Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 46 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.
The 25 most recent of 46, in the owner's own words
DECEMBER 2009, REPLACED RUPTURED BRAKE LINES ABOVE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. SEVERELY RUSTED. JULY 15, 2012, RUPTURED BRAKE LINE BY THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD AND FIRE WALL. SEVERELY RUSTED. FUEL LINES UNDER THE VEHICLE IS ALSO SEVERELY RUSTED. LEAK CAN CAUSE FIRE. BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING DRIVING ON ROAD. *TR
1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN IN-TANK FUEL SENDING UNIT FIRE: BOUGHT VEHICLE USED WITH 88000 MILES. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE / BURN UP OF THE UNIT INCLUDED INTERMITTENT FUEL PUMP AND FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, HAD PUMP REPLACED BY PATRICK GMC, PROBLEM PERSISTED, HAD DEALER WOLF CHEVROLET CHECK FUEL PRESSURE THROUGHOUT SYSTEM (OK). ALSO NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT BURNING SMELL. I THEN PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER A REPLACEMENT SENDING UNIT AND ANOTHER FUEL PUMP, AS SOON AS I TOOK THE SENDER OUT OF THE TANK IT WAS OBVIOUSLY CHARRED AND THE MODULAR CONNECTOR BURNT TO A CRISP, WIRES COMPLETELY EXPOSED WITH THE INSULATION GONE PARTIALLY DISINTEGRATED THE ABS PLUG. THIS THING GOT REALLY HOT REPEATEDLY. THE LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT WAS LUCKILY NEVER REACHED WITHIN THE TANK OR THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SPONTANEOUS EXPLOSION, ESPECIALLY IF THE TANK LOST ITS SEAL AND ALLOWED OUTSIDE AIR INSIDE, (SUCH AS WHEN THE TANK IS EMPTY AND IS PULLING VACUUM), FOR INSTANCE UNSCREWING THE GAS CAP IN IDEAL CONDITIONS NEXT TO A GAS PUMP WITH A 44 GALLON TANK VOID SUCKING IN AS MUCH OXYGEN IN AS THE FILLER TUBE WILL ALLOW, AND HITTING THAT GLOWING RED HOT SENDING UNIT. OLD PART IS IN MY POSSESSION AND IS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY SENDER. INCIDENT DATE IS APPROX. WHEN I PERFORMED THE REPAIR AND DISCOVERED THE BURNED UP SENDER. *NM
THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILED INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP HAS FAILED AGAIN ON MY 1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN, 6.5 LITER DIESEL ENGINE. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE HISTORY FROM MY DEALERSHIP SHOWS THIS WILL BE THE 6TH FUEL INJECTION PUMP TO BE INSTALLED ON THIS VEHICLE, ALL OF WHICH ARE COVERED BY GM'S 120,000 FACTORY WARRANTY & A 12 MONTH 12,000 MILE SERVICE GUARANTEE AFTER THE 5TH PUMP WAS INSTALLED. AUGUST OF 2003, THE PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD & WAS REPLACED WHEN THE MILEAGE WAS AT 116,503, UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. JUNE 27, 2004, AND MILEAGE OF 128,300 (11,800 MILES LATER) THE PUMP HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE PUMP FAILED ON A VERY BUSY & DARK STREET AT NIGHTTIME ON A BEND IN THE ROAD AS I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY WIFE & TWO KIDS IN THE CAR. WHEN IT FAILED THE ENGINE DIED AND WE WERE STUCK IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR IS BLACK AND IT WAS DARK, UNABLE TO MOVE, WE WERE ALMOST REAR ENDED BY SEVERAL CARS COMING UP THE HILL AND ROUNDING THE BEND IN THE ROAD. EVENTUALLY I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR STARTED AND IT RAN JUST ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO GET THE CAR OUT OF HARM'S WAY BEFORE DYING AGAIN. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT HAD PERFORMED THE LAST FUEL INJECTION PUMP. AT THIS POINT, IT IS STILL IN THE SHOP AND THE SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME THAT INJECTION PUMP HAD GONE BAD AND THAT HE IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR WARRANTY APPROVAL FOR REPLACEMENT AS WELL AS THE NEW PUMP ITSELF TO ARRIVE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OWNERS OF CHEVY AND GMC TRUCKS AND SUBURBANS WITH THE 6.5 LITER DIESEL, YEARS 1994-1999, VIA THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE HTTP://THEDIESELPAGE.COM. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT GM SHOULD RESOLVE. TO DATE, GM HAS ONLY INCREASED THE FACTORY WARRANTY FROM 100,000 MILES TO 120,000 IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE GOOD. THIS IS STILL A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU LOSE POWER AND BECOME A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN TRAFFIC. GM NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A PERMANENT FIX THAT PREVENTS THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, NOT JUST ONE THAT LASTS FOR A FEW MILES AND THEN HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN. *NM
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM INJECTORS FAILED TWICE. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE STALLED. THE PART WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES,HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN FUEL TANK SAFETY CONCERNS ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP FAILURE, WIRING HARNESS INSIDE TANK MELTED PER CERTIFIED MECHANICS AT MOTOR CAR MALL, PERALTA, NM IS THERE NO CIRCUIT PROTECTION? *AK
WIRE HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE IN FUEL TANK WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT FUEL PUMP FAILED DUE TO ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS INSIDE THE GAS TANK MELTING AGAINST THE PICKUP TUBE. THE PROBLEM WAS MADE APPARENT BECAUSE OF CONSTANT FUSES BLOWING OUT.*AK
FUEL PUMP WIRING INSIDE THE FUEL TANK SHORT CIRCUITED, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED MY SUBURBAN TO BLOW UP, SINCE I HAD JUST FILLED IT WITH OVER 30 GALLONS OF GAS THAT MORNING. MY FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH A NEW WIRING ASSEMBLY AND FLOAT MECHANISM. MY MECHANIC SAID THE SHORT CIRCUIT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY DUE TO OVER AMPERAGE OF THE FUEL PUMP. THAT IN TURN, CAUSED THE WIRES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK TO MELT TOGETHER AND SHORT OUT THE ECM FUSE, TWICE. I BELIEVE CHEVROLET IS VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. I HOPE OTHERS ARE AS LUCKY AS I WAS! P.S. POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ARE ALSO VERY POOR!! BAD DESIGN...1997 WAS A LEMON SUBURBAN, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND DESIGNED ALL OVER AGAIN!*AK
HAD FUEL PUMP FAILURE. WHEN SERVICED, THE ELECTRICAL WIRES INSIDE THE GAS TANK WERE BURNED AND THE CONNECTOR WAS MELTED INSIDE THE TANK. THE INSULATION ON THE GRAY WIRE WAS MELTED OFF AND THE WIRE WAS BURNT. WAS VERY LUCKY THAT IT DID NOT EXPLODE. IF THE TANK HAD BEEN EMPTY, IT WOULD HAVE BECAUSE OF THE PRESNECE OF OXYGEN IN AN EMPTY TANK. WENT TO BOB RICHARDS CHEVROLET IN AUGUST,GA AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT A SAFTY ISSUE AND THAT THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM. HAD TO PAY $700.00 OUT OF MY POCKET BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT CHEVROLET KNOWS ABOUT AND WON'T RECALL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. *NLM
THE INJECTIONS WERE DEFECTIVE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NLM
WHILE TRAVELING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICE BY DEALER TECHNICIAN NOTICE FUEL DRIVER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
TRANSMISSION STARTING FAILING AT 50,000 (CODED SLIPPAGE). GOING DOWN HIGHWAY AND BLEW TRANNY FLUID ALL OVER THE PLACE LEAVING US STRANDED. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. STEERING HAS MOMENTARY OVERSTEER, CAUSING THE FEELING OF SLIPPING ON ICE (SAFETY CONCERN AS NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE), REPLACED ROTORS THREE TIMES, REPLACED FUEL SENDING AND WIRING UNIT (WIRES HAD ACTUALLY MELTED INSIDE THE GAS TANK!!). WHAT NEXT!!!! THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 73,000 ON IT. WE DO NOT PULL ANYTHING BEHIND IT, SO FEEL THAT TRANNY SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. WHY WILL CHEVROLET NOT RECALL THESE PROBLEMS? HAVE HEARD OTHERS SAY THAT THE RADIATOR IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO HANDLE COOLING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ESSENTIALLY CAUSING EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATING. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES BEFORE THERE IS LOSS OF LIFE OR A BAD ACCIDENT. TS
INTAKE GASKET IS LEAKING COOLANT, CONSUMER FEELS THIS MAY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT TRANSMISSION IMMEDIATELY STARTED SHIFTING EXTREMELY HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND. READ THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM AND FOUND NUMEROUS IDENTICAL INCIDENCES WITH OTHER PEOPLE. NEXT FAILURE WAS FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET RESULTING IN COOLANT LOSS.
ENGINE QUIT JUST LIKE SHUTTING OFF OF IGNITION SWITCH. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE THE FUEL PUMP. WHILE REMOVING THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY NOTED THAT THE ATTACHING PLUG FOR THE FUEL PUMP HAD ARCED DESTROYING THE PLUG, AND THE WIRE SUPPLYING THE POWER TO THE PUMP HAD ALL THE INSULATION BURNED OFF AND THE WIRE WAS PARTIALLY MELTED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE ARCING AND MELTING OF WIRES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK COULD CAUSE AND EXPLOSION IF THE FUEL/AIR MISTURE REACHED STOICHIOMETRIC CONDITIONS.
WHEN CONSUMER DROPPED FUEL TANK OUT FROM UNDER VEHICLE AND STARTED CHANGING FUEL PUMP NOTICED THAT CONTACT WIRES FOR FUEL PUMP WERE CHARRED AND MELTED. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO EXAMINE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK
FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY RAN SO HOT THAT IT MELTED THE INSULATION ON ONE OF THE LEADS AND THE CONNECTOR GOING TO IT, THAT LEAD IN TURN HAD STARTED TO WELD ITSELF TO THE OTHER WIRES, CREATING A POTENTIAL DIRECT SHORT BETWEEN THESE WIRES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK.*AK
THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. IT IS NOT AS WIDE SPREAD AS G.M. WOULD LIKE ME TO BELIEVE. I KNOW OTHERS IN CALIFORNIA WITH THE IDENTICLE VEHICLE AS ME WITH NO PROBLEMS. G.M. BLAMES THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE GAS ADDITIVES. I AM THE ONE WHO IS STRANDED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I BOUGHT A NEW VEHICLE FOR DEPENDABILITY. I HAVE A CAR THAT CAN AND WILL BREAK DOWN ANY WHERE AND AT ANY TIME AND I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT. I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE HEADS OF THE CORPERATE OFFICES AT G.M. WITH MY CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS BUT THEY HAVE YET TO REPOND TO ME SERIOUSLY. THEY HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTACT ME. CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE CAN NOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM!! I END UP MORE FRUSTRATED AFTER SPEAKING TO THEM. I KNOW THAT THEY ARE ONLY DOING THEIR JOB AND CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. I NEED A REAL SOLUTION TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MY CAR HAD WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I WANT THE DEPENDABILITY THAT I HAD EXPECTED, WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR. FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE ME WITH IN THIS FRUSTRATING MATTER. SINCERELY YOURS, [XXX]. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
TRUCK STALLS, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY DEFECT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASSIONS WITHOUT SUCCESS. ACCIDENTS AVOIDED THUS FAR, BUT NEXT TIME, I MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE. PLEASE POST THESE COMMENTS, TO WARN OTHER CONSUMERS. GMC IS DENYING RESPONSIBILITY, HAS FLATLY REFUSED TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE, AND CONTINUES TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THIS THING...ME AND MY PASSENGERS(VERY OFTEN A TROOP OF GIRL SCOUTS) ARE IN DANGER, AND SO IS ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HOPE THAT NO ONE DIES AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECT. PLEASE HELP ME.*AK
SENDING UNIT IN FUEL TANK SHORTED OUT. *AK CONSUMER STATES IGNITION SWITCH ALSO FAILED. *SLC
FUEL PUMP DOES NOT LAST AS LONG AS MOST OTHER FUEL PUMPS LAST. CONSUMER HAS ALREADY CHANGED FUEL PUMP TWICE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *AK THE PREMATURE AND FREQUENT FAILURES OF THE FUEL PUMP IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *YH
THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENDER HAD TO BE REPLACED. BUT WHAT WAS TROUBLING WAS THE STATEMENT FROM THE MECHANIC THAT WE WERE LUCKY IT DID NOT EXPLODE. I KEPT THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED AND THE EVIDENCE IS CLEARLY THERE THAT THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE EXPLODED. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE SUBURBAN MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY TO CATCH IT IN TIME.
THE CONNECTION AND WIRES THAT RUN THE FUEL PUMP HAD BURNED AND MELTED, DUE TO THIS FAILURE THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. *SLC
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.
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