Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN TRANSMISSION FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES. *MR THERE WAS NO THIRD GEAR AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED. THE DRIVESHAFT WAS REPAIRED AND 2 JOINTS WERE REPLACED IN THE FRONT SHAFT. *SC
LATENT DEFECTS AND THE GMC SUBURBAN.*MR THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. THE FRONT OUTPUT SHAFT SEALS HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND THE AC HEATER KNOB HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED THEY FAIL TO FIX PROBLEMS AND HE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY AT THERE OWN EXPENSE. PLEASE RESPOND PROMPTLY IN HELPING TO RESOLVE MATTER. *CB
TRANSMISSION SHAFT HOUSING CRACKED IN HALF BECAUSE THE CASTING WAS TOO THIN. *SLC
CHEVROLET, SUBURBAN 1996, LS 1500, 4 X 4 I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR 2YRS, I HAD TO PUT ON 5 SETS OF BRAKES, 2 SETS OF ROTORS, DRUMS, STEER KNUCKLES, ALTERNATOR, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, BATTERY, DIFFERENTIAL/AXLES REPLACED AND AIR CONDITION UNIT HAS FOWL SMELL AND THE BACK PASSAGER DOOR STICKS AND WON'T OPEN MOST OF THE TIME. I BOUGHT IT AS A LEASE RETURN WITH 34,900 MILES ON IT. PLEASE HELP ME FIND OUT WHY THIS CAR IS STILL BEING SOLD. I ONLY DRIVE THIS SUBURBAN IN EMERGENCY.*AK
THESE TIRE ACT AS IF THEY ARE OUT OF BALANCE, A SPEEDS OF 65-70MPH THEY WILL SHAKE TO VEHICLE SO BAD,IT DISLOGDES MY CELL PHONE BATTERY. I HAVE HAD THESE TIRE BACK TO FIRESTONE TO BE REBALANCED SEVERAL TIMES. THEY SAY THE TIRE ARE BALANCED CORRECTLY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVIN FOR A HALF HOUR OR SO. WHEN THEY ARE COLD THEIR FINE. FIRESTONE HAS BLAMED MY DRIVESHAFT AND CV JOINTS. I HAVE MOVED THE TIRE AROUND THE VEHICLE AND THE VIBRATION FOLLOWS THE TIRES. COULD THESE TIRE BE GOING OUT OF ROUND AFTER THEY WARM UP? I WAS JUST LIVING WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOW I SEE THAT THESE TIRE ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA. (DOT NUMBER: NONE TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)
THE VEHICLE MAKES A HUMMING SOUND AND INCREASES AS IT ACCELERATES DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION OIL PUMP AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE. YH
FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FAILED. YH
PINION SEAL ON REAR DIFF. LEAKED AT 36K MILES, FUEL INJECTORS CLOGGED AT 40K AND INOPERABLE OXYGEN SENSOR. BATTERY LEAKED AT SIDE TERMINAL (38K MILES), CORRODED BATTERY CABLES AND SHELF. WINSHEILD WIPERS DO NOT GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STARTING POSITION WHEN TURNED OFF. CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STARTING THE VEHICLE. STARTER WAS CHECKED AND IS O.K. PROBABLY ELECTRICAL, DUE TO LEAKING BATTERY OR A COMPUTER PROBLEM.
MAJOR FAILURES AT 2 YEARS A/C, BATT, ALTERNATOR, FUEL PUMP & DIFFERENTIAL,
RECENTLY WE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT A INDEPENDANT SERVICE (L&L AUTOMOTIVE), IN THE PAST THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. L&L STATES ON THEIR INVOICE "FOUND REAR BRAKE SHOES DID NOT MATCH THE DRUMS, IT APPEARS THAT THE INCORRECT REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS INSTALLED FROM THE FACOTRY, WE PUT DRUMS ON THAT MATCHED THE REAR SHOES/AXLE". WE HAVE CONTINUALLY TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO A AUTHROIZED CHEVY DEALER BECAUSE WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. OUR INVOICES INDICATE THAT AT 8947 MILES ON 7/26/96 WE FIRST COMPLAINED, AT 13,829 MILES ON 9/30/96 BURT REPLACED FRONT BRAKES (WARRANTY), AT 13,829 MILES ON 9/30/96 BURT REPLACED FRONT BRAKES, AT 20,462 MILES ON 12/31/96 BURT RESURFACED REAR BRAKE DRUMS (DID NOT DETECT OR TELL US OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DRUMS) AND SUGGESTED THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN SOON, AT 21,575 MILES BURT REPLACED FRONT BRAKES (WE PAID), AT 30,799 MILES ON 5/29/97 BURT REPLACED FRONT BRAKES. THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE AND SHOWS THE PROBLEMS WE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH THE BRAKING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. CHEVROLET HAS DENIED US ANY RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, EVEN IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCORRECT FROM THE FACTORY AND EVEN IF THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER HAD 5 TIMES TO DETECT THE PROBLEM WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I FEEL THAT IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT THE CAR IS STILL UNSAFE. THE DRUMS/SHOES/DIFFERENTIAL DO NOT FIT THE VEHICLE THAT WE BOUGHT. AN INCREASE SAFETY PROBLEM IS WE HAVE 2 DISABLED CHILDREN, ONE IS CLASSIFIED THROUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS "TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY" (UNRELATED TO AN AUTO. ACCIDENT). WE MUST HAVE A VEHICLE THAT HAS THE STRENGTH THE CARRY AND STOP THIS 3/4 TON VEHICLE, WHICH FOR 82,000 MILES HAS BEEN STOPPING MAINLY BY FRONT BRAKING. I HAD TO APOLIZED TO MY WIFE FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS ON BLAMING HER DRIVING ON THE BRAKES! SINCE PUTTING SMALLER DRUMS TO FIT THE SHOES, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH MY FAMILY AND ESPECIALY PULLING OUR BOAT OR HORSE TRAILER.
WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE WHICH ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO LIST HERE ON YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN OF ANY SERVICE OR HELP TO US. WE HAVE OBTAINED AN ATTORNEY AND WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT YOUR SERVICE AND TRY TO OBTAIN INFORMATION. IF YOU CAN BE OF ANY HELP, PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANK YOU.
WHILE DRIVING THEERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. DEALERS NOTED PROBLEM WAS A WORN OUT RING & PINION GEAR. *AK
VEHICLE SUFFERS FROM NOTICEABLE VIBRATION WHICH APPEARS TO BE THE RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW. DEALER ALSO REPLACED FRONT/REAR ABS BRAKES/TIRES/DRIVESHAFT AND REAR AXLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 40 MPH CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE, MAKE WOBBLING NOISE, WHOLE WHEEL CAME OFF, SHEARED AT THE PINS: LUGS: BOLTS HAD WEATHERED OUT. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS FAULTY LUG BOLTS. REPLACED NEW AXLE/RIMS/TIRES,THIS DEFECT CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
PULLING AWAY FROM STOP SIGN, HEARD A LOUD POP; VEHICLE STARTED TO HESITATE. CHECKED & NOTICED U-JOINT BROKE; SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED. HAD U-JOINT REPLACED TWICE. PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED. *AK
DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING FAILED.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .