general problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe - part 2

While traveling on the highway one day, my 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe began warning lights on the dashboard. Shortly after, it running roughly,, and jerking, so I pulled over to investigate. There no visible smoke, so I drove to the nearest auto parts store, where they ran a diagnostic test that returned a code of p0306. I then took vehicle back to the dealership where have always received oil changes and repairs. I have never visited any other dealership, relying on certified gm/Chevrolet dealerships. After inspecting the vehicle, they informed me that the lifters needed replacement advised that it would be best to replace the engine entirely. Upon further research, I discovered that issue has been affecting many people in our area and across the united states. This needs to be addressed, as the vehicle is only three years old, purchased brand new with zero miles, and I have not done anything out of the ordinary to cause this problem. The vehicle being 70,000 and 12. 000 for repairs is insane.

My vehicle has a little over 15000 miles on it. On Thursday April 3rd, while driving 35 mph in town, my rpms shot up to 4 and the vehicle would not respond to accelleration. A few seconds later the engine light appeared. I managed to get the vehicle home going no faster than 42 mph off and on. Upon arriving home I realized I had no reverse in the vehicle. I immediately called the dealership and was told to bring it in. They didn't look at it until the following Monday April 7th when they determined the transmission control module went out. Gm told them they "couldn't find that part anywhere". Thr vehicle still sits behind the dealership and gm has no answers and has already hinted that it may be at least 60 days. This is unacceptable.

I have a 2021 Tahoe with 68,000 miles on it. On March 14 my transmission started slipping while driving. The rpm would rev up, the car would jerk forward and then the rpm would fall back down. Did this to me 6 times while driving. I got my car home, called the dealership. Went to drive it to the dealership and the car would no longer go in reverse. Had to have the car towed to the dealership.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the engine made knocking sounds. The message "service transmission" was displayed. The contact's husband pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart immediately. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the camshaft retainer, valve tensioner kit, gaskets, seals, lifters, engine bolts, rods, and pipes; however, the "service transmission" message displayed again while driving. The dealer was made aware of the failure, but the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 89,678.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 45 mph, the vehicle hesitated. In addition, while attempting to shift the into drive, the gear shifter failed to respond as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the valve body assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 24v797000 (power train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000.

Purchased vehicle 10/30/2024 with approximately 65,000 miles. 4 months later at 69,100 miles transmission failed and replaced.

Valve body for 10 speed transmission suddenly malfunctioned while driving on I-95 at 60mph causing rear wheels to lock up for couple of seconds. Then, engine rpm went to 5000. Error message displayed"reduced acceleration, drive with care" and "unable to shift soon, service transmission soon". Upon taking to dealer, service advisor mentioned that it could be valve body issue. Which is very common for these vehicles. After diagnosis from dealer, there were two codes: p0770 and p0776. Upon some research it was found that these issues are indeed very common for 10speed gm transmission. But, gm hasn't done much to address it. Gm acknowledged the issue in their oct, 2023 bulletin. This is a safety issue especially at highway speeds.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact attempted to start the vehicle several times, however the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in an underground parking lot. The contact stated that four tow trucks attempted to tow the vehicle; however, the transmission had to be disconnected from underneath the vehicle to remove the vehicle from the underground parking garage. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed fuel pump power control module. The contact was informed that the fuel pump power control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was informed of NHTSA campaign number: 21v739000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. In addition, the contact stated that when the vehicle was retrieved from the dealer after the repair, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated the vehicle was started, and the vehicle was driven to the residence without the failure reoccurring. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,064.

1st. While driving at highway speeds my vehicle disengaged from adaptive cruise control when no cars were in view of sensors. However, cars were behind me, making it a little scary. Happened once but I haven't had my vehicle to know if it would happen again. 2nd. Car has a vibration at speeds of 30 to 40 mph. Vehicle has literally been at dealership since February 10th, 2025 with no eta for valve body in sight.

I was driving along the highway at 11pm when I the vehicle started shaking and I heard strange sounds coming from outside the vehicle. I pulled over to inspect and realized it was coming from the engine bay. The engine was making knocking, rattling, and belt slipping noises and the entire vehicle was shaking and the engine also stuttering. I was able to drive the vehicle to a nearby plaza where I had it towed the following morning. There were no warning signs, the vehicle ran properly up until this occurred. The dealership inspected it and told me the engine needs to be replaced and it was likely that a rod bearing that went bad. This happened nearly 2 months ago and I am still waiting for a new engine.

My vehichle will not go in reverse my wheels are locking up and also my car is going over 6000 rpm when going down the highway and not wanting to shift gears where it is a safety concern for myself and my kids well being.

I want to file a complaint on chevy I have a high country, 2021, my dealership has had it for over 2 months, can't get the part to fix it - valve body- they have another one there, that's been there for 5 months, can't get the part. So, 2 Tahoes at same dealership, same problem, and can't get the part to fix. I have escalated to chevy, have a case number, chevy themselves can't get the part to fix my truck. But I still have to pay for it-big payment for something, I can't drive, isn't worth anything for trade and useless- I am furious. I have been a lifetime chevy owner-and this is changing my mind. Last nights communication with chevy escalation please read:  dear stacey,  we have the following update for your 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, case number [xxx].   we are still experiencing a delay on the part(s) needed to repair your 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. We understand this is a significant inconvenience and we continue to work diligently to resolve the delay. If further information is made available, you will be contacted by your dealer or myself. Thank you again for your patience and please contact me to discuss any additional questions or concerns you may have.   I can be reached at the number listed below or emailed at customercare@Chevrolet. Com (please reply with history to this email for fastest response). And my response: thank you for the update. However janet, if you can not find the part. I want my truck fixed ASAP. If that means a new transmission then that means a new transmission. This is a chevy problem and chevy knows it. Otherwise, payoff my truck. Give me full value so I can trade it I owe $54k.   not to be a complete rude person. But if my truck doesn’t get fixed fast. I’m going to start escalating this to who ever will listen  I know this isn’t your fault. But it’s not mine either. And I have a $1300 a month payment for something I can’t drive. And chevy can’t fix! [xxx] Dec 13, 2024 chevy dist information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Statement of safety issue for 2021 Tahoe transmission vehicle information: make and model: 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe VIN: [xxx] issue description: I have been receiving the warning message "service transmission. Unable to shift soon. " multiple times, specifically on [xxx] and again on [xxx]. This issue is particularly concerning as there is an existing recall on the 2021 Tahoe for a transmission problem that can cause the rear wheels to lock up or result in the vehicle suddenly losing the ability to shift, as explained by a GMC transmission technician. Attempts to resolve: I have contacted multiple dealerships to attempt to get my transmission diagnosed. Unfortunately, all dealerships within my area are backed up with transmission work for 4-6 weeks. I have spoken to multiple dealership service departments and have been informed that there are numerous vehicles currently experiencing this same exact issue. Some vehicles are continuing to drive, while others are being stranded on the side of the road, unable to shift. Safety concern: the safety concern, as stated in the recall, is that my rear wheels may lock up or my vehicle may suddenly lose the ability to shift. This is particularly alarming for me as I have to drive over a large steep bridge every day to go to work, and there is no emergency lane while traversing the bridge. I am terrified to continue driving, but I only have one vehicle for my family (this 2021 Tahoe) and no dealership has a loaner vehicle available due to the high quantity of transmission errors. Conclusion: given the severity of the issue and the potential safety risks, I urgently request assistance in addressing this transmission problem as soon as possible. The current situation is untenable and poses a significant danger to my safety and the safety of others on the road. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle just lost propulsion and would not move. Engine was running but just came out of gear and went into neutral at 70mph. Pulled off highway and vehicle would not go back into drive. Would not go into any gear except park. After a while it went into drive and would not go over 30mph. Limped into a nearby dealership and dropped it off. It took gm 47 days to figure out the issue yet the new part was installed immediately. Some sort of computer calibration glitch and gm didn't know the answer till I threatened a lawsuit. Still not confident it was repaired correctly. Dealership was fine and informative but gm blew me off.

Engine failed while driving down the road. There was not prior warning signs to this issue. Vehicle was unable to accelerate. The safety of myself and husband were put a risk as we were traveling on an interstate 12 in baton rouge, la. The vehicle was inspected by pine belt chevy and the cause identified as camshaft and lifters failed in the engine causing a sudden deacceleration.

Transmission control module failed. I was driving at about 40 mph on a 4 lane street and it begin to feel like something was pulling the steering wheel to the left and I could not control the speed. I then pulled off into a parking lot and was facing a drainage ditch and needed to back the car into a space out of the way, it would not go into reverse. My husband met with me and was able to drive it forward to drive it to a dealership. The diagnosis was a failed transmission control module that cost us $2,478.

Glow plug issue. Glow plug broke off or appeared burnt when dealership removed. Check engine light illuminated.

Gm does not install tpms devices in spare tires. I had a flat tire in snowy conditions 100+ miles from the nearest place for assistance. After putting on the spare tire the dic (driver information center) displayed no air in tire. That’s because a tpms doesn’t exist in spare tires. I started driving a my four wheel drive turned off. I turned it back on and after a very short distance it turned off again. Since the vehicle determined I didn’t have air in one of the tires (spare previously mentioned) the four wheel drive shouldn’t work to prevent damage. I needed the four wheel drive in the snow so I had to proceed at approximately 25 mph. This is a safety issue for not only my vehicle but others on the roadways. I contacted the dealer that had no idea about the problem and neither did the national gm customer support center. There is a tool that “tells” the vehicle where each tire is located so that is low tire pressure occurs the driver would know which tire needs attention. If a tpms was installed from the factory and a flat occurred, spare installed then the four wheel drive would function. If a flat subsequently occurred the driver would still be alerted but wouldn’t know tire was involved. Visual check would find it. Either this or have gm provide an override so the trip could be continued safely. I believe that this situation applies to any four wheel drive vehicle not just gm and should be resolved if the nhtsb would initiate an investigation.

As a traffic crash reconstructionist, the issue is a major safety issue. My wife was exiting a residential driveway when the vehicle started to stutter and immediately shut down with no power or any capability to get the vehicle off the road. The shutdown caused the blockage of a residential street on a Friday afternoon, until the correct tow truck arrived. This was due to the fact the vehicle could not be moved due to not being able to start the engine nor the ability to place the vehicle into neutral, without starting the engine or crawling un der it with tools. It was determined the fuel module went bad. There was no warning of the failure of the component. Luckily the shut down of all components of the vehicle did not occur on a high speed or highly traveled road since I did not have any control of the vehicle after the fuel module failed. This is not the first report of the issue to NHTSA. Hopefully something will happen to find a fix to put the vehicle in neutral without tools, for the safety of the motoring public.

2 issues - 1) vehicle repaired 5 times for "transmission" problem by replacing wiring harnesses. On 5th attempt, the gm factory part or the technician caused the Tahoe to catch fire. Worst part is that it happened 1 hour after test driving and parking the car at their dealership, thankfully, I would normally have driven it home and it would have destroyed my home too. Gm investigated and was unable to determine cause. 2) each time the "transmission" error occurred the gm car went into what they call the "limp" mode. The car immediately loses speed control and drifts to about 35 mph until you have control of the accelerator. I was on an interstate going +70 mph to pass a semi and immediately after passing the car went into limp mode, the semi nearly rear ended me and then passed me blowing his horn and cursing me. Gm could certainly correct this latter issue by creating a warning on the screen that gives the driver ample time to pull over and address the problem as they do when def fluid (this was a diesel) is low and will give warning to add def or reduce speed after so many additional miles are driven. The former issue needs to be addressed immediately too, I've noted 4 other drivers on social media that had similar fires. Both of these issues could have resulted in serious injury to me or my family.

The vehicle experienced a catastrophic control arm failure at low speed while turn left onto a residential street. The brake line severed, the wheel began to roll under the drivers side of the vehichle.

This is the second engine I’ve had replaced since I bought the vehicle in December 21, 2023. The first engine failed in August of 2022 while I was driving on the highway. The vehicle began to smoke and shut down while I was driving on the highway. The vehicle shut down and I had to use the current momentum of the vehicle to pull over to the shoulder. The vehicle would not come out of gear and would not restart. I complained of transmission problems ever since the engine was replaced. The service department escalated the concerns to the gm engineers who never gave directions to check the transmission fluid or physically check the transmission. January 24 of this year I was on the highway driving to work when the vehicle again shut down. The dash stated restart the vehicle. While in motion the vehicle was trying to shift to neutral. I informed the dealer of this message and they claim they took note of it. With the vehicle not being able to start or move out of gear the tow truck had to drag the vehicle onto the bed of the tow truck. This also occurred on the first engine failure as well.

Vehicle is sputtering and jerking while driving when slowing to a stop vehicles engine will shut off. I do know that the 2021 Tahoe has recalls on the fuel pump issues but not sure why my VIN number isn’t covered under this recall. This is a 2 year old vehicle and already has recalls on this year model on its fuel pump. At this point it is barely driveable and is a danger for myself and my family to drive.

On three (3) different occasions, I put the SUV in park and the car engaged, and the "p" lit up as engaged. As I took my foot off the brake, the SUV went into drive and rolled. This last time, the SUV did this at my kid's school ater putting it in park, I took my foot off the brake and turned to get the kids unbuckled, and my foot accidentally pushed the gas pedal. The SUV went into drive on its own and the SUV drove over the sidewalk hitting a rock staircase causing an accident with all 4 kids in my SUV. This is the 3rd time, and I don't know what to do about it. Thankfully there were no kids in front of the SUV.

While driving in traffic the car shut off, engine stopped. When the car stopped it went into park. Could not restart the car. Starter worked and engine started but ran very rough then stopped several times. I could not completely shut off the car in an attempt to basically reboot. Car had to be towed to the dealer.

The contact owns 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown rate of speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the transmission independently went into the park(p) and the gear shifter would not move after multiple attempts. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where they could not repair the vehicle because they did not have a tool to unlock the transmission. Once the tool arrived after a few day, they then discovered that water had entered the fuel tank which led to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was promised a call back, the contact had yet to receive a call back. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph with the adaptive cruise control activated, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The contact indicated that after the adaptive cruise control reduced the speed due to a nearby vehicle instead of resuming the intended speed, the vehicle lost motive power in the middle of the busy highway and would not restart. The tow truck was called to the scene and discovered that the transmission could not be shifted into neutral(n). The vehicle had to be dragged onto the flatbed of the tow truck. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 14,608.

I encountered the same issue which most of the other complaints on here saw where the engine lost power (due to one cylinder misfiring) suddenly and it was due to a faulty lifter in the engine. Fortunately, I was able to limp the vehicle back to my house where it could be towed, but had it been worse it could've stalled in an intersection and I'd be unable to move the vehicle due to how the engine must be running in order to put it in neutral. Gm really needs to recall the engines that are affected by the lifter problem as this issue is showing up on several forums online along with this site. My engine date code falls within their TSB, however they only replaced one bank due to my mileage being over 8,000 miles. That means that I most likely get to look forward to more issues soon with the other bank of lifters as they're of the same faulty design.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and stopped suddenly. The adaptive cruise control warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after several minutes the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 10,000.

The vehicle was manufactured with a push button transmission gear selector. If there is an electrical issue(ie. Dead battery, electrical short, engine failure, etc) you cannot shift transmission gears. If I pull into my garage, notice a burning smell coming from engine area, possibly an electrical short, I cannot put vehicle in neutral to push out of garage in case it does erupt into a fire and not burn down my house. Recently my dead battery caused the tow company to lift the back end and pull it our of garage. General motors did not install an override to put transmission in neutral in an emergency. The transmission will only shift if the engine is running. Imagine driving on a road or stopped at a traffic light and the engine stalls, will not restart, good samaritans offer to push you off the road, but can't shift to neutral. Dealerships have a hydraulic lift they place under rear tires to move vehicle around service area. As a retired law enforcement officer, many times we had to move vehicles out of the way until wrecker serviced arrived. I feel this is definitely something that has to be addressed and corrected before major damage occurs or lives are endangered.

The lifters failed which caused my vehicle to stall in the middle of a very busy intersection. Chevrolet knows this lifters are an issue, but they need to treat it as a safety recall. When these fail, it happens while people are driving. It is a huge safety issue.

You cannot put the vehicle into neutral unless the engine is running. This is a huge safety issue as my Tahoe broke down in the middle of a very busy intersection at night time, and it took 3 hours for a tow truck to show up. If I had been able to get the vehicle into neutral, I could have pushed it out of the intersection into a safe location.

This vehicle has experienced multiple substantial defects, several of which directly endangered my family, including an infant, and rendered the vehicle unsafe and inoperable for extended periods despite warranty repairs. Summary of defects and failures: 1. Electronic door locking failure the vehicle experienced an electronic malfunction that caused the doors to randomly lock, resulting in my infant being locked inside the vehicle when we exited. This wiring defect was later repaired under warranty but represents a serious safety failure. 2. Fuel pump recall and highway breakdown while driving my family of six on a major highway over an hour from home, the recalled fuel pump failed while in motion, leaving us stranded on the side of the highway. We were forced to arrange an uber for transportation. This incident placed my family in a dangerous situation and constitutes a major safety-related defect. 3. Transmission failure and extended inoperability the vehicle suffered a transmission failure that rendered it unsafe and inoperable. The dealership required over one week to schedule service and more than two additional weeks before the vehicle was inspected and repaired. The vehicle was out of safe driving condition for approximately one month. Upon return, the vehicle experienced additional failures, including a dead battery. 4. Known poor design defect – rear entertainment screens the rear entertainment system screens cracked due to a widely known poor design and placement issue, unrelated to misuse. 5. Rear headrest internal mechanism failure the internal mechanism of a rear headrest failed and requires replacement, further demonstrating ongoing quality and safety concerns. Due to the number, severity, and safety-related nature of these defects—combined with cumulative downtime exceeding 30 days—I have lost all confidence in this vehicle. I no longer consider it safe or reliable for transporting my family.

After turning off a major highway (65 mph) onto a side road after driving for approximately eight hours, the transmission shifted into n. . . On its own. The engine continued to run but the vehicle would not move. We could not shift into p, r or d. When attempting to shift into p, r or d, an error message appeared on the dashboard that said "conditions not right for shifting. " we turned the vehicle off and then back on and the error cleared. The vehicle continued to drive "normally" for another two hours and the end of the journey. Had this happened in the middle of heavy traffic, a deadly accident could have occurred. Mileage on vehicle is 4,900. Date: 13 July 2021 at 1800 hours. Dealer has been notified but has taken no action to date. There were no warning signs or messages prior to the incident. I'm guessing it is a sensor or software problem related to the engine/transmission. There is a paragraph in the owner's manual that states: "under certain conditions, propulsion will be disabled. Try restarting after the ignition has been off for two minutes. " it offers no other explanation as to what "under certain conditions" means.

May 6, on vacation, sudden engine failure, valve lifter and lifter rod. Gm told dealer only to replace lifters on one side, cyl 5 was problem. May 24 car ready, pickup and 68 miles later same problem while on i95 in SC. Did not trust engine and drove in right lane. Gm played russian roulette with our safety and that of other people on road. Sudden engine failure can result quickly in accidents with possible casualties at highway speeds. After pulling of i95, called gm road assistance. Towed to dealer. They were of no help. Family member from chs , SC send trailer to bring us all the way home in new smyrna beach FL. While on phone with gm road assistance we idled the engine to keep cell phone charged. Suddenly engine stopped and on restart heavy smoke came from tail pipe. May 25 car delivered to dealer in nsb where we bought car. May 27 they informed us same lifter/rod problem occurred on other side. Look at Chevroletforum. Com and you will see 2021 6. 2 engine having these problems within 8000 miles. Have been in contact with gm customer assistance center since may 14. We do no longer trust this engine. Gm already decided to redesign the lifters as they are aware of the problem. No recall has been issued yet. Consider this a serious highway safety issue. Do not consider the car a lemon, but yes the engine sure is.