2026 Chevrolet Tahoe Engine Problems

Engine squeeled then shut down. It froze up. Its a 6.2

NHTSA ID

11756312

Incident

Aug 6, 2026

I was on the interstate. Initially I heard a faint rattling sound. I turned off the radio and AC to listen more closely; the sound was not audible. But then traffic came to a standstill. As I slowed, that barely audible noise began to sound like something boiling in the engine. The temperature and pressure gages were all in normal operating ranges. I pulled to the shoulder of the interstate and checked under the hood. I noticed a distinctive squeaking sound although the fan belt was intacted in running true. There was no sign of any fluid loss in the engine compartment or underneath the vehicle. While attempting to get to a Chevrolet Dealership one exit away, the vehicle stopped running while at a stop light. additionally, there is a recall on this vehicle for the automatic braking system. GM and the dealerships are aware of this recall yet this website states there are no recalls.

NHTSA ID

11750159

Incident

Jun 29, 2026

I purchased a new 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe approximately five months ago, and it currently has only 11,300 miles. Unfortunately, while driving on the highway last night, the 6.2L engine suffered a catastrophic failure. Seconds before the failure, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle immediately lost power while traveling at highway speed, creating a significant safety concern for both my family and other motorists. The vehicle is currently available for inspection. I am waiting for General Motors to advise which dealership the Tahoe should be towed to for diagnosis and repair. While I understand the vehicle is covered under the factory warranty, experiencing a catastrophic engine failure on a five-month-old vehicle with only 11,300 miles has significantly diminished my confidence in it. I purchased this Tahoe expecting years of dependable service, not a major engine replacement within the first few months of ownership.

NHTSA ID

11749803

Incident

Jul 12, 2026

After driving the vehicle for 5000 miles, the check engine light appeared. We brought the vehicle to dealership and were told that a cylinder was mistimed. They replaced a bank of lifters and returned the vehicle to us. A few weeks later, the check engine light reappeared and we noticed the engine was making some odd sounds. It wa brought back to the dealership and they replaced the fuel pump and hose. The vehicle was returned to us but the check engine light reappeared. The dealership stated that they couldn’t reproduce the problem after testing. The vehicle was returned to us but we noticed that it would periodically lose power upon driving and would have lurching sensation while driving. The check engine light came on intermittently and it is now being brought back to them for the fourth time.

NHTSA ID

11747697

Incident

Jan 25, 2026

Engine locked up at 10,000 miles

NHTSA ID

11739140

Incident

May 6, 2026

On 05/01/26 while driving on New York State Thruway route 90 east, my check engine light came on. Almost simultaneously the vehicle began to lose speed and I could not accelerate. As I pulled over I could hear a loud clunky noise. The vehicle would not start and was dead on the side of the thruway. Eventually the vehicle was towed to the dealership I purchased it from where they told me "there is a loose part in the engine and the engine needs to be replaced". Sudden power loss of the vehicle represents a safety risk especially traveling at 65mph. To my knowledge the vehicle has been inspected by only the dealership. On 3/17/26 I alerted the dealership I purchased the vehicle from that I heard a ticking in the engine once in a while when I auto started the vehicle. I was told I would receive a call from servicing but never did.

NHTSA ID

11738074

Incident

May 1, 2026

Well traveling motor started making a slight ticking noise, about a mile down the road started squealing like a belt issue, pulled over on the side of the road popped hood and heard the squeal better before it shut down. There was no check engine light or any indication there was an issue prior to this happening.

NHTSA ID

11735192

Incident

Apr 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine and radiator failure. The contact was informed that the engine and the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was under warranty, but the parts were unavailable. The contact stated that the failure had occurred three months after purchasing the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 3,900.

NHTSA ID

11732761

Incident

Mar 22, 2026

Mileage

3,900 mi

I am writing to formally file a safety complaint regarding a catastrophic engine failure in my 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe equipped with a 6.2L engine. The vehicle had approximately 9,640 miles at the time of failure. On March 21, 2026, while driving on a highway, the engine failed suddenly and without warning, creating an unsafe and potentially dangerous situation. The vehicle lost power and had to be towed from the highway to Colussy Chevrolet for inspection and repair. On March 22, 2026, the dealership confirmed that the engine required full replacement and stated that a new engine had been ordered, with an expected arrival date of March 30. I specifically requested that a new engine be installed, given the extremely low mileage and severity of the failure. Approximately one week later, I followed up and was told the engine was still scheduled to arrive on March 30. However, on March 30, I was informed that the order status had changed to “under evaluation,” and the Service Manager indicated that the replacement engine would likely be a remanufactured unit instead of a new one. On April 1, 2026, I contacted General Motors Customer Support to escalate the issue and reiterated my request for a new engine, as well as requested a loaner vehicle due to the loss of use of my vehicle. A representative opened Case #92297395 and advised that the issue had been referred to the Parts Delay Department, with a promised follow-up within 24 hours. On April 2, 2026, the dealership informed me there was no change in status and that while they intended to provide a loaner vehicle, none were available. As of April 6, 2026, I have not received a loaner vehicle or any follow-up regarding availability. On April 6, 2026, I received a call from a General Motors Customer Assistance representative stating that there are ongoing delays related to both the engine and radiator, with no estimated timeline for repair completion.

NHTSA ID

11729484

Incident

Mar 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that after making a long-distance trip, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the side mirrors were moving independently, and the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle eventually restarted the following day, and the contact stated that the check engine warning light turned on the drive to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a code reader was used to diagnose the vehicle. The contact was informed that since the check engine warning light was off, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle remained with the dealer overnight and a multi-point inspection was performed, but the dealer found no cause for the failure. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped in the middle of the highway. The vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the check engine warning light illuminated, and the messages "Change Engine Oil Soon" and "Engine Overheating Turn Off Vehicle" displayed. The contact was unable to move the vehicle and was forced to turn on his hazard warning lights due to the failure. The contact called 911 and Highway Patrol assisted with moving the vehicle off to the shoulder. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to another Chevrolet dealer before being towed back to the original dealer. The vehicle remained with the dealer. The contact was informed two days later that the vehicle had been repaired; however, the contact no longer believed that the vehicle was safe. The contact no longer wanted the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was later informed that the vehicle did not qualify for a buyback. The failure mileage was 897.

NHTSA ID

11728819

Incident

Feb 26, 2026

Mileage

897 mi

While driving down [XXX] the car started making a weird noise as we slowed down for an upcoming light. The light changed and as we started to drive again the check engine light came on and I lost power steering. I was trying to navigate the car off towards the shoulder but the car was hard to maneuver, but was able to move into the right lane. I had to drive the car slowly as to not stop the engine propulsion and stalling. But had no luck once we reached the intersection on [XXX] and [XXX] . At this point the car just died. Nothing was working. Hazard lights didn’t even work at one point. This situation left me and my family in the middle of traffic on a busy highway road. The only thing we had in our favor was the car stoped right at a red light so traffic would have to slow down every so often to the stoplight. We had to have the car towed off the road at around midnight and they took it to the dealership. The engine had a complete failure (found out after the dealership took apart the engine). The email stated: A further oil sample confirmed excessive metal throughout the engine at this point we proceeded with disassembly to identify the source of the failure. After removing the oil pan and inspecting internal components, we found internal engine damage. Specifically, the connecting rod bearing on cylinder 5 had failed, causing significant scoring to the crankshaft, camshaft, and related engine components. The engine has experienced a major internal failure due to the failed rod bearing, resulting in internal damage. Because of the severity of this condition, internal components are not serviceable individually. So the Engine replacement would be required. This car is only 3.5 months old, and other than a safety switch that was a manufacture issue we had to have fixed there were no other warnings my engine was going to die and leave me in the middle of the road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11726900

Incident

Mar 14, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on the freeway, while depressing the accelerator the vehicle shut off unintendedly. The vehicle was coasted to the right side of the roadway. While attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,783.

NHTSA ID

11721688

Incident

Mar 1, 2026

Mileage

3,783 mi

On [XXX] while driving home from work (5 miles) the engineer ne had rough starts while in auto stop at each light and stop sign. Not enough to cause huge concerns. Two days later on [XXX] we traveled to my mother in laws house 2 hours away. Upon returning home we noticed that the cruise control would not turn on, we pulled over and wiped the sensors even though the car was clean. 25 minutes later there was a metal on metal noise coming from the front end. The noise was heard when letting off the gas pedal. It sounded like a metal fan grinding at a high speed on a tin roof. We pulled over at a parking lot off the side of the road and opened the hood. When attempting to turn the car back on the noise from the engine was the same and it promptly shut down again. The car was towed and determined that the engine blown at 2,333 miles on the OBO. No warning lights ever came on and the oil pressure seemed normal. There are still no notifications on the Chevy app and it still says all is well. Even after the motor is replaced I will not feel safe driving my kids even to school. What happens when we’re driving to Denver for my daughters all state choir and it blows again? What happens if we are traveling at an interstate speed and it causes an accident? I do not want to have to replace the motor twice more just to have GM buy it back. This motor design is going to kill someone and something needs to be done. I have a finance loan of $101,000 for a dangerous car that I will never feel safe in and trading it in we will lose out on $4k in registration and somebody else will buy it and they will be in danger as well. A recall for a buyback for all with the 6.2 L Tahoe engine needs to happen. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11706835

Incident

Dec 21, 2025