2018 Chevrolet Suburban Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine1817.8%
- Electrical1716.8%
- Powertrain (other)1514.9%
- Brakes1413.9%
- Steering87.9%
- Driver assistance76.9%
- Other / unspecified55.0%
- Seat belts55.0%
- Airbags44.0%
- Fuel system33.0%
- Suspension22.0%
- Transmission22.0%
- Body & structure11.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2018 LT Chevy suburban with 110000 miles has been giving me transmission and motor problems. I took it to chevy vannuys and they took 3 days and did nothing. I saw a recall on line for the same year. Explaining about transmission problems. Where can I go to have it fixed.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that on several occasions, while the vehicle was parked and running, or while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. Occasionally, the vehicle was able to be restarted; however, on other occasions, the vehicle required towing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the battery cable and ignition switch were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 208,257.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while purchasing an aftermarket warranty coverage, the warranty company informed the contact that there was a mileage discrepancy based on the Carfax report. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 123,959; however, the Carfax report listed the mileage at 129,000 one month prior to the purchase.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that on several occasions, while the vehicle was parked and running, or while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. Occasionally, the vehicle was able to be restarted; however, on other occasions, the vehicle required towing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the battery cable and ignition switch were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 208,257.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact's husband noticed an abnormal sound and the vehicle independently stopped. The contact stated that the instrument cluster displayed a blank screen. The contact's husband attempted to shift the gear shifter, however the gear shifter failed to shift as intended. The contact stated after several attempts, the gear shifter shifted as intended. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission. The contact's husband was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced or rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. In addition, the contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the failure was not covered under the unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
My husband was driving our 2018 Chevy Suburban when it suddenly stopped accelerating and he could no longer shift gears. Luckily, this happened while he was driving down a gravel road (approx 25-30mph). If he would have been driving at highway speeds, it is likely that he could have lost control of the vehicle. Our Suburban had no issues to this point and had always run well. We take it in for routine maintenance. We had it towed to a local repair shop, and they informed us that something had happened with the transmission and that it would need to be replaced. I have found several GM transmission recalls and our situation sounds similar to reference N252536750. Again we had no warning signs and had been experiencing no issues with our vehicle. If this had been something that we had been noticing problems and hadn't gotten it looked at, I can understand that maybe this had been something on going for a while that we had just missed maintenance on. However, for the transmission to stop so suddenly, I believe there must be some sort of larger failure in the transmission system.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
No official incident has happened yet, but the brake assist kicks in, yet does not work until it's revving engine to over 4000rpm, which causes a sudden jerk and scary sounds from engine. I have had a few instances where the vehicle did not want to stop almost causing an accident, and these have happened without anything in the car other than my daughter who is 2 and myself. The most recent problem is a weird rattling sound while going uphill. Before this going uphill is extremely sluggish, where I have the gas peddle almost to the floor, but nothing happens other than decrease in speed until it finally, about 30 seconds-1 minute, where it kicks into overdrive. Even then, speed does not increase by more than 5-10 mph depending on the incline. I have not brought it to get looked at yet, as I've seen these issues have been reported by numerous consumers without any recalls being sent out other than the breaking system update.
The Trailor brake system, engine light, stabilitrak control system and antilock brake system is on due to the wiring of this vehicle.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
TECHNICIAN - Was unable to perform test drive of vehicle. Inspected operation & found; Vehicle will not turn over, battery very weak. Removed battery, put on charger for approximately 45 minutes. Reinstalled battery. Vehicle had power but did not start. Was unable to get shifter into neutral. Found engine still not turning over. Found starter motor making clicking sounds. Got to turn over once but was very labored, but did not start. Disconnected shift cable at transmission and rolled vehicle into shop for diagnostic. - Scanned computer control modules & found; Approximately 30 codes total in multiple modules, with high and low voltage codes. - Inspected & found; Performed basic electrical faulty tracing. Performed battery test, voltage was low at 16%.Battery(new FY22) failed load test. Found starter making "thunking and clicking" sounds. Unable to move shift lever out of park position. Let battery charge an additional 1 hour and found battery failed testing. Tester states "short" which indicates internal failure. Tested starter draw, found excessive draw at 400amps, spec is 70-120amps. After testing tried to start. Engine turned over slowly for approximately 1 second and then made clicking sounds. Found body module voltage codes returned. Verified engine does turn over when manually turned with breaker bar. FURTHER SHIFT LOCK ISSUES OR OTHER ISSUES. Technician removed and replaced the starter assembly and the battery. Found engine started up and ran. Verified repair. Found shift lock still not working. Shifter will not leave the park position. Performed testing. Verified transmission will shift to drive and to reverse. Verified brake switch working properly and sending signal out to ABS module. Verified shift cable not frozen. Found no fault tracing available for this type of shift lock. Eliminated other possibilities which indicates the issue is with the shift lock actuator/gear shifter. Determined/Suspect; The shift lock actuator/gear shifter is faulty.
While slowing down to make a left hand turn at an intersection, my vehicle suddenly lost power steering and the entire system completely shut down. There was no electronic function during that time. I had to put the vehicle in park, turn the key to the off position and then start it back up. It has happened multiple times, both at low speeds in drive and reverse. This would have caused a collision if there was oncoming traffic at the intersection at that time.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Transmission will not go into drive or reverse. This also happens when car is in drive going down the road it will all of a sudden lose power and not go when pressing gas pedal. Vehicle has to completely shut off several times before it will go back into gear. No warning before it started. This can be dangerous when it happens in traffic and I can’t move car out of the road. It has not been inspected yet. Also blind spot warning does not always says it needs serviced.
Hello, To whom it may concern, My vehicle is a 2018 Chevy Suburban with a 5.3 motor. GM produced these motors made from inferior metal and defective lifters. My engine began failing in May 2022, I've taking my vehicle to several shops for work but the problem has not been resolved. I have links below explaining the problems with these motors. There are tens of thousands of individuals with families struggle with this same problem I'm having as well. This is world wide news, I'm asking for help for myself and so many other people in these challenging times. I've contacted GM headquarters. [XXX] and [XXX] with no success, just the run around. I went to a GMC dealer here in Clarksville, TN where I reside this month. [XXX] with GMC told me he was hearing my lifters and I need not drive my vehicle. Called me in his office and told me he couldn't get my vehicle in to be looked at, but gave me another dealership contact information. I called and spoke with a gentleman by the name of [XXX] he also informed me that they were backed up and couldn't see me until October 5th. All warning lights came on in May of 2022, engine and steering and traction. Please view these links below that explain in further detail. Thank you for your time and help! My Contact information [XXX] https://youtu.be/EwOQbnFcAOc https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2021/12/are-there-new-problems-with-gm-v-8-engine-lifters-lurking/ INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am reporting a safety issue involving a Cybex Eternis S child car seat. The seat was manufactured on 02/28/2020 and has a printed expiration date of 02/25/2030, indicating a 10 year usable life. At approximately five years of use, the head impact foam failed and is broken into two separate pieces. The foam pieces are detached. This foam is a required safety component. Cybex customer service confirmed in writing that if the head impact foam is detached or broken into separate pieces, the seat does not meet safety requirements and should not be used. Cybex also confirmed that no replacement part is available and no repair or remedy is offered. As a result, the seat is unsafe and unusable halfway through its stated usable life, with no ability to repair or replace the failed safety component. This raises concerns about product safety support for child restraint systems marketed with extended usable lifespans.
Wheels 22" Chrome upgrade from the standard wheels from the factory The tire bead where the chrome meets the interior alloy metal corrodes. Thetires start losing air pressure. The tires should be 35 PSI. The front tire dropped to 23 PSI making sterring pull to the right. This is a problem with all 4 tires on the 2018 Chev Suburban Premier. I need to check tire pressure weekly
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
The 2nd row of the vehicle has 2 captain chairs and both seatbelt retractors failed.
The second row - driver's side seat belt no longer was retracting, making the seat unsafe. This belt had been slow to retract since we purchased this vehicle from the dealership in June 2022, but it stopped retracting in mid January 2023. As my extended warranty only covers drive chain, the dealer charged me $627.43 for parts and labor to replace the seat belt. It is disappointing that Chevrolet does not warranty the basic safety equipment for the life of the vehicle.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
STARTED ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO, DRIVER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. RESET IT AND ALERT STAYED OFF FOR A WHILE AND THEN STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED, AWAITING PARTS. DEALER STATED IT WAS AIRBAG IN THE OVERHEAD AREA OF THE DRIVER. I DON'T KNOW IF VEHICLE PART HAS BEEN INSPECTED. AWAITING COMPLETION OF THE REPAIR.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while attempting to register her vehicle at the state DMV, she was advised that the vehicle did not have airbags. The contact had purchased the vehicle from a third party and not a dealer. The contact stated that the state DMV would not register her vehicle due to the absence of airbags. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics who informed her that all air bags were not installed on the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN DEC OF 2019 USED. 35,000 MILES. NOW HAS 88,000 AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. REGULAR OIL CHANGES. NO WARNING LIGHTS. NO ISSUES. STOPPED RUNNING. AFTER HAVING SOMEONE LOOK AT IT TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, THE MECHANIC SAID THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAS TO EITHER BE REBUILT OR REPLACED.
THE CAP LESS FILLER'S AUTOMATIC FLAP BROKE. WE NOTICED THIS SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The car was slowly making right hand turn when we heard a loud noise and stopped the car Once we got out, we saw that right wheel was completely torn out. We have videos and pictures. If it would happened on the higher speed, we would be dead. The car shop told us that they never seen anything like that in the past. Per their report, upper control arm broke off then the rest followed: lower control arm, ball joint, outer tie rod, poss inner tie rod, sway bar link, abs sensor connector. Consumer also learned from dealer that certain parts do not exist anymore and new ones are available.
THE AUTOMATIC AIR SUSPENSION HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TOWING. THE SHOCKS LEAK, THE COMPRESSOR DOES NOT TURN ON, AND SOMETIMES, IF IT DOES TURN ON, THE BAGS DO NOT DEFLATE. WHEN THEY DO NOT INFLATE IT CAUSES DANGEROUS SAGGING AND SQUATTING. WHEN THEY INFLATE AND DO MOT DEFLATE AFTER TOWING THE REAR SUSPENSION IS VERY STIFF AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AROUND IN. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN OVER 5 TIMES TO FIX THE ISSUE AND CHEVY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2018.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving and attempting to merge onto the freeway at approximately 50-55 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact attempted to accelerate to approximately 70 -75 mph when the vehicle failed to accelerate. The transmission suddenly failed without any warning lights. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,000.
I purchased the vehicle in June. On a trip in July the transmission stopped functioning in the middle of a major highway. There was no warning and the car just stopped. After getting it to a service dealer in the state we were traveling in, we were told it was the transmission. The car had less than 34,000 miles on it. Fast forward to today and 4 garage visits later, I know own a vehicle that I am told by service dept could need an entire transmission. At less than 40,000 miles.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRAME WAX PEELING, RESULTING IN CORROSION. AT THE CURRENT RATE, CORROSION WILL AFFECT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME IN THE FUTURE. PROBLEM MAY HAVE RESULTED FROM IMPROPER WAX APPLICATION TECHNIQUE OR IMPROPER PREPARATION OF FRAME PRIOR TO WAX APPLICATION. NORMAL VEHICLE USE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .