NHTSA Complaint #11658068 — 2021 CHEVROLET TAHOE

On May 14, 2023 I was on a trip driving the Tahoe (midnight blue Tahoe in the pictures) about 60 mph, on highway 41 (middle of nowhere, no cell reception) south of kettleman city, CA when, without any warning or symptoms of any problem whatsoever, the engine lost propulsion and died. I was able to coast onto the shoulder and tried starting it. It started again and I continued driving and about 35 minutes later I stopped at a red light on Highway 41 in Lemoore, CA. Again the Tahoe engine died without warning and would not restart. When I tried starting it I could smell a burning smell. The engine cranked but wouldn’t start, and then the check engine light came on. I was at a stoplight on a major highway and was unable to move the vehicle, and was scared to sit in it, so I put on the vehicle hazard lights, got out of the car and ran to the side of the road for safety. Luckily I did not have my children with me. I called 911 and a police officer came and parked behind my vehicle with his lights on so hopefully no other vehicles would hit it. A tow truck was immediately dispatched as high priority by the police. I had it towed to Hedricks Chevrolet dealership in Clovis, California, who informed me there was metal parts in the oil and that the engine was destroyed and had to be replaced. It took several months to get the engine replaced and in the meantime, I bought a new 2023 Cadillac Escalade so I would have a vehicle to drive. The Cadillac Escalade ended up having an extremely similar problem (and I will file a separate report for that vehicle). A few months later when the Tahoe replacement engine was installed I picked up the Tahoe from the dealership and sold it to Carmax.