Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1995 record →
WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP THE ABS BRAKES KICKED IN, AND THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP. CONSUMER ALSO, ABS LIGH ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SENSOR HAS BEEN INOPERATIVE SINE 12/97 AND HAS BEEN INSPECTED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE REPLACEMENT PART AND RELAY WILL COST APROX. $700 SO I HAVE NOT REPLACED IT. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT IN THE DASH PANEL IS ALWAYS ON. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE ABS SYSTEM WILL REALLY WORK IN A SUDDEN STOP. I AM TRYING TO GET THIS VEHICLE APPROVED FOR COVERAGE UNDER THE "SPECIAL POLICY" RECALL JUST ANNOUNCED BY GM BUT THIS DOES NOT YET COVER SUBURBANS AS THEY HAVE AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. *AK
SEAT LOOSE ON TRACK. MOVES APPROX QUARTER INCH WHEN ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. OUT OF WARRANTY. DEALER WILL NOT FIX. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SEAT PEDESTAL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES AND HAS FAILED AGAIN, MOVEMENT (NOT STABLE) SEAT DUE TO FAILURE. MJS
ABS FAULTY CAUSING ROTORS TO FAIL DUE TO LOCK UP, REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO RESULTING IN LOCKING UP OF ROTORS. MJS
THESE SEALS HAVE FAILED TWICE IN 3000 MILES. IT WAS REPAIRED BOTH TIMES WITH GENUINE GM PARTS. I WAS TOLD BY THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR 3/4 TON SUBURBANS. THIS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE!
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
BOLTS THAT HOLD DASHBOARD CAME APART CAUSING DASHBOARD TO COME APART. *AK
I HAD THE FAILURE AND COMPLETED THE REPAIR AT THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 9 MONTHS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED, I COMPLETED THE STEPS I WAS TOLD WERE NEEDED TO OBTAIN REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO STONEWALL ME. AT THIS POINT, THE MANUFACTURER SAYS THE DEALER "NEEDS TO CLEAR THE SYSTEM" FOR THE REPAIR, AND THE DEALER SAYS HE CANNOT "CLEAR THE SYSTEM" BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO COMPLETE THE ENTRY. NEITHER OF THEM SEEMS TO CARE WHETHER I GET REIMBURSED OR NOT. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT (98V-150) WINDSHIELD WIPERS PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY AND NEAR ACCIDENT. MJS
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT (98V-150) PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. MJS
CONSUMER'S SEAT BOLT WELD BROKE FROM THE TRACK. THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME, IE-96-093. *AK *YC
THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BROKE OFF THE TRACKING AND ANCHOR SYSTEM, LEAVING THE SEAT FREE TO ROCK BACK AND FOWARDS WHILE DRIVING. THE SEAT MOUNTS BROKE DURING A SUDDEN BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION. MANUFATURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT TO BREAK LOOSE FROM THE MOUNTING AND FALL BACKWARDS, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
THE METAL OF THE DIRVER'S SEAT FRAME IS CRACKING AND SPLITERING WHERE IT THE LEFT FRONT CORNER IS ATTACHED TO THE POWER SEAT RAIL/TRACK. INITIALLY I REPORTED A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM SEAT TO A MD CHEVY DEALER IN 1996, WHO FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND EXPLAINED IT OFF AS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND SEAT WOULD NOT BE REPLACED. ON APRIL 14TH, 1999 I DISCOVERED METAL FRACTURES AFTER SQUEAKING NOISE BECAME INCREASINGLY LOUDER AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ITS CAUSE. CONTACTED CHEVROLET AT THEIR WEB SITE AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERN OVER THE APPEARENT MATERIAL FAILURE OCCURING. I RECIEIVED AN EMAIL ASKING THAT I CONTACT A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT 800-222-1020. I WAS TO GIVE THE REPRESENTATIVE MY REFERENCE FILE NUMBER: 990206345. I SPOKE WITH A MS. PAMELA DORSEY AT EXTENSION 3732. MS. DORSEY WAS VERY CURT AND INDICATED THAT CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I RESEARCHED THE NHTSA DATA BASE ON THIS VEHICLE AND FOUND 25 COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME SEAT WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. SINCE I AM A MEMBER OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES, I DON'T MAKE THE KIND OF MONEY TO PURCHASE ANOTHER SEAT FOR THIS VEHICLE. NOTWITHSTANDING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SEAT FRAME FAILING IN FIVE YEARS AND UNLIKE THE OTHER COMPLAINTS, IT'S A JUST A MATTER OF TIME WHEN MY SEAT DETACHES, WORSE YET, WHILE DRIVING.
WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD FAILED, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO MOTOR DUE TO SHORT / BURNING *YC
THE SEAT FRAME FOR THE LEFT FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT FAILED. THERE WAS ONLY 67,000 MILES ON IT. I DROVE IT FOR A WHILE UNTIL I COULD GET IT FIXED, IF THE OTHERBOLT HAD FAILED THE SET WOULD HAVE TIPPED BACKWARDS WHILE DRIVING, I DON'T BELIEVE I WOULD HAV BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE IF THAT HAPPENNED. I HAVE KEPT THE VEHICLE AND IT IS ABOUT NINE MONTHS LATER. TEH REPLACEMENT IS BEGINNING TO FAIL IN THE SAME WAY. THIS SEEMS UNACCEPTABLE. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME HTEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER SUBURBANS, I HAVE HEARD OF THE SAME PROBLEM FROM OTHER OWNERS AND I SEE THE SAME PROBLEM LISTED IN YOUR COMPLAINT SUMMARY. PLEASE MAKE THEM CONRRECT THE PROBLEM. IT IS SIMPLY A POOR DESIGN AND IF BOTH BOLTS FAIL AT THE SAME TIME, IT SEEMS VERY LIKELY SOMEONE WILL GET HURT.
PE90056, POWER SEAT WAS A LITTLE LOOSE AND CAUSED IT TO CUT THE WIRES. THEN SMALL FIRE UNDER THE SEAT BROKE OUT. AFTER WIRES MELTED FIRE EXTINGUISHED BY ITSELF. DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER REPORTED PROBLEM AND DIRECTED CONSUMER TO CALL GMC. GMC INDICATED THEY WOULD ACT ACCORDING TO WHAT THE SERVICE MANAGER REPORTED. SERVICE MANGER REPORTED "NOT MUCH OF A FIRE CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR". SEAT APPEARED TO BE LOOSE. *AK
CONSUMER HEARD NOISES IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM DEC--98 THROUGH MARCH 99 DUE TO A METAL PART BROKING OFF FROM THE SEAT. DEALERSHIIP REPLACED LOWER SEAT FRAME AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK
IN AUGUST, 1995 CONSUMER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE FAILURE. VEHICLE WOULD PULL LEFT OR RIGHT, OR IF THERE WAS A HARD STOP IT WOULD RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM , AND SUGGESTED THAT CONSUMER TAKE VEHICLE SOME WHERE ELSE. ALSO, CONSUMER OWNED A SUBURBAN 93, AND EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEM. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP BOUGHT VEHICLE BACK FROM CONSUMER. *AK
BRAKE HISSING NOISE HEARD WHEN PEDAL APPLIED. PEDAL LOW. FLUID LEAKING SMALL AMOUNT. CHEVY SERVICE MISDIAGNOSED PROBLEM. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AND INSTALLED NEW SHOES. BRAKES STILL HISSED. A DIFFERENT SERVICE CENTER CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AS BRAKE BOOSTER AND REPLACED AT COST OF $300. TOTAL AMOUNT SPENT WAS OVER $1,000. *AK
THE SEAT IS IMPROPERLY DESIGNED. THE RIVETS BREAK CAUSING THE DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS. THIS CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS . THE SEAT BREAKS EVERY YEAR OR SO. IT STARTS MAKING A POPPING SOUND, RIVETS GETTING LOOSE, THEN FINALLY BREAKS CAUSING THE DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM AND THAT THERE IS A T.S.B. OUT ON IT WHICH I HAVE NOT SEEN. I AM TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX JUST PUT ANOTHER SEAT FRAME IN EACH TIME. THE LAST TIME IT BROKE IT WAS REPAIRED AS A GOODWILL GESTURE. THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THAT IT WILL NOT BE REPAIRED AGAIN UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH CAUSES A POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS IT IS A SUDDEN FAILURE. IT JUST POPS AND YOU FALL BACKWARDS. THE PROBLEM IS ALSO DESCRIBED AS SEAT POPPING. THE REVITE GET LOOSE AND CAUSE THE SEAT TO START MAKING A POPPING SOUND (WHICH IS HAPPENING TO MINE AGAIN NOW) THEN THEY FINALLY BREAK. A NEW TRUCK SOLD BY GM SHOULD NOT HAVE A SEAT IN WHICH THE SEAT FRAME BREAKS EVERY YEAR OF SO. GM JUST SAYS TOUGH.--------- AS TO THE BRAKE ISSUE I ONLY INCLUDED IT BECAUSE I HA D SO MANY PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET IT REPAIRED. THE BRAKE HOSES COLAPSE CAUSING THE BRAKES TO STAY APPLIED. NUMEROUS VISITS ABOUT BREAKS SQUEAKING/APPLYING WERE TO NO AVAIL. EVEN AFTER THEY WOULD STAY APPLIED IT TOOK SEVERAL VISITS TO GET THEM REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THEYY APPARENTLY WOULD HEAT UP CAUSING THE PROBLEM TO BE
DRIVER SEAT BECAME UNATTACHED TO FRAME. TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER FOR SERVICE AND CONTACTED AREA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TO HAVE MANUFACTURER COVER REPAIR. REFUSED COVERAGE DUE TO MILEAGE, FACT THAT WE WERE NOT ORIGINAL OWNER, AND DID NOT OWN OTHER GM PRODUCTS. SPOKE WITH SUPERVISOR STATING THIS WAS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. MANAGER REFUSED COVERAGE ALSO. SEAT REWELDED TO FRAME BY NON-MANUFACTURER REPAIR SHOP (DUE TO HIGH COST OF REPAIR AT DEALER). REPAIR SHOP IDENTIFIED PROBLEM OVER PHONE, STATING HE HAD REPAIRED SAME PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES ON SUBURBANS.
BUCKET SEAT FRAME IS CRACKING, CAUSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
SEAT BELT WARNING SYSTEM (BUZZER) WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. NO WARRANTY. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING APPROIMATELY. 35MPH WHEN SHE BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. IN THE IMEDIATE REAR ON THE THIRD SEAT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE THERE WERE THREE LARGE SUIT CASES. UPON IMPACT, THE THIRD SEAT COLLAPSED DUE TO A BOLT SHEARING OFF. *AK
NO SUMMARY
GEAR SHIFT SHATTTERED, CAUSING THE GEAR TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO LOCK INTO GEAR, WILL NOT LOCK. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH DOOR; WHENEVER AUTOMATIC SWITCH IS USED IT CAUSES DOOR NOT TO CLOSE PROPERLY. ALSO, ABS FAILED TO OPERATE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN ON THREE OCCASIONS TO DEALER SHOP, AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. IN ADDITION, DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE TO LET HERSELF OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
DRIVERS INTEROIR DOOR HANDLE BROKE NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN, HAD TO ROLL DOWN WINDOW AND OPEN DOOR FROM EXT HANDLE. CHECKED PASS DOOR HANDLE AND FOUND CRACKED 90% OF THE WAY THROUGH IN SAME LOCATION. I SHOWED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WERE SUPRISED BUT WOULD NOT DISCOUNT PARTS. I PURCHASED NEW PARTS AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF AT A COST OF $22.50 EA. I ALSO CONTACTED GM AND THEY WERE OF NO HELP. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THERE WAS A ACCIDENT AND A LOSS OF POWER I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VIHICLE.
WHILE ADJUSTING LAB COAT IN DRIVER'S SEAT, THE BUCKET SEAT BROKE FROM THE ANCHORS ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE NOT UNDER WARRANTY FOR SEATS. *AK
RA95026; POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE; BRAKES FEEL REAL SPONGY AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE TAKES TWICE AS LONG. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON REGULAR ROAD CONDITIONS, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. DEALER STATED THAT THE SYSTEM IS WORKING NORMALLY.
FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND RPM WENT HIGH, WHEN STEPPING ON GAS PEDAL SEEMS TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ENGAGE, DEALER CHANGE THE FUEL FILTER BUT AFTER FEW MILES IT HAPPENS AGAIN. *ET
DESIGN FLAW CAUSED THE FAILURE OF BATTERY CABLES AND BATTERIES, THE CABLES ARE NOT HEAVY ENOUGH FOR THE CURRENT DEMAND.
BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED.
FUEL PUMP SWITCH BURNED OUT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FRAME BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. STEEL RIPPED APART IN A NO LOAD SITUATION.
DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
SEAT MOUNTING BRACKET, WHERE SEAT MOUNT TO THE SEAT TRACK FAILED.
THE ABS DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION THE VEHICLE KEEPS GOING WITHOUT STOPPING. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SENSOR FAILED.
ABS; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL GETS HARD AND BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE BEFORE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
SEAT FRAME MOUNTS BROKE. (FIRST VEHICLE ON DOC# 605847)
RIGHT REAR WHEEL, TIRE AND BRAKE DRUM FLEW OFF AT 70 MPH DUE TO THE WHEEL STUDS SHEARING OFF.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 45 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. FRONTAL DAMAGES TOTALLING $10,000. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1995 Chevrolet Suburban → · Every Suburban year → · How the figures are calculated →