Are Yukons/Tahoes reliable?

[TroyFan]

Hey everybody, new to the site. Have been a long time Nissan driver... but Nissan's product has gone downhill over the last decade. It's not what it used to be.

Now I'm looking into possibly getting a Tahoe or Yukon. I'm curious what to expect out of the 2015+ Tahoes and Yukons. Are the engines reliable? Do they last? Are the transmissions reliable? Any common issues I can possibly expect?

Any information will be great! Thank you!!

 

[swathdiver]

Hey everybody, new to the site. Have been a long time Nissan driver... but Nissan's product has gone downhill over the last decade. It's not what it used to be.

Now I'm looking into possibly getting a Tahoe or Yukon. I'm curious what to expect out of the 2015+ Tahoes and Yukons. Are the engines reliable? Do they last? Are the transmissions reliable? Any common issues I can possibly expect?

Any information will be great! Thank you!!

What does your research suggest?

Generally speaking, the later years in a vehicle's generation are the most mature and trouble free.

The 10-speed transmissions have proven very durable. There were troubles with the 8-speeds early on, it was largely remedied by a fluid type change. The 6-speed is a great transmission but the thermostat on them, keeping temperatures high, reduces life compared with the earlier generation that uses the same transmission with a different cooling system.

The engines are fantastic, the 6.2 is glorious to drive. But cheap gas and extended oil changes shorten their lives, as with any engine.

I forget what year Apple Car Play and the like were introduced in that generation, might be important to you.

So what don't you like about your Nissan? A brother-in-law has an older one and tows with it all over the country but she's getting tired now.

 

[Bigburb3500]

Look around this site, there are a lot of stories about ownership. There are a good number of transmission, engine, drivetrain combos that should be looked into depending on what your personal needs are. I think reliable goes back to previous ownership as well and the use of it. Sometimes buying a towrig is better than a commuter because the guy towing replaced and maintained the truck to top-notch standard while soccer mom/dad doesn’t know what an oil change is. Finding the right vehicle is important too.

 

[ReaperHWK]

I’ve had a lot of things go wrong on my 2015 but it does have 160k miles. Engine and trans are solid it’s just some of the electronics and other fancy stuff that breaks. Like magnetic ride suspension, power lift gate, power seats, window regulators, air ride, blind spot monitors, fuel injectors, etc. all stuff you can DIY in your garage.

 

[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.

I've had a Yukon and a Yukon XL, and they have both served me well.

I believe that @Big Mama has a 2008 Yukon Denali for sale that is in fantastic condition, if you are thinking about the possibility of purchasing a used vehicle. These trucks, if well maintained, will last up to 300k miles.

 

[Doubeleive]

I haven't been left on the side of the road in over 12 years, unless I got a flat so....................... I guess that's reliable enough.
it should be noted that reliability requires maintenance, ignore the maintenance and guess what happens to that reliability?
AND when i was left on the side of road previous to that 12+ years it was of my own doing. when you beat the crap out something it tends to break, no matter how well (a vehicle) is made.

 

[TroyFan]

The Pathfinder I have is from their 2017-2022 generation. The CVT transmission whines on many of them. The electronics aren't the best. The window motors burn out very quickly. The worst issue of all... the VQ35DD engine. The previous generation of engines (VQ35DE) was a reliable, port injected engine. One of the best Nissan has made. The VQ35DD though may be the worst engine Nissan has made. They changed it to direct injection and altered the PCV system. It's caused massive issues, primarily major sludging problems. No matter if you change the oil every 3,000 with high quality full syn oil, it won't prevent the sludge. It's a widely known issue.

 

[NELLY1947]

Hey everybody, new to the site. Have been a long time Nissan driver... but Nissan's product has gone downhill over the last decade. It's not what it used to be.

Now I'm looking into possibly getting a Tahoe or Yukon. I'm curious what to expect out of the 2015+ Tahoes and Yukons. Are the engines reliable? Do they last? Are the transmissions reliable? Any common issues I can possibly expect?

Any information will be great! Thank you!!

The only way I can answer you is I'm now on my 15th GM oner the past 40-50 years. I had a unit with close to 500mikes once. Recently I've had a 2006 3500 pick up. 2010 -2015-2019 and now a 2023 Yukon XL. Vader. 100% all black NO wrapping . I see posts about all the different problems but hiw many of these units are there out there. I change oil every 4-5k. And do an inspection every 12-15k. But when I drove from Montreal to Toronto in a 12-18" snow dump in 4high or i want to tow or ask for 130kph she does what i ask. I just figure if I take care of her she will dowhat I ask. Oh ya yesterday I pulled a 4wd Ford 350 with a front plow, trailer attached with a skid steer on it out of the ditch 2 days ago in 4 bull and a strap. Just took my time

 

[EvergreenZ71]

Hey everybody, new to the site. Have been a long time Nissan driver... but Nissan's product has gone downhill over the last decade. It's not what it used to be.

Now I'm looking into possibly getting a Tahoe or Yukon. I'm curious what to expect out of the 2015+ Tahoes and Yukons. Are the engines reliable? Do they last? Are the transmissions reliable? Any common issues I can possibly expect?

Any information will be great! Thank you!!

I had a 1st Gen Nissan Pathfinder “hardbody” SE-V6 4-door so long ago I can’t even remember what year it was. When it started having engine trouble I bought my first full-size GM SUV and never moved away.

Technically I’m on my 4th full-size GM SUV in almost 20 years, but really only on my 2nd Tahoe daily driver in that time as the other two were / are 3/4 ton Suburban Family road trip / trailer towers.

Every brand and model will have lemons and unfortunately a lot of posts on forums like these will highlight problems. But I think the telling element is the number of people on here who have had the following experiences:
1: Own multiple full-size GM SUVs, whether for themselves or with spouses & dependents
2: Own/owned multiple full-size GM SUVs of the same generation
3: Own & maintain full-size GM SUVa with more than 150k miles (and much higher)
4: Continue to purchase similar full-size GM SUVs year after year, whether simply as an upgrade or after passing it to a family member

My little Pathfinder was fun, but my GMs have given me solid reliability so long as I maintain them correctly. I did replace an engine on one, but that was most likely the result of poor PM from the previous owner which is a risk inherent to any used car purchase.

I not only would buy another full-size GM SUV, I’ve already purchased 3 more after my first.

 

[EvergreenZ71]

The Pathfinder I have is from their 2017-2022 generation. The CVT transmission whines on many of them. The electronics aren't the best. The window motors burn out very quickly. The worst issue of all... the VQ35DD engine. The previous generation of engines (VQ35DE) was a reliable, port injected engine. One of the best Nissan has made. The VQ35DD though may be the worst engine Nissan has made. They changed it to direct injection and altered the PCV system. It's caused massive issues, primarily major sludging problems. No matter if you change the oil every 3,000 with high quality full syn oil, it won't prevent the sludge. It's a widely known issue.

Newer GM engines (1/2 ton on 2010+) with Active Fuel Management (AFM) or Displacement on Demand (DOD) need to have their oil changed religiously with high quality oil (I prefer synthetic anyway) to reduce the risk of lifter failure.

The best true solution to this is to have the engine modified with a DOD delete kit & appropriate tune. DOD can also be disabled electronically with a customized tune (or you can buy an AFM disabler that plugs into the OBD port, but I haven’t seen much talk about them).