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 1998 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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
MY 1998 1500, 2 WD CHEVY SUBURBAN LOST A BOLT IN THE DIFFERENTIAL. BOLT HELD A PIN, WHEN THE PIN WORKED LOOSE, THE REAREND LOCKED UP, PUTTING MY CAR INTO A SPIN. FORTUNATELY I WAS ONLY GOING 25 MPH, AND NO ONE WAS HURT. *JB
THE SECOND TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AT 85,939 THOUSAND MILES, OUT OF WARRANTY. IS IT NORMAL FOR TWO TRANMISSIONS TO FAIL AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. I DON'T THINK SO. MY SUBURBAN IS IN FANTASTIC CONDITION. IT IS EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT LIKE NEW. NOW I HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER 2000 $ ON TOP OF JUST HAVING THE BRAKES DONE??
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 32000 MILES - RADIATOR REPLACED AT 54000 - WATER PUMP- DIFFERENTIAL AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS REPLACED NOW DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK . *JB
CHEVROLET HAS BRUSHED ME OFF SEVERERL TIMES BY SAYING I NEVER BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO A GM DEALER FOR BRAKES THE FIRST TIME I DDIDNT FEEL I WAS OBLIGATED TO GO TO GM I WENT TO BRAKE MAX THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND CHEVY WONT FESS UP AND HELP THE PUBLIC THE TRUCK IS TO BIG FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM MADE FOR THIS APPLICATION. *AK
VIBRATIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60 TO 75) AS WELL AS WANDERING ON HIGHWAY. DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT RECREATE. REPLACED VARIABLE SPEED ADJUSTMENT MODULE TWICE WITH SOME IMPROVEMENT.
I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES ONCE. THEY JUST FILLED UP THE BRAKE FLUID. 2ND TIME THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL. THEY SAID IT WAS THE WIRING HARNESS AT THE ENGINE.I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING . TOOK IT IN TWO OR THREE TIMES FOR THAT. THEY REPLACED SOME SWITCHES . THEN HAD TO TAKE IT IN AGAIN AND THEY REPLACED THE REAR AIRCONDITIONER. WE PURCHASED THIS TRUCK TO PULL A 20 FT TRAILER THE TRAILER WEIGHS 4200 LB. THE SUBURBAN HAS A 3.73 DIFFERENTIAL AND THE TRAILERING PKG. PLUS POST TRACTION OR WHATEVER THETY CALL IT NOW! WE WENT ON A VACATION IN NOV. PLANNING ON BEING HOME THE 1ST OF THE YEAR. OUR !ST DIFFERENTIAL BROKE OUTSIDE OF FREDERICK MD. IT WAS REPLACED. UPON TRYING TO RETURN HOME THE 2ND DIFFERENTIAL BROKE! IT WAS REPLACED IN LOUISVILLE KY. CONTINUNING OUR VENTURE HOME. THE 3RD DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT IN MOBILE ALA. THEY GAVE ME A VERY DIFFICULT TIME. TOLD ME IT WAS MY FAULT. I WAS EITHER GOING TOO FAST OF THE TRAILER WAS TOO HEAVY. NEITHER ACUSATIONS WERE TRUE! UPON FINALLY ARRIVING HOME (ALMOST) THE 4TH DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT AND REPLACED. I HAVE LOST ALL FAITH & TRUST IN THIS VECHICLE. AM SCARED TO DEATH TO TAKE IT ON THE ROAD. MY HUSBAND IS 67 YEARS OLD AND HAS DREAMED OF HIS RETIREMENT ALL HIS LIFE. NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A SUBURBAN WE DON'T DARE TAKE ON THE ROAD FOR FEAR OF IT BREAKING DOWN AGAIN. CHEVROLET REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE GARAGE WE PURCHASED IT FROM HAS BEEN VERY NICE. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO HAVE BEEN NO HELP IN THIS ISSUE! ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE PERTAINING TO CHEVROLET REPLACING MY SUBURBAN WOUYLD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *AK
DIFFERENTIAL SERVICED, CAUSING REAR END VIBRATION. MJS
WHEN VEHICLE IS ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE DRIVE TRAIN SOUNDS AS IF THE REAR END IS BANGING INTO THE TRANSMISSION, TRANSMISSION ALSO DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY. DEALER CLAIMS GM IS NOISE BUT INSIST THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM.
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 .