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2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD
The 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD has 3 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 180 owner complaints, and gets about 17 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD at a glance
- Engine
- 8-cyl 5.3L
- Cylinders
- 8
- Displacement
- 5.3 L
- Drivetrain
- Rear-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic 6-spd
- Body
- Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
- Fuel
- Gasoline or E85
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 13, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
3 openElectrical System
30/12/2014
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.
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.
Air Bags
05/02/2021
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.
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.
Air Bags
05/02/2021
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.
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.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 13, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
180 filed- 61
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
- 58
AIR BAGS
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 r
- 26
STRUCTURE
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 move
- 11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DASH CRACKING. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND GM NEEDS TO FIX IT. EVERY ONE I HAVE SEEN DOES THIS. THEY CRACK NEAR THE AIRBAG ORIGINALLY, WHICH MINE IS. IT IS BEGINNING TO CRACK IN OTHER PLACES. THE SHARP EDGES HAVE CUT
- 7
POWER TRAIN
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
- 4
STEERING
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, c
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 13, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★☆
- Frontal
- ★★★★★
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★☆☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 13, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 17 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 15 / 21
- Est. fuel / yr
- $3,650
- CO₂ / mi
- 523 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 13, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Confirm the recalls were fixed
This model has 3 open NHTSA recalls (including the electrical system). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
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Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
What is recalled on the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD? +
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD, including the electrical system. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD get? +
The EPA rates the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD at 17 mpg combined (15 city / 21 highway), about $3,650 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 3 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD? +
Owners have filed 180 complaints with NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 2WD, including 8 involving a crash. The most-reported area is unknown or other.
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