Full-size SUVs · 7 model years, 2015 to 2026
Chevrolet Tahoe vs GMC Yukon: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Yukon looks better on 4 and the Tahoe on 0, with 3 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2015 to 2026 | Tahoe | Yukon |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 3.2% | 1.9% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 57,000 | 55,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 5.4 | 4.6 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 3 | 2 |
| NHTSA investigations | 6 | 6 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Tahoe owners complain about most is engine, and it is the same for the Yukon. Complaints citing brakes make up 18% of all Tahoe complaints, against 11% on the Yukon. The Yukon leans the other way on exterior lighting: 24% of its complaints, against 4.1% for the Tahoe.
Chevrolet TahoeGMC Yukon
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Tahoe is brake wear (20% of its complaints). On the Yukon it is tail light failure (22% of its complaints), against 0.6% on the Tahoe.
| Problem | Tahoe | Yukon |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 20% 384most in 2015 · 65k mi | 12% 207most in 2015 · 62k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 15% 300most in 2021 · 56k mi | 15% 261most in 2023 · 42k mi |
| Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing | 10% 200most in 2021 · 45k mi | 17% 299most in 2023 · 34k mi |
| Tail lights or brake lights fail | 0.6% 11 | 22% 387most in 2015 · 56k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 8.9% 175most in 2021 · 61k mi | 6.4% 113most in 2021 · 70k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 5.6% 110most in 2015 · 51k mi | 3.4% 6042k mi |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 4.6% 90most in 2015 · 53k mi | 3.8% 67most in 2015 · 65k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 3.9% 7785k mi | 4.1% 73most in 2017 · 79k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Tahoe complaints that give a mileage come before 57,000 miles, and half the Yukon complaints before 55,000. 42% of Tahoe reports and 42% of Yukon reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Chevrolet TahoeGMC Yukon
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 969 for the Tahoe and 882 for the Yukon.
Worst and best years
The 2021 Tahoe draws 3.4 times the complaints of a typical Tahoe year for its age. The 2023 Yukon draws 2.5 times the complaints of a typical Yukon year for its age.
Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet TahoeGMC Yukon
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Tahoe draws more recalls: 5.4 campaigns per model year against 4.6 for the Yukon. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Chevrolet Tahoe
38 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: seat belts (7), transmission and drivetrain (6) and steering (4).
- Do not drive 14V-246 (steering), model years 2015
- Do not drive 16V-256 (suspension), model years 2016
- Do not drive 26V-289 (transmission and drivetrain), model years 2016, 2017 and 2026
- 19V-645 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
- 19V-761 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- EA26005: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (open)
- RQ26001: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (closed)
- EA25007: Loss of motive power due to engine failure (open)
GMC Yukon
32 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (6), service brakes, hydraulic (4) and airbags (4).
- Do not drive 16V-256 (suspension), model years 2016
- Do not drive 26V-289 (transmission and drivetrain), model years 2026
- 19V-645 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
- 19V-761 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- EA26005: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (open)
- RQ26001: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (closed)
- EA25007: Loss of motive power due to engine failure (open)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Tahoe complaints report a crash: 3.2%, against 1.9% for the Yukon. Fire reports: 10 for the Tahoe and 5 for the Yukon. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Tahoe and 0 in the Yukon for these model years.
Chevrolet TahoeGMC Yukon
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Chevrolet Tahoe or the GMC Yukon more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Yukon looks better on 4 and the Tahoe on 0, with 3 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Tahoe has 1,961 complaints and the Yukon 1,767 for the 7 model years from 2015 to 2026 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Tahoe or the Yukon?
The Tahoe has 38 recall campaigns and the Yukon 32 across the 7 model years from 2015 to 2026 that both have on file. The Tahoe draws more recalls: 5.4 campaigns per model year against 4.6 for the Yukon.
What are the most common problems on the Tahoe and the Yukon?
The most reported problem on the Tahoe is brake wear (20% of its complaints). On the Yukon it is tail light failure (22% of its complaints), against 0.6% on the Tahoe.
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