1990 GMC 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 1990 GMC 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
- Brakes936.0%
- Interior & seats728.0%
- Suspension28.0%
- Driver assistance28.0%
- Tires & wheels14.0%
- Transmission14.0%
- Electrical14.0%
- Other / unspecified14.0%
- Powertrain (other)14.0%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATES THE METAL PARKING BRAKE CABLE WEARS INTO THE RUBBER BRAKE HOSE, WHICH COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE HOSE AND THE REAR BRAKES, THE RUBBER BRAKE HOSE WAS ALMOST WORN TO THE POINT OF FAILURE, THE METAL PARKING BRAKE CABLE DOES HAVE A METAL SLEEVE ON IT TO PROTECT THE RUBBER HOSE, BUT THE NATURAL POSITION OF THE HOSE AND CABLE CAUSES THE SLEEVE TO NOT LINE UP IN THE DESIRED POSITION. *TT
I BELIEVE THE SUBURBAN SERIES VEHICLES HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE REAR BRAKE HOSE(FROM THE BODY TO A CONNECTOR ABOVE THE DIFFERENTIAL) IS USED AS A SUPPORT FOR THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE. THE STRONGER, HEAVIER PARKING BRAKE CABLE RUBS ON THE RUBBER BRAKE HOSE, CAUSING THE RUBBER HOSE TO FAIL. THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE DOES HAVE A 2INCH METAL SLEEVE OVER IT NEAR WHERE THE HOSE AND CABLE RUB. HOWEVER, THIS SLEEVE IS NOT LOCATED WHERE THE NATURAL LAY OF THE HOSE/CABLE IS. IN FACT, THE SLEEVE HAS A ROUGH EDGE ON IT, WHICH CAUSES ADDITIONAL WEAR ON THE RUBBER HOSE. THE RUBBER BRAKE HOSE IS ALSO BENT WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE TRUCK BODY BECAUSE THE HOSE MUST SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE. THE RUBBER BRAKE HOSE ON MY SUBURBAN WAS ALMOST WORN THROUGH WHEN I NOTICED IT. I BELIEVE THE FIX COULD BE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE BE ROUTED BELOW THE RUBBER BRAKE HOSE WITH A RUBBER DOUGHNUT BETWEEN THE HOSE/CABLE.O. *AK
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRAME OF SEAT BACK SNAPPED WHEN DRIVER ENTERED VEHICLE AND GOT INTO SEAT. *AK
RECALL 93V187000, WAS PERFORMED, SEAT BOLTS BROKE 2 TIMES AFTER THAT, AND 3RD TIME CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE SEAT FRAME. *AK
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
UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED 9/25/99 BY SUSPENSION PLUS IN SAN DIEGO USING MCQUAY NORRIS PARTS.. ON OR ABOUT 11/04/2000 THE VEHICLE WAS TURNING AT LOW SPEED LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL COLLAPSED UNDER THE FRONT END. SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION DETERMINED THAT THE REPLACED UPPER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED BY SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT RETAINER ASSEMBLY FROM THE BALL JOINT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER 9,000 MILES OF OPERATION. WE HAVE THE FAILED PART.*AK
CONSUMER WAS HEARING NOISE FROM BRAKES WHEN COMING TO A STOP, WAS INSPECTED, AND WAS ADVISED THAT FRONT BRAKES WERE NEEDED, AND REAR SHOCKS WERE LEAKING. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE STARTED RACING. COULD NOT STOP. PUT IN NUETRAL,ENGINE RACING. SHUT ENGINE . LATER FOUND THAT THE HOOK FROM SERVO HAD RUSTED AND BROKEN OFF AND THE BAR ATTACHED TO THE THROTTLE HAD GOTTEN STUCK IN THE THROTTLE. THIS HOOK SHOULD NOT BE OF A MATERIAL THAT CAN RUST & BREAK OFF LIKE THAT. ALSO I HAVE LOOKED INTO THE SERVICE MANUAL & THERE IS NO MENTION OF SERVICE TO THAT PART ATALL.WHY WILL THE MECHANIC EVEN LOOK AT THAT PART IF THERE IS NO MENTION FOR MAINTENANCE TO THAT PART. THAT JUST MEANS THAT GM FELT THAT THIS PART SHALL LAST TILL I CAN DRIVE THE CAR.I COULD HAVE HAD A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND I COULD STOP ONLY BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT TO DO. THE ENGINE WAS REVING LIKE CRAZY WHEN I STOPPED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES.*AK *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. BUT, CONSUMER COULD KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. BRIDGESTONE 31.1050 R16. *AK
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
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER RAISED HOOD; ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, AFTER VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, DOUGLAS BATTERY SUDDENLY BLEW UP, CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *AK *TT
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
CONSUMER WAS HEARING NOISE FROM BRAKES WHEN COMING TO A STOP, WAS INSPECTED, AND WAS ADVISED THAT FRONT BRAKES WERE NEEDED, AND REAR SHOCKS WERE LEAKING. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM A DEALERSHIP. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MY FIRST GMC PURCHASE SO FAR. WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF BUYING THIS CAR, I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE. NOW, TWO MONTHS LATER, THE TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW DEALERSHIPS CAN SELL THESE CARS WITH SUCH PROBLEMS AND THE MANUFACTURES NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS AND RESOLVE THEM. ANY INFO WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!
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 .