RoadVitals

1990 Chevrolet Suburban Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints 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.
11
Latest Oct 3, 2000
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
20%
of 54 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1990 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Oct 3, 2000

AFTER BRAKING 2 TO 3 TIMES THE BRAKES STAGGER, SHUDDER GRABBING AND STICKING, SEEMS LIKE THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM IS HAPPENING EACH AND EVERY TIME BRAKES ARE APPLIED.

NHTSA ID
9000907
Incident
Nov 1, 1999
Brakes
Filed Aug 25, 1999

WHILE MAKING A SUDDEN STOP THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TRAVEL. CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES TO THE FLOORBOARD IN ORDER TO STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
845786
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Brakes
Filed Oct 26, 1998
Crash reported

I WAS ENTERING THE I-205 SOUTHBOUND ON RAMP OFF OF MILL PLAIN BLVD IN VANCOUVER, WA WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY APPLIED HER BRAKES. I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY MY BRAKES, BUT THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT LIMP ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TRIED TO PUMP THE BRAKES, BUT THE PEDDLE STAYED LIMP AND ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I DIDN'T PANIC BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE ANY REASON FOR THE DRIVER TO SLAM ON HER BRAKES--THERE WAS NO ONE IN FRONT OF HER AND THERE WAS NO ONE PULLING IN FRONT OF HER, AND WE WERE ENTERING THE I-205 ON-RAMP. THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM BETWEEN OUR VEHICLES. I FIGURED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WOULD MOVE ON AS WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY ON-RAMP. SHE THEN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE FREEWAY ON RAMP. AT THIS POINT THE SPEED WAS PROBABLY LESS THAN 20 MPH. AS I WAS REACHING FOR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, MY SUBURBAN BUMPED INTO THE BACK OF HER 1987 ACURA. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE BRAKES ON MY SUBURBAN WORKED FINE. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDDLE AFTER BOTH VEHICLES CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP FROM THE IMPACT MOTION. I THEN PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE AND IT WAS GOOD. I BACKED UP A BIT AND THE BRAKES WORKED FINE. I DROVE FORWARD A BIT AND UNTO THE SHOULDER AND THE BRAKES WORKED FINE. THE ROAD WAS DRY AND THE SKY WAS SUNNY. I COULDN'T EVEN FATHOM THE BRAKES FAILING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THEN IT DAWNED ON ME THAT SINCE THEY FAIULED ONCE THEY COULD FAIL AGAIN ABD POSSIBLY WITH MORE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. I TOOK THE SUBURBAN TO VANCOUVER CHEVROLET FOR A BRAKE CHECK AND EXPLAINED TO THE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY SAID THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING DOWN AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING DOWN MEANS. I CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AFTER I GOT HOME AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND IT WAS GOOD. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH A LIMP BRAKE PEDDLE ON THE SUBURBAN BEFORE. I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE PEDDLE. THERE NEVER WAS ANY SPONGINESS OR ANY ANY INDICATION OF A BRAKE PEDDLE PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS INCIDE

NHTSA ID
700101
Incident
Oct 6, 1998
Brakes
Filed Feb 24, 1998

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE LIGHT COMES ON , THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
821643
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Feb 24, 1998

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ID
531155
Brakes
Filed Feb 2, 1998

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 55 TO 60 MPH THE ABS LIGHT COME BLINKING ON AND OFF. THEN WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE IT DOESN'T FEELS LIKE IS WORKING AS IF SHE STEPPED ON BRAKES HARDER, THE BRAKES MAKES A METAL NOISE. MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED, AND CONSUMER HAD MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
821082
Incident
Jul 15, 1997
Brakes
Filed Jan 21, 1998

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FADE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, RESULTING IN A COLLISION.

NHTSA ID
528619
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Dec 4, 1997

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL TO STOP VEHICLE EFFICIENTLY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.

NHTSA ID
525652
Brakes
Filed Oct 28, 1997

OCCASIONALLY DURING NORMAL BRAKING THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR. *AK

NHTSA ID
817810
Brakes
Filed Sep 18, 1995

ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP REAR ANTI LOCK BRAKES GO OUT. TT

NHTSA ID
972145
Incident
Sep 9, 1995
Brakes
Filed Jun 20, 1995

ABS: WHENEVER TOWING BOAT TRAILER, APPLY BRAKES; NO REAR BRAKES; FRONT BRAKES LOCKS UP DURING WET WEATHER; SLIDES; EXTENDED STOPPING. TT

NHTSA ID
967307
Incident
Nov 15, 1989

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .