Showing the 2018 Tahoe LS. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
17–19 mpgcombined; city 14–16, highway 22–23; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$17,100–$23,670U.S. average; Ohio $15,280–$22,310 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2018 Tahoe. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 105 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Tahoe. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Unknown or other
27
2
0
1
Engine
20
0
0
0
Power train
20
1
0
0
Service brakes
16
2
0
1
Electrical system
13
0
0
0
Steering
11
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
7
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
4
1
0
1
Engine and engine cooling
3
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
0
0
0
Structure
3
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
3
1
0
0
11 more parts
Air bags
2
2
0
3
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
Suspension
2
0
0
0
Visibility
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Chest clip, buckle, harness
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Tahoe over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
Risk: A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. 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.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,273 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Tahoe, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (394), electrical system (271), engine and engine cooling (167), power train (145), engine (127).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2018 Tahoe.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: standard sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Tahoe C1500 Rear-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 23 / 19
Tahoe C1500 Rear-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
16 / 23 / 19
Tahoe C1500 Rear-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 10-spd
Premium Gasoline
14 / 23 / 17
Tahoe K1500 4-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 22 / 18
Tahoe K1500 4-Wheel Drive
5.3 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
16 / 22 / 18
Tahoe K1500 4-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 10-spd
Premium Gasoline
14 / 22 / 17
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data