Most common 1999 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Share of the 634 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Suburban complaints by model year
Best Suburban years: 2014, 2009, 2020. Years to avoid: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
1999 Chevrolet Suburban recalls (1)
Seat belts › Front › Webbing
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with the occupant protection requirements of FMVSS no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Remedy: Dealers will install a tray insert on the top of the passenger side of the instrument panel. The tray insert corrects the noncompliance.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban:
Brake line corrosion failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Defect Petition DP10-003 on March 2, 2010, requesting the investigation of model year (MY) 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD pickup trucks for corrosion failures of the vehicle brake lines.DP10-003 was granted and on March 30, 2010, Preliminary Evaluation PE10-010 was opened on more than six million model year 1999 through 2003 light trucks and sport utility…
Unwanted low-speed ABS activation
In a letter dated August 29, 2005, GM notified odi that it was recalling certain model year 1999 through 2002 c/k pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles to correct a problem with anti-lock brake system (ABS) wheel speed sensor corrosion that May result in unwanted ABS activation and extended stopping distances during low-speed braking (recall 05v-379).GM's recall covers approximately 804,000 vehicles currently…
Steel wheel rim fracture
There have been less than 2 complaints per 100,000 subject vehicles related to the alleged defect.the oldest vehicles (my 1999) have only 2 complaints in over 140 thousand vehicles after over 4 years in service.the rate of warranty claims potentially related to the alleged defect is less than 0.1%.there are no known incidents involving rapid loss of tire pressure or loss of vehicle control.
Erratic power steering assist while driv
The office of defect investigation (odi) has investigated allegations of power steering assist fluctuations in the subject vehicles.for details and a basis for the investigation conclusions, please see the closing report in the ea99-011 public file.odi has not identified a safety-related defect trend in the subject vehicle population.futher expenditure of agency resources on this subject does not appear to be…
Brake line corrosion failure
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia,…
Throttle sticking closed
This investigation involves the general motors corporation (GM)throttle body (tb) utilized in model year (my) 1999-2002 silverado, sierra, tahoe, suburban, avalanche and yukon (subject vehicle(s)) with 4.8l, 5.3l, and 6.0l engines. The tb valve May intermittently stick in a closed position.in such a situation, an operator May apply additional accelerator pedal force to increase engine speed.the application of…
What 1999 Chevrolet Suburban owners say
Brakes all 246 →
Tl* the contact called on behalf of the owner of a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH downhill, the steering wheel seized, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to slow the vehicle. The vehicle reached speeds of between 95-100 MPH before crashing into a building with an aluminum structure. The crash was on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The air bags deployed. The driver sustained laceration over the right eye which required several stitches. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed regal Dodge located at 1223 blue valley dr, pen argyl, pa 18072, [phone], where it was scheduled to be diagnosed which was still pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000.
Brakes failed due to corroded brake lines. Appears that rear lines failed but neither front or rear brakes worked during incident. Brake lines are very rusty whereas there is almost no rust on other components.
Wheels & tires all 96 →
I purchases a set of new Michelin Defender LTX M/S LT265/75R16 (123/120R) tires for my 1999 Chevrolet Suburban K2500 in June 2023 and I am attempting to register the tires with Michelin. None of the tires have a date code on them. The DOT code of these tires is 1M3 4N 00KX, there is NO date code on any of the four (4) tires.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban equipped with cornell 1000 tires, size: p235/75r15. While driving 55 MPH, the front end of the vehicle shook severely, especially when traveling up to 65 MPH. The contact also stated that the two front wheels wobbled, which were moved to the rear of the vehicle after a tire rotation. The contact also stated that all four tire sidewalls were worn. The tires were not replaced. The contact stated that the failure could be due to the compound or the belt rubber and referenced NHTSA campaign number: 17t019000 (tires). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The vehicle failure mileage was approximately 194,000 and the tire failure mileage was 5,000.
Electrical system all 58 →
The contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost power steering and power braking functionality. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the security system that controlled the fuel pump and fuel injectors had been activated. The contact pulled off the highway and could not restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a service station where he inspected the vehicle and became aware that the distributor had disintegrated causing the vehicle to lose motive power and stall. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer or to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact recently had a mobile mechanic install an aftermarket distributor cap and rotor from an auto parts dealer. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. …
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 15 MPH, a small amount of black smoke emanated from under the hood, accompanied by the smell of gasoline coming through the air vents inside the cab. The contact exited the vehicle, and noticed that there were flames coming from under the engine compartment. A police and fire report were taken. The fire department was unable to determine the cause of the fire. There was damage to property inside the vehicle, and the vehicle itself was considered a total loss.
1999 Chevrolet Suburban engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban a good car?
Based on 634 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Suburban rates avoid: 3.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Suburban at the same age. It is one of the Suburban years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban?
The brakes — 246 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the wheels & tires (96) and electrical system (58).
How many recalls does the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban have?
There is 1 recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, the most recent from April 27, 2000 (webbing). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Suburban?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2009 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022 and 2024. See the full Chevrolet Suburban years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Suburban problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 16% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.