2020 Chevrolet Tahoe Engine Problems

We have the L86 6.2L EcoTech 3 Engine. at 85,000 miles we noticed the oil pan is leaking and rear main seal is leaking. Both are common issues with the L87 engine as well.

I was driving in traffic with 8 kids from my football team on a busy street and my truck start jerking and wouldn’t accelerate much. I was going 35 mph and the truck just slows down in the middle of driving. Then as I pulled over thick white smoke comes from the tail pipe. Thank god it was a Sunday and the busy street wasn’t as busy and I was able to pull over safely because this happen while I was driving. I got the truck to autozone and they gave me a misfire code in cylinder 1. I sent my truck to dealership and spoke with them on the phone and they was able to tell me everything going on with my truck without even having to tell them all the issues happening. They looked at the truck and said I had an internal engine issue. I was advised this a well known problem with my type of truck. I reached out to Gm and asked them why haven’t it been a recall on my truck if this is a well known issue with my vehicle after talking with many mechanics. No answer was specifically provided. I’ve been trying to get them to do what’s right and repair the engine but I’m getting the run around. I’ve reached out to over 5 mechanics and a shops and have been told this is a well known problem was trying to see the cost. Once I found out this was well known it made me contact General Motors. I don’t think it’s fair this is a known issue with 5.3L engine and it hasn’t been a recall. It is unsafe to be driving and the engine just fails on you in the middle of traffic. What if I was on the freeway? My truck is at a Gm dealership right now and Gm and the dealership is refusing cost assistance on a well known engine failure problem. These vehicles need a recall on them that would of been 9 lives at risk because this problem hasn’t been addressed by the manufacturer it was scary when it happen because I was on a busy street.

Zero warnings. Driving one day and the vehicle started shaking and running very hard even when just in idle. Dealership has determined engine failure, due to piston one failing and braking off into engine. Car has had routine oil changes and maintenance. Has not been inspected by manufacturer. GM is not assisting.

I sent this to GM Corporate on 2/12/2025: I'm writing regarding the recall on certain 2020 Chevy Tahoe transmissions. My husband is meticulous with his vehicles including all regular service updates and recommended appointments. It literally looks like it came off the showroom floor 5 years after buying it. Unfortunately, when returning on a trip our vehicle suddenly increased rpm's and wouldn't respond while going 65 miles per hour. Thankfully, it reengaged, and we were okay but imagine what could have happened! We managed to get it home, but while attempting to back up it wouldn't shift. We had to have it towed and have been told our transmission is SHOT! It will cost us over $7000 to replace?!! We attempted to call the GM customer service number to Complain and see if they could provide some help. They put us in touch with a service manager in our area whose voicemail was full and took a week to connect with. She basically said there is nothing she can do as it is within the 5 years but over on miles. So, here we sit with a vehicle we have babied for 4.9 years that needs a new transmission. I am asking for you to listen. Asking for you to expand the investigation/recall to include ALL 2020 (or related) vehicles. Something isn't adding up, and you are leaving customers who have paid off their $60,000 vehicle stuck with more $$ to pay because of an about defect. This could have killed us. It literally froze while we were driving, and now we are without a vehicle waiting for a new transmission. We have never had issues with the transmission before. How does a transmission just go? Definite defect!

We are concerned that the transmission recall should be including ALL 2020 Tahoe’s. We were driving at 55 MPH and our RPM suddenly excelled and the vehicle felt like it was in neutral. This happened several times in a short distance. When we arrived home and tried to put in reverse it hesitated to move and then finally engaged. Getting it into dealership this week.

I was driving with my kids on the expressway about 55mph , when all of a sudden the truck went to 30's mph stayed on the 1st gear and did not want to go further from there, and another vehicle almost struck me from the back but was able to swerve me the check engine light also popped out of nowhere. The truck kept staying there on 1st gear, So i had call someone to come pick it up where I was at. I was concerned being struck from the back where the vehicle all of a sudden went to 1st gear and did not want to move from there and i had just gotten the vehicle 3-4 months ago from the gillman dealership.

this year vehicle is also part of the engine problem GM is experiencing with the V8 Engines. I purchased this vehicle in January 2024. With less than 40k miles on it. I drove it for approx 2 months and the entire engine seized up. I was told by the Chevy Dealership that GM is aware of the engine problems on these V8 Engines and did not issue a recall. It took GM over 9 weeks to send me a new engine. In which 6 weeks they had me rent a vehicle and then finally allowed the dealership to give me a rental from their lot. I had to wait several weeks to be reimbursed for the rental, and pay my high car payment during this time, without having my vehicle in my possession. I have asked for reimbursement on my car payments, and they denied it. My car seized up while doing 35 MPH on a road near my house thankfully, but it is a danger that they knew about, and did not recall these motors. I could have been driving over 65 miles on the highway and this could have happened, causing extreme danger to me and my children.

STRONG SMELL TO FUMES WHEN TURNING ON AC OR VENT SYSTEM.