Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
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).
I purchased the used vehicle from glendale car connection at on 8/28/03. I noticed on the day of purchase it seemed hard to steer the vehicle so I mentioned it to the sales person as well as the office manager. It was scheduled to be repaired. I drove the vechicle home that night I begin to notice a hard turn made the vehicle make a noise I too the vehicle back to glendale car connection were the mechanic told me the power steering pump was going out and he change it I also asked about the brakes squealing and he said the vehicle needed brake fluid which he put in. I took the vehicle home and begin to drive it I noticed it was getting hard to turn and it would swerve while driving it, I contacted the dealer again. …
Dt: while traveling in a severe rainstorm the windshield wipers stopped working intermittent and subsequently they stopped working completely. The contact wiggled the wires where the wires plug into the wiper motor. The windshield wipers began to work but later on they quit again. The contact found a plastic tie to place on the wiring harness to hold tight against the motor which allowed the windshield wipers to work. This corrected the problem at this time. The consumer received a recall letter on a separate vehicle, but not on the other vehicle which has this problem. The vehicle was excluded due to the VIN and the model, but this vehicle was experiencing the same symptoms as indicated in the recall. The recall involved the windshield wiper motor. No further corrections or repairs at this time.
Dt: 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, the problem is with the windshield wiper module. While driving in a rain storm the windshield wipers stopped working. Pulled over, played around with the switch, and the windshield wipers operated. The car was in the repair shop for general service work and when the windshield wipers didn't work. Consumer told the mechanic, and he opened the hood, and hit the module and windshield wipers started to work. Also mechanic told consumer that there was manufacturer's recall 98043 on this vehicle. Consumer took the vehicle to a Chevrolet dealer, and they told him that there was no recall on this vehicle. After pressing the dealer he admitted there was a recalls on other VIN. Mechanic and service manager stated that they had done many of these recall repairs.
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 reported intermittent loss of windshield wipers, primarily during summer months while trying to clean windshield. Oct 2004, first big rain of the season and wipers are intermittent again. Loss of wipers while heavy downpour on freeway lead to near serious accident.0/19/04 - spoke with Chevrolet customer assistance. They report no recall for this year (1999, sold in 6/1998) and not service bulletin. A look on the internet found many complaints for the same year. Arranging to have service done; will keep old defective part (motor?). I doubt this is an isolated situation given the occurance of failures acknowledge via the existing recalls, and the qty of complaints received.
Dt: consumer owens a 1999, Chevrolet Suburban. The windshield wiper motor module needed replacement. Windshield wipers will work off and on while driving. When turning them in the on position while going 60 MPH the windshield wipers quit on 7-10-2005. The dealership replaced the windshield wiper pulse module at consumer's expense because it was bad. Consumer knew that there was a recall on all models from the mid 1990s through 1997. There were no other known problems with the vehicle at this time. As of now the consumer has not contacted the manufacturer. The dealership that worked on the vehicle was not the same as the one where vehicle was purchased.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact noticed that her windshield wipers would turn on and off automatically after she manually activated the wipers. The wipers would stop moving, but she could hear the windshield motor still running. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. A friend of the contact, who is also a mechanic, stated that the circuit board was the cause of the failure. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign id number 03V159000 (visibility:windshield wiper/washer) because of the model year. The current mileage was 215,638 and failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Repeated windshield wiper motor failure on 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. I could rap on wiper motor box and get it to resume several times, but it would fail again in 20 to 30 minutes. Eventually it failed completely late on a rainy night. I drove 30 miles with no wipers in the rain rather than be stranded with wife and two small children in rural virginia where we have recently had news of attacks and rapes of motorists who had stopped to check their maps.
1999 Chevy Suburban truck c 1500 Suburban @wd v8-350 5.7l windshield wiper defect have been called by GM for other vehicles. The 1999, which I own, has the same defect, but no recall! Dangerously stops functioning while driving, then intermittent, then will not shut off. When turned off, they remain up on windshield at times and block driving view. Has happened since I purchased vehicle in June 2004. Please advise.
The problem is something to do with the windshield wiper motor or something. At first they would stop just anywhere, and I would have to get out and move them back and forth to start them again, then when I would turn them off, they wouldn't turn off. This happened again and again, them going out at assorted times. Finally, now they make a grinding sound but will not come on at all.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Suburban years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, 6% of the model year's 634 complaints. The component named most often is windshield wiper/washer › motor (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Suburban window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof 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 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.