Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 12 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500, most frequently naming the brakes, fuel system and electrical categories. 8 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2006 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 2006 | 1 | 2 |
| Aug 2007 | 1 | 3 |
| Mar 2008 | 1 | 4 |
| Jun 2008 | 1 | 5 |
| Sep 2008 | 1 | 6 |
| Jun 2009 | 1 | 7 |
| Dec 2010 | 1 | 8 |
| Jul 2011 | 1 | 9 |
| Nov 2012 | 1 | 10 |
| Dec 2016 | 1 | 11 |
| Feb 2017 | 1 | 12 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
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.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 177,000. UPDATED 05/05/17*LJ *CN
THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS A 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE GAS GAUGE READ ERRATICALLY AND INCORRECTLY FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS. THEN THE ENGINE DIED IMMEDIATELY AFTER I PARKED THE VEHICLE ONE DAY AND FAILED TO RESTART. I DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FUSE HAD BLOWN. A NEW FUSE LASTED 30 SECONDS BEFORE BLOWING IN ITS TURN. ON REMOVING THE GAS GAUGE SENDER/FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY FROM THE GASOLINE TANK, I NOTICED THAT TWO OF THE WIRES WERE FUSED TOGETHER. SEPARATING THE WIRES TOOK SOME EFFORT AND REVEALED THAT THE INSULATION ON BOTH WIRES HAD COMPLETELY ABRADED WHERE THEY CONTACTED EACH OTHER SUCH THAT THE BARE WIRES INSIDE TOUCHED EACH OTHER AND SHORTED OUT THE CIRCUIT. THE INSULATION ON ONE OF THE WIRES HAD OVERHEATED AND PARTIALLY MELTED OFF THE WIRE FOR A SHORT DISTANCE (1/2 INCH) FROM THE POINT OF CONTACT. REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP/GAS GAUGE SENDER SOLVED THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE ENTIRE UNIT IS LOCATED INSIDE THE GASOLINE TANK OF THE VEHICLE, I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS SHORT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED A SPARK THAT WOULD IGNITE THE GASOLINE IN THE GASOLINE TANK. IN THE PURPLE WIRE PHOTO, ONE CAN SEE HOW THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE GREY WIRE ABRADED THE INSULATION DOWN TO THE BARE WIRE INSIDE. IN THE GREY WIRE PHOTO, ONE CAN SEE BOTH A COMPARABLE ABRASION DOWN TO THE BARE WIRE AND ALSO PARTIAL MELTING OF THE WIRE INSULATION, TO THE POINT THAT ADDITIONAL BARE WIRE SHOWED. THE METAL WIRES DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE MELTED OR FUSED; ONLY THE INSULATION DID THAT. BUT THE INSULATION MELTING AND FUSION, AS WELL AS THE TWO SAFETY FUSES THAT BLEW, ARGUE THAT THE ABRASION OF THE INSULATION CONTINUED UNTIL THE WIRES INSIDE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. THE ENTIRE UNIT IS SPRING LOADED SUCH THAT IT IS IN CONTACT WITH BOTH THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM OF THE GASOLINE TANK. SINCE THE TANK FLEXES SLIGHTLY IN NORMAL USE, THE WIRES FLEX AS WELL, RUBBING EACH OTHER ALWAYS. *TR
BRAKE LINES RUPTURE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON NOV 2, 2012 AND ALMOST RESULTED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. FRONT BRAKE LINE WHICH RUNS ACROSS FRONT OF VEHICLE RUPTURED UPON BRAKING AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. DELAYED STOPPING BECAUSE ONLY REAR BRAKES WERE USED TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS IS 3RD TIME BRAKE LINES FAILED ALL IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF UNDERCARRIAGE. TRUCK WILL NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL ALL BRAKE LINES ARE REPLACED AND UNDERCARRIAGE IS APPLIED WITH AN ANTI -CORROSIVE, WHICH THIS WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $4,000 BECAUSE OF THE LABOR INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING AND REPAIRING THE DEFECTIVE PARTS USED IN ORIGINAL MANUFACTURE. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED DUE TO THESE FAULTY BRAKE LINES. *TR
1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN FRAME FAILURE DUE TO ROT. NOTICED VEHICLE HANDLING DIFFERENT, FRONT END CHECKED ALL TIGHT. NOTICED HOLE IN FRAME UNDER STEERING BOX MOUNTS AND LARGE CRACK HEADING FROM HOLE TOWARDS REAR OF VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY PARKED TRUCK, UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN UNSAFE. *TT
GM SIDE TERMINAL BATTERIES HAVE DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS BATTERY ACID TO LEAK OUT OF THE TERMINALS WHEN STRESSES FROM HEAVY CABLES CAUSE SEAL TO FAIL. BATTERY ACID LEAKS ON VEHICLE COMPONENTS BELOW AND HAS BEEN KNOWN TO RUIN BRAKE LINES AND OTHER IMPORTANT SAFETY COMPONENTS. IN ADDITION, THE BATTERY ACID IS HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE PERSONALLY HAD THESE BATTERIES FAIL SEVERAL TIMES IN MY 99 CHEVY. SUBURBAN K2500 DIESEL. SEE THE LINK FOLLOWING FOR MORE REPORTS OF SAME PROBLEM BY OTHERS: HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/1999/CHEVROLET/SUBURBAN/BATT TOP TERMINAL BATTERIES DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AS THE TERMINAL TO CASE SEAL IS ABOVE THE LIQUID LEVEL OF THE BATTERIES. GM IS THE ONLY MANUFACTURER THAT I KNOW OF THAT USES THE SIDE TERMINAL BATTERIES. *TR
I'M HAVING AN ONGOING ABS SYSTEM PROBLEM THAT IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT RECALL 05068 HAD. AS I SLOW TO A STOP MY ABS SYSTEM KICKS ON BELOW 10 MPH BUT ABOVE 3 MPH. WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM KICKS ON IT IS A LOAD GRINDING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A DECREASE IN CONTROLLABILITY AND A PULLING TO THE RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL 05068 ONLY COVERED 2000-2002 SUBURBAN YEARS, MINE IS A 1999 K2500. *TR
I'M HAVING AN ABS SYSTEM PROBLEM THAT IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT RECALL 05068 HAD. AS I SLOW TO A STOP MY ABS SYSTEM KICKS ON BELOW 10 MPH BUT ABOVE 3 MPH. WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM KICKS ON IT IS A LOAD GRINDING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A DECREASE IN CONTROLLABILITY AND A PULLING TO THE RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL 05068 ONLY COVERED 2000-2002 SURBURBAN YEARS, MINE IS A 1999 K2500. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF BRAKING WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS OF JUNE 3, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #05V379000) HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO REPROGRAM THE MEDIA DISC PLAYER WITH THE LATEST CALIBRATIONS TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF THE REAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT OPERATING AS INTENDED IN COLDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AREAS DUE TO CALIBRATION CONCERNS.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Vehicle Recalls
EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; WHEELS
Refinishing Aluminum Wheels This bulletin updates General Motor's position on refinishing aluminum wheels. GM does not endorse any repairs that involve welding, bending, straightening o re-machining. Only cosmetic refinishing of the wheel's coatings, using recommended procedures, is allowed. Evaluating Damage In evaluating damage, it is the GM Dealer's responsibility to inspect the wheel for corrosion, scrapes, gouges, etc. The Dealer must insure that such damage is not deeper than what can be sanded or polished off. The wheel must be inspected for cracks. If cracks are found, discard the wheel. Any wheels with bent rim flanges must not be repaired or refinished. Wheels that have been refinished by an outside company must be returned to the same vehicle. The Dealer must record the wheel ID stamp or the cast date on the wheel in order to assure this requirement. Refer to Refinisher's Responsibility Outside Company later in this bulletin.
EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; WHEELS
Refinishing Aluminum Wheels This bulletin updates General Motor's position on refinishing aluminum wheels. GM does not endorse any repairs that involve welding, bending, straightening o re-machining. Only cosmetic refinishing of the wheel's coatings, using recommended procedures, is allowed. Evaluating Damage In evaluating damage, it is the GM Dealer's responsibility to inspect the wheel for corrosion, scrapes, gouges, etc. The Dealer must insure that such damage is not deeper than what can be sanded or polished off. The wheel must be inspected for cracks. If cracks are found, discard the wheel. Any wheels with bent rim flanges must not be repaired or refinished. Wheels that have been refinished by an outside company must be returned to the same vehicle. The Dealer must record the wheel ID stamp or the cast date on the wheel in order to assure this requirement. Refer to Refinisher's Responsibility Outside Company later in this bulletin.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
Underbody Component Corrosion The following information may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers. Some customers may comment that one or more of their vehicle's underbody components are showing some form of corrosion. This corrosion may be red in appearance (rust) if the component is steel, forged iron or cast iron. This corrosion may also be grey or white in color if the component is constructed of an aluminum alloy.
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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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.