1997 GMC Suburban complaints

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING BEFORE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT 55-60 MPH WITH ONLY THE DRIVER IN A 1997, GMC, SUBURBAN 2500; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, LT 245/75R16MS; DOT# VN1181A127. VEHICLE RECEIVED REAR END BODY DAMAGES AND FIRESTONE WAS NOTIFIED. TIRE WAS AVAILABE FOR ANALYSIS. *AK TIRE STAYED INFLATED, HOWEVER 99% OF THE TREAD WAS GONE. *SLC

BRAKE FAILURE @ 30MPH UNABLE TO STOP SHUDDERING HEARD AND BRAKES WENT TO FLOOR WITNESSES REPORT HEARING NOISES AND SEEING VEHICLE VIBRATE

TIRE SEPARATED AT 65 TO 70 MPH ON I-75 IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA. TIRE REMAINED INFLATED BUT THREW OFF BELT. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $1400. SPECIFIC DAMAGE: BENT AND TORE LOSE REAR HEATER AND A/C LINES WHICH RUN PARALLEL TO REAR WHEEL WELL. DESTROYED REAR HEATER /AC UNIT.BENT UP WHEEL WELL SHEETMETAL. BENT AND DINGED & SCRATCHED EXTERIOR ADJACENT SHEETMETAL . *AK( DOT NUMBER: NONE SHOWN TIRE SIZE: LT245/75R1 )

NO SUMMARY

THE FRONT BRAKES OF THE SUBURBAN HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME WITH RAYBESTOS (LIFETIME WEAR) BRAKE SHOES. MY TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING VERY HARD, AS IF SOMEONE HAD REARENDED THE TRUCK AT A SLOW SPEED. I TOOK IT TO AAMCO TRANSMISSION'S FOR REPEARS. AAMCO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION, BUT DID'NT FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER $2200.00 AND THE FIFTH ATTEMT TO FIX THE PROBLEM I TOOK IT TO A GMC DEALER AND THEY ACTUALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME FOR $308.

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS CONTINUALLY REQUIRES REPAIRING. *MJS

WHEN DRIVING STEERING BECOME LOOSE, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. THERE WAS NO CONTROL. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED A SPEED SENSORY. *AK

ACID WAS LEAKING FROM BATTERY TERMINAL. THUS FAR, DEALER HAD TO REPLACE A/C LINES AND BATTERY CABLE. CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN PE99-073.*AK

BATTERY CABLE FAILED, CAUSING SUBURBAN TO STOP IN TRAFFIC. CONTROL OF VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT DUE TO LACK OF POWER. *AK

CONSUMER OPENED HOOD AND NOTICED BATTERY ACID WAS LEAKING ON A/C CABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

BAFFLES WITHIN FUEL TANK FAILED, DESTROYING FUEL SENDING UNIT. *AK

A CONNECTOR THAT KEEPS THE SEAT IN PLACE BROKE OFF, THE METAL IS SO THIN AND WEEK ON THIS PEICE THAT IF I WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE SEAT WOULD FLY OFF. I HAVE THE BROKEN PEICE. *AK

WHEN CHANGING GEARS THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEN ENCOUNTERED WITH THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF ELECTRONIC SHIFT TRANSMISSION . *AK

BATTERY HAS PREMATURELY BECOME INOPERABLE, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN ONE MONTH DUE TO EXASSIVE CORROSION. *AK

STEERING SENSOR IS BAD, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE AND JERKS VERY HARD WHEN MAKING A TURN. DEALER CONTACTED, EVO SENSOR REPLACED AT OWNER'S COST. *AK *ML

ON APRIL 10, TRANSMISSION FAILED AND VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP. ON APRIL 18, THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE OWNER AFTER HAVING REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION COOLER, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. ON APRIL 27, 2000, THE ENGINE FAILED ON A BUSY ROAD AS SCHOOLS WERE LETTING OUT. THE ENGINE FAILURE, PUT BOTH THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AT RISKS AND THE SCHOOLCHILDREN ALSO, AS THE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE DRIVER AVOIDED COLLISION BUT WITH NO STEERING AND LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. *AK

OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS THERE HAS BEEN STALLING PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A CRASH.TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES SINCE OCTOBER, 1999 FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND OUT WHATWAS CAUSING THE TRUCK TO STALL. *AK *ML

VEHICLE IS A DIESEL ENGINE. BATTERY HAS A LEFT AND A RIGHT SIDE. BOTH SIDES LEAKED INTO THE BRAKE LINE, CAUSING CORROSION. INVESTIGATION NUMBER PE99073. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED (UNKNOWN REASON PER DEALER) VENTED ALL FLUID. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE CAR WAS SITTING NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

THE ALUMINUM AND STEEL SEAT TRACKS AND ANCHORS ARE LOOSE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO BECOME INSECURE WHILE DRIVING . PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE BATTERY ACID LEAKED AND ATE THROUGH THE BOLT ATTACHING CABLE TO BATTERY. VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD. ACID ATE INTO BRAKE LINES AND A/C LINES.

NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED I NOTICED A LOT OF SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE I STOPPED AND HEARD A HISSING NOISE UNDER VEHICLE AND SAW OIL SPRAYING ON THE EXHAUST PIPES NEAR TRANSMISSION IT THEN CAUGHT FIRE PUT FIRE OUT I CHECKED FLUID LEVEL IN TRANSMISSION IT WAS LOW HELP SHOWED UP WITH OIL FILLED IT BACK UP CONTINUED HOME AT SLOW SPEED APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES LATER O.D. STARTED TO SLIP THEN DRIVE STARTED TO SLIP SO I DROVE 30 MPH IN 2ND WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT BECAUSE OF FLUID LOSS OUT OF VENT TUBE

ORIGINAL GM BATTERY (SIDE POST STYLE) LEAKED ACID ONTO STEEL BRAKE LINE CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING SYSTEM PLUS MAXIMUM CORROSSION OF UNDERSIDE OF TRUCK..WE WERE COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEM UNTIL WE TRIED TO GO TO WORK IN THE TRUCK AND FOUND NO BRAKES,,HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THHE HIGHWAY AT ANY GREAT SPEED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR CATASTROPHY..NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP OR GM TAKES THIS SERIOUS PLUS WE ARE OUT THE COST OF THE REPAIRS AND THE VEHICLE OUT OF SERVICE..OF

WHEN DRIVING ON DRY PAVENT AND THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, IT'S LIKE CONSUMER IS BRAKING HARD, AND THE THE BRAKES WILL GRAB FOR A SECOND AND RELEASE AND THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE ROLLING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN MAKING RIGHT OR LEFT TURN VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO TURN THE WHEEL FARTHER THEN YOU DESIRE TO TURN

TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE REPLACED TRANSMISSION FAILED TOO. YH

TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER DEVELOPED CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES. MJS

WAS TRAVELING 25-30 MPH AND BECAUSE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC HAD STOPPED SUDDENLY. HAD APPLIED BRAKES. HAD NO BRAKES. COULD FEEL ABS KICKING IN, BUT NOTHING HAPPENING. VEHICLE WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN. TURNED VEHICLE & JUMPED CURB & HIT LIGHT POLE. AIR BAG DEPLOYED. VEHCLE FINALLY STOPPED. *AK

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY OR SLOW SPEED. ALSO, STALLS WHILE MAKING A TURN/STOP POSITION/REVERSE OR WHILE PARKING. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON ELEVEN OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

THERE IS A VISIBLE WATER LEAK FROM THE ROOF TO THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PART OF THE TRUCK, THIS MAKE A POOL INSIDE THE CAR OF ALMOST 1/2 AN INCH OF WATER. IT KEEPS THE CAR WITH A HUMID ATMOSPHERE AND VERY STRONG BAD ODORS DUE TO HUMIDITY, THIS AFFECTS ME MY WIFE AND MY THREE BABIES OF 2 YEAS AND 10 MONTHS OLD. WE ARE ALL THE TIME SUFFERING WITH ALLERGIES AND ASTHMA SINCE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK. WE KNOW OF TWO OTHER SUBURBANS HERE IN PUERTO RICO THAT HAS SUFFERED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER COVERS UP THESE, AND SAYS THEY NO NOTHING OBOUT IT. WHAT SHOULD I DO, HOW CAN I HAVE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED... ???

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UP DUE TO A SHORT IN THE TANK ASSEMBLY. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAS CONSUMES OIL AT APPROXIMATELY 1 QUART EVERY 600 MILES,NO LEAKS VISIBLE. THE DEALER WORKED ON THE OIL PROBLEM IN MAY BUT DID NOT FIX IT. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW IT HAS HAD A VIBRATION WHEN SPEEDS APPROACH 50 MILES PER HOUR AND INCREASES WITH MORE SPEED, NEW TIRES, CONTINUOUS BALANCING OF TIRES, DOES NOT HELP.

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT & APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE ABS BRAKES FELT FUNNY. THEY FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. WENT OVER 40 FOOT EMBANKMENT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN THE FRONT END NOSED INTO DIRT. DRIVER HIT HEAD ON WINDSHIELD. WAS WEARING SEAT BELT. *AK

STEERING 'SLIPS' WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT AND MOVING AT A MODERATE RATE OF SPEED. PROBLEM OCCURRED IN FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. DEALER TRIED TO FIX PROBLEM 3 TIMES BEFORE FINALLY SUCCEEDING. PROBLEM HAS NOW OCCURRED AGAIN, TWO YEARS LATER. HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED DEALER.

MASTER CYLINDER HAD FAILED 3 TIMES WITHIN 1YR. THE ABS BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED. AT DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 8 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. THEY FIXED THE BRAKES EACH TIME & THEY ALWAYS FAILED. AN ONGOING PROBLEM. BRAKES ARE STILL NOT WORKING APPROPRIATELY.*AK

DESIGN OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM DOES NOT STOP EFFICIENTLY, REAR BRAKES ARE NOT MAKING ENOUGH CONTRACT WITH THE REAR DRUMS TO AID IN STOPPING, RESULTING BRAKE FADING AND DAMAGE TO ROTORS (WARPING). MJS

THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT SLOW SPEED 30 MPH OR LESS WHEN ONE TIRE WAS IN WATER. I HAVE HAD COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES IN WET CONDITIONS WHEN A HARD BRAKING APPLICATION CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO JUNP UP AND DOWN. IT WOULD NOW APPEAR THAT ONLY THE FRONT BRAKES ARE WORKING NOW AS IT TAKES A HARD BREAK PEDAL TO STOP THE TRUCK NORMALLY, AND THE FRONT ROTORS SEEM TO BE WARPED BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE HEAT. WHEN THIS INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO THE DELER THEY SAID A REAR BRAKE ADJUSTMENT WAS NEEDED EVERY OIL CHANGE EVEN THOUGH THESE BRAKES ARE SELF ADJUSTING. I HAVE OTHER FRIENDS WITH SUBURBANS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS.

WHEN TURNING RIGHT, IT FEELS LIKE STEERING IS SLIPPING & LOSES CONTROL. WHEELS NOT RESPONDING WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING. WHEN TURNING LEFT, THE STEERING IS SOFT BUT OKAY. TAKING TO DEALER. *AK DEALER FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE IN THE POWER STEERIGN AND REPLACED IT, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING STILL FEELS MUSHY. *SLC

REAR END OF TRANSMISSION CRACK IN HALF CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK OUT VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED ON FLAT BED 140 MILES TO GET HOME THE ENTIRE END OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROKE HAD TO DEFECT IN THE CASTING OF HOUSING OR A DESIGN FLAW CAR HAS HIGH MILES DUE TO MUCH TRAVEL MECHANIC STATED NEVER SAW TRANSMISSION BRAKE LIKE THAT BEFORE CONTACTED DEALER AND HAD DEALERSHIP MECHANIC LOOK AT IT BUT THEY STATED THEY WERE NOT GOING TO HELP US THEY SAY LACK OF MAINTANINCE TO THE CAR WE HAVE HAD OUR CAR CHECKED EVERY 3 -4 THOUSAND MILES OIL CHANGES ECT WE HAVE RECEIPTS FOR EVERYTHING WE FEEL GMC HAD A CRAFTSMANSHIP DEFECT ON SHOULD COVER THIS EVEN IF WE ARE OUT OF WARRANTY

PE 060, ERRATIC STEERING BOOST WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER REPORTED THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE STEERING SENSOR AND WOULD LIKE FOR NHTSA TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

POWER STEERING FAILING OCCASSIONALY. YH

PE98060, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STEER TO RIGHT OR LEFT UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES, AND DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SENSOR 3 TIMES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

EA95026, POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A CLINKING NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE SYSTEM, LIKE THE MOTOR IS PULSATING, IT SLOWS THE VEHICLE DOWN BUT WILL NOT STOP. TIHS HAPPENS MORE WHEN THE ROADS ARE WET. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. OWNER STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH ABS. *AK *ML

ERRATIC STEERING, USUALLY GOES TO LEFT, DEALER SAYS THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, IT DOES IT INTERMITTANTLY BUT FREQUENTLY

STEERING SENSOR COMPUTER CHIP MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME VERY SLOPPY AND LOOSE AS IF STEERING WAS ON ICE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

INADVERDENT AND SUDDEN WHEEL MOVEMENT, OVERSTEER IN TURNS

FUEL PUMP BECAME INOPERATIVE. FUEL PUMP, WHEN TAKEN OUT, WAS ON FIRE INSIDE THE GAS TANK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE INCIDENT. CONSUMER WILL NOTIFY THE MANNUFACTURER. *AKR

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE IS SHIFTING VERY HARD FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE.DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK