NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Chevrolet Tahoe Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 178 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Chevrolet dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2012 Chevrolet Tahoe owner complaints

Owners have filed 178 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe, describing incidents dated May 9, 2011 to April 17, 2026.

Most-cited components

Unknown or Other 100 complaints
Air Bags 61 complaints
Structure 37 complaints
Electrical System 13 complaints
Engine 9 complaints
Power Train 7 complaints

Of the 178 complaints on file, 8 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 178 complaints, owners report 10 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11733627 · Filed April 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that the rear driver’s side and passenger’s side doors failed to open manually or while using the power door lock button. The contact was concerned because rear-seat occupants could be trapped and injured during a crash or a vehicle fire…
ODI #11721634 · Filed March 3, 2026
The AC in the front stopped working on and off but the AC in the back continues to work that's one warning a situation. The second is the oil light constantly shows low oil even when you get an oil change. The park tire pressure always moves back and forth to 40% to all the way down to 30.
ODI #11657526 · Filed April 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be…

Read all 178 complaints

Owner-reported

2012 Chevrolet Tahoe mileage at failure

120 of the 178 complaints on file for the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Air Bags	Median 75,000 miles	Middle half 65,000–85,000 miles	Based on 37 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA21-002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Open since September 17, 2021

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

NHTSA #21V051000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported February 5, 2021 · General Motors, LLC

Potentially affected: 284,645 vehicles

Repair completion: 54.46% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign N212328770 · Owners notified May 11, 2021 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Safety consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

NHTSA #21V054000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported February 5, 2021 · General Motors, LLC

Potentially affected: 1,778,128 vehicles

Repair completion: 63.26% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign N212328800 · Owners notified May 11, 2021 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Safety consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Ignition Lock Actuator may Bind

NHTSA #14V827000 · Electrical System — Ignition · NHTSA notice

Reported December 30, 2014 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 84,192 vehicles

Repair completion: 63.29% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 14696 and 14912 · Owners notified February 12, 2015 · Vehicles built May 9, 2011 – May 3, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.

Safety consequence

If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2012 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV RWD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

25% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

2 investigations

2012 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV 4WD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

23% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

2 investigations

178 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe.

Latches/Locks/Linkages

ODI #11733627

Incident: April 17, 2026 · Filed: April 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that the rear driver’s side and passenger’s side doors failed to open manually or while using the power door lock button. The contact was concerned because rear-seat occupants could be trapped and injured during a crash or a vehicle fire. The dealer and an independent mechanic were contacted and provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Structure; Unknown or Other

ODI #11721634

Incident: January 1, 2026 · Filed: March 3, 2026

The AC in the front stopped working on and off but the AC in the back continues to work that's one warning a situation. The second is the oil light constantly shows low oil even when you get an oil change. The park tire pressure always moves back and forth to 40% to all the way down to 30.

Engine

ODI #11657526

Incident: April 29, 2025 · Filed: April 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the same diagnostic information was provided. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

Power Train

ODI #11630320

Incident: November 25, 2024 · Filed: December 12, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to slow for a traffic light and the vehicle jerked while shifting into low gear. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal when the traffic light had changed, the vehicle hesitated before responding and was jerking and shuddering while changing gear and accelerating. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure became a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and had referred the contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

Air Bags

ODI #11585169

Incident: April 25, 2024 · Filed: April 25, 2024

My 2012 Chevy Tahoe Dashboard is completely cracked up. This seems to be a very common issue as I read online. I am very concerned about the Safety with the Dashboard being cracked in multiple areas. What do I need to do to get Chevy to replace this at no cost to me?

Air Bags

ODI #11546716

Crash

Incident: September 15, 2023 · Filed: September 26, 2023

I was rear ended while stopped by another truck that was going 60+ mph. None of the airbags in my 2012 Chevy Tahoe deployed. The backside of the driver and passenger seats fell off - unsure if that is airbag related but nothing deployed. My car was totaled my insurance.

Service Brakes

ODI #11531666

Incident: March 1, 2023 · Filed: July 11, 2023

Warning light for break trailer system.

Steering; Suspension; Unknown or Other

ODI #11519776

Incident: March 25, 2023 · Filed: May 1, 2023

While barely moving, (about 2 mph), in a parking lot & preparing to make a sharp left turn, knuckle of driver's side wheel assembly suddenly broke, causing the wheel assembly to collapse, wheel top tilted inward and bottom tilted outward, causing major damage to upper and lower control arms, tie rod and significant body damage to two body parts at the wheel opening. Mechanic reported that there had been very excessive ‘play’ before the collapse At 86,000 miles, this is a very low-mileage for this degree of wear and complete failure, on a full-size, PPV SUV, with many heavy-duty features, designed to tolerate high stress usage. FORTUATELY, the car was barely rolling. If this had happened 5 minutes later, I would have been driving 65 mph and this would have caused a catastrophic wreck, could have involved several other cars, and could have injured or even killed many people. I am now very concerned about the condition of the knuckle on the passenger side. It could be developing microscopic cracks that would only be observable with X-ray. ESPECIALLY with this defect being on a very popular police model, Highway Patrol PPV vehicle, more failures will endanger many people.

Air Bags

ODI #11514629

Crash 4 injuries

Incident: January 21, 2023 · Filed: March 30, 2023

The vehicle was involved in a "T-Bone" collision where two vehicles drove into the driver side of my vehicle. I was not at fault and yes, the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. In February of 2022 I took the vehicle to Felix Chevrolet to have the airbag recall repaired. In late January 2023, the "T-Bone" collision occurred. My elderly mother (front passenger) and my two sons (13 and 14 rear passengers) were also in the vehicle. ZERO airbags deployed in my vehicle. The vehicle has been parked at my residence since the incident. The vehicle or component has NOT been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others since the incident. I noticed the dash cracking after the recall was performed in 2022. I contacted Felix Chevrolet and spoke the Asst Manager Sergio who told me that GM is NOT replacing the cracked dash boards and if I could take a photo and text it to him--which I did.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11513899

Incident: March 27, 2023 · Filed: March 27, 2023

My dash is very cracked. I do keep it covered, but it doesn’t make the issue disappear. Upon research I have seen that this is a very common issue and that legal action was taken in 2018. It causes a safety concern.

Other Chevrolet Tahoe model years

Check your 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Chevrolet Tahoe at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Chevrolet VIN