The Lemon Index

All cars · Chevrolet Tahoe

2018 Chevrolet Tahoe.

The 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 32 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 30, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about brakes, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 17 to 19 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Tahoe year is 2012.

30Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 3.3× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2012 · Worst year 2015

Chevrolet Tahoe
Photo shows a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe. Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints32first 3 years
Fuel economy17–19 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★☆NHTSA overall

Fixes owners look up most.

From 100 YouTube videos about the 2015–2020 Chevy Tahoe, 29.6M views. The 2018 is the same generation.

  1. Heat, A/C & blend door807K views
    2015-2017 Chevy Tahoe A/C Does Not Work watch this FIRST before you spend MONEY!2015-2017 Chevy Tahoe A/C Does Not Work watch this FIRST before you spend MONEY!⚙️Homie Hektor⚙️ · 300K views · 6 videos
  2. Infotainment, battery & electrical599K views
    2014 - 2019 GMC Sierra Yukon XL Chevy Silverado Suburban Tahoe GM Trucks 5.3L V8 Starter Replacement2014 - 2019 GMC Sierra Yukon XL Chevy Silverado Suburban Tahoe GM Trucks 5.3L V8 Starter ReplacementDan the Fix it Man · 189K views · 5 videos
  3. Gauges, lights & wiring521K views
    Head light bulb change 2015-2020 Yukon, Tahoe, Suburban, Sierra, Silverado, Escalade GMC, ChevyHead light bulb change 2015-2020 Yukon, Tahoe, Suburban, Sierra, Silverado, Escalade GMC, ChevyDanny Johnson’s Garage · 474K views · 2 videos
  4. Cooling system499K views
    Thermostat Replacement Yukon, Tahoe, Sierra, Silverado, Escalade GMC, Chevy 2014-2020 P0128Thermostat Replacement Yukon, Tahoe, Sierra, Silverado, Escalade GMC, Chevy 2014-2020 P0128Danny Johnson’s Garage · 375K views · 2 videos
Show 4 more
  1. Driveshaft, axles & 4x4390K views
    2015 CHEVROLET TAHOE LTZ 4X4 BLACK GM FACTORY 22"S $71,095 MSRP CALL 855.507.85202015 CHEVROLET TAHOE LTZ 4X4 BLACK GM FACTORY 22"S $71,095 MSRP CALL 855.507.8520Wilson County Chevrolet Buick GMC · 119K views · 4 videos
  2. Transmission & shifter217K views
    Customer States: Needs Transmission | 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3Customer States: Needs Transmission | 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3Rainman Ray's Repairs · 217K views
  3. No-start: theft light, key & ignition161K views
    [*][*]2018 TAHOE - NO START - NO CRANK[*][*][*][*]2018 TAHOE - NO START - NO CRANK[*][*]Plus 8 Precision · 161K views
  4. Steering & suspension100K views
    2015 - 2019 Chevy Tahoe LTZ Service Suspension light/ Service Stabilatrac. Watch this.2015 - 2019 Chevy Tahoe LTZ Service Suspension light/ Service Stabilatrac. Watch this.Iroc lsx · 100K views

Before you buy, watch

Views show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.

How serious. Out of 105 owner complaints, owners reported:

6crashes
3injuries
0fires
6tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

brakes22%
electrical19%
steering16%
fuel or ev drive system6%
lights6%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Chevrolet Tahoe year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 42K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 9K to 82K miles on the car (38 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 3

  • brakes 2020

    The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.

  • brakes 2019

    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.

  • brakes 2019

    The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningOptional
Lane departure warningOptional
NHTSA front crash test of the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Chevrolet Tahoe SUV RWD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆
Chevrolet Tahoe SUV 4WD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $3400–4700 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 5.3L 8-cyl, 6.2L 8-cyl.

In owners' words

Over the last 6 months the brake pedal is hard to push after the truck sits over night. The vacuum bleeds out indicating a vacuum leak in the system. Gm and the dealer said this Model and year not covered under current recall.

2018 Chevrolet Tahoe owner · NHTSA complaint 11316508
More owner reports

Passenger window when rolled up it rolls down automatically. Button has to be held in the upward position for window to stay up. Has already been serviced by dealership.

NHTSA complaint 11365700

Quick answers

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 3.3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 30; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Chevrolet Tahoe year by this measure is 2012.

What are the most common 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (22%), electrical (19%) and steering (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe have?

3 safety recalls (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe get?

17 to 19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe safe?

NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

At what mileage do 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 9,800 and 82,200 miles. The middle report was at 42,000 miles, from 38 complaints.

Does the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe cost in fuel a year?

About $3400 to $4700 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe have?

5.3L 8-cyl, 6.2L 8-cyl.

What Chevrolet Tahoe year is better than the 2018?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2012, 2010 and 2020.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data