Help a newbie, ‘21 Tahoe z71

[dstewart3ss]

Looking at purchasing a Z71 Tahoe. I’ve been scouring the forums and see several comments about common lifter problems but I’m not having good luck searching the forum for more detail. Is there a way to determine if the one I might buy was made during the time of the bad lifters?

We‘re drawn to the size and comfort of the new Tahoe and prefer the newest body styling but 2021 is most we can afford. I’ve always thought of Tahoe’s to have good reliability but this forum is scaring me a bit. Maybe it’s a case of the most comments on the forum are when there’s an issue and not much talk about how great they are? Would love some feedback from the experts here. Anything beyond the lifters I should be concerned about and investigate before purchasing?

Thanks!!!

 

[K2 Kaiju]

1st year tahoes have never been reliable (07,15) because GM uses those years as test mules. The 21 was also smack dab in the middle of the chip and supply chain shortage. Lots of standard options not installed, and so many sat in lots waiting for parts. Im still not sure they have everything worked out yet - you like to gamble? Im sure many are fine...

 

[dstewart3ss]

1st year tahoes have never been reliable (07,15) because GM uses those years as test mules. The 21 was also smack dab in the middle of the chip and supply chain shortage. Lots of standard options not installed, and so many sat in lots waiting for parts. Im still not sure they have everything worked out yet - you like to gamble? Im sure many are fine...

What kind of issues are you commonly seeing in the ‘21 that have been worked out in ‘22/‘23? And which ones are still lingering?

 

[Thomas Schneider]

FWIW, I have a 2021 Tahoe Z71 I purchased in November 2020 (Manufactured August 24th, 2020), so one of the first ones in the production run released early into the wild... It has had 6 recalls (one inspection for proper installation of a seat belt parts; 2 requiring software updates; three requiring new parts to be installed regarding seats/seat belts).

Like many 2021 owners, I heard about the possible lifter issues and was quite concerned. One theory was to get the first oil change ASAP to get what metal that might be in the oil from break-in, so I paid for an oil change at 2492 miles (saving the free first oil change and tire rotation for around 7000 miles). I now have almost 22,000 miles with having had a total of 6 oil changes. I've taken about 8 long-distance road trips and no problems. Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones or maybe it's because I baby all my vehicles and it's paying off. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Stbentoak]

My 21 has been rock solid and has had a few electrical gremlins and they were fixed in a reasonable fashion. No better or worse than any other years and the 21 infotainment is far better than the google based system. Not to mention, got in before this over sticker price baloney came to light and paid right at sticker with a few free things thrown in. 199 dealer fee. So far, so good, but I partially believe that is due to the Dmax....

 

[dstewart3ss]

My 21 has been rock solid and has had a few electrical gremlins and they were fixed in a reasonable fashion. No better or worse than any other years and the 21 infotainment is far better than the google based system. Not to mention, got in before this over sticker price baloney came to light and paid right at sticker with a few free things thrown in. 199 dealer fee. So far, so good, but I partially believe that is due to the Dmax....

Curious what kind of electrical gremlins you experienced and if you simply had the dealership resolve them? I'm looking at a '21 with 46,*** miles purchased from an individual so will still have some powertrain warranty but no more bumper to bumper to cover stuff like that. And I'm glad to hear the '21 infotainment is better than the google based system - I was curious how it compared as I noticed the change in '22....I've also heard the same on the rear entertainment package - the one I'm looking to purchase has this option installed although both screens are cracked :/

I appreciate the feedback thus far, it is very helpful.

 

[tagexpcom]

I bought a used 21 Yukon Denali 6.2L in Aug 2023 with 49K miles from Hertz. Up to 52K now and not a single issue - running smoothly. Don't even have oil drips on garage floor

I bought a 2004 SRX V8 AWD new in 2004 - 1st year for SRX. It had manufacturing issues - engine oil leak in 1st 50 miles (they fixed free) and missing gasket in rear differential (fixed free). I still have it and is at 170K and running smoothly.

I wondered (at the time) if it was because it was a brand-new generation vehicle, but read a few pieces that said in actuality, new cars may have issues but so do post-new and 'overall' that stats are not that different, even if different issues. So maybe it's more of a roll of the dice?

 

[OR VietVet]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon.

 

[todayusay]

what's the price point on the one your looking at? haven't seen too many used ones priced where it made sense to buy used over new. RSE is nice, but no so much if the screens are cracked...I mean, how did that happen - to both of them? if it has RSE then it should have a native NAV system meaning there should be a SD card reader (see below)

does it have a sunroof?...if it does, has it ever leaked/trapped water? the 21's were notorious about it as there was a TSB on fixing it.

I'd ask which dealer they used for service and with the VIN call/go by the dealer and get a copy of the service records on it. that should show all the possible work that's been done.

from a lifter perspective, the general rule of thumb was that they'd fail early on, once you got past 20k+ miles, maybe it's not 100% in the clear, but it seems fewer failures were occurring later on (someone can/will correct me if that's not the case).

we had a 21 AT4 (5.3) with a laundry list of issues, put a bunch of miles on it and got lucky getting out from under it. I wouldn't view our experience as typical though...items in bold are things I could see possibly being an issue on any 21 with these options at some point

- rear axle module replaced
- airbag light recall
- water trapped in sunroof (this took about 5 months to fix)
- radio screen went out...believe this was an update issue they had to push
- idler pulley went out
- SD card removed message randomly comes on (tried to diagnose this and even after replacing the SD card slot - message still comes on several times a week) -
- blue tooth speaker(s) has a reverb to it when talking on the phone - its the audio coming in which is odd...to the point its relatively useless now...dealer said they'd have to take the dash off to truly diagnose (think its a cable or something?) - we decided we'd pass on that remedy as we are going to just get out from under it
- auto steps motor went out

we traded down a trim level to get away from the additional tech...

if it's a good buy and it seems most of the wrinkles have already been worked out, then it will probably serve you well

 

[Stbentoak]

Curious what kind of electrical gremlins you experienced and if you simply had the dealership resolve them? I'm looking at a '21 with 46,*** miles purchased from an individual so will still have some powertrain warranty but no more bumper to bumper to cover stuff like that. And I'm glad to hear the '21 infotainment is better than the google based system - I was curious how it compared as I noticed the change in '22....I've also heard the same on the rear entertainment package - the one I'm looking to purchase has this option installed although both screens are cracked :/

I appreciate the feedback thus far, it is very helpful.

The biggest one was the "Service restraint system" issue. It was finally solved by getting a whole new overhead console assy and hasn't come back. That was about 18 months ago. It's got a rattle in the center console that can't seem to be fixed but it's not a showstopper. But mechanically it's been flawless and is the best road trip vehicle I've ever had. No complaints if I can get 6-7 years out of it and possibly buy one more the last year the dmax is available, I'd be good for quite a while.....

 

[dstewart3ss]

what's the price point on the one your looking at? haven't seen too many used ones priced where it made sense to buy used over new. RSE is nice, but no so much if the screens are cracked...I mean, how did that happen - to both of them? if it has RSE then it should have a native NAV system meaning there should be a SD card reader (see below)

does it have a sunroof?...if it does, has it ever leaked/trapped water? the 21's were notorious about it as there was a TSB on fixing it.

I'd ask which dealer they used for service and with the VIN call/go by the dealer and get a copy of the service records on it. that should show all the possible work that's been done.

from a lifter perspective, the general rule of thumb was that they'd fail early on, once you got past 20k+ miles, maybe it's not 100% in the clear, but it seems fewer failures were occurring later on (someone can/will correct me if that's not the case).

we had a 21 AT4 (5.3) with a laundry list of issues, put a bunch of miles on it and got lucky getting out from under it. I wouldn't view our experience as typical though...items in bold are things I could see possibly being an issue on any 21 with these options at some point

- rear axle module replaced
- airbag light recall
- water trapped in sunroof (this took about 5 months to fix)
- radio screen went out...believe this was an update issue they had to push
- idler pulley went out
- SD card removed message randomly comes on (tried to diagnose this and even after replacing the SD card slot - message still comes on several times a week) -
- blue tooth speaker(s) has a reverb to it when talking on the phone - its the audio coming in which is odd...to the point its relatively useless now...dealer said they'd have to take the dash off to truly diagnose (think its a cable or something?) - we decided we'd pass on that remedy as we are going to just get out from under it
- auto steps motor went out

we traded down a trim level to get away from the additional tech...

if it's a good buy and it seems most of the wrinkles have already been worked out, then it will probably serve you well

Thank you so much for this detailed reply - extremely helpful.

I'm nowhere near being able to afford a new one as much as I'd like to. The one I'm considering I can get for slightly over $50k. I know it needs new tires right away and I'll likely want to replace the screens in the back (note: they still function properly but the screen is cracked). Owner had a friend helping her load furniture when this happened.

- Great tip on the navigation/SD card - DONT REMOVE THE CARD!!!
- It does have a sunroof although I'm not aware of any prior water damage. I will definitely investigate further and I had plans to contact the previous dealers ID'd on the Carfax to see what specific things had been done - another great suggestion. Where do I need to visibly inspect on the sunroof to see if it has the water trapping issue?
- fixed running boards on this one

From what I can tell, I think I'm looking at a very solid deal. The truck is very clean inside and out, clean carfax, rides/drives well, zero rust, and still has powertrain warranty for 15k more miles. Current owner has had it almost a year and put 20k highway miles on it with no issues. Once I investigate a little further, I think I'll have a better idea if most of the wrinkles have been worked out already, as you say!

Last question: if I reach out to dealership(s) that have worked on it and there hasn't been much done in terms of fixing things and/or recalls, would you take that as a sign that it's a good one, or a red flag that issues are likely to come soon?

 

[Tahoe14]

I would also consider a warranty on these new electronic laden vehicles. You can purchase from Dealers that offer discount prices such as Knapp automotive and make sure it is a genuine GMEPP warranty. Good luck with your decision.

 

[tagexpcom]

- Great tip on the navigation/SD card - DONT REMOVE THE CARD!!!

I removed mine when test driving the vehicle because I'm fidgety. I fixed mine for $165 and a few minutes. Here's my journey on this....

SD Card Removed - and I did it! (Yikes)

We're test driving a used 2021 Yukon Denali this week. All is going well, price OK, beautiful car, towing test was a success, everything works so we're likely to buy. However, poking around I ran across the SD Card in the center console and popped it out, put it back in wondering what it was...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Here's what I purchased - https://gmnavdisc.navigation.com/pr...-2022-5/sku/S23TH04-F0522-2661/en_US/GMNA/USD

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please.

You are already receiving sage advice from the knowledgeable folks on this Forum.

 

[dstewart3ss]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please.

You are already receiving sage advice from the knowledgeable folks on this Forum.

Thank you - I've previously owned several Toyota's and had the pleasure of participating in the iH8mud forum community. I look forward to contributing here once I take ownership . The only picture I have is 3.1MB and I can't figure out how to shrink down the size......page won't let me upload at 3.1MB apparently.

 

[dstewart3ss]

Here it is. Upload from the phone did the trick.

 

[todayusay]

Thank you so much for this detailed reply - extremely helpful.

I'm nowhere near being able to afford a new one as much as I'd like to. The one I'm considering I can get for slightly over $50k. I know it needs new tires right away and I'll likely want to replace the screens in the back (note: they still function properly but the screen is cracked). Owner had a friend helping her load furniture when this happened.

- Great tip on the navigation/SD card - DONT REMOVE THE CARD!!!
- It does have a sunroof although I'm not aware of any prior water damage. I will definitely investigate further and I had plans to contact the previous dealers ID'd on the Carfax to see what specific things had been done - another great suggestion. Where do I need to visibly inspect on the sunroof to see if it has the water trapping issue?
- fixed running boards on this one

From what I can tell, I think I'm looking at a very solid deal. The truck is very clean inside and out, clean carfax, rides/drives well, zero rust, and still has powertrain warranty for 15k more miles. Current owner has had it almost a year and put 20k highway miles on it with no issues. Once I investigate a little further, I think I'll have a better idea if most of the wrinkles have been worked out already, as you say!

Last question: if I reach out to dealership(s) that have worked on it and there hasn't been much done in terms of fixing things and/or recalls, would you take that as a sign that it's a good one, or a red flag that issues are likely to come soon?

as far as the SD card is concerned, we never removed it, just randomly started receiving the message. even after replacing the unit we still got the message...maybe once a week, maybe skip a week or two and then several times in a day

if its trapping water, you'd know it. we could hear the water sloshing around. would take a week or so for it to disappear/drain. the TSB fix was to extend the vent tubes...not sure if you could see them or not once installed. would think dealer could do a quick inspection or check the service history

 

[tigerboy81983]

Looking at purchasing a Z71 Tahoe. I’ve been scouring the forums and see several comments about common lifter problems but I’m not having good luck searching the forum for more detail. Is there a way to determine if the one I might buy was made during the time of the bad lifters?

We‘re drawn to the size and comfort of the new Tahoe and prefer the newest body styling but 2021 is most we can afford. I’ve always thought of Tahoe’s to have good reliability but this forum is scaring me a bit. Maybe it’s a case of the most comments on the forum are when there’s an issue and not much talk about how great they are? Would love some feedback from the experts here. Anything beyond the lifters I should be concerned about and investigate before purchasing?

Thanks!!!

Like many others have mentioned, first year of a new body style can be hit or miss. I have a '22 and the only issue we've had was a bad onstar module, which was warrantied, and apparently very rare to fail. We have a friend who bought a '21 and it basically died one day and they had to tow it to the dealer, and it spent a month getting diagnosed/repaired. She was still under warranty, but barely. She traded it within a week of getting it back. I'd be wary of the '21 year personally, but it seems to just be luck of the draw whether you get a good one or not. Good luck!