2006 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 Problems

2006 SUBURBAN WITH REAR DOOR ACTUATOR FAILURE STARTING MAY 19 2014, MILEAGE OF 68000 APPROXIMATELY, LOUD NOISE WITH LOCKING OF REAR DOOR BY EITHER REMOTE OR WHEN ENGAGED IN DRIVING. PERIODICAL FAILURE OF DOOR TO OPEN AT ALL. *TR

TRIED TO OPEN REAR LIFT GATE AND WINDOW. COULD NOT ACCESS EITHER. THERE IS NO EMERGENCY ACCESS, NO KEY OR MANUAL ENTRY. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC, CHECKED ALL FUSES, NO FAILURES THERE. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A SEPARATE MOTOR FOR THE LIFT GATE AND WINDOW. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER, YOU CAN NOT JUST BUY THE PART THAT IS FAILING, YOU MUST BUY THE WHOLE MOTOR, AND COST IS $450+ ,JUST FOR THE MOTOR !! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PERSONAL STORAGE LOT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE TWICE AND REQUESTED TO INSPECT IT A THIRD TIME. THE INVESTIGATOR CHECKED THE FUSE BOX AND THE HVAC ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; HOWEVER, A DETERMINATION HAD NOT BEEN MADE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT BE FORTHCOMING WITH THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

AFTER YEARS OF HAVING MY SUBURBAN THE LIFT GATE LOCK ACTUATOR STOPPED WORKING LAST YEAR. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND A REPLACEMENT OEM ACTUATOR WHICH I PURCHASED. I HAD IT INSTALLED BUT WHEN I TRIED TO USE IT, IT WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE TRUNK WOULD UNLOCK WHEN THE REST OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED AND VICE VERSA. THE COMPANY THEN SENT ME REPLACEMENT AS THAT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. THE NEW PART WORKED UP UNTIL MID MARCH OF THIS YEAR AND HAS NOW STOPPED WORKING ALSO. CURRENTLY, WHEN I TRY TO UNLOCK THE TRUCK ALL I HEAR IS A SMALL BUZZ COMING FROM THE ACTUATOR, BUT IT DOESN'T MOVE, IT'S FROZEN AT THE LOCK SETTING. I AM SURPRISED CHEVY HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS PART BECAUSE I FIND THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRING TO OTHER PEOPLE'S VEHICLES ALL OVER THE WEB. *TR

WHILE TOWING THE FAMILY BOAT ON SECONDARY ROADWAYS, I ATTEMPTED TO STOP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, WHEN I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND BOTH THE TRUCK AND BOAT CONTINUED ROLLING TOWARDS STOPPED TRAFFIC. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY MANUALLY OPERATING THE PARKING BRAKE. HAD I NOT HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO UTILIZE THE PARKING BRAKE I WOULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH THE TRAFFIC STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED A LARGE MOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL. I TRANSPORTED THE VEHICLE TO MY SERVICE STATION WHERE THEY PLACED IT ON A LIFT AND SHOWED ME THE EXTENSIVE CORROSION ON ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES AND TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES. THE LINE WHICH HAD FAILED RESULTED IN NO BRAKING CAPABILITIES WHATSOEVER. THERE IS NOT ONE SERVICEABLE BRAKE LINE LEFT ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS 75K MILES ON IT AND IS IMMACULATE BOTH INSIDE AND OUT AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. THE BRAKE FAILURE RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES, CAME WITHOUT ANY WARNING.

ON DECEMBER 2, 2016, I WAS DRIVING THE SUV WITH MY FAMILY MEMBERS INSIDE. I WAS TRAVELING IN STATE HIGHWAY ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN A CAR IN FRONT OF ME BEGAN SLOWING DOWN. I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN AS WELL BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE. I THEN PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD WHICH FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND CAUSED THE WHEELS TO LOCK. AS THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED TO BE PRESSED DOWN, THE PEDAL SANK TO THE FLOOR AND THE ACTUAL BRAKES DISENGAGED AND THE SUV ONCE AGAIN BEGAN FREE-ROLLING. I PUMPED THE BREAK PEDAL AND I GOT SOME BRAKING ACTION OUT OF THAT, ALTHOUGH NO SIGNIFICANTLY. I VEERED THE SUV INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THE REAR OF CAR IN FRONT OF ME, NEARLY CAUSING A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH THE ONCOMING CAR. I WAS ABLE TO VEER BACK INTO MY LANE AND SLOW DOWN TO GET OUT OF THE ROADWAY, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK EXCEPT ONCE THE CAR WAS MOVING AT MINIMAL SPEED. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I EXAMINED THE ROTORS TO SEE IF THEY WERE HOT; THEY WERE NOT. I PUMPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, EACH TIME THE PEDAL SINKING TO THE FLOOR. AS I WAS PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL, LIQUIDS WERE SQUIRTING OUT FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE LIQUID CONTINUED LEAKING EVEN AS I STOPPED PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING FOR THIS BRAKE FAILURE, AND THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED PROPERLY UP TO THIS POINT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THIS WAS A SCARY EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND EVERYONE IN THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY, I CALLED THE DEALER TO REPORT THE INCIDENT TO GM, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE ME ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION HOW TO MAKE THE REPORT. *TR

GM DESIGNED THIS CAR WITH A NO KEY ENTRY FOR THE REAR HATCH. IT DOES NOT HAVE AN INTERNAL MANUAL UNLOCKING MECHANISM FOR THE HATCH. IF THE CAR IS IN AN ACCIDENT, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH. ON TOP OF THIS, THE REAR HATCH LOCK ACTUATOR FAILS FOR THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS. THIS EITHER LOCKS THE HATCH IN PLACE, OR LEAVES IT UNABLE TO BE LOCKED. GM NEEDS TO DO A RECALL TO FIX THIS ISSUE. IT IS UNSAFE, AND COSTING THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS UPWARDS OF A $400 REPAIR JUST TO CORRECT IT AT THE DEALER. *TR

2006 CHEVY SUBURBAN REAR LIFTGATE WILL NOT UNLOCK. I'VE INVESTIGATED THIS MATTER ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND TONS OF PEOPLE WITH OTHER CHEVY MODELS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. CHEVY DIDN'T INSTALL ANY TYPE OF KEY ENTRY FROM OUTSIDE OR A RELEASE HANDLE INSIDE. WITH THIS OCCURRING ALL THE TIME WITH NUMEROUS VEHICLES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, CHEVY SHOULD BE RECALLING THIS PRODUCT TO FIX IT. IF SOMETHING HAPPENED IN ONE OF THESE VEHICLES LIKE A FIRE AND A CHILD WAS TO GET TRAPPED OR AN ADULT THIS WOULD BE DISASTER... *TR

NOTIFICATION OF FAULTY SEAT BELT IN CHEVY SUBURBAN I AM WRITING TO NOTIFY YOU ABOUT A SEAT BELT DEFECT IN OUR 2006 CHEVY SUBURBAN THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE INJURY OR DEATH OF OUR 8-YEAR OLD SON. MY WIFE LEFT TWO OF OUR KIDS READING IN THE MIDDLE ROW BUCKET SEATS OF THE CAR WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS ON, AND WAS GONE VERY BRIEFLY. WHEN SHE GOT BACK OUR SON WAS ALL ENTANGLED IN THE SEAT BELT AND WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTNESS OF THE BELT'S COILS AROUND HIS LOWER ABDOMEN. THE SON LATER EXPLAINED THAT HE GOT ENTANGLED WHEN HIS BOOK FELL INSIDE THE CAR AND HE TRIED TO RETRIEVE IT BEFORE RELEASING THE SEAT BELT. MY WIFE'S ATTEMPTS TO GET THE BELT TO RELEASE ONLY SEEMED TO MAKE IT TIGHTER. SHE FLAGGED DOWN TWO OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICERS WHO ALSO FAILED TO GET THE BELT LATCH TO RELEASE. IN THE END, THE POLICE OFFICERS OPTED TO SIMPLY CUT THE BELT AND FREE THE BOY. WE ARE THANKFUL THAT THIS INCIDENT HAD A HAPPY ENDING, BUT HOPE YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND TAKE ANY NECESSARY CORRECTIVE ACTION. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED; A CHILD IN THE REAR SEAT, OUTSIDE OF A CHILD SAFETY SEAT, BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT LOCKED AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO FREE THE CHILD ONLY MADE THE BELT TIGHTER. ASSISTANCE WAS OBTAINED FROM AN OUTSIDE SOURCE THAT PROVIDED SCISSORS TO CUT THE BELT AND FREE THE CHILD. THE CHILD SUSTAINED BRUISES TO THE NECK. TOOK THE CHILD TO THE DOCTOR TO CHECK THE NECK BRUISES. THE DOCTOR STATED THAT THEY WILL WARN OTHER PATIENTS OF THE DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH THE SEAT BELTS. THE CONTACT STATED THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RELEASE TO ELIMINATE A SERIOUS SITUATION, A RELEASE BUTTON HAS TO BE ADDED. UPDATED 06/05/2006. *AK *TS

I WENT TO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER SERVICE DEPT. TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING MECHANISM - SEVER CLUNKING, RATTLING FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. THE SERVICE REP STATED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SUBURBANS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE, STARTING AT ABOUT 32K MILES. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT TOOK HIS 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN INTO THE DEALER TO GET A STANDARD WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AT THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS NOT EVEN, DUE TO A BRACKET NOT BEING INSTALLED CORRECTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION BRACKET AND WILL NEED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT ONCE BRACKETS ARE FIXED. THE CONTACT DOES NOT HAVE VIN AND WILL CALL BACK LATER.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHEN THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DOOR, SHE NOTICED THAT THE CHILD'S HEAD WAS WEDGED AND STUCK IN THE WINDOW. THE CHILD WAS SEATED IN THE REAR SEAT. HIS HEAD WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT QUICKLY RAN TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND ROLLED THE WINDOW DOWN. SHE BELIEVES THAT THE WINDOW SHOULD HAVE A SENSOR TO PREVENT A CHILD OR ANYONE ELSE FROM BECOMING STUCK WHILE THE WINDOW IS ROLLING UP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18,000. UPDATED 09/12/07. *JB

LAST SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2010, AS I ACCELERATED FROM A RAMP TO JOIN TRAFFIC ON THE CAPITAL BELTWAY OUTSIDE WASHINGTON DC, THE CAR'S GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK AND DID NOT RETRACT WHEN I GOT MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. BY NOW I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANES AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL ' WHICH THANKFULLY WAS STILL OPERATIONAL. THE GAS PEDAL GOT UNSTUCK ON ITS OWN AFTER A SHORT WHILE AND I PROCEEDED ON MY TRIP WITHOUT INCIDENT. MY WIFE TOLD ME SHE HAS HAD TWO ALMOST SIMILAR EXPERIENCES WITH THIS VEHICLE, IN 2007 AND 2008. BOTH TIMES THE CAR KEPT MOVING EVEN AFTER SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. AT THE TIME SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL, WHICH SHE NORMALLY NEVER USES. BOTH TIMES THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED AFTER A LITTLE WHILE. *TR

WE LEFT THE HOTEL IN DAYTONA BEACH AND STOPPED FOR BREAKFAST. WE THEN WERE GOING TO SEE THE RACETRACK ,AFTER GOING ABOUT 3 MILES THE "ENGINE COOLANT OVERHEATING" LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A NAPA STORE AND CHECKED THE COOLANT LEVEL WHICH WAS NORMAL. I CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT WHICH DIDN'T HELP SO I CHANGED THE WATERPUMP WHICH DIDN'T HELP.I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE. ON MONDAY THE MECHANIC HAD PULLED ONE HEAD AND THE VALVES WERE WARPED. AFTER DISCUSSING MY OPTIONS I HAD A NEW ENGINE INSTALLED ALONG WITH A RADIATOR. THE OVERHEATING HAPPENED SO FAST (3 MILES ),THERE WAS NO WARNING OTHER THAN ENGINE COOLANT OVERHEATING.THERE WAS NO STEAM FROM THE OVERFLOW SO THERE MUST HAVE BEEN BLOCKAGE IN THE MOTOR.(MY OPINION). *TR

I WENT TO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER SERVICE DEPT. TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING MECHANISM - SEVER CLUNKING, RATTLING FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. THE SERVICE REP STATED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SUBURBANS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE, STARTING AT ABOUT 32K MILES. *TR

DRIVING IN A 55MPH ZONE, VEHICLE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT APPEARED THAT THE AUTO 4X4 SWITCH WAS CHANGING. PLACED VEHICLE BACK IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE, DRIVING 55MPH, TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. WHEN SWITCH WAS SET IN AUTO 4X4, THE VEHICLE RAN IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE BUT NO OTHER SETTINGS WORKED PROPERLY. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE DIAGNOSIS ATTEMPTS. THERE ARE BULLETINS ON THE AUTO 4X4 ACTUATOR AND ON A TRANSFER CASE MOTOR SENSOR. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTANTLY ILLUMINATES. SOMETIMES FOR MINUTES, SOMETIMES FOR MONTHS. HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. TOOK VEHICLE INTO LASH CHEVROLET, THEY COULD FIND NOTHING AND RESET THE SYSTEM. AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE NEXT DAY. I TRAVEL EXTENSIVELY, AND AM CONSTANTLY COMING IN CONTACT WITH GM 1500/2500 SERIES TRUCKS, VANS AND SUV'S WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE STORIES THAT MIRRIOR MY EXPERIENCE. *TR