Equipment complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2015 | 2 | 0% | 4,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% | 74,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 2% | 64,000 miles |
| 2004 | 3 | 1% | 35,000 miles |
| 2003 | 5 | 2% | 67,000 miles |
| 2002 | 2 | 1% | 36,000 miles |
| 2001 | 6 | 1% | 59,000 miles |
| 2000 | 4 | 1% | 14,000 miles |
| 1999 | 7 | 1% | 96,000 miles |
| 1998 | 3 | 1% | — |
| 1997 | 4 | 1% | 103,000 miles |
| 1996 | 8 | 2% | 174,000 miles |
| 1995 | 3 | 1% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accessories, trailer hitches and other equipment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Our vehicle started to use between one quart and 2 quarts between oil changes. At sometime before this the heater stopped working on the windshield washer fluid. The dvd player stopped working around 75,000 miles. At 79,0911 miles the service air bags light came on. We are not new to owning suburbans. This is our fifth one. We have always been happy with them, but this one has way to many things that are not working properly. We would like to hear from you regarding resolving these issues.
We have a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban ltz. We paid extra for an automatic rear lift gate, which you can open with your key remote,. Last week the automatic gate started malfunctioning. The gates lifts up a few feet then slams back down. Luckily our small child did not get under the lift gate or I am afraid she would have been severely injured by the rear gate slamming closed. We were told by the dealership that the gears are striped on the lift gate. 2 1/2 years of use and the gears are striped?
Terrible knocking in turning steering wheel--repaired under warranty--states shaft, intermediate replace-mileage was 35K now at 55K same problem only louder and wheel seems loose--called dealer--needs to replace shaft again for a cost of $300--I drive my grandchildren to school and take long trips--dealer said car is safe-I am about to make along trip and cannot get the car serviced until my return in a week--this is worrisome when I feel I could lose control of the car if something should break-why would a second drive shaft be faulty as was the first. I have read other complaints about this and my dealer says it is happening to a lot of 2004 suburbans and they expect a recall.
2004 Chevrolet Suburban. Consumer states unsatisfactory transaction the consumer stated he was unable to lower the spare tire on his vehicle. The tire was stored under the rear of the vehicle on a cable lowering mechanism. The tire would lower only four inches because of a secondary latch system. The system was supposed to be able to be released according to the owners manual. The consumer spent hours over a three day period of time, trying to get the tire lowered to the ground. He took the vehicle to the dealer to have them release it. The mechanic could not lower it either. They removed the entire mechanism and the tire and at the consumers request they put it in the cargo area. The consumer stated his concern was that the system was improperly designed. It was susceptible to rust after a short period of time which could allow it to malfunction.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the contact noticed the trailer attached was moving from left to right independently, and the trailer detached from his vehicle. The contact mentioned that he lost control of the vehicle into a parallel position when another vehicle collided with his vehicle on the front left driver side, causing the contact to get T-Boned. The contact stated that he sustained three fracture injuries to his spine, three fractured ribs, bruise on his kidney. Medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The contact mentioned that both the trailer and vehicle were towed to a lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
An internal mechanical failure within the air conditioner's compressor caused the catastrophic failure of the ac unit. This ocurred at approximately 46000 miles. A hose attached to the compressor completely blew off the vehicle, disseminating a white cloud and freon on the vehicles directly behind me on the highway. Chevrolet charged $1700 to repair the ac unit, since the vehicle was outside of the warranty. I have spoken with two other people who have identical incidents.
@2001 Chevy suburan ABS module went out at 33,000 miles. Fixed under extended warranty. Went out again after 35,000 additional miles dealer says notice it happens on this model car but not recalled yet. Cost about 1200 to fix. ABS light comes on and stays. Can hear motor running even when car turned off. Drains battery and car willnot start.module had to be replaced both times. Should not be happening.
2002 Chevrolet Suburban VIN# [redacted] dealer reported coolant line failure caused by friction of metal coolant line rubbing against fuel tank. Dealer refused to repair and remove/repair cause of line coming into contact with fuel tank.
Related recalls (1)
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle capacity weight.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on March 31, 2006.
NHTSA investigations
OEM hitch receiver platform cracking
The petition alleges that cracks in the hitch receiver platform May lead to separation of the trailer and loss of steering control
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Suburban years have equipment problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (8), 1999 (7), 2001 (6) and 2003 (5) model years. Equipment complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Suburban equipment problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 05V-552 (labels, Dec 7, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Suburban equipment problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles; 48% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electrical › radio/tape deck/cd etc. (9 mentions), followed by the mechanical › accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift (4).
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.