Lemberg Law is investigating complaints that some new 2022 Chevrolet Tahoes have issues with roof leaks. Vehicle owners report that water pours into their SUVs when it rains, drenching electric and electronic components.
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Yes, there is a problem with 2022 Chevy Tahoe roofs. Some of them leak when it rains and/or when the SUV is washed. Of the 12 consumer complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the 2022 Chevy Tahoe so far, 2 are about this issue. But, looking at the history of leaking Chevy Tahoes, the number is likely to increase soon.
First, we’ll share the roof leak problems owners of 2022 Chevy Tahoes are having. Then we’ll look at similar problems Tahoe owners have had in the past, including owners of the 2021 model.
The problem 2022 Chevy Tahoe owners are having is that when it rains or they wash their vehicles, the water leaks in. Some say that they can hear the water “sloshing” in the headliner. Others say that water literally pours out of the overhead console.
The first complaint to the NHTSA was from an owner in Virginia who heard “sloshing water” in the headliner after it had rained on March 15, 2022. At the time the vehicle was 2-months-old. According to the complaint filed on July 6, 2022, it’s happened every time it’s rained hard or the vehicle has been washed since then.
The complaint states that when the vehicle moves forward, the water “pours out through the upper rear seat belt slots and the AFT AC vents.” When the SUV stops, water then pours out of the upper-forward electronic panel where the Onstar button is located. The owner isn’t sure about the extent of damage to the upper electronics or possible corrosion.
The second complaint filed on October 20, 2022, is also from Virginia. After buying a new 2022 Tahoe in February 2022, the SUV developed a water leak in June.
The leak caused water to pour out of the overhead console onto the dash, seat belt reels, the overhead light fixtures, and on the driver’s feet…”
The dealership had the vehicle for four weeks. They removed the windshield and headliner and decided that a defective weld was the problem. But, the next time it rained, the problem recurred. The SUV went back to the dealer who again removed the headliner, “but they were unable to determine the source of the water.
“The interior electronics and electrical components have been rain-soaked for four months. When driving the vehicle after rain and having water pour out of the ceiling between the driver and the windshield is unnerving and unsafe. Additionally, most of the functions of the controls are electronic, and continuing dousing with water is a serious concern. The airbags in the A and B pillars are probably getting wet as well.”
There will be many owners of older Chevrolet Tahoes who won’t be surprised by these new complaints. Launched in 1994, the Tahoe has had roof leak issues since at least 2007.
As far back as 2008, there were forum conversations comparing notes about Tahoe leaks. Typically, the headliner was soaking wet. Some say the water seemed to enter “around the rubber grommet where all the electrical wiring runs from the truck body to the hatch,” blaming “a really poor grommet design” that doesn’t seal well. Others say there seems to be a link to the sunroof or reckon there’s a blocked roof drain.
In a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) shared on a Chevrolet Forum in August 2008, General Motors (GM) instructed dealerships what to do if there were water leaks from the sunroof area of several Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC vehicles including the 2007-2008 Chevy Tahoe.
Consumer concerns were that water had leaked into their vehicles after rainstorms drenched one or more areas inside the SUV:
GM warns that it usually happens when vehicles are parked on an incline causing the front of the vehicle to be higher than the rear.
The solution, the TSB states, is to open the sunroof and pour the water slowly into the drain gutter. Referring to the problem as a “concern,” it says it may have been caused by “plugged” rear sunroof drain tubes because the end was “submerged” into the foam used to dampen noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH).
So, they said they’d found the problem – and a solution – but it didn’t end there. In 2013, in the Tahoe Yukon Forum discussing 2007-2014 Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade Chevy models, there was a thread, Roof Leak! This is ridiculous!
This time a frustrated owner complained that the sunroof of his 2007 model seemed to leak whenever he washed his Tahoe. The water went into the headliner even though he couldn’t pinpoint where the leak was coming from.
Two members with 2011 Tahoes said their SUV roofs leaked and they suspected holes from roof rack installations. Other members advised them to check the sunroof drains.
From the conversation, it was clear that they were all having to research the problem online rather than getting answers from dealerships.
The New Tahoe Yukon forum is full of reports about 2021 Tahoe roofs leaking. Here is what some owners say:
It’s not clear whether all the leak problems over the years originate from one particular place, the sunroof for example. It’s also not clear how many TSBs there have been over time. But there is a fairly recent TSB for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and other GM vehicles of the same model year that relates to water leaking into the sunroof drain-hose area.
Filed with the NHTSA in March 2022, the TSB discusses a gurgle or sloshing noise heard coming from the front sunroof drain-hose areas. The description given indicates that the TSB should be extended to other GM vehicles including the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe. After all, there are consumer complaints to the NHTSA about exactly this issue with 2022 Tahoe roofs leaking. Ironically, there are none (so far) from 2021 Tahoe owners.
The TSB reports that “Some customers may comment on hearing a gurgle or sloshing noise coming from both, front right and front left, sunroof drain hose areas. The condition usually presents itself after a rain soak/car wash, and when driving approximately 80-112 km/h (50-70 mph). Also, the noise is commonly more evident with the HVAC OFF, and when HVAC and Recirculate is on.”
The cause, it says, “may be that where the sunroof front drain hose grommets exit in the plenum, the pressure in the plenum may potentially be too high to allow water to exit as designed.”
This is not quite the same explanation given in GM’s 2008 TSB. But the “concern” and “cause” are substantially similar. Ultimately, Tahoe roofs have a leak problem that can flood the interior of the SUV.
If your Tahoe roof leaks, you may have a lemon. Complete our evaluation form or call us at 844-928-4443 and we will assess your case. Our services are free because the law states that GM must pay the legal bills for lemon law cases.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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My 2023 Tahoe demonstrates the same issue of water sloshing in the headliner after being parked on an incline in my driveway after a severe storm. It pours out of tye safety light above the end row rear right seat.