While driving down interstate at approx. 55-65mph, vehicle "sputtered" and shut off while driving. Vehicle would crank but not start. After sitting approx. 10 mins, was able to restart and drive approx. one mile or less before "sputter" and vehicle died, followed by another crank no start. No check engine lights came on. Vehicle was in roadway in very dangerous location with blind curve requiring Police to be called in fear of my safety, since vehicle was in roadway, I was afraid for my children's safety as there were in car seats in the vehicle at time of failure. I was also concerned about my safety as well as other motorists safety. I was scared that I was going to get hit by another vehicle since my vehicle died in the roadway in a curve. There was an increased probability of injury or death from the faulty part on this vehicle. Police were on scene to assist with traffic, however no report was made, vehicle was disabled. Vehicle had to be towed to residence. CEL came on after approx 3rd start attempt. Believe issue to be Electronic Fuel Control Module which is common with this vehicle year/make/model. However in contacting the dealer in which I purchased Tahoe, they state that this particular VIN has no open recalls, however it matches description on recall N252516900 Fuel Pump Power Control Module. Vehicle is not yet repaired, it has not been inspected, and faulty part is still on the vehicle, vehicle and part are available for inspection.
Chevrolet Tahoe won't start problems
121 of the 10,079 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Tahoe describe won't start, most of them for the 2021 model year.
- owner complaints
- 121
- worst model year
- 2021
- typical repair cost reported
- $645
- typical mileage
- 62,251
By model year
Often reported together
Fuel pump 25Stalling 17Loss of power 15Check engine light 15Engine failure 11Door locks 9Battery drain 6Wipers 4
Trouble codes mentioned
P2635 1P129F 1
What owners say
The vehicle suffered complete internal engine failure due to a snapped timing chain on startup. The vehicle turned over via the starter motor but failed to start. A professional diagnosis confirmed the broken timing chain caused extensive valve-to-piston damage, requiring a full engine replacement. This failure appears to be a direct consequence of the known 6.2L L87 V8 engine crankshaft and connecting rod manufacturing defects. Severe mechanical resistance or violent rotational harmonics at the crankshaft level place un-engineered stress on the timing drive system, causing the chain to snap under startup torque. All broken components are preserved and available for inspection. The defect creates a severe risk of sudden, total loss of propulsion while driving. Had the compromised timing chain snapped at highway speeds rather than on startup, it would cause immediate engine seizure, a sudden loss of power steering, and a loss of power brake vacuum assist. This leaves the driver unable to accelerate or safely steer out of active traffic, creating an extreme risk of a high-speed crash.The broken timing chain and total engine destruction were officially diagnosed and confirmed by professional automotive repair technicians.The damaged components have been inspected by independent repair representatives. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by General Motors because this specific VIN is excluded from the current recall scope. There were no warning lamps, check engine lights, or diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) prior to parking the vehicle, and no outward symptoms of severe engine stress were present until the complete no-start failure.
Vehicle was driven the day before the incident occurred. The morning of the incident, the vehicle was parked, off and not running. A notification sent to my phone indicating a critical battery low 11.1V reading. Vehicle would not start. Vehicles battery and alternator charging system was tested and passed. All systems are good. Vehicle continues to give critical low voltage over night while the vehicle is off and not running.
My 2023 Tahoe HC 6.2L VIN Passed the Catastrophic Engine Safety Recall stating my Engine was SAFE. The dealership performed a change in oil velocity per GM's directives. Then the engine seized upon accelerating. No warnings, just dead, yet able to coast through a large intersection on a -20F day where NOTHING worked on the vehicle. Even though the engine would not turn over when hitting the Start button, it would only allow 15 minutes worth of Emergency Flashers before the sensors shut the vehicle completely down. We had to abandon the vehicle on the side of the road, with key fob in this NEW vehicle, hike to safety, and for warmth. Total mess up as how to tow the vehicle, even when I advised NOTHING (but SiriusXM) worked and could not put vehicle into Neutral. Had to wait almost a month for a Replacement Engine. Once Replacement Engine installed, I expressed how my vehicle did not feel, nor sound the same as the original. The dealership ensured that it was a 6.2L Engine Replacement, without being able to tell me where it came from, how many miles on it, or the serial number to this new engine. I was told to give it 500-1000 miles to allow Replacement Engine to "settle". Exactly 300 miles in, on the expressway, just coming out of a bottle neck slowdown, I got up to around 45-50 mph and it was like I hit an invisible wall! Vehicle lost propulsion. Seat belts locked. No brake lights since I was accelerating. Extremely thankful nobody was behind me. Obviously let go of the gas. Pause. Then I was able to drive the vehicle to a safe location off of the expressway, and shut it down. Immediately called dealer. Restarted, drove about 15 miles to safety, went to shut off and it would NOT turn off. Sounded as if trying to start it while already running. 20 min to turn off. 5 months at dealer, they could not mimic/see any issues, even though I could "feel" the loss of propulsion at lower speeds. Fearing ALL lives, I had to trade down yet more $
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.
Space does not allow for a complete statement. However, here is a summary. I purchased my 2023 Tahoe on 07/19/23. On 07/27/23, the check engine light came on. Since then, there have been approximately 8-9 instances where the check on. Each time I took the vehicle in for service, however, the check engine light kept coming back on. There have been 2 instances in 2026 where the vehicle would not start, and then the check engine light came on. A Chevrolet dealer service advisor told me that this is a known issue with GM and Chevrolet; however, no remedy has been found yet.
While traveling at 55mph yesterday, I experienced a full engine failure which shut the car off fully while traveling on a single lane double yellow road. I was able to coast to a secure location. The car will not start or go into neutral. There were no warning lights that occurred at any time prior to the failure. This all occurred while on vacation 2 hours away. I previously went to the dealership for the recommended "fix" for the recall but that obviously did not solve the problem. This was an extremely unsafe situation for me and my family. I also encountered towing costs and significant loss of time. In addition, the car is at a dealership over 2 hours from my home. Chevrolet should be held accountable well beyond a recall notice which didnt solve the problem.
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.
We were driving down the highway at around 77 miles per hour. I noticed that the vehicle chimed as though I initially got into it and needed to start the engine. I saw the dashboard asking me to start the engine. I attempted to start it while we were coasting to a stop, but it wouldn't start. I was able to barely get out of the lane of travel and avoid a collision. I tried to turn off the vehicle and turn it back on but it would not start. It would not even turn over. The vehicle eventually cannibalized the battery because it would never shut off.
Without warning my Tahoe would no start 60 miles from home due to a faulty fuel pump module. I was stranded and the vehicle needed to be towed to a GM dealership for repairs. Many 2021 Chevrolet Tahoes have been recalled for this problem and I believe my vehicle should be included in the recall and $787.50 should be reimbursed by including my vehicle (573 Safety Recall Report 21v-739. September 16,2021 GM part #13537053 Fuel Pump Control Module. I have paid receipts .
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
- Risk
- Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
Recall number 25V274000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Tahoe won't start
Which Chevrolet Tahoe years have won't start problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2021 (26 complaints), 2007 (17 complaints) and 2002 (10 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix won't start on the Chevrolet Tahoe?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $645 (median of 11 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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