Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-55 MPH, the vehicle started to shudder. The contact stated that the odometer was moving erratically. The contact stated that the engine overheated quickly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was stranded on the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the torque converter was faulty and there were metal shavings inside the engine. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving at 35-45 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering and overheated. The vehicle was towed back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle intermittently lost motive power. The messages "Service Power Train", "Roll Down Driver Side/ Passenger Side Windows", along with several other unknown messages, were displayed on the instrument panel. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred on several occasions, which required the codriver to wait several minutes for the vehicle to return to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle would not immediately stop, and the stopping distance was extended. The contact indicated that on several occasions the brake pedal was firm and hard when pressed. On other occasions the pedal would extend to the floor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and serviced under the NHTSA campaign number: 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control) however, the failure persisted. The contact also indicated that the transmission was faulty. After taking the vehicle to the dealer no trouble code was found. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 26,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle downshifted to first gear and the failure persisted. The contact shifted to neutral(N) and coasted to the nearest dealer. A diagnostic test was performed by the dealer, and it was discovered that the clutch plates were damaged. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 110,481.
2016 Tahoe Fuel problems/ transmission jerking mostly going up an incline/hill. Warning lights/ check engine light flashed only 3 or 4 times, I stopped the vehicle, about 5 minutes then I started back to drive . I took it to Edward Chevrolet in Bham Al , I told them I may have pumped some bad gas, because it was spudding & jerking especially when I when up an incline/ hill. But they told me that the gears going out in the transmission & I need a transmission. I took it to them because the truck was spudding when driving. So when I got my vehicle back now the truck making a winding noise, it's changing out correctly but when I go up incline/ hill , it hesitates, spudding, jerking. I have two other vehicles, I haven't drove the vehicle enough to have a transmission problem. …
I bought my Tahoe from Dan Vaden Chevrolet in Savannah, GA with approx 58k miles. At around 88k miles I noticed the transmission hesitated when putting into reverse or drive from the park position. I had my transmission fluid changed at 70k and 100k miles. Now, at 112k miles, it has significantly gotten worse with shuddering between gears 1-3 and jerking when in reverse. Major hesitation when accelerating at any speed and high pitched whining noises that randomly happen, even after putting it in park and turning it off. Also, my ABS and Stabilitrak lights will illuminate and then go off every few days. As well as another random icon that randomly comes and goes. This Tahoe is now unsafe to drive but it's the only transportation I have. I already missed a radiator replacement recall by 1,500 miles and had to pay for that out of pocket. …
Vehicle: 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Mileage at failure: 96,700 miles Component: Powertrain - Transmission While driving on the highway returning home from Columbus, OH, my 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe experienced a sudden transmission failure without any warning. We were traveling in the third lane at approximately 70-74 mph when the vehicle abruptly lost power and rapidly slowed down to approximately 15-25 mph. This occurred in active traffic and created an immediate and severe safety hazard. The sudden loss of speed nearly caused a collision with surrounding vehicles traveling at highway speeds. There were five occupants in the vehicle, including three children. Due to traffic conditions, other drivers were braking, honking, and swerving. I was only able to avoid a crash by immediately maneuvering across lanes to reach the shoulder. The vehicle was disabled and had to be towed. …
While traveling a major highway (70 mph) over the holiday weekend, I experienced a loss of engine power. The RPM's went up to 5 while I decreased speed. I had gone from 75 MPH down to 35 while trying to maintain speed up a hill. I pulled over to the break down lane to let traffic pass and when it was safe, I tried to engage the vehicle to speed. It would slip gears and continue to lose momentum. The check engine light came on so I pulled it into a rest area and called for a tow. When the tow truck arrived and I needed to turn the car on to put it in neutral, the check engine light had turned off. After having it towed and a mechanic diagnose the issue, it was found that the transmission was blown. The transmission fluid is black and contains metal slivers. I had just had my transmission fluid checked during a tune-up. The fluid was changed at 70,000 miles. …
The transmission is defective. Bucks, jumps, and hard shifts decelerating or accelerating. I drive for cancer treatments with my kids and grandchildren. Monday we were almost unable to make it home. Inability to accelerate to merge onto interstate. So hard and loud we thought the transmission was going to fall out in the tunnel. After researching I noticed Gm has a pending class action lawsuit for the issue. Dealership kept telling me it was the spark plug wires and plugs. Replaced twice to no avail. I noticed there are issues reported for the Tahoe and the traverse. Even though these two vehicles are not listed in the lawsuit; the Tahoe 4wd has the same v8 engine as the Sierra, Escalade, and Silverado. This is a major safety issue . Regardless of a legal loophole of design vs defect or materials.
I noticed out of the blue that the Tahoe was down-shifting hard and making a slight whining noise. I brought the vehicle to Supreme Chevrolet in Gonzales for them to diagnose the problem. I was absolutely shocked when they told me that my transmission would need to be replaced. This 2017 Tahoe has only one owner and has not been used for towing, I bring the vehicle to the dealership for regular maintenance. the vehicle only has 127,612 miles. This problem is a huge safety concern because the vehicle could just stop and will not be drivable while driving. This is very dangerous! I have seen hundreds of complaints regarding this same problem on the same make, model, and year. Something needs to be done fast to ensure the safety of the driver and passengers.
Related recalls
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.
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.
Transmission complaints in other Tahoe years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe, 18% of the model year's 256 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 26V-289 (transfer case (4-wheel drive), May 7, 2026). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.