Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chevrolet Suburban owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Left and right rear door locks are often immobilized in the locked position, preventing the doors from being opened from either inside or outside the vehicle. It is not related to temperature. The left rear door failed first, and now can rarely be opened. The driver's door is also showing signs of failure. This is a design and a manufacturing defect. It's a manufacturing defect because the doors are failing in large numbers, and it's a design defect because the doors can't be unlocked manually when the power locks fail. The dealer said the door actuators and latch assemblies must be replaced. Chevrolet customer assistance said the vehicle is out of warranty, and the problem is not a safety defect, so I am responsible for the repair, approximately $300 per door. …
1999 Chevrolet Suburban - locks on all doors "freeze" up and won't lock manually or with power lock button. This affects all doors including rear doors. Feel this is a safety issue due to fact the locks can't be locked from driver's seat - potential problem for someone to enter vehicle while driving or stopped. Also a theft issue. Vehicle only has 116,000 miles. We also have a 2009 Chevy impala having the same issues. Only one lock on this car locks with the power lock. Rest have to be manually locked/unlocked. Seems GM has a problem with their locking mechanisms. Lots of time is spent manually locking and unlocking doors and remembering to always check all doors. Very aggravating for this is to be happening on such an expensive vehicle. No quality here!
1999 Chevrolet Suburban. As of 4/28/04 with only 47K miles, A/C compressor defective & dealer will not replace in spite of several attempts to repair before warranty expired, as soon as 3 months after purchase in October of 2002. Replaced brakes 3 times at our expense. Dealer (bob neill Pontiac in winston-salem, nc refused to repair under warranty), steering problems, attempted repair, again at our expense. Replaced door locks and window mechanism's at our cost. Total piece of junk. Will never buy from bob neill Pontiac in winston-salem, nc again & will never buy another GM product. Just bought entire fleet (6 trucks) from Chevy. Dealer n kernersville, nc). Waiting with baited breath for the entire lot to break down. Completely disgusted with GM.
Driver's door electric door lock actuator failed and left door completely disabled. Unable to manually release, key fob non-functional, door key would not unlock the door. Locksmith was forced to disconnect the actuator through window channel by forcing attached rod out of actuator. The passengers side door lock also became inoperable (locking portion) when the drivers door failed. Factory service shop tested both actuators and has determined they are defective. I understand that parts fail but something should be done to insure that if the actuator fails it reverts to the unlocked position.
I purchased my 1999 Suburban in March 2010 with 56,000 original miles. It currently has 60,000 original miles. The steering wheel will randomly jerk/pull when going around a curve. It does not happen every time but it happens often enough that it is a concern of mine. After a thorough check of fluids and steering components there is nothing "wrong" with the vehicle. It does not matter if I am driving at a lower speed or a higher speed just that I am going around a bend or curve in the road. I have grazed a curb once. I also have lots of problems with the locks/latches and doors opening.
Door latches on the passenger side are malfunctioning. It is difficult to close the door, it has to be slammed or the latch on the side of the door has to be manually altered (clicking it open while pulling on the door handle). Also passengers sometimes have to roll down the window to open the door from the outside in order to get out, which can be a potential safety hazard in case of an accident. The rear right passenger door continuously comes off the hinges and I have to hammer the bolts in, in order to close the door.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that the passenger inside handle and driver side handle did not work and he had to roll down the window to open the door from the outside. The contact called the dealership and was told that there was no recall for the vehicle. The VIN was unavailable when the complaint was filed. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The current mileage was approximately 200,000.
The plastic door handles broke from the inside compartment. The only way to exit the vehicle is by rolling down the windows, and lifting the handle from the outside. Dealer was aware of this problem, and stated because the part was plastic it broke. If the brakes get wet from either standing water or excessive rain, the ABS brakes become extremely sensitive to pedal application. The brakes will lock up. The cause has not been determined at this time. Please provide details
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that the security indicator light illuminated intermittently and causes the vehicle not to start. When this failure occurred the vehicle had to be towed. The dealer replaced the ignition cylinder , and the driver's side door lock, but the failure persisted. The contact has the repair invoice. The current mileage is 120,000, and failure mileage was 40,000.
This complaint is for the electrical system for my vehicle. My vehicle is equipped with power door locks and 4 of the 5 door locks failed to operate automatically over a 3 week time span. The part that failed is called an actuator, which moves the door locks up and down. My total bill was $900 and each part costs $100. The local parts dealers and auto dealers have said there is a design flaw in the original equipment and the new actuators are being sold as fast as they arrive. I have spoken with GM recently and so far no service bulletins have been filed. I believe there is an inherent safety risk with this type of problem and I would like to see one posted. Please research this and I thank you for your time.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Suburban years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the locks & latches of the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, 4% of the model year's 634 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Suburban door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Suburban door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to locks & latches problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.