Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 GMC Suburban owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 1999 GMC Suburban. The front passenger side and both rear door handles failed on five occasions. The driver's side and rear barn doors failed twice. As a result, the rear passenger doors could not be opened manually. The electric doors would work sporadically, but also would not work for days at a time. The dealer stated that the age of the vehicle could be the source of the failures. The occupants seated in the third row and rear seats are trapped when the failures occur. The doors are unable to be opened within the passenger compartment. The occupants must climb out of the vehicle from the front passenger or driver's side doors. Currently, the rear passenger side door has completely failed again and the rear driver's side door operates randomly. …
Repeated excessive wear on front brake pads and now on rear brake drums. We are very conservative drivers and typically get 80-100,000 miles on a set of brakes. This is our second set of front pads. We do tow heavy loads. The Suburban is equipped with a heavy duty towing package . It has already had the steering gear box replaced by the dealer. The front pads have been replaced once and the rear brakes have been adjusted, also the master cylinder has been replaced by the dealer. The brakes just do not seem of sufficient capacity to stop a vehicle of this mass towing load. We've owned Suburban's since 1973 so we do feel we have a degree of experience in this area. Finally when the vehicle is driven at highway speeds and a bump is hit, the entire electrical system shorts out for approximately 1/6-1/5 of a second causing everything to go dark. I suspect an exposure in a wiring harness. …
Door acuators faulty. Power steering pump replaced. Fuel guage faulty. Security system overrides starter which does not allow the vehicle to be started. We have had the vehicle "serviced" three times for "door actuators" as we were told this is what was causing security system to shut down vehicle. This did not solve the problem. GMC national service center was not helpful. They did not return calls or set-up special service appointment at local dealer as they promised. There are several incident dates of when we could not start our vehicle. Will use July 29th as one date, unable to start vehicle while on summer vacation in lake tahoe area. If this happens during real emergency it would be unfortunate.
Engine failed to start numerous times. Engine back fired and damaged starter. Found OEM battery had leaked acid from positive terminal all over electrical wiring harness, rubber hoses, ac tubing, frame and dissolved protective hose wear shields. Dealer said he had seen this a lot and to call GMC as the battery only had 36 month warranty. Battery warranty has nothing to do with leaking acid and extensive damage to wiring and hoses.
The right rear transmission seal broke twice and leaked fluid onto the rear brake. This resulted in loss of braking ability. The positive battery terminal leaked acid and caused the battery tray to rust
Dt*: the contact stated the gas gauge located on the instrument panel failed. Also, while parked in the garage, there was a liquid observed on the floor. The dealership determined the intake manifold was leaking.
Since purchasing SUV new, I have had 3 failures to crank due to a design defect in the hot lead cables that attach to the battery. The lead washer used between the two leads becomes misshaped and loses the ability to cause a connection. The danger to human life is directly related to where the driver happens to be when this connection fails to occur. I have broken down at home (which was safe) , 200 miles from home at a hotel (which was not safe) and in the school parking lot. This is a common problem among the many I know that have GMC SUV's or trucks that use this dual hot lead system. It is a defect in the design because the lead washers they use become misshaped over time. As you can see I have less than 35,000 miles on this vehicle. A vehicle with that mileage should be more dependable. GMC should fix the defect or extend the warranty for these failures.
We have owned the vehicle for just over a month and it has left us stranded 5 times (unsafe/unreliable) and we have had it towed 3 times. The vehicle did not start all those times. The dealer has given us a big run around trying to fix the problem. Even though we did buy it used it is still under warranty. Our main concern is that we know are afraid that it has been imported from Canada and we are having trouble finding the past history on the vehicle. We went to carfax and they only have records fromt the dealer to us and not the original owner. It really is disturbing to not know if they previous owner was having the same problem. Is this a lemon? Will it stop running as we are driving? Will it leave us stranded in a bad section of town? Please direct me as to where to find information in Canada. Thank you valerie.
While driving up the interstate, the headlights went out. Moved the tilt steering wheel a notch or two and the lights came back on. We drove a few more miles and they went out again, this time accompanied by a burning smell. Took it to GM garage (who wanted $90 an hour) to look at it. I checked it out myself and found wires corroded in the harness (located in steering column) and two burned through. Cleaned the wires and soldered them back. Contacted GM about problem, received no help. Checked with insurance company and filed a statement with them. Wiring harness will have to be replaced.
Consumer's car was pulling to right and braking to left. Took to dealer, and and they aligned front end, and did repairs on brakes and knuckles. The steering wheel wobbles when the vehicle comes to a stop. There was wind noise from right side of the vehicle. The engine idles rough due to dirty injectors. The vehicle vibrates at speeds of 80-90 MPH due to bent wheel. The vehicle would not start due to a weak battery. The steering moans when turning due to failure of evo sensor on steering column.
Electrical complaints in other Suburban years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 GMC Suburban?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 GMC Suburban, 8% of the model year's 285 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 GMC Suburban electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1999 GMC 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 GMC Suburban electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.