2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, 20% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 62,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “valve body” (21% of reports).
- 90power train complaints
- 62,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 43%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Valve body: mentioned in 19 of 90 complaints (21%)
- Service transmission: mentioned in 6 of 90 complaints (7%)
- Reduced acceleration: mentioned in 5 of 90 complaints (6%)
- Limp mode: mentioned in 5 of 90 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 15 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 90 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Chevrolet Tahoe power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tahoe | 3 | 11% | — |
| 2025 Tahoe | 5 | 10% | — |
| 2024 Tahoe | 7 | 10% | 17,565 |
| 2023 Tahoe | 47 | 21% | 39,000 |
| 2022 Tahoe | 39 | 20% | 39,000 |
| 2021 Tahoe | 90 | 20% | 62,000 |
| 2020 Tahoe | 14 | 25% | 20,000 |
| 2019 Tahoe | 38 | 36% | 52,250 |
| 2018 Tahoe | 20 | 19% | 54,000 |
| 2017 Tahoe | 53 | 30% | 100,300 |
| 2016 Tahoe | 47 | 18% | 55,000 |
| 2015 Tahoe | 55 | 8% | 73,500 |
| 2014 Tahoe | 5 | 6% | 71,831 |
| 2013 Tahoe | 9 | 4% | 38,000 |
| 2012 Tahoe | 7 | 4% | 54,991 |
| 2011 Tahoe | 5 | 1% | 38,760 |
| 2010 Tahoe | 6 | 2% | 61,255 |
| 2009 Tahoe | 12 | 4% | 57,000 |
| 2008 Tahoe | 9 | 2% | 60,164 |
| 2007 Tahoe | 50 | 4% | 60,341 |
| 2006 Tahoe | 8 | 7% | 46,570 |
| 2005 Tahoe | 24 | 8% | 94,250 |
| 2004 Tahoe | 26 | 6% | 37,849 |
| 2003 Tahoe | 19 | 4% | 13,150 |
| 2002 Tahoe | 37 | 8% | 40,172 |
| 2001 Tahoe | 27 | 5% | 51,000 |
| 2000 Tahoe | 12 | 4% | 60,000 |
| 1999 Tahoe | 45 | 8% | 85,000 |
| 1998 Tahoe | 21 | 8% | 72,899 |
| 1997 Tahoe | 58 | 14% | 80,450 |
| 1996 Tahoe | 37 | 13% | 100,194 |
| 1995 Tahoe | 13 | 5% | 21,838 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Power train:automatic transmission:fluid/lubricant:valves/valve body; power train:automatic transmission:control module:software
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, and Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles. The rear wheel driveshaft assemblies may have internal components that were not heat-treated properly, possibly resulting in driveshaft failure.
Risk: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and/or right rear driveshaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 14, 2022. 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 N212351030.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle is a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Premier with under 50,000 miles. The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of reverse gear, accompanied by violent lurching, sputtering, and dangerous hesitation/stuttering while accelerating between gears at speed. A certified dealership inspection…
My car on the dash board said do not accelerate and was shaking and the gear would not go into reverse. When I tried the car would not move. I towed the car to local Chevy dealer and when I told them about N242454441 or related safety campaigns like N242454440 nothing came up for my VIN but was…
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds uphill, the vehicle made a loud clunking sound while downshifting. While driving 70 MPH on one occasion, and while driving 20 MPH on another occasion, the vehicle made a loud clunking sound while…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Chevrolet Tahoes have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 90 owner complaints about power train for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe (20% of the 457 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe power train?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 62,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe?
The most frequent phrase is “valve body”, in 19 of 90 complaints, followed by “service transmission” (6).
Other 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe problems
See all 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe problems or power train problems across all Tahoe years.