2021 Chevrolet Suburban Problems

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban used to tow a 30-foot trailer. The contact stated that while towing the trailer and driving 60 MPH up an incline with no shoulder, the vehicle shut off in a remote area. The contact was able to move the vehicle off the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The brakes and power steering features became inoperable. The vehicle shifted to neutral without driver input. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A hauling company was contacted to tow the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

I had a recall serviced on a Friday which was completed by the dealership. My car sat all weekend and was not driven until Monday AM which was fine. After work, there were several warning lights that popped up and it was making a terrible noise. I was unable to drive home and had to have my car towed to the dealership. Following there inspection, my engine had to be replaced due to a known issue with this engine and GM. Cylinder #2 misfire, lost compression - lifter had spun in guide, camshaft is damaged - engine needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, I was just out of warranty so it was either pay $12,000+ for a new engine or walk away from a car that I love. I just don't understand why if GM knows this is an issue, why there is not some sort of recall on it.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? (On our 2021 gasoline suburgan, the rear wheels locked up at free-way speeds, which nearly caused a possibly fatal accident. The lock released but it appears the strain caused rear differential gear teeth to break and the rear differential now needs to be replaced for the vehicle to operate properly.) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? (The sudden rear wheel lockup at freeway speeds resulted in temporary loss of control of the vehicle and significant surprise to the driver, who, after swerving into the adjacent lane was able to gain control of the steering and stop the vehicle. Had there been another vehicle in the other lane the MVA could have been fatal for 9 people in the suburban and any other vehicle involved.) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? (The rear differential damage was confirmed by a dealer.) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? (No.) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? (No warning or messages. This has happened 3 times over 3 years, always on extended trips 9-12 hours in duration. The first two times nearly caused an accident but no differential damage. This third time, the differential was immediately damaged due to the incident. We have since learned that this is an issue with 2022 suburbans, for which a recall has been issued. A recall has also been issued for 2021 DIESEL suburbans. However, no recall has been issued to gasoline 2021 suburbans, but apparently needs to be.)

COMPONENT: The 10-speed automatic transmission failed on 6/29/26, locking the vehicle completely in neutral. The neutral override could not be disengaged even by dealership technicians. Vehicle is currently at [XXX] Chevrolet, [XXX] and is available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: I have 3 young children who are regular passengers. The failure occurred without warning. Had it happened at highway speed in oncoming traffic, I would have had no ability to move the car — creating a direct risk of a serious or fatal collision. CONFIRMED BY DEALER: Yes. Don Hewlett Chevrolet received the vehicle on 6/30/26 and confirmed the failure is directly related to two active federal recalls: NHTSA #24V-797 (10-speed transmission valve body failure/wheel lockup) and NHTSA #22V-036 (driveshaft assembly/loss of propulsion). Vehicle has been unrepaired for 13 days with no timeline provided. OTHER INSPECTIONS: Vehicle has been in possession of Don Hewlett Chevrolet since 6/30/26. No manufacturer representative, police, or insurance inspection has occurred. WARNING SIGNS: None. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms appeared before the failure. The power train locked suddenly and completely without any prior indication on 6/29/26. Despite the dealer confirming this is recall-related, they have indicated I may owe partial repair costs. Under 49 U.S.C. § 30120, GM must remedy recalls at no charge regardless of mileage or warranty. I am requesting NHTSA investigate both the failure and GM's attempt to charge the owner for federally mandated recall repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road, and the vehicle was turned off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with fuel pump power control module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact discovered a recall for the issue; NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V739000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V739000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer opened a case for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Fuel pulp module failed on highway. Was told there is not a recall on my VIN even tho online there is a recall and known issue for the part

Had an engine replacement in dec of 2025 and had to pay for it since wasn’t under warranty or recall. And now my replacement engine which has a warranty now. Just failed in March 2026 which about 3 months later. Had metal shavings in engine and multiple cylinders misfiring. And now I don’t have a family vehicle to drive my family around again. There should’ve been a recall on my engine, but wasn’t this is not fair. And I’m paying the price for it.

I am submitting this complaint to report a serious safety issue involving my 2021 Chevrolet Suburban equipped with the 3.0L Duramax diesel engine. The vehicle has experienced a recurring problem related to the engine wiring harness. While driving, the vehicle will unexpectedly stall without warning. At the same time, there is an immediate loss of power steering assist, significantly reducing the ability to safely control the vehicle. This creates a dangerous situation, especially at highway speeds or in traffic. The failure appears to be linked to a defect or malfunction in the engine wiring harness, which may be causing intermittent electrical interruptions to critical engine systems. There were no prior warning signs sufficient to prevent the incident. This issue poses a substantial safety risk not only to the driver and passengers but also to other motorists. Sudden engine shutdown combined with loss of steering assist increases the likelihood of a crash. I believe this may be a systemic defect affecting other vehicles of the same model and configuration. I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to investigate this issue and determine whether a recall should be issued. Vehicle Information: Make: Chevrolet Model: Suburban Year: 2021 Engine: 3.0L Duramax Diesel

Lane departure assist, adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking, adaptive high beam, forward collision warning system became unresponsive while driving on highway during trip. Had to take vehicle into GM dealership for ADAS camera replacement.

See attached document for complaint.

The vehicle caught on fire in our garage The Vehicle had been parked outside than moved into the garage nothing smelled like smoke after it was parked other than the exhaust after I got out of my suburban I have a good idea what caused this but until its done being ispected I happened to look back and saw a flame in the Suburban coming from the center area of the dash on the right hand side of the divers seat I thought for sure it was gonna blow up the dogs were in the back of the garage behind the vehicle off to the side I started screaming and calling for help and had to go around the house to the front door to get my husband and him and one of my sons went out there why I called 911 and was with my other son whom has a disability and they told us to get out of the house and I could not get back to the garage we were on the other side of the house going to go out on the patio my other son and husband were in the garage trying to put it out and getting to the two dogs my son went through the smoke to reach the dogs were one ran out on her own and the young German shorthair was in shock and he had to carry the 2 year old out and put them in a safe place but my husband was still trying to put out the fire he hooked his pick up to the suburban to try to pull it out of the garage and it moved maybe a few inches he was stuffing wet towels on it also to try to stop it nothing worked the fire dept showed up and police after having to tear the inside of the front of the dash out our home owners insurance adjuster was out yesterday The Suburban has had multiple and thousands of dollars of mechanical issues even Gm putting a new engine in it after only a year in a half of owning it fluid got pushed up into the wiring after a service last year there was splater inside the dash glass after a new steering wheel was istalled and I asked the dealer if they could fix that and they said that they didn't go inside there the amount of detail that has led up to this is huge

My wife was driving the vehicle and was pulling into a parking lot. The brakes failed and would not stop the vehicle. She pressed on the brakes very hard, multiple times, for several seconds, before the vehicle finally came to stop. She then proceeded into a parking spot where the brakes again failed to stop the vehicle promptly. Several lights illuminated and a “System Brake Failure 43 MPH Top Speed” message appeared, alternating with several other messages appearing. The vehicle is in for service at Classic Chevrolet in Granbury, Texas. They are telling me that they reset the codes and that the codes are not returning. I am extremely concerned that if I pick up the vehicle at this point, the brakes could fail again and cause an accident with serious injury.

Sat may 3rd We went for tire change from that date since that day, every time we try to start the car there’s always a different warning light The warning light is never the same issue. On may 15 when we received a warning light about transmission we went to the dealership that day they said they were about two weeks backed up but flushed the transmission and paid $504 for the service. Since that day we also received numerous warning light which include. Driver window. Esc. Winshield fluid. Tire pressure. Lift gate open. Forward Collision System Unavailable. Your 2021 Chevrolet Suburban detects a battery, starter or connection issue. Lastly the check engine light came on and the car won’t start.

Service safety restraint constantly reappears. Taken into dealership 3 times and still has not been fixed. This could cause serious injury or harm and I have 4 children 10 and younger. This has been an on going problem.

2021 SUBURBAN LT. Driver side headlamp adjuster failed while driving. Wife struggles to see at night so when the adjuster failed the driver side headlamp faced right to the ground causing no projected illuminating light. We attempted to adjust the light when she arrived home but it would not adjust due to the leveler failing and breaking. Looking into the matter we found out that numerous people with those, suburban's and even Silverado's that share the same parts have also reported the part failing due to the leveling being so thin and driving over bumpy roads will cause the weight of the lamp to snap and break. Its a growing concern yet dealerships are charging customers over 1400 to replace the whole assembly as it is one seal piece. There was no indication of it starting to fail just the moment it went from fine to facing the ground. We tried to run through extended warranty but claimed denied stating us touching the leveler to adjust it is what caused it to break. We tried to prove our case that doing research they would find to be common but no luck. its a safey matte.r

The front headlight leaks water which pools inside the led front headlight bezel causing the headlamp to blow/fail. This is a known GM issue and TSB's have been initiated. Concern was confirmed by the dealership who reported that the seal on the headlamp had failed causing the water leak and full replacement of the headlamp/headlight bezel needed to be replaced.

Safety Defect Complaint Vehicle Equipment: - Anti-lock Brakes - Full Front Air Bag - Passive Disabling Anti-theft Device Introduction: I am the registered owner and primary driver of a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. I am filing this safety complaint regarding a serious system malfunction that occurred during an accident in 2023, resulting in injury to myself and my daughter. As a responsible vehicle owner who has maintained this vehicle according to manufacturer specifications since its purchase on July 21, 2021, I am deeply concerned about the safety implications of this incident. Safety Defect Description: In 2023, my vehicle experienced a critical system malfunction during a collision incident. While the vehicle was not in a rollover situation, the system incorrectly detected one, resulting in: 1. Complete vehicle shutdown during active accident conditions 2. All airbags deployed simultaneously 3. False rollover detection despite vehicle only experiencing vertical displacement when something from another vehicle hit the front of my vehicle Injuries and Medical Response: - Driver (self) sustained mild concussion requiring emergency transport - Daughter required emergency medical evaluation - Both occupants transported via ambulance to hospital Insurance Claim Impact: - MetLife denied accident and hospital claims - Denial basis: Absence of traffic citation - Virginia State Police report indicated no-fault accident - This denial has created significant financial hardship due to medical expenses and vehicle repairs - The vehicle's system malfunction has contributed to difficulties in proving accident circumstances Ongoing Vehicle Issues Post-Incident: - Persistent power loss issues, Multiple alignments required, Compromised driving dynamics and handling, vehicle does not track correctly despite repairs Safety Concern: The vehicle's incorrect rollover detection and subsequent complete shutdown during an active accident scenario presents a serious safety risk.

I was sold a vehicle from a dealership in Green Bay Wisconsin under the impression all safety regulations were met. The day I drove it off the lot, I had issues with the back drivers' door, making wind noise. I had messaged the salesman, he stated it may have been the door seal. Days went by, it wasn't sitting well with me, I made an appointment with a local body shop in. regard's to the door and suspicion of something not right. I brought it to the body shop, they informed me, that the back air bags were deployed and stuffed back into the roof, body work on the left side was done incorrectly and is very unsafe to drive, seat belts where my children sit were finger tightened, frame is held on by a bolt etc. The body shop states that if this vehicle were to be in an accident, it would not sustain impact the way vehicles are designed to do so. The owner of the dealership I had bought from refuses to come to an agreement about this situation. I have all the paperwork and documents from the body shop along with another local dealership near me who I also brought it to look it over as well so the owner could understand that this vehicle should have never been able to be sold on his lot. They also agree that this is super unsafe and should not be driven until it is fixed properly and all safety standards should be met. They believe that it should have been totaled out, it is very obvious that the left side was hit and smashed in. I also asked the owner if he would feel safe for his children to drive in this vehicle and he said, “no” I have many documents/pictures/reports to share once needed.

[XXX] DIAGNOSE UNITS: 1.00 TECH(S) :1244 CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE IS RUNNING ROUGH, MAKING A NOISE WHILE DRIVING COMING FROM THE REAR, PLEASE CHECK & ADVISE, FEELS LIKE RIGHT REAR WHEEL IS RUBBING checked over and found noise to be coming from rear differential. found bulletin #21-NA-028 for rear axle moan type noise on turns. followed service procedure per bulletin and drained and refilled rear diff service multiple times to correct customer concern. test drove vehicle after repair and noise is no longer present at this time. May be necessary to Drive vehicle multiple times to work lubricant into clutch pack. may require 1 more drain and refill if noise returns. If hesitation is still felt, recommend getting appointment set up for transmission diagnostic ARTS - - 0B # 1 - QTY - - - FP - NUMBER - [X] [XXX] -DESCRIPTION OIL 8.800 LIST PRICE-UNIT PRICE- $58.43 $58.43 JOB # 1 TOTAL PARTS JOB # 1 TOTAL LABOR & PARTS 179.00 $350.58 $350.58 $529.58 J# [XXX] *REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNITS: TECH(S) :1244 268.80 Added Operation [XXX] @ 03/05/2025 15:01) CUSTOMER REQUESTS PERFORM SYNTHETIC REAR DIFFERENTIAL SERVICE 3*#[XXX]& #[XXX] (07/22 AT TEMPERATURES OF 300 DEGREES & UP, TREMENDOUS STRESS IS PLACED ON THE DRIVE TRAIN LUBRICANTS. CONSEQUENTLY, THERMAL BREAKDOWN & DEPOSIT FORMATION HAVE BECOME COMMON, SHORTENING THE LIFE OF GEAR LUBRICANTS & THE COMPONENTS THEY ARE [XXX] SUPPOSED TO PROTECT. PERFORMED SYNTHETIC REAR DIFFERENTIAL SERVICE AND ADDED CONDITIONERS. INVE ARTS QTY - - - FP -NUMBER- -DESCRIPTION- - LIST PRICE-UNIT PRICE- ERANG JOB # 3 TOTAL PARTS 0.00 Company JOB # 3 TOTAL LABOR & PARTS $268.80 I am very disappointed at this dealership because they turn in the car and the problem is steel the same and they charge me $730.11 for a work that it was not done 😡 RADLEY CHEVROLET 11301 PATRIOT HWY FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22408 (540) 898-4000 WWW.RADLEYCHEVROLET.COM RADLEY CHEVROLET [XXX] Certified Service INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED

The 22 inch rims on my vehicle are cast aluminum I'm assuming. I have had several cracks causing me to rapidly loose air on the tires while driving at highway speeds. I have had three cracks in different rims within the last week and have had the rims repaired twice. The vehicle has 75k miles on it. This is a major concern and safety issue. I've never seen that many cracks happen at once. Some say well your hitting potholes but that isn't the case here.

Seat, mirror, steering column pre-set driver adjustments do not come into proper driving configuration on a regular basis when starting vehicle. This is a dangerous situation when a malfunction does occur. Seat has tendency to squeeze driver torso into steering column and knees into dash. LH mirror inadvertently and unexpectedly tilts down toward the ground and ofter unnoticed. This makes for a dangerous condition where the driver assumes that there is no oncoming rear traffic and it's safe to pull away from a curb from a stopped position. This condition has occurred for over a year and while the vehicle was covered under factory warranty. Numerous trips to Bonner Chevrolet in Kingston service department for remedy have yielded nothing. Bonner Chevrolet walked away from this serious issue and told us there's nothing more they can do and said, sorry. In contact with Chevrolet through Chat messaging, the recommend other surrounding dealers. None are interested at this point. the chat messaging is as useless as Bonner Chevrolet. Meanwhile I'm driving and paying for a useless and dangerous vehicle which no one knows how to repair. This has been an ongoing event since June, 2023.

Second row drivers side seat headrest latching mechanism failed. The head rest will not stay in the upright position and is a safety hazard if someone is sitting in the seat as it hits the passenger in the back of the neck.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but was a recurring failure. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that prior to the failure, there was an abnormal whining sound while turning the steering wheel. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.

I am submitting this complaint to report a serious safety issue involving my 2021 Chevrolet Suburban equipped with the 3.0L Duramax diesel engine. The vehicle has experienced a recurring problem related to the engine wiring harness. While driving, the vehicle will unexpectedly stall without warning. At the same time, there is an immediate loss of power steering assist, significantly reducing the ability to safely control the vehicle. This creates a dangerous situation, especially at highway speeds or in traffic. The failure appears to be linked to a defect or malfunction in the engine wiring harness, which may be causing intermittent electrical interruptions to critical engine systems. There were no prior warning signs sufficient to prevent the incident. This issue poses a substantial safety risk not only to the driver and passengers but also to other motorists. Sudden engine shutdown combined with loss of steering assist increases the likelihood of a crash. I believe this may be a systemic defect affecting other vehicles of the same model and configuration. I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to investigate this issue and determine whether a recall should be issued. Vehicle Information: Make: Chevrolet Model: Suburban Year: 2021 Engine: 3.0L Duramax Diesel

For the past 2 years my windshield wipers will fail randomly while using them during a rain storm. I will have to pull over and completely turn the vehicle off turn back on and they may start working again or restart a couple more times. I’ve taken it to the dealership twice over it and the one time it was when they didn’t work and no codes showed up. It just happened again while on the turnpike during a rain storm. It’s very scary because some roads you can’t pull over right away and It’s very hard to see when the windshield is completely covered and the wipers won’t work. A major safety issue. I wanted to take a video but it’s not safe when I’m driving and trying to see out the window. I have 2 little kids and currently pregnant so this is very scary with my kids in the car.

Yesterday marked the 2nd time that the front windshield wipers on my 2021 Chevy Suburban (58k miles) randomly stopped working while driving down the highway in a rainstorm. They would not come out of the resting position regardless on what setting they were put to on the wheel switch. They continued to not work for the hour drive back to my house. The last time this happened all fuses, motor, etc were checked and tested good. The wipers started working again a day or so later, using the windshield wiper fluid button to test. This marks the second time my family has been put in a situation driving on the highway in a rainstorm with the wipers randomly stopping to work and having to navigate to safety with extremely limited visibility. This appears to be a fairly common issue with newer GM vehicles with the auto sense technology, found plenty of forums with the same experience. The major concern I have is that when this happens the wipers don’t work at all in any mode. Even trying to run in manual mode rather than auto sense the wipers will not move from the resting position. It leaves a driver with zero way to clear rain and see when this randomly occurs.

There is an electronic problem that continues to trip the warning for the Air Ride suspension system to fail leaving the vehicle stuck at its current ride height or it drops eithee the front or rear suspension to the ground while simultaneously raising the front or rear to its highest setting. It also causes the vehicle speed to drop immediately to 56 mph. Issue has been scanned by several dealers to determine air leaks, pinched wires, failing compressor and all were found to be in normal operation. This is a huge safety concern as well as a huge financial concern for the consumer.

I bought the vehicle on January 11, 2025. Within 2 weeks the service leveling system indicator light came on the dashboard. The vehicle's front left air suspension system was not working properly and the vehicle lowered to the crash shield. The vehicle would not go over 55 miles and hour and was bouncing all over the road. The vehicle went back to the dealership and they reset and calibrated it. A few weeks later, the same thing happened. The vehicle again went down in the front, and was unsafe to drive. The dealership had the vehicle for 3 weeks, had difficulty assessing the situation and changed the front left air suspension arm. They told us it was fixed. We picked it up and as we were driving it home the service leveling system indicator came on, we brought it right back. They had the vehicle another 2 weeks and changed the solonoids, reset and recalibrated and had us pick it up. Within a few weeks the same thing happened, but worse. As I was driving it, an explosion sounded from the vehicle and the whole entire front of the vehicle lowered to the crash shield, making it extremely unsafe to drive. I have asked for the dealership to get a certified mechanic from GM to come and look at the vehicle and to start the repurchase process, no one is getting back to us and the vehicle is unsafe to drive.

Safety Defect Complaint Vehicle Equipment: - Anti-lock Brakes - Full Front Air Bag - Passive Disabling Anti-theft Device Introduction: I am the registered owner and primary driver of a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. I am filing this safety complaint regarding a serious system malfunction that occurred during an accident in 2023, resulting in injury to myself and my daughter. As a responsible vehicle owner who has maintained this vehicle according to manufacturer specifications since its purchase on July 21, 2021, I am deeply concerned about the safety implications of this incident. Safety Defect Description: In 2023, my vehicle experienced a critical system malfunction during a collision incident. While the vehicle was not in a rollover situation, the system incorrectly detected one, resulting in: 1. Complete vehicle shutdown during active accident conditions 2. All airbags deployed simultaneously 3. False rollover detection despite vehicle only experiencing vertical displacement when something from another vehicle hit the front of my vehicle Injuries and Medical Response: - Driver (self) sustained mild concussion requiring emergency transport - Daughter required emergency medical evaluation - Both occupants transported via ambulance to hospital Insurance Claim Impact: - MetLife denied accident and hospital claims - Denial basis: Absence of traffic citation - Virginia State Police report indicated no-fault accident - This denial has created significant financial hardship due to medical expenses and vehicle repairs - The vehicle's system malfunction has contributed to difficulties in proving accident circumstances Ongoing Vehicle Issues Post-Incident: - Persistent power loss issues, Multiple alignments required, Compromised driving dynamics and handling, vehicle does not track correctly despite repairs Safety Concern: The vehicle's incorrect rollover detection and subsequent complete shutdown during an active accident scenario presents a serious safety risk.

I was sold a vehicle from a dealership in Green Bay Wisconsin under the impression all safety regulations were met. The day I drove it off the lot, I had issues with the back drivers' door, making wind noise. I had messaged the salesman, he stated it may have been the door seal. Days went by, it wasn't sitting well with me, I made an appointment with a local body shop in. regard's to the door and suspicion of something not right. I brought it to the body shop, they informed me, that the back air bags were deployed and stuffed back into the roof, body work on the left side was done incorrectly and is very unsafe to drive, seat belts where my children sit were finger tightened, frame is held on by a bolt etc. The body shop states that if this vehicle were to be in an accident, it would not sustain impact the way vehicles are designed to do so. The owner of the dealership I had bought from refuses to come to an agreement about this situation. I have all the paperwork and documents from the body shop along with another local dealership near me who I also brought it to look it over as well so the owner could understand that this vehicle should have never been able to be sold on his lot. They also agree that this is super unsafe and should not be driven until it is fixed properly and all safety standards should be met. They believe that it should have been totaled out, it is very obvious that the left side was hit and smashed in. I also asked the owner if he would feel safe for his children to drive in this vehicle and he said, “no” I have many documents/pictures/reports to share once needed.