1989 Chevrolet Suburban Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE STEERING U-JOINT HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10979026

Incident

Apr 18, 2002

Mileage

90,000 mi

DRIVER SEAT BACK RETAINING BOLT BROKE LEADING TO TOTAL REARWARD COLLAPSE OF DRIVER SEAT WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. IN SPEAKING WITH MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TODAY IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT HE HAS OR HAD A VEHICLE IN HIS POSSESSION FOR REPAIR OF VERY SAME DEFECT RECENTLY.

NHTSA ID

10096095

Incident

May 14, 2004

Mileage

165,000 mi

NHTSA RECALL 93-V-187-000: RECLINER MECHANISM AND SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM . HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10026555

Incident

Jul 3, 2003

VEHICLE ENGINE FIRE. NAR 07/02/2003.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM

NHTSA ID

10026617

Incident

Oct 13, 2002

I HAVE 1989 SUBURBAN AND THE PAINT ON THE HOOD AND SOME OF THE PIN STRIPING IS PEELING OFF AND I WAS READING SOME OF THE RECALLS AND I WAS WONDERING HOW COULD I FIND OUT IF I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE REPAINTING AND ALSO TWO OF MY SEAT BELTS HAVE FROZE UP AND WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE RETAINER REEL OR WHAT EVER IT IS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010731

Incident

Nov 21, 2003

IN JULY OF 2000 I WENT TO FIRESTONE TO REPORT A BUBBLE IN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THE EMPLOYEE SAID THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPERATING AND THAT I SHOULD BUY NEW TIRES. THEY HAD NONE IN STOCK SO I BOUGHT ELSEWHERE. I STILL HAD THE FIRSTONES ON THE REAR. ON EASTER 2001 WHILE RETURNING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH THE LEFT REAR TIRE SUFFERED TREAD SEPERATION. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE AND HAD THE TIRE CHANGED. I HAD 5 FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE CAR WHO WERE VERY SCARED BY THIS. DAMAGE WAS $2300. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO WRITE A MORE IN DEPTH REPORT OR BE INTERVIEWED. I NEVER SAW ANY INDICATION THAT THESE TIRES WERE RECALLED. IF I HAD LEFT THE ONES ON THE FRONT WE MAY ALL BE DEAD. PLEASE STOP FIRSTONE FROM HANDLING INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS RATHER THAN RECALLING ALL OF THE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE TIRES - NOBODY ELSE SHOULD DIE IN ORDER TO SAVE THEM MONEY AND REPUTATION. I HAVE THE TIRE....AND PHOTOS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VDXF AXD TIRESIZE: 33X12.50R1)

NHTSA ID

745184

Incident

Apr 15, 2001

CONSUMER HAD RECALL 93V187000 FOR SEAT RECLINING & HAD IT REPAIRED. PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. DEALER FELT THAT HE WAS NOT OBLIGATED TO REPAIR IT AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

875414

Incident

Nov 22, 2000

YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING 60MPH DOWN HWY 59 IN HOUSTON AND HEARD THIS AWFUL NOISE LIKE I RAN OVER SOMETHING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET QUICKLY OVER TO THE SHOULDER. SURE ENOUGH THE BACK LEFT TIRE, A FIRESTONE 235/75/15 FR480 (SAME SIZE AS THE RECALL, BUT DIFFERENT FIRESTONE) TIRE PEELED OFF THE BELTS. IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO POP AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT DID NOT. IT DID SOME DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE ALSO. I WENT TO A FIRESTONE SHOP AND HE WANTS TO JUST SELL ME NEW TIRES... NOT EVEN REPLACE THE BLOWOUT!!! HE DID GIVE ME AN 800 NUMBER FOR THE DAMAGE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 275/55R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 275/55R15 )

NHTSA ID

734958

Incident

May 22, 2000

CONSUMER PURCHASED FOUR FIRESTONE LT 235-85-R16 A/TMS TIRES, TWO OF THE TIRES WERE OUT OF ROUND CAUSING VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

NHTSA ID

556343

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

THIS SUBURBAN WAS EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE TIRES LT235/85R16, DOT:VNOR. IT WAS NOT (OE), AND WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH TREAD SUDDENLY PEALED OFF THE TIRE. FIRESTONE WAS NOT CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

872413

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: RIGHT REAR EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION ON A 1989 CHEVROLET, SUBURBAN WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WITH DRIVER AND SEVEN PASSENGERS. AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT INSTALLED AT 134,944 MILES, TIRE SIZE 31X10.50/R15, DOT# VD60AW3258. VEHICLE RECEIVED REAR END BODY DAMAGE, AND TIRE WAS AVAILABLE FOR ANAYLSIS. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

871816

Incident

Sep 20, 2000

COMPLETE TREAD LOSS, NO FLAT, ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVE HOME ON STEEL BELTS( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/15R75 )

NHTSA ID

731932

Incident

Jan 8, 2000

SECOND FALIURE OF REPAIRED DRIVERS SEATBACK. DRIVERS SIDE (LEFT) RECLINER BOLT BROKE CAUSING DRIVER TO STIKE HEAD ON DOOR PILLAR AS HE WAS THROWN REARWARD DURING ACCELERATION ONTO FREEWAY. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP WITH FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS SEAT WAS REPAIRED BY HUFFINES CHEVROLET IN LEWISVILLE TX FOR A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN 1999 WHEN THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED THROWING THE DRIVER ONTO THE REAR SEAT.

NHTSA ID

729410

Incident

Aug 28, 2000

I HAVE HAD ONE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT LOCKING SYSTEM REPLACED IN THE PAST. I WENT THROUGH THE VEHICLE TODAY AND I HAVE THREE THAT DO NOT LOCK AT HARD BREAKING. HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE WOULD FAIL WITHIN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

726754

Incident

Aug 5, 2000

THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL IN THE EARLY TO MID '90'S FOR FAILURE OF A BOLT WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. WHEN I RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS RECALL, I PROMPTLY HAD THE WORK DONE. BUT WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, I FELT UNEASY BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T THINK THEY DID THE WORK. ABOUT A YEAR TO TWO YEARS AFTER THE BOLT WAS "REPLACED" THE SEAT COLLAPSED ON ME. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED IT IMMEDIATELY. IN HINDSIGHT, I WAS UPSET I DIDN'T KEEP THE BOLT THAT BROKE TO DETERMINE BY TESTING IF IT HAD INDEED BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL. ANYWAY, YESTERDAY, JULY 27, 2000, I WAS DRIVING ALONE AT 40 MPH WHEN THE BOLT AGAIN BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE AND ME TO FALL BACKWARDS, LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS JUST LUCKY IT WAS A WIDE ROAD AND THERE WAS NOBODY NEAR ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I FOUND THE BOLT THAT SNAPPED AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT TESTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

726152

Incident

Jul 27, 2000

FRAME SECTION LOCATED NEAR STEERING GEAR BOX, IS CRACKED/ STEERING GEAR BOX IS LEAKING FLUID AND PULLEY ON POWER STEERING PUMP IS SHREDDING. STEERING GEAR BOX HAS BEEN REPLACED. T VEHICLE IS NOT CONTROLLABLE IF FLUID LEAKS OUT TOO FAST. *AK

NHTSA ID

857355

FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT ANCHOR ATTACHMENT BOLTS BROKE ,CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

856480

EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES FROM 1997 TO THE PRESENT ONCE IN 1997, ONCE IN 1998, & TWICE IN 199. ALL PARTS ARE GMC. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

856318

Incident

Aug 15, 1997

THIS VEHICLE WAS IN A CHAIN REACTION REAR END COLLISION WHEN STRUCK IN THE REAR, DRIVER'S SEAT BACK BOLTS BROKE, CAUSINGTHE SEAT TO COLLAPSE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT, INJURIES TO BACK, NECK, LEFT KNEE, AND HIP. *SLC

NHTSA ID

854146

Incident

Nov 20, 1999

RECALL COMPONENT REPAIR COMPLETED THEN FAILED AGAIN. (93V-187) *NLM

NHTSA ID

549998

Incident

Mar 25, 1994

RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED (93V-016) HOWEVER FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION OCCURRED DUE TO OVERHEATING OF THE TRANSMISSION (REMEDY FAILURE). MJS

NHTSA ID

549053

Incident

May 1, 1999

TRAILER HITCH INSTALLED AT FACTORY BECAME LOOSE DUE TO BOLTS FALLING OFF. MJS

NHTSA ID

547145

Incident

Feb 4, 1999

TRANSMISSION FRONT SEAL BROKE, CAUSING THE HOT TRANSMISSION FLUID TO HIT EXHAUST, RESULTING IN A UNDERHOOD FIRE . *AK

NHTSA ID

835154

Incident

Jan 2, 1999

THE STEERING COLUMN CAME LOOSE 3 TIMES(9/3/93, 12/16/97, 2/3/99). THIS IS A POOR DESIGN WITH CHEAP WHITE METAL PARTS. THE REPAIRS HAVE COST ME $1000 TO DATE($100,$400 AND$500). I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG MY LATEST REPAIR(REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN) WILL LAST. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ON A $25000 VEHICLE. I AM RATHER RELUCTANT TO PROCURE ANOTHER GM VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS. *AK

NHTSA ID

702908

Incident

Sep 3, 1993

FLEXIBLE FUEL HOSE RUBS ON 4WD TRANSFER CASE SUPPORT, WEARING A HOLE THROUGH IT. PRESSURIZED FUEL THEN SPRAYS ON HOT EXHAUST PIPE. EXTREME FIRE HAZARD, ALTHOUGH MINE DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. OTHER VEHICLES FOUND WITH SAME PROBLEM. ONLY APPLICABLE TO 4WD MODELS.

NHTSA ID

700376

Incident

Dec 15, 1997