USED VEHICLE RESEARCH

2018 Chevrolet Tahoe

Research the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe using available NHTSA owner complaints, safety recalls, manufacturer communications, defect investigations, and CarIQ data-coverage analysis.

DATA CONFIDENCE: Moderate

Owner complaints

103NHTSA records

Recall campaigns

3Year, make and model lookup

Manufacturer communications

0Matched NHTSA records

Investigations

0Matched NHTSA records

SUBJECTIVE OWNER FEEDBACK

OWNER EXPERIENCE

What it is like to live with the vehicle—kept clearly separate from official NHTSA evidence.

BUILDING THE COMMUNITY

THE FIRST USEFUL PERSPECTIVE COULD BE YOURS

No approved owner experiences yet.

Contributions are collected carefully and only appear here after moderation. No placeholders, sample testimonials, or invented sentiment.

OWNED THIS CAR?

Help the next buyer understand the real ownership experience.

Share what you liked, what could be better, and whether you would choose it again. Every contribution is moderated before publication.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe
INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE TYPES

NHTSA owner complaint records remain part of Official Vehicle Data. Subjective review contributions remain in Owner Experience. One does not validate or prove the other. Read the methodology.

EVIDENCE, NOT A SCORE

WHAT THIS DATA CAN TELL YOU ABOUT RELIABILITY

Official records can provide useful research context, but each source has a different meaning. Complaint counts are not failure rates; recalls are formal safety campaigns; manufacturer communications are technical or service documentation; and investigations reflect formal NHTSA activity. Data Confidence measures evidence availability, not vehicle quality. CarIQ does not publish a composite Reliability Score.

Available evidence summary: 103 NHTSA owner complaint records; 3 safety recall campaigns; 0 manufacturer communications; 0 applicable NHTSA defect investigations.

EVIDENCE AVAILABILITY — NOT VEHICLE RELIABILITY

DATA CONFIDENCE

Moderate

Data Confidence measures how much usable evidence CarIQ has for this vehicle. It does not measure how reliable the vehicle is.

Why this rating?
Owner complaint data
Available
Manufacturer communications
Available
Recall data
Available
Investigation data
Available
Production denominator
Unavailable
Complaint component completeness
100%
Mileage completeness
0%
Incident-date completeness
100%

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYTICS

DATA INSIGHTS

Derived from official NHTSA source records. These statistics are descriptive and are not a reliability score.

Complaint records analyzed
103
NHTSA complaints
Most reported component
Unknown or Other
25% of categorized complaint records
Top-three component concentration
54%
Records mentioning at least one top-three component
Median reported incident mileage
Not available from current source
0 valid mileage observations
Recall campaigns
3
NHTSA recalls
Most recent recall report
October 1, 2020
NHTSA recalls
Manufacturer communications
0
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Most documented component
Not available
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Top-three communication concentration
Not available
Share of categorized manufacturer communications

SOURCE COMPLETENESS

DATA QUALITY

Complaint records analyzed
103
Component classification available
100%
Incident date available
100%
Mileage available
0%
Structured outcome fields available
100%

Completeness describes fields present in the retrieved complaint records. It is not a data-quality grade or a vehicle assessment.

Learn about CarIQ methodology

PRODUCTION-ADJUSTED DESCRIPTIVE METRIC

NORMALIZED COMPLAINT CONTEXT

Production-normalized complaint data is not currently available for this vehicle.

This metric compares the number of NHTSA owner complaint records retrieved by CarIQ with NHTSA-reported production volume for the corresponding vehicle population.

It is not a vehicle failure rate. Complaint reporting behavior, vehicle age, time on the road, production definitions, and other factors can affect the result.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Early Warning Reporting, Light Vehicle Production Data. Read the methodology.

OFFICIAL NHTSA OWNER COMPLAINT DATA

PROBLEMS REPORTED IN NHTSA RECORDS

CarIQ groups available NHTSA owner complaint records for the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe by vehicle system to make recurring documentation easier to research. Most represented complaint categories describe the retrieved records—not failure frequency.

TOTAL COMPLAINTS103

MOST REPRESENTED COMPLAINT CATEGORIES

Unknown or Other26 complaints
25%of categorized complaint records
Engine20 complaints
19%of categorized complaint records
Power Train20 complaints
19%of categorized complaint records
Service Brakes19 complaints
18%of categorized complaint records
Electrical System13 complaints
13%of categorized complaint records
Steering11 complaints
11%of categorized complaint records
Fuel/propulsion System7 complaints
7%of categorized complaint records
Forward Collision Avoidance4 complaints
4%of categorized complaint records
Engine and Engine Cooling3 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Hydraulic3 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Structure3 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Vehicle Speed Control3 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Air Bags2 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Exterior Lighting2 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Suspension2 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Back Over Prevention1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Buckle1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Chest Clip1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Fuel System1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Gasoline1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Harness1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Lane Departure1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Seat Belts1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Seats1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Tires1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Visibility1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records

A complaint may list more than one component and therefore contribute to multiple categories. Percentages show the share of categorized complaint records that mention each component—not the percentage of vehicles affected. Category percentages may overlap.

INCIDENT REPORTS BY YEAR

2017
1
2018
9
2019
8
2020
12
2021
4
2022
15
2023
15
2024
11
2025
14
2026
14

Grouped from complaint records with a valid incident date.

RECENT OWNER COMPLAINTS

Power Train · Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11760315
Read complaint narrative

05/15/23 - AFM Lifter failure - Complete Top End Rebuild under extended warranty purchased when i bought the Tahoe - Preowned certified. Cost $2,000.00 Out Of Pocket ( Days Chevrolet Repaired 86,350 miles) 09/06/23 - Transmission failed - Warranty paid except $2,000.00 (94,000 Miles) 02/02/26 - Broken Driver Side Motor Mount Replaced $350.00 (159,000 Miles) 02/28/26 - Rear end Failure 03/20/26 - AFM Lifter Failure Again - Been in the shop since then. No warranty/ Pay out of Pocket (160,010 Miles)

Electrical System · Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11757607
Read complaint narrative

Vehicle was driven the day before the incident occurred. The morning of the incident, the vehicle was parked, off and not running. A notification sent to my phone indicating a critical battery low 11.1V reading. Vehicle would not start. Vehicles battery and alternator charging system was tested and passed. All systems are good. Vehicle continues to give critical low voltage over night while the vehicle is off and not running.

Tires

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11754056
Read complaint narrative

LT275 65 R18 123/120 R DOT 1 BE BP AT 21 My daughter has pictures of the tires, all four tires (all bought at the same time) 05/6/23 from Discount Tire, are splitting along the side wall, originating at the tread line, we have talked with Discount tire, there are 40,000 miles approximately on the tires. They have been appropriately rotated and balanced. There have been no repairs of the tires. This is noted to be a defect, not normal wear and tear of the tire, per Discount Tire. They have offered 423.00 credit to purchase new, and have come back with 50% off new tires. Since this is a defect, verse actual wear and tear I do not believe that is appropriate. 75-100% of the replacement value. The tires should reasonably last between 5-6 years. The defect increases the risk of a blow out on any one or several of the tires. Discount Tire in Lubbock has confirmed that there is an issue, but I am not happy with their resolution.

Power Train · Unknown or Other · Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11753184
Read complaint narrative

Out of nowhere without any warning light all of a sudden couldn’t back up when geared into reverse to reverse. Turned the vehicle off and back on, then was able to reverse. Left parking lot and was on the road and vehicle started loosing speed, then put into park with hazard lights. When attempting to get off the road for safety reasons tried putting into drive and the car then drove in reverse. Local Fire department came and called in the local police dept for assistance and pushed vehicle off to the side and tow company came and took to the auto shop with information today of the transmission going out, and with that causing happening causing the Fluid to Smell Burnt and Full. The auto shop test Drove and made It 30 Feet and Would Not Move. Transmission Is Failing and Causing the Concern.

Structure

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11751098
Read complaint narrative

EVERYTIME IT RAINS REALLY HARD, MY DRIVERS SIDE B PILLAR WHERE THE HANDLE AND SEAT BELT IS, IS SOAK AND WET FROM A LEAK. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE HAD MY SUNROOF CHECKED, MY WINDSHIELD CHECKED AND DRAIN TUBES CHECKED. THERE IS NEVER ANY WATER OR WETNESS ON THE FLOOR, ITS ONLY THE HEADLINER. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING IF THERE ARE OTHER TAHOES DOING THE SAME AND YES THERE ARE AND 1 HAD WENT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE MANUFACTURER WELDS WERE NOT WELDED CORRECTLY, WHICH CAUSES WATER TO GET INTO THE ROOF. THIS CAN CAUSE MOLD AND EVENTUALLY OTHER ISSUES. IT HAS STAINED MY HEADLINER. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE A BODY SHOP FIX THIS KIND OF REPAIR AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOR AS MUCH MONEY AS I HAVE PAID FOR THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE VERY YOUNG GRANDKIDS THAT RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE AND ONE HAS VERY BAD ALLERGIES AGAINST MOLD. AND IT IS NOT FAIR THAT I EVENTUALLY WILL HAVE TO GET THIS FIXED BECAUSE IT WILL ALSO CAUSE RUST. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11749000
Read complaint narrative

WHEN IT RAINS REALLY HARD, THE ROOF IN THE B PILLAR LEAKS ABOVE THE SEAT BELT AREA INTO THE HEADLINER. MY HUSBAND WHO IS AN AUTOBODY TECHNICIAN HAS MADE SURE MY SUNROOF LINES ARE CLEAR AND THE WINDSHIELD MOLDINGS AND SEALS ARE GOOD. HE HAD ANOTHER ONE AT HIS PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND IT WAS THE ROOF WELDS, WHICH ARE DONE BY THE MANUFACTURER. I AM HEARING MORE AND MORE TAHOE OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. AS MUCH AS THESE VEHICLES COSTS US, THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. THIS CAUSES MOLD IN THE ROOF AND RUSTING. THIS HAS TO BE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR IF I NEED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED AND COULD ALSO CAUSE HEALTH ISSUES IF NOT ADDRESSED WITH THE MOLD.

Power Train · Vehicle Speed Control · Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11747971
Crash reported
Read complaint narrative

Unexpected acceleration

Air Bags

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11744939
Crash reported3 reported injuries
Read complaint narrative

We were in a severe car accident and our airbags did not deploy in our vehicle. We were going about 45 miles an hour and had windshield cracking and severe, severe damage to our vehicle. This was a front side, head on impact.

NHTSA complaints are reports submitted by vehicle owners and other consumers. Complaint counts do not represent the percentage of vehicles affected and do not by themselves establish that a safety defect exists.

A higher complaint count can partly reflect how many vehicles were sold, vehicle age, and other factors. CarIQ does not yet normalize complaint counts by vehicles sold.

Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This site is not endorsed by NHTSA.

OFFICIAL NHTSA SAFETY RECALL DATA

SAFETY RECALLS

3 recall campaigns found

01SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUMCampaign 20V603000October 1, 2020

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

02SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RINGCampaign 19V761000October 24, 2019

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

03SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUMCampaign 19V645000September 6, 2019

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.

Safety Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall results shown here are based on year, make, and model. A specific vehicle may or may not be affected. Check the vehicle's VIN with NHTSA to confirm open recalls before purchasing. Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

OFFICIAL NHTSA MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION DATA

MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS

TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS0

No NHTSA manufacturer communication records were returned for this year, make, and model.

Manufacturer communications include service bulletins and other technical information submitted by manufacturers to NHTSA. The existence or number of communications does not establish how often a condition occurs or whether an individual vehicle will experience it.

Some manufacturers may issue more detailed service documentation than others, so communication counts should not be used alone to compare vehicle reliability.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration manufacturer communications

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS

TOTAL INVESTIGATION RECORDS0

No applicable NHTSA defect investigation records were returned for this year, make, and model.

NHTSA investigations evaluate potential motor-vehicle safety defects. The existence of an investigation does not by itself establish that a safety defect exists, and the absence of an investigation does not establish that a vehicle is problem-free.

Open and closed describe NHTSA's process status, not a CarIQ reliability judgment.

View official NHTSA investigation data ↗

DESCRIPTIVE SOURCE OVERLAP

CROSS-SOURCE VEHICLE DATA

CarIQ compares categories appearing across independent NHTSA datasets. Overlap can help identify areas with more available documentation, but it does not establish defect frequency or prove that an individual vehicle will experience a problem.

ComponentOwner complaintsManufacturer communicationsRecall campaignsNHTSA investigationsOfficial sources containing records
Unknown or Other260001 of 4
Engine200001 of 4
Power Train200001 of 4
Service Brakes190001 of 4
Electrical System130001 of 4
Steering110001 of 4
Fuel/propulsion System70001 of 4
Forward Collision Avoidance40001 of 4
Engine and Engine Cooling30001 of 4
Hydraulic30001 of 4

Displayed first by the number of source categories containing the component, then by owner complaint count, then alphabetically. This is a presentation rule, not a vehicle ranking. Complaint reports, manufacturer communications, recalls, and investigations describe different events and are never added into a combined total.

complaint
Available
communication
Available
recall
Available
investigation
Available
production
Unavailable

COMMON RESEARCH QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2018 CHEVROLET TAHOE

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?

CarIQ does not currently assign a reliability score to the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. Available evidence is shown as separate official-source records with a Data Confidence classification of Moderate.

What problems are reported for the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe?

103 NHTSA owner complaint records. When complaint data is available, the page groups records by the NHTSA component categories they identify without treating those categories as verified failure rates.

Are there recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe?

3 safety recall campaigns. Year, make, and model results do not confirm whether a specific VIN is affected or whether a remedy has been completed.

USED-CAR CANDIDATE RESEARCH

Considering buying a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Enter the mileage and asking price to review Is This A Good Car?'s available evidence for the specific candidate. No buy/no-buy or pricing judgment is produced. Open the full research tool.