even get the Tahoe to stop while there was a lot of traffic in the shopping center as well. I eventually got it to a safe spot and called a tow truck. I live almost an hour from home. The shop the Tahoe was towed too said the torque converter was contaminated with metal shavings that was caused by parts on the Tahoe grinding together and therefore contaminating the torque converter and then it ruined my transmission. I was also told this is a common thing they are seeing with Chevy Tahoes, but yet no recalls have been issued and I think something needs to be down about it. It put my life in danger as well as other drivers around me! And I couldn’t afford to fix it so I lost my vehicle and all the hard work and money I put into paying my vehicle since 2018! I also found a lawsuit regarding this issue too.
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.
Other or unspecified, Jun 29, 2022
I have a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. Today, while I was pulling out of the Sam's Club parking lot I heard a huge thud, the car jerked forward and completely stopped. The drive line / drive shaft had broken clean off. I'm awaiting official diagnosis from Riverton Chevrolet's service dept., but it was a very scary situation. I'm thankful that I was not rear ended or hurt. I see that welding issues are part of a NHTSA safety issue on later model Chevy Tahoe vehicles. I'm wondering if my 2018 is a victim of a similar problem. I do not drive at high speeds or go off-roading. I get my car serviced regularly. This could have been catastrophic if I'd been on the freeway. Repair invoice pending.
Steering, May 31, 2022
My wife was driving everything was working fine until a message came on the dash "steering stopped Drive with care" she was mid way in a turn to get on highway when this happened if I wasn't in vehicle to grab the wheel my wife would have ended up in a wall or worst case in the canal next to 95 with my 4 year old in the car. The vehicle is currently at a chevorlet dealer in Greenacres Florida and they say the electric steering gear has stopped working.. this seams like a very unsafe system as when it stops the steering wheel is very stiff more than a old car with no power steering. I think this needs to be investigated yesterday as someone could die from this if it hasn't happened already. As of right now I no longer feel that this is a safe vehicle for my wife to be driving
Engine, May 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. Recently, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The contact was notified of the diagnosis and the dealer recommended that the engine be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was 22,949.
Engine, Apr 27, 2022
Transmission issues on 2018 Chevy Tahoe. The vehicle stopped on the Hwy. Dealership says the transmission needs to be replaced. Is uncertain why the transmission has gone out on the vehicle since it’s only 4 years old. Error message came on my vehicle and I called the dealership. From my research it appears Chevrolet is continuing to have problems with the transmission on its Tahoes. This is unexceptionable. The consumer has to pay the price not the manufacturer. Please assist.
Seat belts, Apr 20, 2022
1- the second row center Seat Belt Receptacle stopped locking so failed, this happened while using the vehicle. 2- the seatbelt receptacle stopped latching while using the car in Seattle, I had to drive with someone in that seat unbuckled because all other seats were being used. 3- the receptacle can not be repaired, needs to be replaced; 4- I have contacted the manufacturer to have them fix this but they will not do it without compensation. 5- no warning. the vehicle is not old and in very good condition. I drive with my family in the car daily but rarely need to use the middle seat. I feel this is a defective latch due to the limited use and age of vehicle. I am concerned that the other seatbelts will also break without warning and Think that GM needs to be aware of a possibility.
Steering, Mar 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the power steering assist failed. The failure occurred on several occasions, which nearly caused a collision. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. The VIN was unavailable.
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.
Steering, Electrical system, Feb 22, 2022
Steering Wheel hard to turn and locks for a short period when making turns going low speeds. (turning into parking spot or reversing out of parking spot) When steering in reverse, front dashboard shut down and returned in 1 second with a restart. Left in middle of road trying to back into driveway. Car parked and started, car windshield wipers were activated while in garage, radio station was reset & wouldn't allow to be changed, and car gave action required notifications on dashboard (power open & close driver window & passenger window) Park Assist Off light shows after steering issues. Tire Sensors reset Compass recalibrated
Electrical system, Oct 4, 2021
Entire vehicle loses electrical power. The vehicle does not shut off, however. Lights, dash, display etc. Possibly a grounding issue. Problem has not been looked at yet, but has occurred twice in the last week. No warning lights available. Occasional park assist failure occurs, may or may not be related.
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 #.