Chevrolet Tahoe Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. Owners have filed 446 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Chevrolet Tahoe. For the Chevrolet Tahoe, that's 0.42 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, close to the 0.28 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2021, 2015 and 2017.
Transmission complaints
446
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.42
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
10.2%
of 4,394 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
6
1 with a do-not-drive warning
Chevrolet Tahoe transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 16 | — | 2.7% | 0 | — | 133 |
| 2009 | 16 | — | 5.2% | 2 | — | 132 |
| 2010 | 6 | — | 1.9% | 1 | — | 155 |
| 2011 | 5 | — | 1.1% | 1 | — | 156 |
| 2012 | 7 | — | 3.9% | 0 | — | 168 |
| 2013 | 9 | — | 3.9% | 1 | — | 185 |
| 2014 | 5 | — | 5.4% | 1 | — | 146 |
| 2015WORST | 55 | 0.62 | 8.3% | 5 | 14V37400014V152000 | 225 |
| 2016 | 47 | 0.45 | 18.6% | 2 | 26V289000 | 170 |
| 2017WORST | 51 | 0.52 | 30.4% | 0 | 26V289000 | 157 |
| 2018 | 18 | 0.17 | 18.4% | 1 | — | 152 |
| 2019 | 37 | 0.37 | 36.6% | 0 | 26V289000 | 120 |
| 2020 | 13 | 0.15 | 24.5% | 0 | — | 111 |
| 2021WORST | 81 | 0.76 | 19.2% | 2 | 24V79700022V036000 | 182 |
| 2022 | 32 | 0.3 | 18.4% | 0 | 26V085000 | 131 |
| 2023 | 38 | — | 19.4% | 0 | — | 107 |
| 2024 | 7 | — | 11.7% | 0 | — | 51 |
| 2025 | 3 | — | 8.6% | 0 | — | 20 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Chevrolet Tahoe transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 446 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Chevrolet Tahoe years to avoid for the transmission
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
81 transmission complaints (19.2% of the year's 421), 0.76 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: loss of power or limp mode. Covered by transmission recalls 24V797000, 22V036000.
2015 Chevrolet Tahoe
55 transmission complaints (8.3% of the year's 661), 0.62 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recalls 14V374000, 14V152000.
2017 Chevrolet Tahoe
51 transmission complaints (30.4% of the year's 168), 0.52 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: transmission repaired or replaced. Covered by transmission recall 26V289000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Chevrolet Tahoe years to avoid.
Chevrolet Tahoe transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Chevrolet Tahoe model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 26V289000 · 2026-05-07 · 2016–2017 and 2019 modelsDO NOT DRIVE
A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.
- 26V085000 · 2026-02-13 · 2022 models
The transmission control valve may fail and lock up the rear wheels.
- 24V797000 · 2024-10-24 · 2021 models
The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
- 22V036000 · 2022-01-27 · 2021 models
The rear wheel driveshaft assemblies may have internal components that were not heat-treated properly, possibly resulting in driveshaft failure.
- 14V374000 · 2014-06-27 · 2015 models
In the affected vehicles, an electrical signal short may cause the transfer case to shift to neutral without the driver's input.
- 14V152000 · 2014-03-31 · 2015 models
The subject vehicles may have a transmission oil cooler line that is not securely seated in the fitting.
Which transmission does the Chevrolet Tahoe use?
- GM 10-speed automatic — 2021–present (all engines); 2018–2020 6.2L
Years are as listed for that transmission's applications. Some apply to certain engines only.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 81 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, 19.2% of all 421 complaints for that year, or 0.76 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (13 complaints). 2 transmission-related recalls cover it: 24V797000, 22V036000. 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 55 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe, 8.3% of all 661 complaints for that year, or 0.62 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (11 complaints). 2 transmission-related recalls cover it: 14V374000, 14V152000. 5 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 51 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe, 30.4% of all 168 complaints for that year, or 0.52 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "transmission repaired or replaced" (20 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 26V289000.
Which Chevrolet Tahoe years have the most transmission complaints?
2021 (81), 2015 (55) and 2017 (51), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Chevrolet Tahoe transmission problems?
In the 446 transmission complaints, owners most often describe jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (13.7%), transmission repaired or replaced (13.5%) and loss of power or limp mode (11.2%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Chevrolet Tahoe model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration