2022 Chevrolet Tahoe: What to check before buying

Sudden loss of power at highway speed is the dominant report. Engines knock, lock up, or shut off without warning, sometimes on bridges or in traffic, and many will not restart. Dealers blame failed lifters, camshafts, and rod or main bearings, and some find metal in the engine. Failures range from about 5,500 miles to past 75,000, on both the 5.3L and 6.2L. Many owners wait 1 to 3 months for a replacement engine while an open recall has no parts. A few report a second failure after repair or after the recall's thicker oil.

Most reports tie back to federal recall campaign 25V274000. Symptoms include loss of power, violent shuddering, stalling at lights and turns, metal-on-metal rattling, and metal shavings in the oil pan that lead to engine replacement. Oil consumption also appears, with a quart added monthly in one case and inconsistent oil-level test results in another. Several owners say recall parts were not yet available. Others were told their VIN was not covered despite matching symptoms. One failure came at 100,000 miles.

Fire, battery drain, and failed OnStar modules lead this category. Fire reports include a center console armrest that ignited while driving, causing an injury, and windshield washer pumps that smoked because power stayed on after shutoff. Other complaints describe weekly no-start battery drain traced to the hands-free liftgate module, blank instrument clusters, wipers that quit in heavy rain, and frozen infotainment screens. OnStar telematics modules fail and are often back-ordered with no delivery date. Several reports pair reduced-acceleration warnings with disabled safety systems.

Transmission valve body failure is the clearest pattern. The truck shifts hard, drops into limp mode, loses propulsion, or will not engage reverse, with codes such as P0700 and P0777. Other reports describe the vehicle shifting into neutral or park at highway speed, or feeling as if the wheels lock up, sometimes with cruise control on. Shuddering persists in some trucks after a transmission recall program. Valve body parts are described as back-ordered nationally, leaving vehicles parked at dealers for weeks.

Stalling without warning is the main risk, often traced to a failed fuel pump control or driver module. The engine quits while driving or idling and will not restart, sometimes leaving the truck stuck in traffic without steering assist. One report notes the 2021 model had a recall for the same module. Other complaints describe sudden power loss on a freeway ramp, injector misfires on the L87 engine even after a recall engine replacement, and a broken plastic diesel filler neck that spills fuel.

Brake squeal accounts for most reports, a noise issue rather than a stopping failure. Two reports are far more serious. At startup, the dash shows a brake system failure message along with ABS, stability, and traction warnings, and the pedal either sinks to the floor or stays firm without stopping the truck. Both happened at low speed in a parking situation. Dealers could not duplicate the fault once the warnings cleared.

Roof and windshield leaks are the whole story here. Rainwater collects in the headliner and pours from the overhead console, seat belt slots, and rear vents onto the dash, phone charger, and driver's feet. Leaks start as early as 2 months after purchase. Dealers have removed windshields and headliners and found defective factory welds, yet several leaks return after the next rain. Repeated soaking raises concerns about corrosion and damage to overhead electronics.

Headrests that will not lock upright are the main complaint. Second-row captain's chair headrests fail to latch after the seat is folded and returned, and a third-row headrest bends forward so the seat cannot be used. In one case a dealer found a part needing replacement but did not repair it. A separate report describes the sliding front center console failing to lock when extended and shifting under light elbow pressure while driving.

Failure to deploy in a crash is the serious report here. In a high-speed collision with front and side impacts, the air bags did not deploy and the driver suffered a permanent shoulder injury. Another complaint describes a service safety restraint system warning that keeps appearing while driving. With only 2 complaints on file, the pattern is thin, but a non-deploying air bag is the most severe outcome in this category.