RoadVitals

1989 GMC Suburban Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
17
Latest Aug 31, 2004
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.
3
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jul 28, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 17 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1989 GMC Suburban. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–17 of 17

Engine
Filed Aug 31, 2004

WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10090113
Incident
Jul 2, 2004
Seat belts
Filed Jan 15, 2004

WE PURCHASED A 1989 GMC SUBURBAN IN FEBRUARY 2003. AT THAT TIME THE PERSON WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM TOLD US THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THE PAINT HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT HE HAD NEVER CHECKED INTO IT. UPON US TAKING DELIVERY I BEGAN TO SEARCH ON THE WEB AND CAME UPON YOUR INFORMATION AND TOOK THE ADVICE OF CONTACTING OUR LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER AT OUR CHEVY DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TOO OLD AND THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. TODAY 6-31-03 I CALLED THE GM SERVICE CENTER AND WAS GIVEN A SERVICE # OF 1-1-146-15140, AND TOLD TO CALL A DIFFERENT # GIVEN THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED WITH THIS REFERENCE# AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF THE YEAR AND MILEAGE THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE PAINT, AND THERE WERE "NO OPEN PAINT CLAIMS RECORDED" I ASKED WHAT THIS MEANT AND THE WOMAN SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS OPEN ON THIS YEAR FOR PAINT. I DID NOT ARGUE WITH HER, AS I HAD ALREADY TOLD HER I HAD LOOKED UP THIS RECALL ON THE WEB. THE TWO SIDE SEATBELTS IN THE MIDDLE ROW OF SEATS. DON'T WORKVERY WELL, THEY GET STUCK HALF WAY OUT A LOT.

NHTSA ID
10070498
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Tires & wheels
Filed May 30, 2003

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. STEELTEX RADIAL LT TIRES. *AK THE TIRE PRESSURE HAD RUN LOW, BUT NEVER MORE THAN 2 PSI HIGH. (NEVER ANY IMPACT) THE BLOWOUT HAPPENED ON A SMOOTH ROAD AT A LOW SPEED. THERE WERE NEVER ANY REPAIRS DONE TO THE TIRES. THE BLOWOUT HAD A "T" SHAPED 4-5" EDGE OF TREAD, WITH A LEG OF "T" THAT EXTENDED FROM THE TREAD NEAR THE BEAD. FIRESTONE CONSIDERED THIS IMPACT DAMAGE AND WOULD NOT REPLACE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10021904
Incident
Jun 26, 2003
Mileage
13,982 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 23, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

THE TIRE BLEW UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT. THIS CAUSED A WRECK AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER.*AK (TIRESIZE: LT26575R16)

NHTSA ID
759713
Incident
Jun 30, 1998
Electrical
Filed Oct 15, 1999

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE COMIG FROM THE ENGINE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER. LOOKED UNDER HOOD, AND DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
850860
Brakes
Filed Aug 2, 1999

BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR SIZE OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
709481
Incident
Aug 1, 1992
Engine
Filed Nov 30, 1997

EXHAUST MAINFOLD TO CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS HAVE BROKEN DUE TO HEAT STRESS EXHAUST LEAKAGE IS APPARENT.

NHTSA ID
526940
Brakes
Filed Oct 30, 1997

BRAKES HAVE FAILED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DEALER REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. *AK

NHTSA ID
526556
Incident
Feb 1, 1997
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 17, 1997
1 injury reported

PASSENGER SEAT BACK COLLAPSED DUE TO FAILURE OF BOLT BREAKAGE, CAUSED INJURY.

NHTSA ID
518598
Incident
May 30, 1997
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 2, 1997
1 injury reported

AS A RESULT OF RECLINER BUCKET SEAT RECALL, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MOUNTING BOLT BROKE AND THE ENTIRE BACK OF SEAT RELEASED, INJURING CONSUMER'S WIFE. *AK

NHTSA ID
812667
Incident
May 30, 1997
Transmission
Filed Apr 21, 1997
Fire reported

TRANSMISSSION OVERHEATED, CAUSING FIRE.

NHTSA ID
516619
Incident
Feb 28, 1997
Heating & air conditioningFuel systemSteering
Filed Oct 17, 1996

POWER STEERING PUMP BRACKET CRACKED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT 55 MPH AND SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF AND DESTROY AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR.

NHTSA ID
510084
Incident
Mar 1, 1995
Steering
Filed Mar 27, 1996

THE STEERING WHEEL BOLTS COME LOOE AND CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TO HAVE TOO MUCH PLAY AND CAUSES THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL FROM TIME TO TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID
981270
Incident
Mar 27, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 12, 1996

THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD ORDER THE PART AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP THERE WAS NO PART. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
979006
Incident
Feb 10, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Dec 20, 1995

SEATBELT RETRACTOR ON BACK SEAT FAILED, REPLACED TWICE AND THE BUCKLE LOCKS UP. TT

NHTSA ID
976864
Incident
Jan 1, 1991
Seat belts
Filed Jul 28, 1995

THE DRIVER AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT LAP BELT BROKE . TT

NHTSA ID
969512
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 28, 1995
Crash reported2 injuries reported

DRIVERS CHAIR SLIPPED BACK WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURY PRIOR TO RECALL.(93V187000) *DSH

NHTSA ID
484411
Incident
Feb 22, 1994

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .