YearToAvoid

2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#6 most-complained of 16 Tahoe years

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe has 256 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 67, ranking it 6th worst of 16 model years with a Caution verdict. Brakes account for 36% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 50,000 miles.

Complaints
256
Recalls
8
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
17 / 1
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 22.5 hwy

Top 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes93 (36%)
  2. Other47 (18%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain47 (18%)
  4. Electrical System36 (14%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires23 (9%)
  6. Engine22 (9%)
  7. Steering20 (8%)
  8. Fuel System14 (5%)
  9. Structure & Body12 (5%)
  10. Airbags10 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the brake pedal suddenly becoming hard to push or going to the floor, sometimes leading to a collision.
  • Some drivers describe a total transmission failure shortly after purchase, in one case accompanied by smoke and fire.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during moderate-speed crashes, including animal strikes and rear-end collisions.
  • Several owners report sudden loss of steering and braking control while driving on highways.
  • One owner reported the vehicle would not start after a dealer performed a brake recall repair.
2016 Chevrolet Tahoe complaints: complaints filed per quarter222016 Q12017 Q32019 Q12020 Q32022 Q12023 Q32025 Q12026 Q3
343 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q4 (22).

2016 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V289000May 7, 2026Transmission & Powertrain66 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive)

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.

    Risk: Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 21V245000Apr 8, 2021Seat Belts2,568 vehicles

    Seat belts:front

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2014-2015 GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have received an incorrect replacement tensioner cable assembly as part of a previous recall remedy or a subsequent repair. The flexible steel cable connecting the driver's seat belt to the outboard side of the seat may be repeatedly bent over the seat side shield as the driver enters and exits the vehicle causing the cable to fatigue and separate.

    Risk: A broken pretensioner cable reduces the effectiveness of the driver's seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat belt lap pretensioner, free of charge. The recall began on May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212330040.

  3. NHTSA 19V761000Oct 24, 2019Brakes652,967 vehicles

    Service brakes

    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.

    Risk: 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.

See all 8 recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe →

2016 Chevrolet Tahoe fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
22.5 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Gasoline or E85
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other Tahoe years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Best090317
2015Avoid9365814 !18
2016Caution672568 !18
2017Good271734 !18.5
2018Best13104318

All Chevrolet Tahoe years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2016 Tahoe has a complaint index of 67, ranking 6th worst among 16 model years, with a Caution verdict. Brakes are the top problem area, making up 36% of its 256 complaints.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?
Brakes lead with 93 complaints (36% share) and a median failure mileage of 50,000 miles, followed by Transmission & Powertrain issues at 47 complaints and Electrical System problems at 36 complaints.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recalls tied to the 2016 Tahoe, including 2 do-not-drive recalls covering suspension upper control arms and a 4WD/AWD transmission issue on later model years sharing the platform.
How does the 2016 Tahoe compare to other Tahoe years?
The 2016 model's complaint index of 67 is worse than the Best-rated 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Tahoes, but better than the Avoid-rated 2015, 2011, 2021, and 2023 model years.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?
EPA rates the 2016 Tahoe at 18 mpg combined (16 city / 22.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,600.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.