RoadVitals

1999 GMC C/K Suburban (gmc)

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Dec 15, 2014
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 GMC C/K Suburban (gmc), most frequently naming the brakes, fuel system and electrical categories. 13 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes654.5%
  • Fuel system327.3%
  • Electrical19.1%
  • Engine19.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Fuel system
Filed Dec 15, 2014

FIRE HAZARD ON MY 99 GMC SUBURBAN K1500 FROM METAL FUEL LINE FAILURE WITH LEAKING FUEL WHEN ENGINE IS RUNNING. THE DANGER IS FROM MORE RUSTED OUT LINES SIMILAR TO THE METAL BRAKE LINE FAILURE I HAD IN THE PAST ON THIS TRUCK AND HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM. THE TRUCK WAS ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO WITH INFERIOR OR CHEAP PARTS THAT RUST PREMATURELY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10664416
Incident
Dec 15, 2014
Mileage
178,575 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Oct 4, 2014

ENGINE STOPPED DURING ACCELERATION ONTO HIGHWAY. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. AS THEY MAKE A RELOCATION KIT FOR THE MODULE, I ASSUME THIS IS A KNOW DEFECT. IN A. CURVE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. *TR

NHTSA ID
10641368
Incident
Sep 20, 2014
Mileage
203,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 27, 2013

BRAKE FAILURE- METALLIC BRAKE LINE CORRODED AND RELEASED FLUID UNDER PRESSURE CAUSING BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10509792
Incident
Apr 26, 2013
Mileage
85,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 6, 2012

BRAKE LINE (BETWEEN FRONT CALIPER AND ABS BLOCK) RUPTURED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT APPROX. 35 MPH. TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR PEDAL SOFTNESS PRIOR TO PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. I DID MANAGE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PULLING OFF OF THE ROAD INTO SOFTER SOIL. I NEARLY STRUCK SEVERAL VEHICLES AND HAD TO DRIVE OFF OF THE ROADWAY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE IS USED EXTENSIVELY BY MY SON. IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. HE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ON A SKI TRIP THE PREVIOUS WEEKEND. ALL BRAKE LINES IN VEHICLE SHOW HEAVY CORROSION AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10446895
Incident
Dec 19, 2011
Mileage
150,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 7, 2010

MUSHY BRAKES, DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL IN1999, IHEAR THERE MAY REALLY BE A PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10324400
Incident
Mar 15, 2000
Fuel system
Filed Feb 20, 2010

PUMP MOUNTED DRIVER (PMD) INTERMITTENT TO COMPLETE FAILURE CAUSES DIESEL ENGINE TO STALL UNPREDICTABLY AT ANY SPEED OR RPM. THIS CAUSES A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER ASSISTED BRAKING. HAVE PURCHASED 3 REPLACEMENT PMD'S SO FAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10312334
Incident
Dec 28, 2009
Mileage
160,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 20, 2010

WHEN BRAKING SLOWLY THEN TRYING TO COME TO A FULL STOP, ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGES AND BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WITH NO STOPPING POWER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10312332
Incident
Jan 15, 2010
Mileage
160,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 15, 2008

OVER THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATING AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT. WHEN THIS FIRST BEGAN TO HAPPEN I WAS NARROWLY ABLE TO AVOID REARENDING THE CAR AHEAD OF ME, IN ONE CASE ONLY BY APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE. I HAVE A 1999 GMC K1500 SUBURBAN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I NOW ALLOW EXTRA ROOM FOR BRAKING. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWED THAT GM HAD A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON 1999 T0 2001 MODELS, BUT WHEN I CALED GMC TO ASK WHY I HAD NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO OPEN RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10245618
Incident
Aug 19, 2008
Mileage
66,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PIT3227S

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have slack in one of the tailgate cables. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.

17-NA-073

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

PIT3227R

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have slack in one of the tailgate cables. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.

PIT3227Q

EQUIPMENT

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have slack in one of the tailgate cables. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.

PIT3227P

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have slack in one of the tailgate cables. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.

16NA260

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO REPROGRAM THE MEDIA DISC PLAYER WITH THE LATEST CALIBRATIONS TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF THE REAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT OPERATING AS INTENDED IN COLDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AREAS DUE TO CALIBRATION CONCERNS.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

GMC C/K Suburban (gmc) by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1999Viewing900
1998100
1997100
1996300
1995000
1994300

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.