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2016 Chevrolet Tahoe problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
29%
70 of 238 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 29% of relevant complaints.

Better than 72% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 19 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 27%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 70 of 238 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). For comparison, the 2015 scores 23% and the 2017 scores 45%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
70
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
257
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
8
17 crashes · 13 injuries

Complaints by component

SERVICE BRAKES93 · 36%
POWER TRAIN47 · 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER45 · 18%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM31 · 12%
STEERING20 · 8%
ENGINE19 · 7%

The years either side

2010
8%
16 of 319
2011
9%
25 of 456
2012
13%
15 of 180
2013
13%
24 of 233
2014
14%
11 of 93
2015
23%
136 of 662
2016
29%
70 of 257
2017
45%
73 of 173
2018
39%
39 of 104
2019
64%
62 of 106
2020
53%
28 of 57
2021
75%
303 of 454
2022
64%
116 of 190
2023
79%
168 of 223

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe

What one owner reported

STEERING,ENGINE07/15/2026
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH in sand, the vehicle stalled, and the steering wheel seized. The contact turned off the vehicle, jiggled the steering wheel, and waited approximately 10 minutes before restarting the vehicle to continue driving. The vehi…

One of 70 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)26V289000 · May 2026

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…

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

Fix: 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,…

7 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
seat belts: front21V245000 · Apr 2021
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…
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: wheel speed sensor/tone ring19V761000 · Oct 2019
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,…
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum19V645000 · Sep 2019
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…
seat belts: front18V291000 · May 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe Police Pursuit and Special-Service vehicles. The flexible steel cable connecting the driver's seat belt to…
air bags: frontal17V437000 · Jul 2017
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and…
air bags: frontal16V651000 · Sep 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade…
suspension: front: control arm16V256000 · Apr 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 70 of 238 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total: 26V289000 (power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Chevrolet Tahoe years are better?

Among the Chevrolet Tahoe years we track, the 2010 (8%), the 2011 (9%) and the 2012 (13%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (29%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.