RoadVitals

1994 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jun 16, 2014
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 Chevrolet Suburban 1500, most frequently naming the visibility, seat belts and brakes categories. 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Visibility440.0%
  • Seat belts330.0%
  • Brakes110.0%
  • Heating & air conditioning110.0%
  • Tires & wheels110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 9
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Jun 16, 2014

CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GM CUSTOMERS AND PASSENGERS THAT USE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED AND/OR POISONED. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED GM DEVELOPED AN AFTER-BLOW RETROFIT KIT TO REMOVE EXCESS WATER FROM THE A/C EVAPORATOR CORE. THE CONSUMER STATED IN DECEMBER 2002, HE WAS IN THE VEHICLE WITH HIS WIFE, WHEN HE TURNED ON THE HEATER, THE AIR HAD MUSTY ODOR AND HE BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING. HE TURNED OFF THE HEATER AND OPENED THE WINDOWS. THEY STOPPED A T A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE ODOR, AND THEY WERE TOLD IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT OF HVAC SYSTEM. THE AC EVAPORATOR CORE DID NOT ALLOW WATER TO DISSIPATE/EVAPORATE AND MICROBIAL GROWTH COULD OCCUR WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT MADE HIS ENTIRE FAMILY SICK. *JB

NHTSA ID
10596146
Incident
Dec 2, 2002
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Jul 8, 2013

THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN YOU LEAN FORWARD AND THE WIPERS WILL WORK SOMETIMES BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY WILL NOT TURN ON. THIS REDUCES VISIBILITY WHILE RAINING AND IF IT RESULTS IN A CRASH THE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY TO PROTECT THE PASSENGERS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10523614
Incident
Jul 8, 2013
Tires & wheels
Filed May 16, 2013

CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED AROUND THE INNER AND OUTER TREAD OF ALL FOUR TIRES AFTER 14001 MILES OF WEAR ON THE YOKOHAMA TIRES GELOLANDER 11/T-S. THE CRACKS RADIATE AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE. TREAD SEPARATION ON ALL FOUR TIRES. SIZE P245/75R-16 109S DOT FB8Y. *TR

NHTSA ID
10512451
Incident
May 16, 2013
Mileage
119,175 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 17, 2012

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, THERE ARE 2 RECALLS ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB *TR

NHTSA ID
10475654
Incident
Mar 1, 2007
Mileage
106,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Dec 18, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS FAILING TO RETRACT. THE DEALERS TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SEAT RETRACTOR WAS FAILING AND UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED SINCE THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER MADE THE PART. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTACT USE THE JUNK YARD TO OBTAIN THE PART. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THE PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO OBTAIN THE PART ON HER OWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,255. UPDATED 01/14/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/21/09

NHTSA ID
10252224
Incident
Dec 2, 2008
Mileage
174,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 15, 2008

1994 SUBURBAN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY SOME TIMES STOPPING ALL TOGETHER. OTHER TIMES THE WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. HAVE HAD LOCAL GARAGE REPAIR. TRIED TO USE OLD RECALL TO GET THE BOARD REPLACED AND THE GARAGE STATED THAT IT HAD EXPIRED AND OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10242185
Incident
Mar 5, 2007
Mileage
150,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Sep 22, 2007

WE HAVE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SEATBELTS ON OUR 1994 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. AFTER CLOSING THE SEATBELTS, THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO POP OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. (THE FORCE WILL CAUSE THEM TO OPEN.) WHILE NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED, THIS IS ALARMING TO ME BECAUSE IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, THE PEOPLE IN OUR VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE PROTECTED BY SEATBELTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10203723
Incident
Sep 21, 2007
Brakes
Filed Dec 14, 2006
Crash reported

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS HANGING DOWN UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MADE THE REPAIR AND INFORMED THE CONTACT IF IT FELL OFF AGAIN, TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE PUSHROD CAME OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA # 93V152000, FOR THE SERVICE BRAKES: HYDRAULIC: PEDAL AND LINKAGES DUE TO THE VIN, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID
10176152
Incident
Dec 9, 2006
Mileage
231,980 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Suburban 1500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026103052.6
2025271043.9
2024010—
2023171137.6
2022000—
2021101—
2011802043.2
2010531035.3
2009550030.0
20081010240.3
20071900246.6
2006312045.9
2005941037.1
20041821036.7
20031751037.8
20021201038.7
2001921045.8
2000671046.8
1999740038.2
1998140027.1
1997160032.3
1996900—
1995800—
1994Viewing900—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.