2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Owner Complaints

Fuel Pump Power Control Module failed. GM Part Number: 13554821 My vehicle immediately became immobilized in a lane of traffic. The engine would crank but not start. It appeared that no fuel was pumped. This was confirmed with engine code P149F. GM diagnostic code P129F indicates a Fuel Pump Driver Control Module (FPDCM) fuel pump speed signal fault… My vehicle with 51,000 miles was serviced on 5/6/2026 for PA inspections, oil change and transmission flush. The VIN has no open recalls. GM has recognized the failure rate of the Fuel Pump Power Control Module, GM Part Number: 13554821 on many 2021vehicles and issued 2 recalls: 21V739000 issued September 23, 2021 And N252516900 issued September 11, 2025 Recall N252516900 was issued as a “phased launch” and yet (per GM) the Reason For This Recall: Certain vehicles may have a condition which can cause the fuel pump power control module to fail. If this were to occur, fuel flow to the engine could be interrupted. And Consequence Summary: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash. The vehicle instantly can become immobilized regardless of its location, in the middle of an intersection or in a lane of traffic. Without the engine running, the Tahoe cannot be shifted out of Park and cannot be pulled, pushed or dragged without causing damage. It must be properly loaded on a flatbed and be hauled from the failure site. GM “phased launched” the September 2025 recall to handle parts shortage. GM realizes how CRITICAL this recall is because a vehicle can become totally immobilized instantly. The dealership says my VIN shows no open recalls and are resistant to making a request for authorization to apply this recall. I think the failure of the Fuel Pump Power Control Module needs to be escalated until recall indicates ALL vehicles involved. I am glad I wasn’t entering a busy intersection when my vehicle became fully immobilized. As it was, vehicles were unable to go around for the 45 minutes I waited for a tow truck.

NHTSA ID

11755947

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

I was driving on the highway and my car lost power and then had to shut down. I am now getting error code P129F. which is a known recall for the fuel pump control module. When I put in my VIN, it doesn’t show my car part of it, but it is a 2021 Tahoe experiencing the exact same issue and getting the same error code that is part of the recall. I also read that it is part of the federal emissions warranty, which is eight year 80,000 miles. My car has 59,000 miles on it and I verify that it’s still under warranty from that standpoint. I want to take it into the dealership on Monday, but I need to know what my options are to get it repaired for free under this recall since currently my car is not coming up via this VIN under this recall

NHTSA ID

11755652

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that the air bag and SRS warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front passenger’s side air bag had failed, and the air bag wiring harness was frayed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and partially covered the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA ID

11755248

Incident

Feb 6, 2026

Mileage

67,000 mi

While at a drive thru, my 2021 Chevy Tahoe High Country experienced a total failure with no advance warning where the engine shut down and would not restart despite what appeared to be good electrical power. We tried to jump start the vehicle with both another vehicle as well as a AAA power pack with no luck. The vehicle was not movable and had to be towed using a lift truck to the dealer. The dealer performed an analysis, reproduced the problem, and determined that the engine failed due to a spun bearing despite no documented codes from the analysis. In performing research, this failure appears identical to NHTSA Campaign 25V274 / GM number N252494000 however the car has been deemed to not be covered with mileage at 139,300.

NHTSA ID

11754638

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

-On the date of Monday XXX at approximately 4:30 pm est I was traveling on [XXX] and transmission felt like a possible slip happened in transmission. At approximatively 4:45pm est I made it home tried to back vehicle into parking space and reverse was lost. Vehicle didn't and wouldn't shift into reverse. I had to push vehicle in spot backwards. No check engine or warning lights were displayed on dash. - On Tuesday XXX. I contacted [XXX] of [XXX] approximately at 8:30 am est. [XXX] answered. I explained the symptoms and asked If I could bring in within the hour or so. He stated it would be fine to bring in. - At approximately 9:10 am est My girlfriend and [XXX] daughter got in vehicle. Started vehicle no service lights were on, but had no reverse still no reverse. My girlfriends mother was following us to pick us up at dealership as we dont have a 2nd vehicle. We started out driveway to [XXX]. I had no problems at 1st then prior to the intersection of [XXX] the Vehicle lost control on its own. The sequences happened fast and abrupt. 1. Vehicle downshifted roughly to about 3 gear 2. Lost power steering 3. engine over revved 4. vehicle pulled right. During this time as a professional trained driver. I removed us off [XXX] off road way on to [XXX] (To the right) to avoid being in an accident. I would say that the speed was roughly 20MPH at turn as I was avoiding the accident that could of potentially happened. I was not on asphalt the whole time to make turn as I had a limited vehicle (Not properly functional). I was able to stop at [XXX] to stop. Stopped on Brigantine is when I pointed out to my girlfriend that the lights just came on. in the meantime, we received a phone call from [XXX] (Girlfriends mom) asking where we went as she didn't see us. We explained to her situation, and she met on Brigantine and followed us to dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11754265

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) light illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Chevrolet dealership (Goodwin Chevrolet in Oxford, ME) for diagnostic testing on July 22, 2026. The certified technician diagnosed a catastrophic component failure within the primary safety restraint system, noting that the driver's seat side airbag has failed and must be completely replaced. The vehicle has only 53,472 miles. Because the SRS system is currently experiencing a critical fault, the driver's side airbag -- and potentially the rest of the vehicle's airbag deployment network -- is compromised and may fail to deploy as intended in the event of a collision. The manufacturer (General Motors) was contacted but refused to assist with the repair of this premature safety restraint failure, leaving a severe, active safety hazard unresolved.

NHTSA ID

11753526

Incident

Jul 22, 2026

I purchased my vehicle new in 2020. It presently has around 83,000 miles. From early on, it has occasionally hesitated, then jumped when putting the car in reverse. I spoke to the dealership years ago but they said it was nothing. On July 19, 2026, my car randomly would not shift above (probably) second gear on the highway. After parking, it would not shift into reverse at all. The vehicle was towed more than 30 miles to my hometown dealership as it was inoperable. It now requires something approaching a transmission replacement costing between $2500-4500, or more. I am aware that this is a recurring problem with GM vehicles of this type and era, and it seems absurd to have so many vehicles with failing transmissions before they even reach 100,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11753041

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

The engine in my 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe High Country equipped with the 6.2L V8 (L87) experienced a catastrophic failure. While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power, displayed a “Service ESC” warning, illuminated the check engine light, and unexpectedly shifted into Neutral. After stopping the vehicle, it would not restart. The dashboard would illuminate, but the engine would only produce a faint clicking sound and would not crank. The vehicle was towed to a Chevrolet dealership, where it remains available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This failure occurred while I was driving, causing an unexpected loss of power and propulsion. The vehicle became disabled without warning, creating a significant risk of being struck by surrounding traffic. Losing the ability to accelerate or safely maneuver a full-size SUV in traffic placed both me and other motorists at risk of a serious crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Chevrolet dealership, Crews Chevrolet. The dealership confirmed that the engine had catastrophically failed and advised that it qualified for replacement under General Motors’ special coverage program for the 6.2L L87 engine. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Chevrolet dealership. General Motors has authorized replacement of the engine under its special coverage program. No police report was filed because there was no collision.

NHTSA ID

11752953

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. There were no warning lights illuminated before the failure. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the engine cranked but failed to start. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V739000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

NHTSA ID

11750087

Incident

Jul 12, 2026

Mileage

68,000 mi

I was having an airbag light randomly come up on my dash, and when I would start the vehicle it would state “Service Restraints system”, this started this summer when the weather got hot outside. I took the vehicle in to Serpentini Chevy is Tallmadge Ohio 44278, and they said that a wiring harness and connector need replaced. I saw that there was a recall in 2021 for this exact issue. My vehicle is 5 years old and under 100,000 miles and has never been in an accident and was Chevy certified pre owned. Due to this being a airbag safety issue and a previous recall, it should be a current issue and recall as well

NHTSA ID

11749700

Incident

Jul 6, 2026

My transmission failed and it has been in a shop for 2 months. The pistons in the transmission failed not sure why but made it not go in reverse. The parts were on backorder for atleast a month. The warranty is out and my extended warranty will not pay because Chevorlet Dealership failed to flush my transmission when it was in for service. The transmission is a known problem on these models and was recalled for the diesel models but not the gas models.

NHTSA ID

11748993

Incident

Jun 2, 2026

DATE: 06/17/2026 The engine shuts off without warning while I am driving, recurring roughly every 10 miles. When it stalls, the dashboard and electrical accessories stay on, but the vehicle loses motive power, along with power steering assist and power brake assist, which is extremely dangerous at road speed and in traffic. This began immediately after dealer service completed on 6/18/2026. During that visit the dealer performed two safety recalls (N252494000, the "L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion" PicoScope inspection with oil change; and N252510321, ECM software reprogramming) and a valve lifter replacement that required removing both cylinder heads. The vehicle was running and fully drivable when I dropped it off, and was returned stalling repeatedly while driving. It never did this before the service. At first the engine would not restart after stalling. The dealer replaced the starter; it now restarts but continues to stall every ~10 miles. A dealer diagnostic scan recorded numerous "Lost Communication" codes across nearly all control modules, plus control-module input-power codes showing low voltage and power-circuit correlation faults (e.g., U3505, U3018, U3007) and an active loss-of-communication code for the power steering module — consistent with an intermittent loss of electrical power or ground affecting engine control. The engine passed the recall's connecting-rod/crankshaft (PicoScope) inspection, so this is not the recalled bearing failure mode. The vehicle is currently at the dealership and is undrivable. The dealer has ordered a new engine and apparently also a new radiator for reasons unknown. No crash or injury has occurred to date, but the vehicle lost power while on the freeway at speed multiple times. A GM customer assistance case is open. Repair orders and the diagnostic scan are available on request.

NHTSA ID

11747941

Incident

Jun 18, 2026

After a car wash, the car started to smoke out of a tail pipe, down shifting hard, car was shaking while running in park in the driveway- so we took it right to Chevy Turnersville, and they are now saying the whole engine is internally damaged ( not by the carwash) and the whole engine needs to be replaced. The trucks warranty just expired in Feb, the car ran perfectly fine before this. I dont understand how an engine just stops working this fast and out of no where. We took very good care of this truck. Oil changes every time we needed, new tires, new alignment, the mile recommendations, everything! and this happens out of no where. It will now cost $12,000 to repair this which we do not have. Please help and explain this

NHTSA ID

11747386

Incident

Jun 26, 2026

The engine's Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM) lifter failed and damaged the camshaft at around 70,700 miles. The broken components are available for inspection upon request. This failure put occupants at risk because the vehicle suddenly lost power, began shaking violently, and could not accelerate safely in traffic. This unexpected loss of propulsion created an immediate collision hazard. The problem was officially diagnosed and confirmed by a repair service center. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. There were no advance warning signs. At the exact moment of the failure, the check engine light started flashing, the car began shaking heavily, and the engine made a loud knocking sound.

NHTSA ID

11747364

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

Fuel pump relay module failed, we had the vehicle towed to a mechanic and payed for the repair, a week later we received mail from GM saying the fuel pump relay module was faulty in our model, that we could take it to a dealership and have it repaired, or if we had already had it repaired we would be reimbursed, the dealership refused to reimburse us, and directed us to GM customer service, we sent the required documents in October of last year, received a call from a GM representative to let us know they were reviewing our case about 3 days after sending the information in, we haven’t heard from them since.

NHTSA ID

11747082

Incident

Sep 14, 2025

2021 Chevy Tahoe with 6.2 engine (VIN: [XXX]) has been experiencing severe oil consumption, and making odd noises during operation. All while NOTshowing ANY recalls for the issue. Although there's an active recall/investigation into the 6.2 L87 engine, which my vehicle has. I've been having Valvoline document the severe oil consumption during oil changes per manufacturer specs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11746967

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

We have a 2021 Chevy. Tahoe, and we just had an inspection done because a light kept coming on saying that our engine might fail. The shop initially said it needed cam shaft replacement, but now are saying the entire engine needs to be replaced. The care has ~ 67,000 miles on it and is 5 years old.

NHTSA ID

11746218

Incident

Apr 10, 2026

I am having a problem with my driver seat airbag which has already been recalled. The recall number is N202310850. When I called Chevrolet they told me since my vehicle vin is not in the recall it wont be fixed even though I am having the same symptoms.

NHTSA ID

11745574

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

Panoramic sunroof shattered while sitting parked in a closed garage.

NHTSA ID

11745515

Incident

Jun 17, 2026

Rear end makes noise when turning, been flushed based on current bulletin. Still makes noise but not as bad. Now transmission is jerking at multiple gears

NHTSA ID

11745295

Incident

Apr 1, 2026

The contact's husband owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and experienced a loss of drive power. A message to turn on the vehicle was displayed. The contact's husband coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and attempted to jumpstart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the engine had seized and the crankshaft had failed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11743739

Incident

Jun 3, 2026

Mileage

130,000 mi

My vehicle would not shift into reverse. Took it into the Chevrolet service and they said the Valve body needs replaced. There are known issues with the Valve body in 2021 Tahoe but they said it is not covered under any of the GM extended warranties. It should be covered under Special Coverage N242454441 or N242454440, but they said no coverage. The vehicle only has 46,200 miles on it

NHTSA ID

11743568

Incident

Jun 9, 2026

While driving my 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, the check engine light illuminated. Shortly thereafter, the engine began shaking severely and I heard clicking and popping noises from the engine compartment. The following morning, the vehicle was barely operable, shaking excessively and unable to properly reverse. Due to the unsafe condition, I had the vehicle towed to the dealership. The dealership diagnosed a failure involving all 8 lifters on one side (bank) of the engine, requiring extensive engine repairs. My vehicle has approximately 74,000 miles, which I believe is low mileage for such a significant internal engine failure. The symptoms included severe engine vibration, misfiring, loss of performance, and the potential for loss of power while driving. This is not the first major failure I have experienced with this vehicle. In approximately April 2023, when the vehicle had about 32,000 miles, it unexpectedly shut off while I was reversing in a roadway. The dealership diagnosed a failed fuel pump control module (fuel pump modulator). Similar failures were later identified in recalls and corrective actions affecting other GM vehicles. I am concerned that my vehicle has experienced multiple failures involving components that appear to be associated with known issues affecting GM vehicles, yet my Tahoe was not included in applicable recalls. These failures created significant safety concerns, including unexpected engine shutdown, loss of vehicle operation, and potential loss of power while driving. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether my 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles should have been included in existing and future safety recalls related to these defects and other known defects that GM vehicles are experiencing with the motor, transmission and other parts. Note: No invoice is available yet as I am seeking GM assistance due to no warranty status. Estimated repair cost from dealership is up to $8,900.

NHTSA ID

11743348

Incident

Jun 7, 2026

My wife was stopped at a stop light traveling west from and appointment. When the light turned green she moved her foot from the brake to gas when all of the warning lights. It happened at the worst time possible during rush hour and we were fortunate that she was not hit by traffic. After the police arrived to help re direct traffic and wait for a tow truck, we found coolant spilling underneath the engine towards the rear of it. Towed to local repair shop, they inspected and found the engine had a catastrophic failure. Likely related to the current recall for the 6.2l V8 engine installed in this Tahoe.

NHTSA ID

11740788

Incident

May 28, 2026

Transmission failed. Only warning was check engine light on 10 minutes prior to failure. At 30 mph on city road car was suddenly coasting, engine rpms revved to 7-8k, no driving power available for approximately 30 seconds. 'Drive' reingaged but apparently in limp mode enough to get a few hundred yards more to parking lot. No reverse gear available and warning on dash 'catastrophic failure' imminent. Garage reports the transmission is 'bad' . Awaiting dealership input but 3 weeks before they will look at it .

NHTSA ID

11739913

Incident

May 21, 2026